Network Rail will lose control over Britain’s train tracks as power is handed to private operators in a major shake-up of the railway system, the Government is reportedly to announce next week.The move, which would mark the biggest change to the running of the rail network in decades, would see British rail companies such as Virgin Trains and Southern becoming responsible for repairs and maintenance for the first time, ending state-owned Network Rail’s monopoly.Transport minister Chris Grayling will announce the plans in a speech to the Conservative think tank Policy Exchange on Tuesday, according to The Daily Telegraph. The Government hopes this shift of control will incentivise train companies to carry out repairs more quickly and possibly bring in cheaper fares, .READ MORETrain fares set to rise by average of 2.3%Train fares are going up again and here's what you're paying forNetwork Rail pulls human rights advert for being 'too political'Network Rail fined £4 million after actress dies at level crossingEaster weekend: Record number of engineering works on UK railwaysIt comes as the rail industry announced train fares would go up by an average of 2.3 per cent – more than double the rate of inflation – from 2 January 2017, with some unregulated fares likely to result in fares rise of considerably more.Currently Britain’s train tracks are owned by Network Rail while trains are controlled by completely separate companies.Mr Grayling has spoken previously of his lack of confidence in the railway system and his desire to give train operators more control.As the Conservatives’ front-bench transport spokesman 10 years ago, he said: “We think, with hindsight, that the complete separation of track and train into separate businesses at the time of privatisation was not right for our railways.“The separation has helped push up the cost of running the railways – and hence fares – and has slowed decisions about capacity improvements.“Too many people and organisations are now involved in getting things done – so nothing happens.”In publicity material sent out ahead of the speech, Policy Exchange reportedly said Mr Grayling’s vision will “put the passenger at its heart, ensuring that journeys are safe, quick, and provide value for money”.For Labour, shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald said that “privatising” the rail infrastructure would be an “irresponsible move”.“The last thing our railways need is another layer of fragmentation and complexity. Train operating companies will only engage with this if they can extract more profit from taxpayers and fare-payers,” he said.“It's remarkable that operators such as Southern who display a cavalier attitude towards cost-cutting and safety might be invited to take responsibility for the repair and maintenance of the tracks.Since his election last month, they have struggled to understand who is advising Donald Trump on Asia and what his China policy will look like.This move will turn concern into alarm and anger.Beijing sees Taiwan as a province. Denying it any of the trappings of an independent state is one of the key priorities of Chinese foreign policy.Read more from Carrie: The Trump phone call that will stun BeijingMild reaction - Cindy Sui, BBC, TaipeiChina's reaction is relatively mild. It doesn't want to get off on the wrong foot with Mr Trump. And it sees Mr Trump as an inexperienced politician, so for now it's willing to forgive him and not play this up.It may also be somewhat reassured by statements from the US that its policy on China and Taiwan has not changed. But behind the scenes it's safe to say China is working hard to 'educate' the Trump team on not repeating such diplomatic faux pas.This move by Taiwan's President Tsai will further infuriate Beijing and make it distrust her even more and see her as favouring Taiwan's formal independence from China.World-changing ideas summitWith our powers of reasoning, rich memories and the ability to imagine what the future might hold, human intelligence is unequalled in the animal kingdom.Our closest relatives, chimpanzees, are adept problem solvers, making their own tools to reach food, for example. They use sophisticated gestures and facial expressions to communicate. Yet, they fall a long way short of our own ability to think and plan for the future.Thomas Suddendorf, a psychologist at the University of Queensland, describes this as the gap – the cognitive gulf that separates us from animals.But it was not always so wide, he says in the video above. Our species once shared the planet with other hominins with intelligence that may have rivaled our own.Their extinction was at least partly due to the actions of our own ancestors, according to many anthropologists. We need to be careful not to make the same mistakes again and widen the gap between the species even further in our pursuit of progress, warns Suddendorf, who spoke to BBC Future at the World-Changing Ideas Summit in Sydney on 15 November.Read more:We’ve got human intelligence all wrongJason G Goldman’s column Uniquely Human, about the similarities and differences between us and the animal kingdomJoin 700,000+ Future fans by liking us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn and InstagramIf you liked this story, sign up for the weekly bbc.com features newsletter, called “If You Only Read 6 Things This Week”. A handpicked selection of stories from BBC Future, Earth, Culture, Capital, Travel and Autos, delivered to your inbox every Friday.The minibus crosses the vast plateau on a newly paved road. Cracked fields stretch away towards the Moroccan desert to the south. Yet the barren landscape is no longer quite as desolate as it once was. This year it became home to one of the world’s biggest solar power plants.Welcome to Future NowYour essential guide to a world in fluxChange happens quickly these days and it can be hard to keep up. That’s why BBC Future has launched a new section called Future Now to bring you in-depth stories about the people, events and trends that are shaping our world.We will be publishing regular stories from all over the world about technology, energy, economics, society and much more – you can find them here. We hope you will join us as we explore the changes that matter.Hundreds of curved mirrors, each as big as a bus, are ranked in rows covering 1,400,000 sq m (15m sq ft) of desert, an area the size of 200 football fields. The massive complex sits on a sun-blasted site at the foot of the High Atlas mountains, 10km (6 miles) from Ouarzazate – a city nicknamed the door to the desert. With around 330 days of sunshine a year, it’s an ideal location.As well as meeting domestic needs, Morocco hopes one day to export solar energy to Europe. This is a plant that could help define Africa's – and the world’s – energy future.