Upstairs at Eric's

Occupation

• Vocal / Piano: Alison Moyet
• Noise: Vince Clarke

Upstairs at Eric's is the debut album of British synth pop duo Yazoo, Vince Clarke and Alison consisting of Moyet. The album was recorded as a producer at London's Blackwing Studion with Eric Radcliffe and published by Mute Records on 23 August 1982. The album's title alludes to the name of the producer. The album will be associated with the New Wave genre. It came second in the British Top 40 and was half a year after the publication awarded a platinum record of the BPI.

Formation and style

Moyet was looking for first experience with the Vicars and the Screaming Abdabs in the music magazine Melody Maker for a new musical partner. Clarke did not want to be the nice Teen Depeche Mode and knew Moyet from the common school in Basildon and so the two formed in November 1981 and included a duet with Daniel Miller at Mute Records, first for a single from. Miller had published with the Clarke already three singles and the debut album by Depeche Mode on Mute. Clarke took his verschmähtes Depeche Mode Only You and played it with Eric Radcliffe in his Blackwing Studio in Southwark, London in. Moyet took over the vocals, which was originally intended for Dave Gahan. On the B - side was the situation, published a co-production of Clarke and Moyet. The single climbed immediately at number 2 in the British Top 40. In the U.S. situation was published in a remix by François Kevorkian and made it to the top of the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play charts. Cooperation between Yazoo, Miller and Radcliffe was extended to a full album. The album consists of seven tracks that had Vince Clarke still partially written as a member of Depeche Mode and three four titles, which contributed Alison Moyet. The only situation remained a common plant.

For the title Upstairs at Eric's (German Upstairs at Eric ) There are several explanations: One is that Clarke einrichtete below the Blackwing Studios, Radcliffe operating his own private studio ( Splendid Studio), but was taken upstairs. Another explanation is that the studio for the recording of the album A Broken Frame by Depeche Mode was occupied and Radcliffe his private apartment been converted into the studio to allow the recording of the album. The album cover is called Blackwing 1 & 2 as the recording sites.

At the time of the recordings for the album was the instrumentation of Clarke of a Jupiter -4, he played only monophonic for the melody, a Pro One in interaction with a MC 4 Micro Composer for programmed rhythms and a Roland TR -808 for easy drum parts. Clarke put for the tour after the release of two Fairlight CMI systems to waive additional keyboardist can.

Title list

On the European edition ( MUTE - MUTE Catalogue number 7) was the ninth title the piece Tuesday included, while the North American version ( SIRE - catalog number 9 23737-1 ) contained the title situation at the same position. Situation was released in Europe only as a B- side of the single Only You, however, as an independent and very successful single in the U.S., so that sire could not do without the title on the North American edition.

A CD release by Mute in 1986 includes (as well as the German Intercord 1990 edition ) in addition to the original album in addition situation in the 12 " remix version of Kevorkian, while the U.S. edition in 1987 by Sire corresponds exactly to the vinyl version of 1982. During the European issue was waived I Before E Except After C and instead Moyet composition Midnight used at this point. Remastered Only the 2008 edition will revert to the original songs.

Publication and chart success

In addition to a second place in the British album charts the album was in German-speaking only in the Media Control Charts in 14th place in Austria and Switzerland could not sustain the album. In the U.S., the album reached number 92 on the Billboard 200

The original editions of the single releases were able to place well only in the European charts. It was only published on a best-of- 1999 album remixes of Do not Go and Situation achieved in 1999 and 2000 in the U.S. Dance Club / Play chart good rankings.

Reception

The Music Express called Upstairs at Eric's time "one of the most exciting records of the year " in 1982 .. David Jefferies of allmusic compares the debut albums by Depeche Mode and Yazoo and comes to the conclusion: " While Speak & Spell clearly is the more consistent album, convinced Upstairs at Eric's more and beats the board of Depeche in substance and ambition, and is ahead when feeling light-years. "