Depeche Mode Depeche Mode Information Service Newsletters

Depeche Mode Information Service Newsletters

The Depeche Mode Information service ran from early 1982 to late 1987, run initially by Martin's and Dave's respective girlfriends, Anne Swindell and Jo Fox. As well as giving news updates on the band's releases, the letters gave details of upcoming tours and TV appearances, and ran the occasional competition.

Before DM had the fan club, Martin's girlfriend at that time, Anne, used to organize 'The Information Service' which involved sending her an envelope every month and receiving the latest news sheet about DM. After Anne and Martin split up, Dave's girlfriend then, Jo, continued with information sheets.

Depeche Mode Fan Club Newsletters

In the autumn of 1987, the Information Service became an actual fan club instead of simply a mailing list. The regular newsletter ended soon after, being replaced by the magazine "Bong", but newsletters were still sent out sporadically for special events.

 

[demoderus]

Special thanks to Stefan Moernaut and Paul Davies.
Also thanks to Thomas Sundman, Brian B., Patrick Merz , Amy Schrecengost, Jesper Mossberg, Eric Oehler, Brandon K Snavely, Rebecca Barclay, Brian L. Heess, Daniel Barassi, Francisco J. Rodríguez, Sergey Ukladov, Sergio Bayarri Gausi, Jose Maria Lopez Lagunas, Sarah Monken and all the others, who has supported me while making and maintaining these pages.

 

[demoderus]

The Depeche Mode Information Service was an official Depeche Mode fan club newsletter publication that circulated from 1981 through 1988. The newsletter would transition to a full-fledged magazine format in 1988 as BONG magazine, which ran from 1988 until the closure of the Depeche Mode fan club in 2002.

Initial production of the newsletter was managed by Joanne Fox (then-girlfriend and first wife of Dave Gahan), Anne Swindell (then-girlfriend of Martin Gore), and Deb Danahay (then-girlfriend of Vince Clarke) until December 1981, when Clarke's departure from Depeche Mode prompted Danahay's departure from the publication. Fox assumed primary responsibility for the production of the newsletter upon Swindell's departure in June 1983 and oversaw its publication through August 1985, when Depeche Mode tour merchandiser Bravado's took on production duties. During Fox's tenure, the newsletter was published on a monthly basis from 1981 through August 1985[1], after which it transitioned to a bimonthly release upon the change in production duties from Fox to Bravado's.

In late 1987, the newsletter began to introduce a series of changes to herald its transition into a magazine-style publication. Among these changes were a new mailing address, a fan contest to design a new logo to be used on the front cover of future issues, and a name change to "The Depeche Mode Fan Club". The newsletter saw its first release as a magazine in January 1988, and would adopt the BONG title starting with its fourth issue.

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