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Depeche Mode Bong 49 (2001-09)
- Thread starter demoderus
- Start date
Bong 49 (September 2001)
Articles:
Let Me Show You The World In My Eyes (personal account) by Trevor Swart
The Story of Depeche Mode (part 2) by Tony Wood
On Road With Depeche Mode (various contributors)
Pictures:
page 1 Anton photographing the band
page 2 Fletch and Mark Bell in the studio
page 3 Martin live
Articles:
Let Me Show You The World In My Eyes (personal account) by Trevor Swart
The Story of Depeche Mode (part 2) by Tony Wood
On Road With Depeche Mode (various contributors)
Pictures:
page 1 Anton photographing the band
page 2 Fletch and Mark Bell in the studio
page 3 Martin live
LET ME SHOW YOU THE WORLD IN MY EYES
[From Bong 49, September 2001. Words: Trevor Swart.]
February the twelfth, 1994. My father had just died, and it was the most exciting time of my life. Depeche Mode were in town, in Johannesburg. Their presence was so well timed, it was almost scary. My father’s illness had been a long one, and by the time he died I’d already done most of my mourning for him, and I was now getting used to the reality of it. From when I was thirteen until I was just shy of twenty, I knew my father was dying of cancer. And for most of those years, I was listening to Depeche Mode’s music.
At that time in South Africa, the apartheid government was on its way out. Sanctions had ended. The artists who we’d heard of but never dreamed to see were starting to come to South Africa while touring, and also Depeche Mode had finally made it.
This was a band I’d discovered relatively late into their career. They’d insidiously been sneaking into my young mind, and by the time I was fourteen I was starting to hear more and more of their music. That was 1987. As with almost any teenager in that time and place, I didn’t have all that much exposure to music. But one band out of all the ones I heard back then kept striking chords with me, and they became my touchstone. By the time “101” came onto our shelves, I was hooked. No other band existed. I had tracked down and taped all of their work I could get my hands on, and was listening to it almost incessantly. I was obsessed.
Fourteen is a very special time in anyone’s life. At that stage, puberty is in control. Everything has changed. The opposite sex becomes, well, interesting. Not so for me. I was destined to be different. You see, I didn’t find girls any more interesting than I had before. But my new best friend Shaun, well, in simple terms you could say I fell in love with him. It was a strange love. The strange highs were the pure emotions I was feeling for the first time. The lows? I was flying high with him, watching the world pass by, all unaware that there was anything out of the ordinary. Until I told him what I felt (I want you now!), and discovered in his rejection that I was a freak, a queer. And nobody but Shaun knew, and it hurt so much when I lost this friend of mine I believed I loved so desperately because there was something wrong with me that I vowed to make sure no-one else ever found out. And no-one did, for a very long time. Long enough for it to be very unhealthy for me.
Right about that time, our family also learned that the cancer which my father had had removed, had returned. The vital man started to visibly die by inches.
And so began the dark years of my life. I found myself in a holding pattern. I would suddenly fall madly in lust with a friend, all unintended, and he wouldn’t be even the slightest bit interested. And I began to believe I was a freak, and I really did believe that God’s sense of humour, if there even was one, was pretty sick and twisted. Through it all, through all the pain I felt at the time, those songs kept me going. Martin understood that all I wanted was “Somebody”, even if the semi-saccharine taste of his words made him sick. No matter what mood I found myself in, there was always my room, my hi-fi, and the songs of Depeche Mode. The sixteenth (or whatever) generation copies had been replaced with original cassettes, which as I grew older became CDs. The collection filled out until there was almost nothing of Depeche Mode’s that I didn’t have. Nothing that had been released on CD, anyway.
My father’s condition continued to deteriorate. Inexorably. While he did his best to remain upbeat, to not let it affect him negatively, the cancer had its hold, and our family life became more and more strained. Not that we were consciously aware of it, though – at least, not that I was – because I had my own problems with which to deal.
By the time I finished high school, Depeche Mode were gods incarnate. There was no other explanation. Their “Violator” album had been out for over a year, and the songs were still ringing true for me. I ached to show people the world in my eyes, but I couldn’t – I feared to let anyone see my freakish side. I knew that there’d be consequences that I’d have to deal with, if I eventually decided on a policy of truth. Come clean? Never. Not of there was even the slightest chance that the end of the tears and in-between limbo years was going to leave me with an anguished note like I heard coming from Dave at the time. And the best part of it all was that I wasn’t even slightly attracted to any one of them. What I felt for them and their music was completely free of the taint of freakdom that dogged my every step. It was pure, and it was sweet.
[From Bong 49, September 2001. Words: Trevor Swart.]
