Essex singer Alison Moyet has always had a memorable androgynous contralto voice. She burst into the '80s in the group Yazoo, also known as Yaz, where she teamed up with former Depeche Mode member Vince Clarke. The duo created hits together such as "Only You," "Don't Go" and "Situation."
Clarke moved on to another duo, forming Erasure, while Moyet became a solo act. Her debut solo album, Alf, was a hit, reaching number one on the charts.
This year she returns with a new record entitled the minutes. This makes her eighth album to date and a return to her roots in electronic music.
We spoke about touring, the creation of the new music, and her loyal gay fans over the years.
Windy City Times: Hi, Alison. How are you today?
Alison Moyet: Excellent, I'm just having some tea here.
WCT: What kind of tea do you drink?
AM: English breakfast tea.
WCT: Let's start talking about music. The new album the minutes is in lower case. What was the reason behind that?
AM: The whole premise of using the words the minutes is getting to that place in your life where you were led to believe all of your life to be aiming for this seamless stream of joy that will go through your loves and everything but in failing to get that you have been cheated in some way. That someone else is doing it perfectly well but you are not able to achieve it. I think you get to a point of understanding. I certainly did, where it was never about this whole continuum. It was about these sporadic points in time, these little gems that are suspended in pedestrian years.
The reason I put them in lower case is because to put them in upper case infers that there is just one set of minutes, almost like a romantic statement where in truth these minutes happen throughout your life and can relate to everything and anything.
WCT: Speaking of gems, there are some on the album. It starts off very atmospheric sounding then moves into songs that people will listen to for a long time.
AM: I am actually delighted about that because for me the great joy in working with electronica again is it allows you to use a wide pallet. People have related this back to my Yaz work and I would say the only connection to that truly is the fact that we used electronic acoustic instruments. Back then the music was sourced from many varied areas. It was the production values that held it together. I think that is what I have been allowed to do with this album. It is what I have wanted to do.
I am constantly like a kid in a candy store that is chewing one finger and looking what to put in her mouth next. It is that kind of thing. I always feel quite cheated. I have the old ADHD thing going on. I get bored very quickly and like to be looking at different things. I looked for a way to put the whole thing together so it was a continual album.
Am I running on too much?
WCT: No, not at all.
AM: So many pop albums are made with huge songwriting teams that don't want to commit to making an album they just want to write a hit song. They get a collection of singles. Someone at my age has no interest in singles at all. I wanted to make a body of work that was conceptual in itself.
WCT: Someone like Beyonce sometimes has 10 writers on a song. Freddy Mercury never did that back in the day.
AM: Exactlyand where is that coming from? I don't know why they need a team of people to correct something. I don't understand what that is and why you write a song with 10 people.
My area of control on this album is pretty much the lyrics and the melody. Debating that with 10 people is too tedious to imagine.
WCT: Any plans to tour with the album to Chicago?
AM: I am touring in the autumn. My management is going over European and North American tours as we speak so I am really hoping that it will be a big yes.
I have a lot of family in Chicago both from my French and my English side. The French live in Kalamazoo and the English side lives in Skokie. Chicago is a big place for me!
WCT: It must feel amazing to be making music 30 years later.
AM: It is amazing because you can actually start to enjoy it. It is nice to be famous but still have a normal life. I am a musician, as opposed to a pop star, and I love that.
Visit alisonmoyet.com to keep up with the tour and new music. Read the entire interview online at www.WindyCityMediaGroup.com .