Yaz

Yazoo (Also known as Yaz in the US ^{United States} ) are an English ^England synthpop duo ^{duet (music)} from Basildon, Es*** ^{Es***, England} . They had a number of Top 10 hits in the UK charts in the early 1980s. Formed in late 1981 by former Depeche Mode songwriter Vince Clarke (synthesizer) and English singer Alison Moyet (vocals), Yazoo were signed to Mute Records in the United Kingdom and (as "Yaz") to Sire Records in the United States.

Yazoo's debut single "Only You ^{Only You (Yazoo song)} " backed with "Situation ^{Situation (song)} ", was released on 15 March 1982 and rose to number two in the UK charts. Yazoo released two successful studio albums, Upstairs at Eric's in 1982 and You and Me Both in 1983. Shortly after, Moyet and Clarke decided to break up. Moyet pursued a solo career while Clarke went on to form Erasure, another synth pop duo. Yazoo reunited in 2008 with a tour in Europe and the United States and the release of a four-disc box set.

Though the band's initial run was short-lived, Yazoo continues to influence and inspire many of today's bands, including LCD Soundsystem, Shiny Toy Guns, Blaqk Audio, Hercules and Love Affair, La Roux, and Gil Mantera's Party Dream.

  Yazoo was formed in late 1981 by Vince Clarke and Alison Moyet in Basildon, Es***, England. Clarke was previously the main songwriter for Depeche Mode, who also came from Basildon and who at that point had recorded one album and three singles for Mute Records, including the hits "New Life ^{New Life (song)} " and "Just Can't Get Enough". The name 'Yazoo', according to Moyet, came from the labels of old blues albums: Yazoo Records. Yazoo was signed to Mute Records in the United Kingdom and to Sire Records in the United States. Yazoo's initial foray into the US was disastrous when they received a £3.5 million lawsuit threat over the band's name. Yazoo's next single, "Don't Go ^{Don't Go (Yazoo song)} ", was released on 3 July 1982 They continued their successful streak with their first album, Upstairs at Eric's, which went platinum in Britain. Commercial success in the US was initially not as strong. Both "Situation" and "Only You" were released as singles and airplay and peaked at #73 and #67 respectively. Despite the modest chart success of those singles and of Upstairs at Eric's (which reached #92 on the album chart) word of mouth helped to eventually push the album to platinum status for sales of over one million copies by 1989, seven years after its release.

Shortly before the release of You and Me Both, Clarke and Moyet announced they were to go their separate ways.


Break up and legacy

Moyet signed to Columbia Records and began her successful solo career after leaving Yazoo. Clarke recorded a single with producer Eric Radcliffe and Undertones ^{The Undertones} singer Feargal Sharkey as The Assembly, and another with vocalist Paul Quinn.


Reunion 2008

In December 2007 Side-line announced that Mute plans to reissue both albums as remastered versions. The band would also plan a live gig to promote the re-releases. The promotional tour received moderate television coverage including a performance on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross broadcast on 16 May 2008, a prime time BBC chat show.

The news was confirmed later on including extra details. In Your Room ^{In Your Room (album)} , a four-disc box set featuring the stereo remasters and 5.1 mixes of the albums Upstairs at Eric's and You and Me Both next to a disc with B-sides and remixes was released in 2008. Add to this a DVD featuring an exclusive short film with new interviews from Vince Clarke and Alison Moyet and the videos for "Don't Go", "The Other Side Of Love", "Nobody's Diary", "Situation (1990)" and "Only You (1999) as well as several original appearances on BBC".

The release has been followed by the 'Yazoo Reconnected: Live' tour. Currently, 18 dates have been announced, starting in Copenhagen on 26 May. The first three dates of the US tour saw Yazoo performing in Oakland, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Yazoo wrapped up the final two dates of the US tour by returning to New York City for the first time since October 1982. A limited edition vinyl 12" with new dance mixes was also be released to promote the boxset. A video was released in late April 2008 in which Clarke and Moyet discuss Yazoo's first single "Only You". In an interview with Side-Line Magazine, Clarke announced that a live CD is also planned. The recordings are planned to take place during the band's two upcoming performances in London.
No live DVD is planned though.

The 10 July concert Yazoo played at the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles, California has been recorded to be re-aired on Richard Blade's Sirius Radio Show.

A live album, Reconnected Live, of their successful European and North American 'Reconnected Tour' was released 27 September 2010.
Studio albums




Compilation albums




Live albums




Singles and EPs



*¹ US only single
*² Japan only single/promo single
*³ Ineligible for UK Singles Chart
*⁴ 12" vinyl & digital download EP* 1983 BRIT Awards - Best British breakthrough act