Vince Clarke and Martin Gore (VCMG) 2012

Thirty years passed before Vince Clarke and Martin Gore could get together again on a musical project. It was a long-ago 1981 when Vince decided to abandon Depeche Mode and begin a successful career first with Yazoo and then with Erasure. Martin Gore, immediately after Vince left, became the main composer for Depeche Mode.

It was an unexpected email which drew the two together again: “I didn’t even know Vince had my email address”, says Martin. “In the email he asked me if I felt like doing an album together: I replied that I’d be interested as long as there were no time constraints”. Technology allowed the two musicians to collaborate notwithstanding they both had diaries that were full. “In the last ten years communication tools have developed in an incredible way”, explains Clarke. “Martin and I exploited the power of the Internet in order to conceive this project (called simply VCMG, Ed.): in realty we hardly ever saw each other in person; we exchanged ideas via email and created the album by sending files. It was an interesting way to collaborate, almost like two painters working on the same canvas but at a distance.

VCMG is releasing a series of EPs before the much-anticipated debut album – defined the perfect album for “curious people” – which has a predominately techno sound. “One of the reasons I had fun doing this project”, adds Martin, “is that I wanted to make a ‘dancy’ album: I think the electronic scene is really alive, and today many young people can create dance music on a budget.

Who are the best electronic music producers today, according to these two music icons? “I’m still fascinated by the music of Aphex Twin and the techno producer Plastikman”, Martin answers, “but I have to say Depeche Mode opened doors to many young producers to whom we commissioned remixes, and there are many talented artists around”. “I feel old when I think young people see me as an icon”, Clarke jokes. “However I like listening to what I find on Beatport, which is an excellent dance site and I think Deadmau5 are fantastic”.

Will there be time for a tour? “We might make dj sets”, Vince replies, while Martin says “it’d be difficult”, seeing that he is already thinking of songs for the next Depeche Mode album. “It’s still all a little hazy, but I’ve written a bit of music: we’ll see each other soon and start working together”.