If you ever get bored in NYC, you have only yourself to blame. On Thursday, July 3rd, Williamsburg Hall of Music turned down the lights and turned up the tunes with two ’80s synthpop British pioneers: musician and songwriter Vince Clark and a music producer and Mute Records founder Daniel Miller. A few people came inside from the rain holding birthday gift bags for Vince, which predicted that his true fans were here for a special meet and greet session before the show.
This VCDMNY event featured two mind-blowing sets of the duo. It has been over thirty years since they experiemented with multiple CV/Gate cables to connect analogue synthesizers, analogue drum machines and analogue sequencers together to shape the brilliant funk & Proto-House on giant machines, next to which modern synthesizers seem like nano babies.
Clarke initially studied the violin and then the piano, as his interest shifted toward synthpop he switched to synthesizers, working odd jobs in order to buy or borrow the instruments from friends. His projects included such as: Depeche Mode, Yazoo & Erasure. The last went on to tour along with artists like Cyndi Lauper and Deborah Harry to benefit gay rights. He also created new forms of spatialised sound composition using the unique 3D AudioScape system to collaborate with schools and other educational establishments & demonstrate how music can be more than entertainment.
Daniel Miller first became interested in synthesizer music at Guildford School of Art where he studied film and television. He worked as a DJ in Switzerland for a while before returning to England at the height of punk. He began listening to punk because of the energy and excitement of the music. He liked the whole do-it-yourself attitude that came with the style of music and later spilled over into the electronic music scene. Making some money from film editing and working ridiculous hours he gathered enough money to create his own music & run the label from his London flat .
Daniel influenced Vince, and introduced him to sequencers, while he was still part of Depeche Mode. Both proved just how intense a live dance music experience could be.
KP: A new year begins for you tomorrow, can you tell us what you will be working on now?
VC:I’m just preparing for the tour, the next Erasure tour, so I’m programming for that, doing a little bit of remixing.
KP: You were involved in tours to help schools and the gay right movement, are you planning to do anything similar in the future?
VC: I think when an opportunity arises, it depends on our circumstances.If we are in touring mode, than we will probably do something, it depends on the situation and if the timing is right we will try to make an effort and get involved.
KP: I know you are a local, but when you are in New York, what are some of your favorite places to visit?
VC: My favorite place is Prospect Park, which is a couple of blocks from where I live. For me it’s the most beautiful park in all of New York Boroughs, you know, it’s my favorite. It’s green, there’s trees, there’s sunshine, the lake, there’s wildlife.
KP: Thank you so much for doing this & Happy Birthday!
After their show was Independence Day, which perfectly complemented the perfect weather and a playlist courtesy of Vince and Daniel, which inspired me to make some money & pursue my passion!