(Credit: Getty Images)Hundreds of curved mirrors, each as big as a bus, are ranked in rows covering 1,400,000 square metres of desert, an area the size of 200 football fields (Credit: Getty Images)Of course, on the day I visit the sky is covered in clouds. “No electricity will be produced today,“ says Rachid Bayed at the Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy (Masen), which is responsible for implementing the flagship project.An occasional off day is not a concern, however. After many years of false starts, solar power is coming of age as countries in the sun finally embrace their most abundant source of clean energy. The Moroccan site is one of several across Africa and similar plants are being built in the Middle East – in Jordan, Dubai and Saudi Arabia. The falling cost of solar power has made it a viable alternative to oil even in the most oil-rich parts of the world.As well as meeting domestic needs, Morocco hopes one day to export solar energy to Europe.Noor 1, the first phase of the Moroccan plant, has already surpassed expectations in terms of the amount of energy it has produced. It is an encouraging result in line with Morocco’s goal to reduce its fossil fuel bill by focusing on renewables while still meeting growing energy needs that are increasing by about 7% per year. Morocco’s stable government and economy has helped it secure funding: the European Union contributed 60% of the cost for the Ouarzazate project, for example.(Credit: Sandrine Ceurstemont)With around 330 days of sunshine a year, the region around Ouarzazate - a city nicknamed the door to the desert - is an ideal location (Credit: Sandrine Ceurstemont)The country plans to generate 14% of its energy from solar by 2020 and by adding other renewable sources like wind and water into the mix, it is aiming to produce 52% of its own energy by 2030. This puts Morocco more or less in line with countries like the UK, which wants to generate 30% of its electricity from renewables by the end of the decade, and the US, where President Obama set a target of 20% by 2030. (Trump has threatened to dump renewables, but his actions may not have a huge impact. Many policies are controlled by individual states and big companies have already started to switch to cleaner and cheaper alternatives.)Due to the lack sun on the day I visit, the hundreds of mirrors stand still and silent. The team keeps a close eye on weather forecasts to predict output for the following day, allowing other sources of energy to take over when it is overcast.The reflectors can be heard as they move together to follow the sun like a giant field of sunflowersBut normally the reflectors can be heard as they move together to follow the Sun like a giant field of sunflowers. The mirrors focus the Sun’s energy onto a synthetic oil that flows through a network of pipes. Reaching temperatures up to 350C (662F), the hot oil is used to produce high-pressure water vapour that drives a turbine-powered generator. “It’s the same classic process used with fossil fuels, except that we are using the Sun’s heat as the source,” says Bayed.The plant keeps generating energy after sunset, when electricity demands peak. Some of the day’s energy is stored in reservoirs of superhot molten salts made of sodium and potassium nitrates, which keeps production going for up to three hours. In the next phase of the plant, production will continue for up to eight hours after sunset.(Credit: Sandrine Ceurstemont)“The last time the Tories privatised the tracks resulted in a series of fatal accidents that led to the creation of Network Rail in the first place. We don’t want to see a return to the bad old days of Railtrack.”Response to the reported plans on social media has been widely of concern and anger. One Twitter user said: “Government idea to turn Network Rail back into rail track in private hands to save money risks safety. Not a good idea!”Another tweet was more blunt, saying: “Government hands track repairs to profiteering Virgin and Southern. Deaths will result.”More about: Network RailtrainsRailwayVirginSouthernChris Graylingprivatisation“Whisky is all about education, understanding and driving flavour exploration,” says Greg Dillon, spirits connoisseur and editor of the Great Drams blog. “The depth of flavour, the variety and the intrigue of whisky is what is driving the trend towards whisky being a great accompaniment to meals.”Clearly, wine isn’t the only drink capable of being the perfect match for food. Whisky is gaining in popularity as the ideal partner for a range of dishes, from light starters to desserts. The many flavour descriptions vary from light to full-bodied; from a touch of sweetness and fruit, to more complex and bold with strong peat, earthy and smoky notes.Whisky is a great match for seafood, cheese, smoked and roasted meats, and desserts. The lighter styles fare better with smoked salmon and sushi, while medium-bodied whiskies work with smoked fish such as mackerel.Very few of us can claim to never tell a lie, but what if there was a way of spotting a liar without a lie-detector test?A new study has discovered which of us are actually most likely to be liars, and it’s bad news for young, single men.The study of 3,349 Americans of “all major ethnic, incomes, and geographic regions” by Curtin University, Australia, sought to discover whether there’s a link between socio-economic status and lying, and it drew some very specific conclusions.READ MORE10 uncomfortable truths no one wants to admitAll the lies and mistruths Trump told during the US election campaignStrict parenting turns children into liars, experts claimBernie Sanders says Donald Trump is a pathological liarThe researchers found that the most likely liars are young, unmarried men prone to road rage and with low levels of education - as well