| Born: Genre: Style: |
1981 – Basildon, Essex, United Kingdom Electronic, Pop Synth-pop |
| Year | Album Title | Label | In House |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Upstairs At Eric's | Mute | On Website |
| 1983 | You And Me Both | Mute | No |
| 2010 | Reconnected Live | Mute | No |
The band formed in 1981. The name "Yazoo" was suggested by Alison Moyet, who had found the word on the labels of her favorite records. Yazoo is a small American record label that reissues recordings by Southern blues pioneers. That label, in turn, was named after the Yazoo Lands, a region in the Southern United States. Because the name was already in use in the US, the band had to use a different name there. They became known as Yaz.
Their debut album, "Upstairs at Eric's," is named after producer Eric Radcliffe's house, where the album "Upstairs" was recorded. They had to build a studio in ten days because Blackwing Studios was fully booked. The voice of Eric's mother on the album belongs to the real Eric's mother, who provided them all with her world-famous "egg and chips" and also appeared on the record.
During the recording of the album 'You and Me Both,' Yazoo had already effectively broken up, but contractually they still had one more album to record. Alf's contribution on this album is more substantial, and as a result, it sounds less poppy than their debut. The lyrics are also better; just listen to Ode to Boy, for example. The original by Mr. Blue (better known from Rene Klein and Paul de Leeuw) is also on this album. Unfortunately, it all lasted a mere 40 minutes, and after that, Yazoo was truly over. Alison "Alf" Moyet continued solo, and Vince Clarke is still in Erasure.
Their biggest hits were the singles "Only You" (later covered by The Flying Pickets, among others), "Don't Go," and "Situation." In the Netherlands, the song "Mr. Blue" is also well-known thanks to René Klijn's performance. Yazoo was influenced by bands like Kraftwerk, but added a touch of blues with Moyet's sensitive voice, and disco with a touch of new wave. The band broke up in 1983, after which Moyet launched a successful solo career. Vince Clarke initially continued with The Assembly but enjoyed greater success with Erasure.
In 2008, they briefly reunited for a Yazoo Reconnected reunion tour through the UK, several European countries, and the US. A special CD box set, In Your Room, was also released, featuring remastered and 5.1 versions of the albums Upstairs at Eric's and You and Me Both, along with remixes and a DVD featuring interviews and music videos.
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