Summary: A South African fan recounts how Depeche Mode's music has supported and informed him throughout some trying periods of self-doubt. Mature, poignant and utterly sincere: anyone who considers themselves as searching for something via the music of Depeche Mode will find this piece profoundly moving.
February the twelfth, 1994. My father had just died, and it was the most exciting time of my life. Depeche Mode were in town, in Johannesburg. Their presence was so well timed, it was almost scary. My father’s illness had been a long one, and by the time he died I’d already done most of my mourning for him, and I was now getting used to the reality of it. From when I was thirteen until I was just shy of twenty, I knew my father was dying of cancer. And for most of those years, I was listening to Depeche Mode’s music.
At that time in South Africa, the apartheid government was on its way out. Sanctions had ended. The artists who we’d heard of but never dreamed to see were starting to come to South Africa while touring, and also Depeche Mode had finally made it.
This was a band I’d discovered relatively late into their career. They’d insidiously been sneaking into my young mind, and by the time I was fourteen I was starting to hear more and more of their music. That was 1987. As with almost any teenager in that time and place, I didn’t have all that much exposure to music. But one band out of all the ones I heard back then kept striking chords with me, and they became my touchstone. By the time “101” came onto our shelves, I was hooked. No other band existed. I had tracked down and taped all of their work I could get my hands on, and was listening to it almost incessantly. I was obsessed.
Fourteen is a very special time in anyone’s life. At that stage, puberty is in control. Everything has changed. The opposite sex becomes, well, interesting. Not so for me. I was destined to be different. You see, I didn’t find girls any more interesting than I had before. But my new best friend Shaun, well, in simple terms you could say I fell in love with him. It was a strange love. The strange highs were the pure emotions I was feeling for the first time. The lows? I was flying high with him, watching the world pass by, all unaware that there was anything out of the ordinary. Until I told him what I felt (I want you now!), and discovered in his rejection that I was a freak, a queer. And nobody but Shaun knew, and it hurt so much when I lost this friend of mine I believed I loved so desperately because there was something wrong with me that I vowed to make sure no-one else ever found out. And no-one did, for a very long time. Long enough for it to be very unhealthy for me.
Right about that time, our family also learned that the cancer which my father had had removed, had returned. The vital man started to visibly die by inches.
And so began the dark years of my life. I found myself in a holding pattern. I would suddenly fall madly in lust with a friend, all unintended, and he wouldn’t be even the slightest bit interested. And I began to believe I was a freak, and I really did believe that God’s sense of humour, if there even was one, was pretty sick and twisted. Through it all, through all the pain I felt at the time, those songs kept me going. Martin understood that all I wanted was “Somebody”, even if the semi-saccharine taste of his words made him sick. No matter what mood I found myself in, there was always my room, my hi-fi, and the songs of Depeche Mode. The sixteenth (or whatever) generation copies had been replaced with original cassettes, which as I grew older became CDs. The collection filled out until there was almost nothing of Depeche Mode’s that I didn’t have. Nothing that had been released on CD, anyway.
My father’s condition continued to deteriorate. Inexorably. While he did his best to remain upbeat, to not let it affect him negatively, the cancer had its hold, and our family life became more and more strained. Not that we were consciously aware of it, though – at least, not that I was – because I had my own problems with which to deal.
By the time I finished high school, Depeche Mode were gods incarnate. There was no other explanation. Their “Violator” album had been out for over a year, and the songs were still ringing true for me. I ached to show people the world in my eyes, but I couldn’t – I feared to let anyone see my freakish side. I knew that there’d be consequences that I’d have to deal with, if I eventually decided on a policy of truth. Come clean? Never. Not of there was even the slightest chance that the end of the tears and in-between limbo years was going to leave me with an anguished note like I heard coming from Dave at the time. And the best part of it all was that I wasn’t even slightly attracted to any one of them. What I felt for them and their music was completely free of the taint of freakdom that dogged my every step. It was pure, and it was sweet.
University happened to me, one of those default choices in life that I would never have made had I been thinking. It didn’t matter so much, though, because now my musical world was opening wider and wider. And the beer was helping to numb my despair. The Depeche obsession receded more and more, as my head was being blown wide open by the anger and the pain of bands like Skinny Puppy and Nine Inch Nails. It didn’t stop me from my mission to get “Songs Of Faith And Devotion” almost the instant it was released, though.
And so the cycle began afresh. Again, there was all this resonance between the words that Gore was writing and the songs that he and Dave were singing and the life I was living, and the bittersweet joy I experienced when I first heard them was priceless. In amongst all that sadness was something that made me glad. Consistently and thoroughly. After screaming at a parent, “You don’t know how I feel!” and slamming myself into my room, hi-fi on full blast for the duration of a Depeche album, I was guaranteed to face the world again feeling that much happier.