as asking about lying, respondents were asked questions such as “have you ever given someone the finger in traffic?”Lead study author Arch Woodside explained to the Huffington Post that a young male with low education isn’t enough to determine how prolific a liar he is, “but a young male with low education who engages in antisocial behaviour such as road rage, well by now you can be pretty sure he is.”However the second most likely group of liars is female - specifically, young, married women with low levels of education who’ve attained a high income. Woodside suggested these could be “women who have married into money.”Presumably they could also simply be women who have earned their own fortunes despite low levels of education.The world's most notorious liars10(CNN)The next possible US secretary of defense went by the military call sign 'Chaos.'Revered by his troops as a 'warrior monk' with a knack for hard-edged quips, retired Marine Gen. James Mattis led troops in Afghanistan in 2001, won laurels for leadership in one of the bloodiest battles of the Iraq War and most recently headed US Central Command, perhaps the military's most complicated and challenging post.Now, Mattis faces an entirely different kind of fight.As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to formally nominate the former four-star to head the Pentagon, some Democrats are signaling his confirmation might not be entirely easy. Some observers question whether Mattis' battlefield experience prepares him for the very different task of running an enormous bureaucracy, while senior lawmakers worry about what the 66-year-old's nomination means for maintaining civilian control of the military.Republicans issued glowing testimonials to Mattis and his career. California Rep. Devin Nunes, who heads the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, said he could think of 'no better candidate to lead America's military in our long fight against jihadism and countering other pressing threats.'Noting that Mattis hasn't been out of uniform long enough to lead the Pentagon without a congressional waiver, California Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff said that while he 'would make an excellent Secretary of Defense, we must also bear in mind the precedent we would be setting and the impact it would have on the principle of civilian leadership of our nation's military.'Donald Trump speaks with Taiwan's PresidentKirsten Gillibrand, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee subcommittee on personnel, was more definitive.'Civilian control of our military is a fundamental principle of American democracy,' Gillibrand said in a statement Thursday, 'and I will not vote for an exception to this rule.'Just one senator can demand that the waiver for Mattis meet a 60-vote threshold, meaning he would need to get the support of all Republicans and eight Democrats to move toward confirmation next year.If he's approved, Mattis would be the highest-ranking former officer to serve as defense secretary. The Washington State native and history major led troops through the conflicts in the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan and Iraq. From 2010 to 2013, he led Central Command, which oversees the Middle East and Southeast Asia, until the Obama administration let him go over disagreements on Iran.The White House was pushing for a nuclear deal with Tehran in 2013, the same year Mattis was telling the Aspen Security Forum that his top concern as Centcom commander was 'Iran, Iran, Iran.'Obama to sign Iran sanctions billMattis has since been critical of the deal and of the Obama administration's refusal to engage more aggressively in the Middle East, saying it has fueled extremism in the region. In 2015, he told a congressional panel that the US needed to come out of its 'reactive crouch' in the Middle East and defend its values.Indeed, Mattis has not been known to mince words. He's affectionately known as 'Mad Dog' by troops who trade his quips like prized baseball cards. On the news of his nomination, many of those sayings instantly became memes on Twitter. Among them: 'a good soldier follows orders, but a true warrior wears his enemy's skin like a poncho,' and 'be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet.'Human Rights Watch called on Congress to fully examine his views on a number of issues.'Media accounts suggest that Gen. Mattis doesn't agree with President-elect Trump's more outrageous campaign proposals, such as bringing back waterboarding, targeting terrorist suspects' family members, or tampering with anti-torture laws,' said Washington director Sarah Margon.She urged that during the confirmation process 'senators make sure Mattis unreservedly repudiates these proposals, acknowledges that they are illegal, and confirms that they are not up for future consideration.'Mattis is one of a slew of generals Trump has been considering for other Cabinet-level jobs, including Gen. David Petraeus for the State Department, Gen. John Kelly to head Homeland Security and Adm. Mike Rogers as the director of national intelligence.Erin Simpson, a national security consultant and senior editor at WarontheRocks.com, said the incoming administration may be trying to capitalize on public respect for the military by considering so many generals. But 'where there are really weak civilian institutions and an inexperienced president, it just doesn't sit right by me,' said Simpson.The silver lining, she adds, is that many military and security professionals wary of Trump may be convinced to serve under Mattis.'It provides some top-cover for other qualified folks to come in who might not have otherwise,' Simpson said. 