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In the twilight of 1986, I found myself back in my hometown, rebooting life after a pause post-high school. As fate would have it, I returned to C&C Music/Video—a place that had worked for during my high school years. Erasure's "Oh L'amour" was already setting dance floors on fire, but honestly, I hadn't deeply considered the duo behind the beats. That changed, and how, when their extended play album "The Two Ring Circus" was released.




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFduy8qQIOg




Before we dive into the Erasure saga, let's step back a bit. Vince Clarke, one half of Erasure, was already a synth-pop legend due to his earlier stints with Depeche Mode and Yaz (known as Yazoo in Europe). It was the blending of Clarke's genius with Andy Bell's vocal prowess that gave Erasure its distinct sound—a combination that felt like a revelation to my young, queer self. Their lyrics, sharp and universally relatable, had a unique resonance for the LGBTQ+ community.



Now, let's talk songs, shall we? "Victim of Love" is a tune that forever evokes bittersweet nostalgia. It carries me back to memories of Michael, a man 20 years my senior who became a mentor and friend during those formative years. He tried to enrich my life with opera and introduced me to the camp classic "Mommie Dearest." We crossed the line from friendship to romance and his memory lives on e...