Depeche Mode Bong 35 (1998-03)
Bong 35 (March 1998)
Articles:
Strange (videocassette review) by various contributors
101 (videocassette review) by various contributors
I Met That Bloke From Depeche Mode Once by Dennis Kollner / Niclas Carlenius
Pictures:
page 1 promotional shot by Marina Chavez
page 2 a drawing of Dave by "David"
page 3 Martin live
Articles:
Strange (videocassette review) by various contributors
101 (videocassette review) by various contributors
I Met That Bloke From Depeche Mode Once by Dennis Kollner / Niclas Carlenius
Pictures:
page 1 promotional shot by Marina Chavez
page 2 a drawing of Dave by "David"
page 3 Martin live
Attachments
STRANGE
[From Bong 35, March 1998. Words: Various contributors.]
“Strange” is the first video compilation directed by Anton Corbijn,. It contains five excellent videos from “Black Celebration” and “Music For The Masses”. As “Black Celebration” seems to be a musical change in the band’s career, Corbijn’s black and white imagery may signify another twist in the visuals. Before each of the videos we’re introduced to some sort of guides who seem to be living in the “Depeche Mode Museum”. This also gives us a feeling of a proper movie rather than a compilation of separate videos. The tape starts off with “A Question Of Time” which is unfortunately the only track from “Black Celebration”. Then there comes “Strangelove”. It seems as if the videos were linked up in chronological order, developing a story on its own. Take this example – Dave has a car accident in “Never Let Me Down Again” then in “Behind The Wheel”, he gets picked up and his car is towed away. Additionally, Anton is very good combining the lyrics with the images… then Ippolita indeed seems to be “Behind The Wheel”. The final track is “Pimpf” where the rough nature of the minimal story perfectly fits the dramatic mood of the music. Finally, there are Depeche Mode destroying their own museum. Martin perfectly captures Anton’s provoking images emphasising the sombre atmosphere of songs like “Never Let Me Down Again” by saying: “Anton feels our music…” To conclude, this piece of work “Based on love or life or lust or nothing in particular”, definitely is a pioneer in a row of the following videos and a must for all fans.
Marc Borgstedt
Werther, Germany
With the benefit of hindsight it is easy to criticise pre-Corbijn Depeche Mode videos as bland, as so many early 80s promos were (need we dwell on Pinky and Perky and Dave’s “mince pies” in “The Meaning Of Love”?). But with “Strange” it is obvious that the band had chosen to take greater care with the preparation, storyboarding and visuals, and Anton Corbijn’s dark cinematic vision proved pivotal for the direction of future DM videos. Each “Strange” video assumes a sinister and threatening quality due to the effective use of grainy b/w Super 8 film in atmospheric locations in the USA and Europe: from (the, perhaps, incongruous) “A Question Of Time” through “Strangelove”, “Never Let Me Down Again” (Split Mix), “Behind The Wheel”, and the final approaching menace of “Pimpf”. The songs on “Strange” are linked by surreal inserts detailing the loss of a dog, Dave’s “childhood” on a farm, and the joys of driving Dave “anywhere” on a scooter bike. These links are never superfluous and Rebecca, Ippolita and Valdemar (Dave’s “Best friend”) help unite the songs into a surreal, hypnotic and compelling whole. I find it impossible to watch any one of the videos individually, such is the power with which they are all bonded. It is all or nothing at all with “Strange”. “Strange” sets an important precedent for future DM videos. (No disrespect to D. A. Pennebaker, but I wonder how different, and darker, “101” would have been with Anton Corbijn at the helm.) Ten years since its release the film is still wonderfully atmospheric and has achieved a kind of timelessness. Somehow the sequel did not reach the same level. Strange!