'There are a lot of jobs to fill at the Pentagon, this could bring in some talent and that's a net gain.'show allAnd if you want to have an honest conversation with someone, go to an unmarried woman over the age of 70 as they were found to lie the least.The study categorised “big liars” as those of us who tell 12 significant lies per year, and it found that just 13 per cent of people tell 58 per cent of all lies.In contrast, 21 per cent of us try to live our lives without lying.Woodside explained to Broadly that although most of us think we know ourselves well, we really don’t, and “such thinking may be the biggest lie of all.'big computer companies aren't happy about it!Is your computer painfully slow? Have you considered buying a new 'faster' computer but the price of even a basic one makes you cringe? Do you wish there was a cheaper, more affordable way to get a new computer? (Hint: there is – keep reading.)It's incredibly frustrating when computers slow down or stop working for seemingly no reason at all. And even after all the diagnostics, upgrades, and money spent, the amount of time waiting for that spinning wheel or hourglass to disappear never seems to get any shorter. Your once new, lightning-fast, computer just keeps getting slower as each day passes.Well, fortunately, there's a new device that has recently hit the market and it's literally giving old, slow computers lightning fast speed again. And to say it's extremely affordable is grossly understated!What is It?It's called Xtra-PC and if you have an old, slow computer, it is exactly what you've been waiting for.Xtra-PC is a small thumb drive you simply plug into your computer's USB port and it instantly transforms your old computer to like new. It works with any computer (Mac or Windows) laptop, desktop, and netbooks made in 2004 or later.It is hands down the fastest, easiest solution to getting yourself a new computer without spending $400, $500, $800 or more – guaranteed. No more staring at spinning wheels or hourglasses ever again!How Does it Work?Super easy! In fact, it's so easy that it's like snapping your fingers and watching your old computer magically turn into the new, super-fast computer you want it to be. All you have to do is...Plug it in – Simply plug Xtra-PC into a USB port while your computer is turned off.Turn Your Computer On – Select 'Boot from USB' and bingo, you're good to go.Enjoy New PC – In less than 15 minutes you'll be shocked at the difference in the performance of your computer.You only have to setup Xtra-PC once and you can even use it on multiple computers!Watch This Video For A Closer Look At How Xtra-PC Works!No Hard Drive? No Problem!Amazingly, Xtra-PC even works on computers with no hard drives. That's right! Broken, damaged, or just plain missing – Xtra-PC will have your computer running like new again even without a hard drive!What Can I Do With My Like-New Computer?Everything! With Xtra-PC, there's simply no need to spend hundreds of dollars on a new computer – only to have it peter out on you in another year or two. It makes no sense. But getting Xtra-PC does (which is why the big computer companies are so against this incredibly powerful little device). With Xtra-PC you'll be able to do the things you normally do...Heck, you can even add other programs to your computer if you wanted to. Want to download Skype? No problem, with Xtra-PC, you can.How Much Is This Going To Cost Me?This is not a joke. Xtra-PC is only $24.99! That's right – ONLY 25 bucks! And they offer a 30-Day money back guarantee. There honestly is no good reason not to try Xtra-PC.You can get Xtra-PC direct from the company's website here. Make sure to buy it from the official site as there are many knockoffs on the market today.Want to win at job-hunting and being a student? It can be done. “Seizing the opportunities available at university is a valuable way for students to boost their career prospects, as well as giving them a richer university experience,” says Maggie Westgarth, head of employability and enterprise at the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol). Here are some suggestions for how to do it:Work placements“They enable students to apply their skills in a real-world environment and see the impact their skills can have on an organisation or industry,” says Westgarth. “Employers value this level of work experience and it gives students a significant advantage in the jobs market.”Volunteer, work or study overseas“The number of new experiences that come from living in a different country and culture is extraordinary and can make a CV stand out from the crowd,” says Westgarth. “Someone who has spent time abroad during their studies will be able to talk about experiences and skills that will be unlike any other candidate.”Get involved in sports and societiesGraduate recruiters stress how important this is, says Katie Seymour-Smith, senior career consultant at the University of Derby. “Not only does it expose students to a wider skill set, networking opportunities and skill application, but it contributes towards building confidence and resilience.” And it’s fun, too.Get advice from a range of peopleDifferent people – parents, friends, lecturers, employers – will have different perspectives on the world of work, according to Tom Staunton, careers consultant at the University of Derby. To help you filter all that information, he suggests seeing a professional careers adviser. “They can help you think through the different advice you have been given, work out what it means for you and what you could do about it,” he says.Mind your surroundingREAD MORESPONSOREDGiving graduates a head start in business“Don’t bury your head in the sand - there’s always something going on around campus,” says Alison Armstrong, a careers advisor at Bournemouth University. That might be a careers workshop, a volunteering opportunity at the union or an event hosted by an employer. Look out for employability awards, too. “These are structured programmes designed to help you get the most out of your time at university,” she adds.Be a part of the wider uni community“Get as involved as possible with uni life,” says Armstrong. It’s not just societies – getting involved with student papers and radio stations can be great fun and build great skills. “Volunteer for opportunities such as becoming a student rep,” adds Armstrong. “This will develop and demonstrate leadership, negotiation and team-working skills.”This can be with fellow students on forums, but Jack Wallington, community director at The Student Room suggests casting the net wider as well. “It’s good to connect with lecturers, guest speakers or anyone you’ve worked alongside, as by getting to know them you’re likely to get introduced to even more people in the industry,” he says. Tap your uni's alumni network as well. “These people have first-hand experiences and advice to offer on how to break into your chosen field,” he adds.
