Erasure FAQ:

What do “Mute”, “Stumm” etc. mean?

Mute is a record label, founded in the UK by Daniel Miller, to which Erasure are signed in the UK. The catalog numbers for most Mute single releases have the word “Mute” in them (e.g. the Always CD single was CD Mute 152). Album releases usually have the word “Stumm” (the German word for “mute”). Non-UK catalog numbers are Muteless.

Are Vince and Andy on the net?

Vince has “lurked” on the Wonderland email list in the past. Unsurprisingly, he has not publicised any email address for himself. In February 1995 he indirectly posted a message to the list, forwarded through somebody else.

What’s Vince doing in the A Little Respect video?

He spraypaints over a DM logo (the loudspeaker logo from Music For The Masses). Probably just a bit of friendly(?) rivalry. The Vince Clarke story has more background info.

Who is Eric?

Vince’s partner in the Assembly, and a sort of unofficial third member of Yazoo, was Eric Radcliffe. The Yazoo album title Upstairs at Eric’s probably refers to him. It is probably not named after the Liverpool nightclub of the same name.

Who are Bjorn Again?

This Australian Abba tribute band’s first release was the Erasure-ish EP, featuring two mixes each of their covers of Stop! and A Little Respect. The band has since released several singles, as well as a full-length album called Flashback. They have not recorded any other Erasure covers.

Are limited editions really limited?

The phrase “limited edition” as used by record companies generally means that the packaging/contents combination is limited. The companies can (and do) re-release tracks that were previously available only on limited edition releases. Don’t be shocked when it happens to you.

How much is my record worth?

Not as much as you think, probably. Generally, old (more than 5 years) limited edition releases may be worth more than you paid if they are in mint condition. Don’t be fooled by exorbitant prices in record shops; it’s easy to slap a $100 price tag on a record, but much harder to actually find somebody willing to pay that much.

Particularly rare Erasure recordings include the limited Heavenly Action 12″ and the Crackers International II limited CD and 12″.

What about bootlegs?

There are many bootleg Erasure recordings available, both live and studio (remix etc.). The best bet to get hold of them is probably to go to record fairs, unless you can find shops that carry them. Best to listen to them before buying, or consult the discographies; quality can be extremely variable.

Concerning the Ultra Rare Trax CDs: Volumes one and two have generally poor sound quality, but volume three is very good overall.

What are the most popular songs/albums?

I have used the results of several polls including pre-Other People’s Songs releases. Over 1500 votes have been pseudo-scientifically combined to produce the following table. Points indicate relative popularity.

A Little Respect has topped these polls since not long after it was released. It’s probably the favourite Erasure song.

By the way, the three least favourite songs in polls tend to be: La Gloria, No GDM and 65000.

Who is John Came? What’s Rhythmicon?

John Came is a UK artist on the Mute label in the UK, who has released an album called Rhythmicon. Apart from this, he has nothing to do with Erasure. The rumour that John Came is an Erasure pseudonym has been around for a while, and may have been started by a certain online music retailer.

As an uninteresting sidenote, John Came used to live in Wollongong, Australia, the very place where the first version of this FAQ was created. Small world.