Paul Smith
London, England
“Strange” is not a simple collection of promotional videos. Anton Corbijn managed to turn this 30 minutes compilation of videos into a highly artistic short film. The thread of the five pieces is the museum where we are introduced to various characters who tell their little stories of meeting Depeche Mode. The presentation of these people is dark and bare, and so is the new image of the band. Much more European than it unfortunately got to be afterwards. Corbijn’s talent here reaches the very top, at least at the time. “A Question Of Time” is shot on the roads of “grey lit” Los Angeles (so dissimilar to Pennebaker’s one). “Strangelove” is set in Paris and Corbijn shoots in his deeply personal fashion again. At last he brings in a marvellous “grainy” film with the strong black and white contrasts. The video reveals taste for the fashion fetishism, which was absolutely avant-garde at the time. The masterpiece is “Never Let Me Down Again”, shot in Denmark, in which every image takes you towards the story’s dramatic final. The band’s acting also deserves a mention here. In the second “Split Mix” part, we find some old David Lynch-esque atmosphere which might feel a little bit disconnected from the part one. “Behind The Wheel” is the presumed sequel of “Never Let Me Down Again”, set in some cold Italian village. The images nicely match the ambiguous lyrics of the song. The compilation is closed by “Pimpf”, set in a Spanish desert, where the museum is finally destroyed. The only thing to be added is that “Strange” is the BEST and UNEQUALLED Depeche Mode video, and it is essential for every DM fan and every visual art judge.
Nicola Guerra
Marina di Massa, Italy
[From Bong 35, March 1998. Words: Various contributors.]
“Strange” is the first video compilation directed by Anton Corbijn,. It contains five excellent videos from “Black Celebration” and “Music For The Masses”. As “Black Celebration” seems to be a musical change in the band’s career, Corbijn’s black and white imagery may signify another twist in the visuals. Before each of the videos we’re introduced to some sort of guides who seem to be living in the “Depeche Mode Museum”. This also gives us a feeling of a proper movie rather than a compilation of separate videos. The tape starts off with “A Question Of Time” which is unfortunately the only track from “Black Celebration”. Then there comes “Strangelove”. It seems as if the videos were linked up in chronological order, developing a story on its own. Take this example – Dave has a car accident in “Never Let Me Down Again” then in “Behind The Wheel”, he gets picked up and his car is towed away. Additionally, Anton is very good combining the lyrics with the images… then Ippolita indeed seems to be “Behind The Wheel”. The final track is “Pimpf” where the rough nature of the minimal story perfectly fits the dramatic mood of the music. Finally, there are Depeche Mode destroying their own museum. Martin perfectly captures Anton’s provoking images emphasising the sombre atmosphere of songs like “Never Let Me Down Again” by saying: “Anton feels our music…” To conclude, this piece of work “Based on love or life or lust or nothing in particular”, definitely is a pioneer in a row of the following videos and a must for all fans.
Marc Borgstedt
Werther, Germany
With the benefit of hindsight it is easy to criticise pre-Corbijn Depeche Mode videos as bland, as so many early 80s promos were (need we dwell on Pinky and Perky and Dave’s “mince pies” in “The Meaning Of Love”?). But with “Strange” it is obvious that the band had chosen to take greater care with the preparation, storyboarding and visuals, and Anton Corbijn’s dark cinematic vision proved pivotal for the direction of future DM videos. Each “Strange” video assumes a sinister and threatening quality due to the effective use of grainy b/w Super 8 film in atmospheric locations in the USA and Europe: from (the, perhaps, incongruous) “A Question Of Time” through “Strangelove”, “Never Let Me Down Again” (Split Mix), “Behind The Wheel”, and the final approaching menace of “Pimpf”. The songs on “Strange” are linked by surreal inserts detailing the loss of a dog, Dave’s “childhood” on a farm, and the joys of driving Dave “anywhere” on a scooter bike. These links are never superfluous and Rebecca, Ippolita and Valdemar (Dave’s “Best friend”) help unite the songs into a surreal, hypnotic and compelling whole. I find it impossible to watch any one of the videos individually, such is the power with which they are all bonded. It is all or nothing at all with “Strange”. “Strange” sets an important precedent for future DM videos. (No disrespect to D. A. Pennebaker, but I wonder how different, and darker, “101” would have been with Anton Corbijn at the helm.) Ten years since its release the film is still wonderfully atmospheric and has achieved a kind of timelessness. Somehow the sequel did not reach the same level. Strange!