Yazoo in 1982 | |
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Also known as | Yaz |
Origin | Basildon, Essex, England |
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Website | yazooinfo.com |
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Yazoo (known as Yaz in North America) were an English synth-pop duo from Basildon, Essex, consisting of former Depeche Mode member Vince Clarke (keyboards) and Alison Moyet (vocals).[4] The duo formed in late 1981 after Clarke responded to an advertisement Moyet placed in a British music magazine, although the pair had known each other since their schooldays.
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Over the next 18 months the duo released two albums, Upstairs at Eric's and You and Me Both, which received critical acclaim for their production, particularly the blending of Clarke's synthesizer melodies with Moyet's blues- and soul-influenced vocals. Yazoo enjoyed worldwide success, particularly in their home country where three of their four singles reached the top three of the UK Singles Chart and both their albums made the top two of the UK Albums Chart.[5] In North America, they are known for the song 'Situation', originally only a B-side in the United Kingdom, but which was a club and airplay success in the United States and Canada before being released as the band's debut single in North America.
Despite their success, the duo split acrimoniously in May 1983 due to a combination of Clarke's reluctance to make more records under the Yazoo name, a clash of personalities, and a lack of communication between the pair.[6][7][8] Clarke went on to form Erasure, another successful and longer-lasting synth-pop duo, while Moyet embarked on a highly successful solo career. Although their musical career was short, Yazoo's combination of electronic instrumentation and soulful female vocals has been cited as an influence on the house music scene that emerged in the mid-1980s,[6] as well as bands such as LCD Soundsystem (who namechecked the duo on their debut single 'Losing My Edge'), Hercules and Love Affair (whose leader Andy Butler has said that 'Situation' was his biggest musical inspiration as a child),[6][9]La Roux, Shiny Toy Guns and Blaqk Audio.[10]
In 2008, 25 years after splitting up, Clarke and Moyet reconciled and reformed Yazoo to play a successful tour of the UK, Europe and North America in support of the reissue of Yazoo's two studio albums and a box set of their material. The pair briefly reunited again in May 2011 to play three Yazoo songs at a music festival organised by their record label.
- 1History
History[edit]
Formation and Upstairs at Eric's (1982)[edit]
Having spent her teens singing in various punk and blues bands in her home town of Basildon, Alison Moyet placed an advert in the UK weekly music magazine Melody Maker in late 1981 asking for musicians to form a 'rootsy' blues band after her most recent group the Screamin' Ab Dabs had broken up.[7][11][12]
She was surprised when the only reply she received was from Vince Clarke, a fellow Basildon native who had recently stunned the music press by quitting Depeche Mode after their debut album and three hit singles, all of which he had written. Despite growing up in the same town and having attended the same Saturday music school when they were eleven years old,[8] Moyet and Clarke did not know each other well and had never spoken to each other before. Moyet had been in the same class at school as Clarke's future Depeche Mode bandmates Martin Gore and Andy Fletcher[13] but had little contact with Clarke himself, remembering him as an outsider who with his brothers would wear T-shirts proclaiming their Christianity.
For his part Clarke had seen Moyet sing live a few times, as his best friend had been in the same punk band as she.[7] Aware of her vocal abilities, he was looking for someone to sing on a demo of a song he had written called 'Only You'. Clarke was worried that by walking out of Depeche Mode he would lose his record deal with Mute Records and wanted to show the label that he still had something to offer them, saying in a 2008 interview, 'When I left Depeche I wasn't sure I'd still have a record deal and was keen to play the label something of my own, so I wrote the song 'Only You' but needed someone to demo it with. Alison happened to be advertising in a local paper so I called her.'[8]
The pair came to the project with different tastes in music. In an early interview Moyet stated that 'I'm a traditionalist, I can't accept the fact of blues with synthesizers at all', while Clarke admitted to tolerating modern R&B outfits like Dr. Feelgood but disliking traditional blues artists such as Muddy Waters[14] Clarke took the demo to Mute label boss Daniel Miller but recalled that at first Miller appeared to be uninterested: 'I tried to give it to Daniel and he didn't show much interest ... I brought it in and put it on, and the whole time it was playing, Daniel was messing around with a synthesizer. He said he liked it, but carried on doing what he was doing—and that was it. Only when the publishers took an interest did he brighten up.'[6] Mute asked the duo to record the song as a single and make an album together. By this point Clarke had already written 'Don't Go' but both he and Moyet felt it was too good to be the B-side of 'Only You' so they quickly wrote the song 'Situation' together for the single's B-side.[7]
According to Moyet the name Yazoo was taken from the specialist blues record label, Yazoo Records.[15] This decision led to a £3.5 million lawsuit threat by the label over the band's name[15] and coupled with the fact that the name Yazoo was already in use by a small American rock band, the group was renamed Yaz for the North American market.[4]
'Only You' was released in the UK in March 1982 and rose to number two on the UK singles chart.[5] The duo recorded their debut album at Blackwing Studios in south-east London, where Clarke had recorded Depeche Mode's album Speak & Spell the previous year. As the studio had already been booked out during the day by fellow Mute artist Fad Gadget, Yazoo recorded most of the album during the early mornings.[16] Clarke had expected that Daniel Miller would produce the album, but discovered that Miller was already otherwise occupied, so Blackwing studio owner Eric Radcliffe ended up carrying out production duties with Clarke and Moyet. The album was named Upstairs at Eric's in recognition of Radcliffe's input.[16]
'Don't Go' was released in July 1982 as the second single in the UK and also reached the top three of the UK charts,[5] but in North America 'Situation' had been a hit in the clubs in a version remixed by New York City-based DJ François Kevorkian, and against the band's wishes, it was released as their debut single in the US and Canada, where it reached number 73 on the Billboard Hot 100. 'Only You' was released as Yazoo's second single in North America and reached number 67.[17]
Upstairs at Eric's was released in the UK in August 1982, peaking at number two on the UK Albums Chart[5] and going on to sell more than 300,000 copies and achieving platinum status.[18] In the US initial success was more modest and the album peaked at number 92 on the Billboard 200 album chart,[19] but by 1989, seven years after its release, word of mouth had helped to push the album to platinum status for sales of over one million copies.[20] The duo played 24 dates in support of the album across Europe and North America.
