Andy Bell confirms Erasure album Radio Radio and 2027 tour without Vince Clarke
Andy Bell discussed Erasure's 20th album Radio Radio, due next year, and a 2027 arena tour across the country, Europe and eventually the US, with Vince Clarke as musical director from afar.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Erasure singer Andy Bell has confirmed that the band's 20th album is called Radio Radio and will be released next year. He also said the group will tour again in 2027 without Vince Clarke, though Clarke will act as musical director from afar.
Speaking in a broadcast interview, Bell explained the album title's four exclamation marks. He said the phrase harks back to walkie-talkie radios and the phonetic alphabet, with a nod to Charlie's Angels and calls for help. It also recalls a time when people gathered together to listen to something or watch a TV programme, he added.
The first single is Wings of Love, which Bell described as the most upbeat track on the record. He said the rest of the album is quite cathartic. Clarke's wife died two years ago, and Bell said the pair came back together as friends more than as a songwriting partnership. Through the songs, they worked through the pain and produced lovely tunes that are not mournful but celebrate life.
Bell reflected on the long partnership between the two, which has lasted about 40 years. He called Clarke a sweetheart and said he had thought Clarke was cool before they met. He described Clarke as gentle, down to earth and funny, and said meeting up again is like meeting an old flame, with the pair clicking back into friendship.
On Erasure's back catalogue, Bell said A Little Respect is now sung at football and rugby matches. He said the band did not expect that. He explained that they could usually tell when a song was rip-roaring on guitar because it had a good rhythm. They argued about calling it Little Respect because of Aretha Franklin's Respect, but Bell felt they could use the name. He made a similar point about Love to Hate You and Ship of Fools, saying the best songs and lyrics write themselves.
Bell set out early plans for the 2027 tour. Clarke is working on the music now, and their tech specialist Howard, who works with Clarke, will be on stage. The usual crew and singers will join them. The shows will move to bigger venues, including arenas, with large screens and promised surprises. Bell said there will be several costumes and described one look as old school drag, with new surprises to come.
The tour is due to start in March. It will go across the country and then to Europe, before eventually reaching the US. Bell said he is already having a few sleepless nights as he works out ideas in his head.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim | |
|---|---|
| Only on one channel | |
| Andy Bell will tour in 2027 without Vince Clarke, who will serve as musical director remotely; the tour starts in March and will cover the UK, Europe and later the US. | |
| Erasure's 20th album, Radio Radio, is due for release next year. | |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The segment paired a 90s nostalgia exhibition report with a warm, entertainment-led interview. It focused on the personal story behind the album, the 40-year friendship with Vince Clarke, and practical details of the 2027 tour. It did not give a precise release date or tracklist.
- “Radio Radio got four exclamation marks there. Yeah. Sounds quite urgent.”
- “Vince and I got together. His wife passed away, unfortunately, two years ago.”
- “We're going out in March. We're going all across the country and Europe and eventually the US, yeah.”
Broadcast Timeline
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