Fun Facts

Trivia, surprises, and little-known stories from the world of Yazoo.

  1. Two Names, One Band

    The duo took their name from Yazoo Records, a specialist American blues and jazz reissue label founded by Nick Perls in 1967. This tribute backfired when Yazoo Records threatened a £3.5 million lawsuit, forcing the band to rename themselves Yaz for the North American market. Different album artwork and promotional materials had to be created for each market.

  2. The "Situation" Accident

    "Situation" was originally released as a B-side to "Only You" in the UK. American DJs began playing it in clubs, and it became so popular that Sire Records released it as an A-side single in the US. It topped the Billboard Dance chart and became Yazoo's biggest American hit — all from a track the band hadn't even considered a single.

  3. Who Is Eric?

    The title Upstairs at Eric's refers to Blackwing Studios in London, which was located above All Hallows Church. The studio was run by producer and engineer Eric Radcliffe, who worked closely with Mute Records artists. The "upstairs" part was literal — the recording space was on the upper floor of the church building. Radcliffe co-produced the album alongside the band, with Mute label boss Daniel Miller assisting on some tracks.

  4. Clarke's Three-Band Streak

    Vince Clarke holds the remarkable distinction of being a founding member of three successful electronic music acts in succession: Depeche Mode (1980–81), Yazoo (1982–83), and Erasure (1985–present). Each project achieved significant commercial success, making him one of the most prolific figures in synth-pop history. Some would also count The Assembly (1983) as a fourth.

  5. The Flying Pickets Cover

    In 1983, a cappella group The Flying Pickets recorded a cover of "Only You" that reached number 1 on the UK Singles Chart — outperforming the Yazoo original, which had peaked at number 2. It became the Christmas number one in the UK that year, much to the bemusement of Clarke and Moyet.

  6. Same Town, Different Worlds

    Vince Clarke and Alison Moyet both grew up in Basildon and attended the same Saturday music school at age eleven, but they moved in completely different social circles. Moyet was in the same sixth-form class as Clarke's Depeche Mode bandmates Martin Gore and Andy Fletcher at Nicholas Comprehensive, but had no contact with Clarke himself. Clarke was part of the quiet electronics-obsessed crowd, while Moyet was involved with the punk and blues scene. They didn't properly connect musically until Clarke spotted Moyet's advertisement in a local paper in 1982.

  7. Moyet's Nickname

    Alison Moyet's childhood nickname was "Alf," which she later used as the title of her hugely successful debut solo album in 1984. The nickname came from her school days in Basildon and stuck with her throughout her career.

  8. Recorded Separately — and an Ironic Title

    Much of You and Me Both was recorded with Clarke and Moyet working in separate studio sessions. Clarke would programme the instrumental tracks, and Moyet would come in later to record her vocals. By the end, they were barely communicating — yet the album still debuted at number 1. The album's title was an ironic reference to the fact that the pair had grown estranged from each other. Additionally, "Happy People" is the only Yazoo song on which Clarke sings lead vocals — Moyet refused to sing it, saying she couldn't genuinely bring anything to it.

  9. No Farewell Concert

    When Yazoo split in May 1983, there was no farewell tour, no final concert, and no grand announcement. The duo simply released a brief statement. Fans had to wait 25 years until the 2008 Reconnected tour for any kind of closure.

  10. "Only You" — From Rejected Demo to 192 Million Streams

    "Only You" reportedly had its origins as a rejected Depeche Mode demo. After Clarke left the band, he needed someone to demo the song with — which is how he came to contact Alison Moyet. The song has since been featured in the film Can't Hardly Wait and the two-part finale of the US series The Office, and has amassed over 192 million streams on Spotify, making it one of the most-streamed synth-pop tracks of all time.

  11. Contralto Rarity

    Alison Moyet is a contralto — the lowest and rarest female voice type. This gave Yazoo's music its distinctive character, as Moyet's deep, rich vocals sounded unlike any other pop singer of the era. Her voice type is shared by fewer than 2% of female singers.

  12. Analogue Purist — and Synth Designer

    Vince Clarke has been a lifelong advocate for analogue synthesizers. During the Yazoo era, he primarily used instruments like the Moog Source, the ARP 2600, and the E-mu Emulator. He built custom studios to house his vast collection — first "37B" adjacent to his home in Chertsey, Surrey, then later studios in Maine and Brooklyn after moving to the US. Clarke has also designed actual synthesizer hardware, including the VCM20, VCS20, and The Imaginator (VCX-378) modules. His younger brother helped him build a custom unit to keep a particularly temperamental synthesizer in tune.

  13. The 18-Month Wonder

    Yazoo's entire original career — from formation to breakup — lasted just 18 months (late 1981 to May 1983). In that time, they released two albums, five singles, played a tour, appeared on television multiple times, and influenced an entire genre. Not bad for a year and a half's work.

  14. "Don't Go" — Frankenstein and an Afterlife

    The music video for "Don't Go" featured Clarke and Moyet in a haunted mansion, with Clarke cast in the role of Victor Frankenstein. It was the first music video Yazoo ever made, and the first Moyet ever appeared in. NME's Adrian Thrills picked it as "single of the week." The track has had an extensive afterlife: it re-entered the UK Dance Chart in December 2009 — nearly three decades after its original release — and has been remixed dozens of times by artists across the electronic music spectrum.

  15. Moyet — Singer, Actor, Artist, Piano Tuner

    Alison Moyet's life outside Yazoo has been remarkably varied. After leaving school at sixteen, she worked as a shop assistant and trained as a piano tuner before her music career took off. In 2001, she made her stage debut as Matron "Mama" Morton in the London West End production of Chicago. And in 2023, at age 62, she graduated from the University of Brighton with a degree in Fine Art Printmaking. She is the daughter of a French father and English mother.

  16. Mute Records Connection

    Yazoo were signed to Mute Records, the independent label founded by Daniel Miller that was also home to Depeche Mode, Nick Cave, Erasure, and many other influential acts. The label's willingness to give artists creative freedom was essential to Yazoo's sound — Clarke had complete control over the production, which was unusual for a chart-topping act in the early 1980s.

  17. Inspired by an Oboe

    Before becoming one of the most important synth programmers in pop history, Vince Clarke's first instrument was the oboe. He then tried the violin and the piano before learning guitar. It was only after hearing OMD's "Electricity" that he switched to synthesizers — a decision that changed the course of electronic music.