You and Me Both and disbandment (1983)[edit]
After releasing 'The Other Side of Love' in the UK in November 1982, a non-album stop-gap single which reached number 13 in the UK singles chart,[5] the duo went back to Blackwing to record their second album. However, by now there was growing tension between the pair. Clarke had always seen Upstairs at Eric's as a one-off project and had to be persuaded to make another Yazoo record by his publishers, who felt it would not go down well if he was seen to walk out of a second band within a year of the first.[7] Compounding this were issues of self-esteem for Alison Moyet. Only 21 years of age, Moyet was struggling to come to terms with being in the spotlight and the pressures of sudden fame, and she resented the fact that Clarke was leaving her to carry out all the promotional work for the records by herself.[21] Unlike their first record, the second album was made over a longer period of four months and with Clarke and Moyet rarely in the studio together at the same time: Clarke would record instrumental tracks in the morning, and Moyet would come in during the evening and record her vocals.[7]
A single, 'Nobody's Diary', was released in May 1983 ahead of the album and reached number three in the UK charts,[5] but within days of the single's release, Yazoo announced that they were splitting up.[22] The album, ironically titled You and Me Both, was released in the UK in July 1983 and topped the UK album charts,[5] a feat it would also achieve in New Zealand. However, with no further singles or live appearances to promote it, it did not sell as well as Upstairs at Eric's, although it still achieved gold status in the UK for sales of 100,000 copies.[18] In the US You and Me Both peaked at number 69 on the Billboard 200.[19]
Reflecting in 2008 on the group's split, both Moyet and Clarke agreed that a lack of communication between the pair had been a major reason for the breakdown of the partnership. Moyet recalled that Clarke 'was creatively very encouraging, very open to hearing my ideas for songs. The thing I found difficult was the lack of warmth. I wanted to feel more likeable, and you can't feel likeable if someone doesn't want to interact with you.' Clarke admitted that 'I lacked the life-skills of communication in a relationship. I felt confident in the studio, but starting a chat with somebody ...'[6] He put it down to the fact that the duo's career had taken off so rapidly, there had never been any time to build up a personal relationship between them: 'It all happened very fast and because we hadn't been in a band for years, playing in clubs, it was very much just a working relationship—we never had the chance to bond. We never really knew each other. Not really ... The fact that we never talked, never socialised together, meant that when problems came up we didn't know how to communicate and sort things out.' Moyet added that their differing personalities had not helped matters, saying, 'He was, I think, sad at the time after leaving Depeche and remote, a bit angry, but it was all internalised. Whereas I was this disaffected, slightly aggressive ex-punk rocker where nothing was internalised. I was probably quite difficult to be around.'[8]
Legacy[edit]
Following Yazoo's split, Clarke formed The Assembly with his label boss Miller. Intending to record a series of one-off singles featuring different vocalists, in the end The Assembly produced just two singles, 'Never Never' with Feargal Sharkey, and 'One Day' with Paul Quinn of Bourgie Bourgie, before also splitting up. Around this time, Clarke also produced the album The Peter Pan Effect for the singer Robert Marlow, an old friend of both his and Moyet's. Clarke then teamed up with singer Andy Bell to form the successful synth-pop duo Erasure. Moyet spent several months out of the limelight before signing a deal with CBS Records and embarking on a successful solo career.
