RS: I've noticed that a lot of bands right now, from Scissor Sisters to Hard-Fi, claim Erasure as an influence. How do you react when you hear something like that?
Vince Clarke: I can't really see the connection myself. I mean, it's really flattering when people say something like that but I can't hear it myself.
Andy Bell: It's very flattering to have a namecheck from those people, but I think what's frustrating for us is when you have new bands and they're hailed and hyped above you, and you're left a bit behind… I mean, it's lovely that they mention you and stuff, but then because things are so fickle, over here especially… people go for the latest thing and everything is very disposable.
RS: Which makes your music all the more better because it stands the test of time.
Andy Bell: Yes, it does.
RS: Have you thought about taking up remixing again?
Andy Bell: Well I do like remixing, but I have to do it with other people because I'm not really an engineer, I'm not really technical, but I do like getting ideas for remixes, yes.
RS: Of all the remixes done of Erasure stuff, what's been your favorite?
Andy Bell: I would say the mixes that Cappella did for Always, that William Orbit did for Supernature and Star, and that Gareth Jones did for Blue Savannah, the Der Deutscher mixes.
Vince Clarke: Anything by William Orbit, he did a great remix for Ship of Fools, that I really liked.
RS: I loved your greatest hits CD, all of the songs on there. Now I was wondering, have you ever thought about doing a B-sides compilation?
Vince Clarke: There's always talk of that. I think the fans would quite like that, but at the moment, the next thing on the horizon will be a brand new Erasure record with brand new songs and brand new sounds. Perhaps we could look at the B-side thing in a few years' time.
RS: Do you have a dream collaborator that you would love to work with one day?
Vince Clarke: I think if Paul Simon came along and said to me 'would you like to produce my album, my next album, or do the synth work,' then I would be up for it.
Andy Bell: I don't know really. I would love to work with Mirwais who did several of Madonna's albums, or Miss Kittin, because I think she's fantastic.
RS: Have you ever thought of doing a one-off or EP reunion with Alison Moyet?
Vince Clarke: Well, we've toyed with the idea, but our careers have gone in different directions. I mean Alison now is acting on the stage and she's also been involved in musicals. So, it would be certainly a nice thing to do in the future, but we have no definitive plans.
RS: Taking the Union Street experience in, do you think that will affect your next album, what you do next?
Vince Clarke: Well, I don't know. I'm sure it will, although I don't think that we'll be collaborating with other musicians like we did on this record. We've signed up with a producer already for the next record and we always tend to work with a producer, but I'd like to make this record as electronic-sounding as possible.
RS: Can I ask who the producer is?
Vince Clarke: Gareth Jones.
RS: Nice. What are you listening to currently in the electronic world?
Vince Clarke: In the electronic world, probably not a lot. At the moment, I'm obsessed with Cat Stevens.