Paul Smith
London, England
“Strange” is not a simple collection of promotional videos. Anton Corbijn managed to turn this 30 minutes compilation of videos into a highly artistic short film. The thread of the five pieces is the museum where we are introduced to various characters who tell their little stories of meeting Depeche Mode. The presentation of these people is dark and bare, and so is the new image of the band. Much more European than it unfortunately got to be afterwards. Corbijn’s talent here reaches the very top, at least at the time. “A Question Of Time” is shot on the roads of “grey lit” Los Angeles (so dissimilar to Pennebaker’s one). “Strangelove” is set in Paris and Corbijn shoots in his deeply personal fashion again. At last he brings in a marvellous “grainy” film with the strong black and white contrasts. The video reveals taste for the fashion fetishism, which was absolutely avant-garde at the time. The masterpiece is “Never Let Me Down Again”, shot in Denmark, in which every image takes you towards the story’s dramatic final. The band’s acting also deserves a mention here. In the second “Split Mix” part, we find some old David Lynch-esque atmosphere which might feel a little bit disconnected from the part one. “Behind The Wheel” is the presumed sequel of “Never Let Me Down Again”, set in some cold Italian village. The images nicely match the ambiguous lyrics of the song. The compilation is closed by “Pimpf”, set in a Spanish desert, where the museum is finally destroyed. The only thing to be added is that “Strange” is the BEST and UNEQUALLED Depeche Mode video, and it is essential for every DM fan and every visual art judge.
Nicola Guerra
Marina di Massa, Italy
101
[From Bong 35, March 1998. Words: Various contributors.]
The “101” video / film is truly a great road movie, made up of live action footage of the band’s 101 dates across the USA, finishing up at the Pasadena’s Rose Bowl. For one week the band were accompanied by the winners of a radio competition and the camera managed to capture the fly on the wall arguments, problems, traumas and celebrations from both the band and the competition winners, who missed one of the shows down to Dave, the bus driver, with his navigation skills, which are questionable throughout the film. The live footage of the band on stage is cut and arranged for the song titles to fit into what’s happening in the film. Every song is outstanding, there’s not a duff one in here. Dave’s energy and stage presence, with the rest of the band, makes a cracking good show. With the video weighing in at 117 mins, it does start to wane towards the end. But for devotees, it is a perfect cornerstone in the band’s career. A 10/10 performance.
Charles and Melissa
Surrey, England
“A film about music, those who sell it and those who buy it” booms D. A. Pennebaker from “101” programme. “Master and servant”. But which is which…? Um… “101” doesn’t answer that question; instead it follows Depeche Mode from concert to concert, using candid backstage footage the same way Pennebaker’s “Don’t Look Back” did. And it has the added oddness of a bunch of American teenagers who’ve won a be-in-a-Mode-film contest and are on a bus journey to see Depeche Mode. This being verity, the fans miss most of the show they’re supposed to go to, and they only meet Alan Wilder. They drink a lot and are cute, though. Likewise, Depeche Mode. Sample conversation between Dave Gahan and a tour manager. “I don’t think I should say ‘Hello, Pasadena’, I think I should say, ‘Hello, the Rosebowl’… I don’t know.” Tour manager: “Why don’t you just say ‘Good evening, everybody in the Rosebowl tonight’?” Gahan: “I’m not f***ing Wordsworth, you know.” Depeche Mode do restrained on-the-road things like buying guitars and doing radio interviews. Gahan confesses to doffing up a mad cabbie. An’ he got out the cab and he was this big! An’ then his trousers fell down!” Gore says not a word. The fans dance in the bus and Pennebaker gives us some crotch shots. Very clever. The live footage is neat and very loud; Depeche Mode are a proper stadium band, except they don’t have guitar solos (they do have a tasty version of “Route 66” though). Mostly the last two LPs are performed, with an awesome joyful version of “Just Can’t Get Enough” to remind us why America bought them in the first place. And there’s “Everything Counts”… In one of the tackiest bits of cinematic irony ever, we cut from a gross scene involving concessions owners gloating and shouting “We made a lot of money! We made a load of money!” into “Everything Counts”. Coo! Does Pennebaker mean to say that people get rich out of pop music? [1] There’s also an earlier scene where Gahan claims to have been happier stacking shelves in a supermarket. “You lose your friends, you’re away from home doing this,” he mumbles. “But you get more money…” which then cuts into the cute teenagers discussing the difference between commercial art and starving-garret art. I suppose it’s hard making points with fly-on-the-wall naturalism techniques; people simply don’t say anything profound enough. Strangely, whenever the Mode are backstage, they’re alone – where are the millions of liggers and journos who accompany tours: “101” is a stripped and censored version of a tour. However, as a film of a group at work, it’s immensely less irritating than the U2 one and, if it doesn’t show why America quite likes Depeche Mode, it shows that they aren’t the redneck Brucers fools like Morrissey would have us believe. The music is fine, too, and those teenagers are very cute.