'Situation' was finally released as a single in the UK in 1990 in another remixed form, which was moderately successful, reaching number 14 on the UK singles chart. A compilation entitled Only Yazoo: The Best of was released in 1999 and was preceded by a re-release of Yazoo's debut single, 'Only You', featuring a new remix of the title track and several more of 'Don't Go'. The band's output was book-ended with yet another release of 'Situation', accompanied by many remixes. Clarke was tapped to remix Moyet's 1994 single 'Whispering Your Name' and, with Erasure, Clarke and Moyet tried to record her single 'This House' as a duet. This project never came to surface because Sony Music Entertainment would not permit it.[citation needed]
The band's songs have appeared in a number of films and television shows. In 1988, 'In My Room', 'Ode to Boy', and 'Only You' were used in the film The Chocolate War (the adaption of the book of the same title). 'Only You' was used in the film Napoleon Dynamite, the BBC television series The Office, the film Can't Hardly Wait, the Fringe episode 'Transilience Thought Unifier Model-11', The Americans episode 'Dimebag', and several episodes of 'Once Upon a Time' [Season 5]; a cover version of 'Only You' by Joshua Radin was used in 2007 in a J. C. Penney commercial, a cover version of 'Only You' was recorded by Selena Gomez for the 2017 Netflix television show 13 Reasons Why; 'Don't Go' appeared in the BBC series I'm Alan Partridge and was used in the film Tango and Cash. The song 'Situation' was used in the 1990 TV movie Exile and was also used in a Nintendo commercial highlighting the classic edition of the Game Boy Advance SP and the NES games ported to it. In 2007, 'Bring Your Love Down (Didn't I)' was used in The Sarah Silverman Program episode 'Not Without My Daughter'.[citation needed]
Anohni, lead vocalist in Antony & The Johnsons, talked with Terry Gross in February 2009 about recording the debut self-titled Hercules & Love Affair album. She said she had been asked by New York-based DJ Andy Butler to join the project and that the objective was or became 'Let's sound as much like Yazoo as we can ... We loved Yazoo.'[23]
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2008 reunion and 'Reconnected' tour[edit]
Alison Moyet with Yazoo in 2008
Despite the long estrangement, Moyet had always harboured plans to perform the songs from You and Me Both live on stage, something that had never occurred as the duo had split before the album was released. Towards the end of 2007, she had finished promoting her album The Turn and had no immediate plans for more solo work, and aware that Mute were planning to issue remastered versions of Yazoo's albums, she e-mailed Clarke to see if he was interested in the idea of a reunion. Clarke welcomed her message, but replied that he was now committed to his current band Erasure and felt it would be disloyal to his musical partner Andy Bell if he returned to work with Moyet. However, shortly afterwards Bell told Clarke that he wanted to take a break from Erasure, causing Clarke to reconsider Moyet's proposal, and with a message sent via Mute label boss, Daniel Miller, he indicated that he was open to reuniting for live performances. Clarke disclosed that he had felt obliged to ask Bell if he had any objections to Clarke performing with Yazoo again: Bell's response had simply been to ask Clarke for tickets for the reunion shows.[6][7]
The first public indication that Yazoo was being revived was on 11 December 2007 when Erasure's website announced that an official Yazoo website and MySpace page were being set up.[24] On 13 December the Planet Sound music magazine pages on the UK's Teletext service on Channel 4 exclusively revealed that both Yazoo albums were to be reissued and that the duo were planning to reform and play a gig in support of the albums' release.[25] On 20 January 2008 the new official Yazoo website confirmed that Clarke and Moyet would be reuniting to play five concerts across the UK in June 2008, preceded by a four-disc box set entitled In Your Room which would feature remastered stereo and 5.1 surround sound mixes of the albums Upstairs at Eric's and You and Me Both, a disc of B-sides and remixes, and a DVD including new interviews with Clarke and Moyet and the videos for their five UK and US singles, along with video footage of television performances from 1982 and 1983.[26] Two EPs available on vinyl and as digital downloads were released to coincide with the box set, the Nobody's Diary EP released on 12 May 2008 featuring various remixes of the song (including one by Erasure's Andy Bell),[27] and the Reconnected EP released on 9 June 2008 which featured various Yazoo tracks remixed by different artists.[28]
Having re-established contact, Clarke and Moyet met on 8 April 2008 in a private members club in London's Covent Garden, with the occasion filmed by the press: it was the first time they had met since a mutual friend's wedding in the early 1990s.[6] The promotion for the tour received moderate television coverage, including a performance on the prime time BBC chat show Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, broadcast in the UK on 16 May 2008.[29] The tour was rapidly expanded to include concerts in Europe and in the US, as well as extra dates in the UK. The 'Reconnected' tour, as it became known, began in Copenhagen on 26 May 2008, the same day as In Your Room was released.[30] The concert of 10 July 2008 at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles was recorded to be re-aired on Richard Blade's Sirius Radio show.[31] Yazoo wrapped up the final two dates of the US tour by returning to New York City for the first time since October 1982.
In an interview in May 2008 with the online magazine Side-Line, Clarke said that there were plans to record the two London shows on the tour for a possible live album in the future.[32] A double album titled Reconnected Live, featuring tracks recorded on the 'Reconnected' tour, was eventually released in September 2010.[33]
On 14 May 2011 Moyet appeared as a guest on stage before Erasure's set on the second day of Mute Records' Short Circuit music festival at the Roundhouse in London. She performed three Yazoo songs with Clarke, 'Nobody's Diary', 'Ode to Boy' and 'Don't Go'. In an interview prior to the concert Moyet said she was '99.9% sure it's the last time' that she and Clarke would perform together as Yazoo, adding, 'It was really good that Vince and I had come through the whole circle of being really angry with each other, forgetting what we'd been angry about, and forgetting that there was ever any displeasure'.[7]
Discography[edit]
- Upstairs at Eric's (1982)
- You and Me Both (1983)
Awards[edit]
- 1983 BRIT Awards – Best British breakthrough act[34]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^Jeffries, David. 'Yazoo – In Your Room'. AllMusic. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
- ^Reynolds, Simon (2013). Energy Flash: A Journey Through Rave Music and Dance Culture. Faber and Faber. ISBN978-0-571-28914-1.
