5 Albums I Can’t Live Without: Andy Bell of Erasure

Name  Andy Bell

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Best known for Being the frontman for Erasure, for wearing stilettos and dresses, for forgetting the words.

Current city  London.

Really want to be in  I would be in Mallorca, it’s my fun palace, my playground, and I love the beaches and the sheep.

Excited about  The release of my new solo album, Ten Crowns, and then the tour to support it. The next Erasure album, and Erasure’s 40th anniversary next year!

My current music collection has a lot of  Ella Fitzgerald, Joni Mitchell, Kate Bush, and lots of Blondie.

And a little bit of  Grace Jones and 50s rock ‘n roll.

Preferred format  All of the above. It’s the music that’s important, the way I listen to it depends on where I am and what I’m doing.

5 Albums I Can’t Live Without:

1

Parallel Lines, Blondie

This album is the reason I became a pop artist! “Heart of Glass” is a disco classic and “11:59” is genius. I still can’t believe that I got to collaborate with Debbie Harry on Ten Crowns, that was a dream come true.

2

The B-52’s, The B-52’s

The B-52’s showed me that you can be as kooky as you wanna be and still make music which stands next to the greats. My standout tracks would be “Planet Claire” and “Rock Lobster.” I love Kate, Fred, Keith, Ricky, and Cindy!

3

Kaleidoscope, Siouxsie and the Banshees

I have listened to this one so many times, and would sing along to my heart’s content. It shows such a transition between what they were and what they became. “Happy House” and “Red Light” are my favorites.

4

Flex, Lene Lovich

She is the whole package. And this record is as mad as a whole box of hatters. “Bird Song” is fucking genius. So is “You Can’t Kill Me.”

5

Quiet Life, Japan

There’s one track, “Life in Tokyo,” produced by Giorgio Moroder, which I love. That came out just before Quiet Life, but this whole album is amazing. It’s not on this record either, but I also love Japan’s version of Smokey Robinson’s “I Second That Emotion.” Sung by the most beautiful man in pop. 

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