See also: Clarke (homonymy)

Vincent John Clarke , of his true name Vincent John Martin, is a British musician born the July 3rd 1960 with Basildon, new working city located close to London.

He is a ex-member and cofounder of the groups Depeche Mode, Yazoo, The Assembly (with Feargal Sharkey) and the type-setter of the group Erasure, duet founded with the singer Andy Bell in 1985.

Vince Clarke made its first musical weapons at the school where it was tested with the Flûte and with the Violon. Probably realizing that these instruments were not appropriate to him, it was put at the acoustic guitar lasting its adolescence. Since then, it is with the Guitare that it composes the majority of its songs. Its first contact with electronics intervened only a few years later, in 1980, at the time of the foundation of the group Depeche Mode which it left as of 1981 because of its need for independence.

Thanks to the success of Erasure, Vince acquired of a house with Amsterdam in 1987 and lived there until in 1992. During this time, it bought a property in the Essex in the United Kingdom, on which it was made build a house of baptized round form “Ammonite” accompanied by a studio of contiguous recording where 5 albums of Erasure were recorded entirely or partly ( I Say I Say I Say in 1994, Erasure in 1995, Cowboy in 1997, Loveboat in 2000 and Other People' S Songs in 2003).

While preserving its British property “Ammonite”, Vince left to be established with the the United States in 2003, in the state of Maine where the albums Nightbird (2005) were recorded and Light At The End Of The World (2007).

In May 2004, 43 years old, Vince Maria with New York with his/her partner of long time, Tracy Hurley. The September 8th 2005 a small Oscar was born from this union.

Parallel to its leadership within Erasure, Vince carries out face two other solo projects:

- the group of pop variety Family Fantastic, created in 1998, and which left 2 albums whose “Nice! ” in 1999.

- association electro-ambient experimental The Clarke and Ware Experiment with the member of The Human League, Martyn Ware. The collective counts 2 albums with its credit: Pretentious , appeared in 1999, and Spectrum pursuit vehicle , appeared in 2001.

However, none of these two recent companies solo brings to Vince Clarke a recognition which can compete with that which it forged these 20 last years as a thinking head of Erasure, group which seems more and more to be specified as being the principal work of its existence.

Discography albums

with the group Depeche Mode (1980 to 1981)

• Speak and Spell (1981)

with the group Yazoo (1982 to 1983)

• Upstairs At Eric' S (1982)
• You And Me Both (1983)

with the group Erasure (1985 with today)

• Wonderland (1986)
• The Circus (1987)
• The Innocent (1988)
• Wild! (1989)
• Chorus (1991)
• I Say I Say I Say (1994)
• Erasure (1995)
• Cowboy (1997)
• Loveboat (2000)
• Other People' S Songs (2003)
• Nightbird (2005)
• Light At The End Off The World (2007)

A more detailed discography, comprising the acoustic discs live, discs, the EP, compilations as well as the individual ones, is available on the section " Discographie" card devoted to the group Erasure.

with the group The Clarke & Ware Experiment (1999 - 2001)

• Pretentious (1999)
• Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle (2001)

with the group Family Fantastic (2000 -?)

• Nice! (2000)