- ^Schlosberg, Karen; Robbins, Ira; Zwirn, Michael. 'Yazoo (Yaz)'. Trouser Press. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
- ^ abStrong, Martin C. (1998), The Great Rock Discography, Giunti, p. 935, ISBN88-09-21522-2
- ^ abcdefgRoberts, David (ed.) (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London, England: Guinness World Records Ltd. p. 613. ISBN978-1-904994-10-7.CS1 maint: Extra text: authors list (link)
- ^ abcdefgPaphides, Pete (18 April 2008). 'Back with his other Alf: Vince Clarke and Alison Moyet reunite for Yazoo'. The Times. London, England.
- ^ abcdefghLowrey, Nix (4 May 2011). 'Alison Moyet Interviewed: Only You – The Story & End Of Yazoo'. The Quietus. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
- ^ abcdBurt, Kate (8 June 2008). 'How We Met: Alison Moyet & Vince Clarke'. The Independent. Archived from the original on 11 June 2008. Retrieved 11 June 2008.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
- ^Murray, Robin (2 January 2010). 'Personality Clash: Vince Clarke vs Andy Butler'. Clash. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
- ^'Still inspiring after all these years'. Billboard. Vol. 119 no. 41. 13 October 2007. p. 93.
- ^'Classifieds'. Melody Maker. 14 November 1981. p. 34. 'Brilliant female vocalist, experienced gigs/studio, seeks great rootsy soul/R&B band.—Alison, Basildon'
- ^Tennant, Neil (13 May 1982). 'Yazoo!'. Smash Hits. pp. 4–5.
- ^Wade, Ian (16 May 2013). 'Changeling: Alison Moyet Interviewed'. The Quietus. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
- ^Bohn, Chris (17 April 1982). 'Blues a la Mode'. NME. p. 4.
- ^ abMiller, Jonathan (2004), Stripped: Depeche Mode, Omnibus Press, p. 128, ISBN1-84449-415-2
- ^ abFreeman, John (23 August 2012). 'Synthesizer Soul: Yazoo's Upstairs At Eric's 30 Years On'. The Quietus. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
- ^'Yaz Chart History – Hot 100'. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
- ^ ab'BPI Awards – Certified Awards Search'. Retrieved 8 March 2018. Type 'Yazoo' into 'Search BPI Awards' box and press 'Enter'.
- ^ ab'Yaz Chart History – Billboard 200'. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
- ^'Gold & Platinum – RIAA'. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
- ^Colbert, Paul (25 June 1983). 'Diary of a Somebody'. Melody Maker. pp. 24–25.
- ^NME. 21 May 1983. p. 2.Missing or empty
|title=
(help) - ^Audio interview on Fresh Air with Terry Gross, via NPR 2-3-09.
- ^Miller, Jonathan (2008). Stripped: Depeche Mode (3rd revised ed.). London, England: Omnibus Press. ISBN978-1-84772-444-1.
- ^van Isacker, Bernard (18 December 2007). 'Yazoo reunion for reissue albums and first live gig in 25 years'. Side-Line. Archived from the original on 6 September 2013. Retrieved 4 November 2013.
- ^'Pop duo Yazoo reunite for UK tour'. BBC News. 23 January 2008. Retrieved 4 November 2013.
- ^'Nobody's Diary' Exclusive Download Only Mix, Yazooinfo.com, 11 April 2008, archived from the original on 15 July 2013, retrieved 4 November 2013
- ^Reconnected EP, Yazooinfo.com, 26 May 2008, archived from the original on 14 July 2013, retrieved 4 November 2013
- ^'Friday Night with Jonathan Ross – Series 14, Episode 17'. BBC. 16 May 2008. Retrieved 4 November 2013.
- ^'Yazoo announces more European dates for 'Yazoo reunion Reconnected Tour'', Side-Line, 22 February 2008, archived from the original on 22 December 2008, retrieved 25 May 2008
- ^'US Yazoo concert to be broadcast on satellite radio', Side-Line, 22 July 2008, archived from the original on 22 December 2008, retrieved 22 July 2008
- ^van Isacker, Bernard (30 May 2008). 'Yazoo – It wasn't a well keened out marketing ploy!'. Side-Line. Archived from the original on 7 September 2013. Retrieved 4 November 2013.
- ^'Yazoo confirms 'Reconnected Live' formats and tracklisting'. yazooinfo.com. 28 June 2010. Archived from the original on 11 December 2013. Retrieved 4 November 2013.
- ^Gregory, Andy (2002), International who's who in popular music, Routledge, p. 97, ISBN1-85743-161-8
External links[edit]
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