Twenty five years after he first hit the music scene as the singer in Erasure, Andy Bell releases his second solo album, Non-Stop on Monday. Featuring the single 'Call On Me' it was also preceded by a song released under the pseudonym Mimo. The album is a bit of a vocal departure, with Andy's distinctive voice in a lower register and heavily electronically treated. He took a few minutes out of his busy schedule to talk to The Music Fix.

Hi Andy, how are you?

Very good and you?

We're good, thanks. You put out a single earlier this year under a different name. Why did you choose to go down that route?

It was a record company idea to get a fair stab at radio play! I'm at that difficult age (far a man) too old for Radio One (over 40) and not M.O.R. enough for R2. What can you do?

You've purposely changed your vocal style (the register and more electronic treatment of your voice). What prompted that?

Synthesizers and Andy Bell's voice = Erasure, so it was kind of a disguise.

How is working on a solo album different from working on an Erasure album?

I just wanted to shake off a few cobwebs which I think I've done and I've really missed Vince and It's healthy to make people wait - bring it on!

Do you have any plans to tour solo?

Doing PA's and Djing so far but may have a few gigs in the pipe-line. I know - 'where is this pipe-line?'

You've been in the music industry since 1985. Do you think things are easier now or harder?

Harder, ageism, commercialism the 80's gilded cage - but I'm not complaining. I got the 'Y' and the 'Z' factor! Celebrity mayhem in a world gone mad.

Andy Bell's new album, Non-Stop is out on Monday on Mute records