David Quantick, NME, UK
(11th March 1989)
“101” is a brilliant two hour D. A. Pennebaker movie featuring a bunch of young devotees experiencing the ultimate dream – crossing the USA in a bus full of DM fans and ending up on the largest DM concert at The Rose Bowl, L.A. . The video offers all the band’s hits from the “Music For The Masses” Tour in 1988, performed in front of the crowd of 70,000 fans. The final part of “Everything Counts” with the choir of the fans and the essential side to side arm-movement in “Never Let Me Down Again” are certainly among the high moments of the movie. Apart from the live performances, “101” also features many interesting moments from behind the scene, such as Alan explaining the keys in “Black Celebration” on his keyboard, Dave singing unplugged, Fletch and Martin in the studio of the radio station and more. This is definitely music for the masses, especially if you experienced this tour yourself.
Per Hedahl
Sonderborg, Denmark
[From Bong 35, March 1998. Words: Various contributors.]
The “101” video / film is truly a great road movie, made up of live action footage of the band’s 101 dates across the USA, finishing up at the Pasadena’s Rose Bowl. For one week the band were accompanied by the winners of a radio competition and the camera managed to capture the fly on the wall arguments, problems, traumas and celebrations from both the band and the competition winners, who missed one of the shows down to Dave, the bus driver, with his navigation skills, which are questionable throughout the film. The live footage of the band on stage is cut and arranged for the song titles to fit into what’s happening in the film. Every song is outstanding, there’s not a duff one in here. Dave’s energy and stage presence, with the rest of the band, makes a cracking good show. With the video weighing in at 117 mins, it does start to wane towards the end. But for devotees, it is a perfect cornerstone in the band’s career. A 10/10 performance.
Charles and Melissa
Surrey, England
“A film about music, those who sell it and those who buy it” booms D. A. Pennebaker from “101” programme. “Master and servant”. But which is which…? Um… “101” doesn’t answer that question; instead it follows Depeche Mode from concert to concert, using candid backstage footage the same way Pennebaker’s “Don’t Look Back” did. And it has the added oddness of a bunch of American teenagers who’ve won a be-in-a-Mode-film contest and are on a bus journey to see Depeche Mode. This being verity, the fans miss most of the show they’re supposed to go to, and they only meet Alan Wilder. They drink a lot and are cute, though. Likewise, Depeche Mode. Sample conversation between Dave Gahan and a tour manager. “I don’t think I should say ‘Hello, Pasadena’, I think I should say, ‘Hello, the Rosebowl’… I don’t know.” Tour manager: “Why don’t you just say ‘Good evening, everybody in the Rosebowl tonight’?” Gahan: “I’m not f***ing Wordsworth, you know.” Depeche Mode do restrained on-the-road things like buying guitars and doing radio interviews. Gahan confesses to doffing up a mad cabbie. An’ he got out the cab and he was this big! An’ then his trousers fell down!” Gore says not a word. The fans dance in the bus and Pennebaker gives us some crotch shots. Very clever. The live footage is neat and very loud; Depeche Mode are a proper stadium band, except they don’t have guitar solos (they do have a tasty version of “Route 66” though). Mostly the last two LPs are performed, with an awesome joyful version of “Just Can’t Get Enough” to remind us why America bought them in the first place. And there’s “Everything Counts”… In one of the tackiest bits of cinematic irony ever, we cut from a gross scene involving concessions owners gloating and shouting “We made a lot of money! We made a load of money!” into “Everything Counts”. Coo! Does Pennebaker mean to say that people get rich out of pop music? [1] There’s also an earlier scene where Gahan claims to have been happier stacking shelves in a supermarket. “You lose your friends, you’re away from