Erasure • Who Needs Hits Like That?

Erasure bandmates Andy Bell, left, and Vince Clarke, right.

Sometimes I am working on a post, and I surprise myself with amazing observations like, "No Freakin' way it has been 28 years since I first heard this song!" Yes, I know, I don't really say freaking, but I thought I'd clean it up. But it is true, it has been almost three decades since I first heard the amazing duo Erasure. I had followed keyboardist Vince Clarke since his collaboration with Alison Moyet in Yazoo, as well as his stint in Depeche Mode. So when he paired up with Andy Bell, I was curios to hear the new sound. After all, I had no idea who this Bell kid was, and I was reluctant to let go of the hope Vince and Alison would get back together.

In the Fall of 1985, before the first album hit the shelves, the group released "Who Needs Love Like That", soon to be featured on the debut album, 'Wonderland'. The song had a strong Synth-Pop sound, and dealt with a faltering dysfunctional relationship, and asks the immortal question, "Who Needs Love Like That"?

While that none of the early singles entered the US Billboard charts, Erasure did have a following in the States, with people who were loving the EuroPop coming in the form of New Wave acts like Howard Jones, Yazoo, Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, Soft Cell, Bronksi Beat, and so many other. In April of 1986, just weeks before the release of 'Wonderland', they released the single "Oh L'Amour" and I remember going to my music import store in the West Village to get it. The sound was so new, so fresh, and so darned fun.

It was another two years before Erasure started to show up on the US Single charts. In 1988, they released 'The Innocents', a fantastic new collection. The month after the album's released, a new song hit the airwaves that would certainly make an impact in the US. "Chains Of Love" was a bold and brash song that stood firm in the stance that all love needs to be honored, not just some. To free all love from the chains restricting those people, we can't really be free. Yes, this was a song I danced to on more than one occasion and in more than one club in New York. "Chains of Love" made it to #12 on the Billboard Hot 100, and #4 on the US Hot Dance Club Songs chart.

That was followed up by a song that instantly spoke to so many people, it was universally loved. "A Little Respect" had so much meaning on so many levels, for the gays marching and trying to feel the respect offered to everyone but themselves. It also spoke to people in relationships, where one one person feels they are working so hard just to have their voice heard, be it with a lover, a friend, or a parent. The song made it to #14 on the Billboard Hot 100, and #2 on the Hot Dance Club Songs chart. Here is the music video for "A Little Respect", also off the album 'The Innocents'.

You can find these hits and more on 'Pop! The First 20 Hits', available for purchase on iTunes, Amazon, or at their online store. To learn more about Erasure, visit their official website. You can also 'like' them on Facebook and 'follow' them on Twitter.

That Rogue Romeo • Machine & Magic

As you can easily see from the photograph above, Kevin Stea is a mesmerizing man, so handsome and so very confident. But there is a reason he should be confident, for the talented man has more than just a pretty face going for him. Stea is well-known as a dancer, having worked his magic in many a video and live tour. He might be best known as one of the dancers seen in the 1991 documentary 'Madonna: Truth or Dare', which chronicled the behind-the-scenes life of Madonna's Blond Ambition Tour. Since that time, Stea has proven to be a multi-faceted performer, adding choreographer, model, actor, singer and director to his resumé, quite impressive indeed.

And when I mentioned Stea was a singer, you might not have realized Stea takes on a different personae in his musical incarnation. Kevin becomes That Rogue Romeo when the music starts, an artist that combines all genres of music to create a sound that is really cool and fresh. The sound is Pop at heart, but utilizes elements of Rock, Electronica, Dance, and other classic structures to tell the story he feels impelled to share. And when he combines that with imagery on video, you can see the artist meet a new level, melding the different media to create something sublime. Check out the music video for "Wonderland".

Now, the song and video for "Domino" is a different animal, a dark and stalking creature that immediately gnawed it's way into my heart. So sexy and flirty, the performance is dripping with seduction, matching the song with a strident muscularity that powers throughout. The searing sound of the guitars lends to a Rock sound, adding to the masculine edge That Rogue Romeo offers the listener. Yet there is also the dichotomy of the masculine and feminine, both shown with an edge that is captivating. Enjoy the music video for "Domino".

The opening of "City of Glass" has a classical feel, not only with the staccato feel of the strings, balancing the sound with the Electronica. With all this, he manages to turn the music a bit topsy turvy, with the elongation of the electronic instrumentation adding emotional balance to the warm string tones leading the percussive beat. And the imagery of the music video, putting the cold strength of steel chain with the warmth of fabric that could easily tear just offer up a myriad of ways we are bound through life. Have a great time watching the music video for "City of Glass".

All three songs can be found of the 2012 release, 'Machine & Magic'. It is an album I would recommend without hesitation, for I still find myself enjoying hearing it. With so many textures and tones, it still holds my attention, and keeps me coming back for time and time again. For more about Kevin Stea, visit his official website. You can also follow him on Twitter, or like him on Facebook. To learn more about That Rogue Romeo and his music, visit his official website. He can also be found on Twitter and Facebook. You can also purchase his album, 'Machine & Magic', from iTunes and Amazon.