Andrew Ivan Bell is the lead singer of the English synth-popduoErasure. The duo is most popular in their native UK and mainland Europe and also in South America. The band is also popular within the LGBT community, for whom the openly gay Bell has become an icon. Erasure have penned over 200 songs and have sold over 25 million albums worldwide. Bell is known for his soulful voice and flamboyant stage persona which contrasts with bandmate Vince Clarke's low key and deadpan demeanour. His solo career includes the albums Non-Stop, Electric Blue, and iPop.
In 1985, while selling women's shoes and performing in a band called the Void, he responded to a newspaper advert that was looking for a singer. Vince Clarke had been Bell's "hero"; Bell was successful in his audition and together they formed the group Erasure. The pair have sold over 25 million albums worldwide. Bell sang the role of Montresor in the opera The Fall of the House of Usher by Peter Hammill and Judge Smith, released in 1991 and reissued with a new recording in 1999. Bell's first solo album was announced in July 2005. He signed a worldwide solo recording contract with Sanctuary Records, and announced details of his debut album, which was released on 3 October 2005 and entitled Electric Blue. The album featured fourteen tracks, including three duets, with Claudia Brücken of Propaganda and Jake Shears of Scissor Sisters. The first single, "Crazy", released on 26 September 2005, included club remixes from his Erasure partner Vince Clarke, plus Cicada, MHC and King Roc. Electric Blue was co-written and recorded throughout 2004 and 2005 with Manhattan Clique who have worked with Erasure, Moby, the B-52s, Stereophonics and Goldfrapp. Bell released his second solo album, Non-Stop, on 7 June 2010. It was co-written and co-produced by Bell and Pascal Gabriel, who previously remixed "It Doesn't Have to Be" for Erasure. It also features a collaboration with Perry Farrell. Using the pseudonym Mimó, Bell released two Pascal Gabriel-produced singles on Mute Records: "Running Out" and "Will You Be There?" prior to his second solo album. The name, used as a "tribute to good friend Tomeau Mimó”, was not used on any subsequent solo releases, as a legal block was issued against Bell by another artist already using the Mimó name. Both songs appear on Non-Stop and have since been re-branded as Andy Bell. In June 2011, he appeared on the second season of ITV series Popstar to Operastar and finished in fifth place.
Charity
Bell has also donated time and made recordings for charities. These included Ferry Aid's cover of "Let It Be" ; a cover of Cole Porter's "Too Darn Hot", that was included in 1990s Red Hot + Blue album to raise funds for AIDS and HIV research; re-making Lene Lovich's "Rage" alongside her to be included in PETA's album in favour of a wildlife campaign; and performing twice on Big Spender's Red Hot and Dance events to support various AIDS projects. Bell also performed on the True Colours Tour 2008.
Personal life
Bell is openly gay, and had a longtime partner, Paul M. Hickey. On 17 December 2004, Bell publicly announced that he has been HIV-positive since 1998. In a 2007 interview, he remarked that there is a complacency among gay men about HIV: Bell suffers from avascular necrosis. He has had both hips replaced, which keeps him from "pogoing around" in more recent performances. Hickey died on 11 April 2012 at the age of 62. In January 2013, Bell married his subsequent partner Stephen Moss.
