Thanks to Santi Trilla for translating this article into English.
Cover Title: ERASURE - VERSIONS vs "Operación Triunfo" (ie,"Popstars")
Inside title: Andy Bell vs Operación Triunfo
Do you remember that time in the dancehall …it was Erasure. They are back. This time with a new record of adorable cover versions. That's why we titled the article like a battle between Erasure and these programs like Popstars. Andy Bell talked to us about music and its surroundings.
No number 1 signed in his life, he became famous after replying to an advert in Melody Maker musical newspaper, and now he can afford to put his voice on popular old classics.
I like Andy Bell. First, because I had a lot fun dancing to some of his tracks; second, because he's not sure about performing live in Spain anytime, in spite of the fact he'd like to do it. And third, because he lives half of the year in his house in Mallorca, that he restored with his boyfriend in a beautiful zone of the island (and not allowing other tourists with bad taste to build apartments or hotels there).
Andy Bell, is part of the british duo Erasure with the huge genius Vince Clarke (ex Depeche Mode, ex Yazoo), and they have just recorded an album of cover versions called "Other People's Songs". He's on the other side of the phone:
My favorite song off the album is "Video Killed The Radio Star", Why don't you sing on it? Don't you like it?
AB: Yes, I didn't want to sing on it. Its something ironic, because we used a robot and then we played the song to some friends, and they thought it was my voice changed with computer effects.
Most of the cover versions talk about love for pop music, but they're really old, do you think pop music has lived better times?
AB: Definitely. There's no doubt. Now, pop music is managed by the big record companies that are not interested in artists with a long career. They don't want artists to have the control, they want it for themselves, and so have the power to exploite the young people. I think they are using the youth.
Do you refer to programs like "POP STARS" in UK or "OPERACIÓN TRIUNFO in Spain, Italy and other countries?
AB: Yes, these programs are part of the ridiculous shit show now on TV. They always choose classics to perform and then they do horrible versions. I mean, I love those songs, I mind them. I grew up in the 60s with the record collection of my parents. My mother was a fan of Elvis, and my father loved Buddy Holly stuff, and the songs of Phil Spector drives me crazy. Now, young people don't have the chance to know all that music.
Andy Bell doesn't know if an Erasure concert in Spain would be a success ( I told him I am sure it would be) and everyone should have this maravellous collection of cover versions that I am sure I'm going to have fun with again.
By the way, all the artists he mentioned in the interview appear as composers or original performers in the Erasure album.
*Other People's Songs (Caroline Records/Everlasting) is out on 28th January..