home doing this,” he mumbles. “But you get more money…” which then cuts into the cute teenagers discussing the difference between commercial art and starving-garret art. I suppose it’s hard making points with fly-on-the-wall naturalism techniques; people simply don’t say anything profound enough. Strangely, whenever the Mode are backstage, they’re alone – where are the millions of liggers and journos who accompany tours: “101” is a stripped and censored version of a tour. However, as a film of a group at work, it’s immensely less irritating than the U2 one and, if it doesn’t show why America quite likes Depeche Mode, it shows that they aren’t the redneck Brucers fools like Morrissey would have us believe. The music is fine, too, and those teenagers are very cute.
David Quantick, NME, UK
(11th March 1989)
“101” is a brilliant two hour D. A. Pennebaker movie featuring a bunch of young devotees experiencing the ultimate dream – crossing the USA in a bus full of DM fans and ending up on the largest DM concert at The Rose Bowl, L.A. . The video offers all the band’s hits from the “Music For The Masses” Tour in 1988, performed in front of the crowd of 70,000 fans. The final part of “Everything Counts” with the choir of the fans and the essential side to side arm-movement in “Never Let Me Down Again” are certainly among the high moments of the movie. Apart from the live performances, “101” also features many interesting moments from behind the scene, such as Alan explaining the keys in “Black Celebration” on his keyboard, Dave singing unplugged, Fletch and Martin in the studio of the radio station and more. This is definitely music for the masses, especially if you experienced this tour yourself.
Per Hedahl
Sonderborg, Denmark
I MET THAT BLOKE FROM DEPECHE MODE ONCE
[From Bong 35, March 1998. Words: Dennis Kollner / Niclas Carlenius.]
This is a story of how I met my favourite band Depeche Mode, an experience I’ll never forget. So let’s begin…
It all started in 1985. I was just 12 years old and I was listening to the song “Shake The Disease”. It was No. 1 at the “Hey Music” radio chart. I was really overwhelmed by the outstanding sound of the track. Although I already knew songs like “People Are People” or “Master And Servant” this was the time I really noticed Depeche Mode and have adored their music ever since. I became one of the biggest DM fans…
I also have to mention that I lived in East Berlin at the time and could move to West Berlin with my mom only on a special exit permit. It was in July 1986 when the Berlin Wall still sat in the middle of the city. Unfortunately we moved over about three months too late so I missed the “Black Celebration” Tour at the Berliner Waldbuhne. I had to wait for the “Music For The Masses” Tour. Depeche Mode announced that they were going to have a concert in Berlin on November 9, 1987, just two days after their show in Hannover. I thought that the band would probably arrive in Berlin between these two concerts.
On 8th November I got up early in the morning and went to the hotel Intercontinental. There were about 30 DM fans already waiting in front of it. At around 10am we suddenly saw a DM crew bus and so we ran after it as we thought the Band might be in there. Wrong! A guy with the DM hat (a crew member) told us Depeche Mode were not in Berlin yet and so I decided together with three other fans to go to the Berlin-Tegel Airport. I looked for the gates of arriving airplanes from Hannover. I had waited for about five hours when I suddenly saw Martin coming out of Gate 3 at 3.40pm. I was just standing there with a big smile on my face. I didn’t know what to do as I couldn’t believe I was face to face to my idols. I am sure Martin noticed how I felt – my joy and happiness. He smiled at me. Just everyone in Depeche Mode were very nice to the fans. The good thing was that there were only about six fans and so the Band members had time to give the fans some autographs. When the Band walked to their bus I had a chance (for the second time) to ask Alan and Dave for their signatures.
