Living in the Spotlight With HIV – The Andy Bell Story
Posted on November 27, 2010 by DFHS Article Team
From working in a meat packing plant to global superstardom, Andy Bell is an iconic figure best known as the lead singer of the pop group Erasure. Openly Gay and a crusader for Gay rights, he announced publicly in 2004 that he was HIV positive, and had been aware that he was since 1998.
Andrew Ivan Bell was born in Peterborough, England on 04/25/64. More artistic than academic, he left school and went to work in the local meat packing plant. He answered an advert in a newspaper that was recruiting a singer for a new band. The advert had been placed by Vince Clarke, who had had chart success in the 1980′s with both Depeche Mode and Yazoo. He recruited Andy after an audition and the group Erasure was born.
Erasure went on to have great success with songs such as Blue Savannah, Always and Sometimes. As Vince Clarke was a quiet, unassuming guy who just liked to make music, Andy Bell was the complete opposite. As their fame grew, Andy’s stage outfits became more outrageous and flamboyant. His shiny hot pants became a favourite outfit to wear on stage, and gave Matt Lucas the inspiration for his outrageous Gay character Dafydd in Little Britain.
Openly Gay from the beginning, Andy Bell soon gained superstardom not just as a singer and entertainer but also as a Gay icon. He flaunted his sexuality proudly, and never hid his Gay lovers. He became an active campaigner for Gay rights and also a staunch supporter of HIV charities. He has also contributed to charity for various causes, including Ferry Aid and did a cover version of Cole Porter’s classic ‘it’s too darn hot’ to raise money for AIDS and HIV charities.
During their career Erasure sold over 25 million records worldwide and had several successful tours. On December 17 2004, Andy Bell announced to world that he was HIV positive, and had been diagnosed as such in 1998. He said in his statement that he thought the time was right to tell the world to try and take away some of the stigma attached to the illness. That he had had it for 6 years and was still able to go about his every day life and still perform should make others realise that being diagnosed as HIV positive wasn’t an instant death sentence. His honesty impressed a lot of people and his enormous popularity increased even further.
Erasure announced in 2005 that they were taking a well earned break until 2010, and Andy Bell recorded his first solo album, which was entitled Electric Blue and released on October 17 of that year. The first single he released from the album was called Crazy. It only reached #35 in the UK charts but went to #3 in the billboard top 20. His album reached #12 on the billboard, cementing his popularity with the US public.
Andy Bell has recently completed work on his second solo album, due for release later this year. He has been working with producer Pascal Gabriel, who has previously worked with Erasure. At the end of March he is the headline act at European Gay ski week which is taking place in the French ski resort of Tignes.
When he first announced that he was HIV positive, Andy swore that it would be business as usual and has been true to his word. He has carried on working and touring and recording and is seen as a great inspiration to other HIV positive sufferers. It was also recently announced that he has reunited with Vince Clarke to record a new Erasure album, with a release date pencilled in for the end of 2010. While no tour details have been released as yet, all Erasure fans are keeping their fingers crossed that there will be, if just to see Andy in those hot pants one more time.
By John Eva
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