The Assembly

The Assembly's history centers on unrealized promise. Following Yaz's 1983 breakup, Vince Clarke—previously a member of Depeche Mode—sought a fresh vocalist for his next project. He settled on Feargal Sharkey, the former frontman of the Irish pop-punk group the Undertones. Joined by producer Eric C. Radcliffe and guitarist Dave "Clem" Clempson, the four issued the single "Never Never" in 1983 under the Assembly banner. Sharkey was never slated as the outfit's ongoing singer; Clarke and Radcliffe instead planned a different vocalist for each track. The scheme never came to pass. The affecting "Never Never," a ballad of unrequited affection, climbed to number one on the English pop chart, yet it stood as the Assembly's lone release. The act receded into new wave obscurity, frequently recalled only when someone asks which band bridged Vince Clarke's years in Yaz and Erasure. After "Never Never," Sharkey put out a self-titled solo album, while Clarke launched Erasure in 1985 with Andy Bell. The track later resurfaced in 1995 on New Wave Hits of the 80s, Vol. 14. One year afterward, it returned as a CD single containing the extended mix and the instrumental B-side "Stop/Start."