The next day I finally saw them live (for the first time) in concert at the Deutschlandhalle. I was standing in the first row and I am positive that Alan recognised me from the day before because when I waved at him he smiled back. The concert itself was amazing. I can’t put it in words…
So thank you Depeche Mode for making my dream come true when I was “Little 15”… that’s how Depeche Mode became (a part of) my life.
Dennis Kollner
Berlin, Germany
On April 25, 1997, I was in Stockholm to see Depeche Mode performing live on TV 4’s “En Kvall Med Luuk”. Before the show, I was lucky to meet the band outside the TV studio. Dave and Andy gave me their autographs, but unfortunately I couldn’t get Martin’s because he went inside too quickly.
A few hours later, Depeche Mode performed “It’s No Good” with live vocals. Christian Eigner was there playing drums, not Dave Clayton. It was a great (but too short) show with only 200 people in the audience.
Niclas Carlenius
Norrkoping, Sweden
[From Bong 35, March 1998. Words: Dennis Kollner / Niclas Carlenius.]
This is a story of how I met my favourite band Depeche Mode, an experience I’ll never forget. So let’s begin…
It all started in 1985. I was just 12 years old and I was listening to the song “Shake The Disease”. It was No. 1 at the “Hey Music” radio chart. I was really overwhelmed by the outstanding sound of the track. Although I already knew songs like “People Are People” or “Master And Servant” this was the time I really noticed Depeche Mode and have adored their music ever since. I became one of the biggest DM fans…
I also have to mention that I lived in East Berlin at the time and could move to West Berlin with my mom only on a special exit permit. It was in July 1986 when the Berlin Wall still sat in the middle of the city. Unfortunately we moved over about three months too late so I missed the “Black Celebration” Tour at the Berliner Waldbuhne. I had to wait for the “Music For The Masses” Tour. Depeche Mode announced that they were going to have a concert in Berlin on November 9, 1987, just two days after their show in Hannover. I thought that the band would probably arrive in Berlin between these two concerts.
On 8th November I got up early in the morning and went to the hotel Intercontinental. There were about 30 DM fans already waiting in front of it. At around 10am we suddenly saw a DM crew bus and so we ran after it as we thought the Band might be in there. Wrong! A guy with the DM hat (a crew member) told us Depeche Mode were not in Berlin yet and so I decided together with three other fans to go to the Berlin-Tegel Airport. I looked for the gates of arriving airplanes from Hannover. I had waited for about five hours when I suddenly saw Martin coming out of Gate 3 at 3.40pm. I was just standing there with a big smile on my face. I didn’t know what to do as I couldn’t believe I was face to face to my idols. I am sure Martin noticed how I felt – my joy and happiness. He smiled at me. Just everyone in Depeche Mode were very nice to the fans. The good thing was that there were only about six fans and so the Band members had time to give the fans some autographs. When the Band walked to their bus I had a chance (for the second time) to ask Alan and Dave for their signatures.
The next day I finally saw them live (for the first time) in concert at the Deutschlandhalle. I was standing in the first row and I am positive that Alan recognised me from the day before because when I waved at him he smiled back. The concert itself was amazing. I can’t put it in words…
So thank you Depeche Mode for making my dream come true when I was “Little 15”… that’s how Depeche Mode became (a part of) my life.
Dennis Kollner
Berlin, Germany
On April 25, 1997, I was in Stockholm to see Depeche Mode performing live on TV 4’s “En Kvall Med Luuk”. Before the show, I was lucky to meet the band outside the TV studio. Dave and Andy gave me their autographs, but unfortunately I couldn’t get Martin’s because he went inside too quickly.
A few hours later, Depeche Mode performed “It’s No Good” with live vocals. Christian Eigner was there playing drums, not Dave Clayton. It was a great (but too short) show with only 200 people in the audience.
Niclas Carlenius
Norrkoping, Sweden