Time passed and I continued to explore music. Nitzer Ebb’s latest album, I discovered, had been produced by Alan Wilder. The synchronicities just kept happening. My father was knocking at Death’s Door, and so was Depeche Mode. Well, in one of their songs, anyway.
When I heard that Depeche Mode were coming to South Africa, I almost didn’t believe it. In fact, it was only when they actually walked onto the stage that first night in Johannesburg that I believed they were truly in town. I experienced that pure emotion that manifests itself as weeping joy as they performed that night. All the pent up emotion of those years of pain, of my father’s recent death, started to show itself, and I let go completely and rode the wave of adulation. I remember at one point needing desperately to urinate, and being so caught by the music that I just peed my pants right there in the middle of the packed stadium rather than miss a moment. That was the hold they had over me.
I caught every single one of their Johannesburg shows, somehow finding the money for it at the last moment every time. I lost my voice from screaming. I got to meet some of them backstage, got to chat with them all briefly as they parted in Jo’burg. I got to watch Martin as a friend asked him for a cigarette. Stare incredulously with him as she carefully opened her almost full box, placed it inside, took it back out and turned it around so she’d have some way of recognising it from the others. Laugh with him as he said, “You’re not even going to smoke it!” with the sound of utter disbelief in his voice. “No,” she said, and sniffed a tear out of her eye. I was proud of myself; never once did I ask for an autograph or a photograph. Of what use? The music was all I needed. I didn’t want that time to end.
It did, and my musical world just kept on expanding. They stopped being the best band in the world, because now they had to share that place on the podium with many more people. They slowly but surely lost their godhood as I grew into an understanding that they are just people, after all. Remarkable people, yes. High profile, yes. But people. Just people. Subject to human problems like keeping a band together and rediscovering their equilibrium after the loss of a member.
February the twelfth, 2001. I am alive, and I am in love with life. I have shed my insecurities and taken my rightful place as a happy person, to laugh at the joke I finally caught a while back. I have started hearing the music of Depeche Mode differently, partly because of my own musical journey and partly because of my spiritual one. No longer do I project my unhappiness onto Martin’s words. Now I project my happiness. I had lost my way, but I’ve found it. I’ve got right, you could say.
Picture a twenty-seven year old male, sitting at his desk in an open-plan corporate office, dressed “smartly” with a tie, and making his way in the world. Picture him cursing as his auto-downloading application keeps crashing. Picture him reliving some of that teenaged excitement at a new Depeche release, bent forward over his desk with his head between the two speakers soaking up what he can from the music, unable to play it as loudly as he’d like to. Picture the thrill as he hears that they’re still doing it, still making music that’s fresh and different – yet still, somehow, the same. The distinct dichotomy that is the Depeche.
David, thank you. Thank you for living honestly. Martin, thank you for your songs and your voice. Andy, thanks for being Andy. And Alan – thank you for your influence. It was almost painful to see you go, but in many ways I’m glad you did. Liquid wouldn’t have been the same if you’d still been part of Depeche. You guys have enriched my life, positively so. I like to think I’m a connoisseur of music, appreciating it in almost every flavour I encounter and distinguishing at the slightest whiff whether it’s a cheap variety or not. This particular wine seems to be an Exciter, aptly named. You have grown and matured in your art, and I can hear it. You are closer to discovering that elegant simplicity that is so easy on the ears and so difficult to create. I look forward to having more than just this little taste.
P.S. – I live in Cape Town now. This is a hint, and not a subtle one. Table Mountain is calling you. You are feeling sleepy. Ohmmmmmmmm. You can hear the mountain. It is calling you. It wants to hear you again.
And so the cycle began afresh. Again, there was all this resonance between the words that Gore was writing and the songs that he and Dave were singing and the life I was living, and the bittersweet joy I experienced when I first heard them was priceless. In amongst all that sadness was something that made me glad. Consistently and thoroughly. After screaming at a parent, “You don’t know how I feel!” and slamming myself into my room, hi-fi on full blast for the duration of a Depeche album, I was guaranteed to face the world again feeling that much happier.
Time passed and I continued to explore music. Nitzer Ebb’s latest album, I discovered, had been produced by Alan Wilder. The synchronicities just kept happening. My father was knocking at Death’s Door, and so was Depeche Mode. Well, in one of their songs, anyway.
When I heard that Depeche Mode were coming to South Africa, I almost didn’t believe it. In fact, it was only when they actually walked onto the stage that first night in Johannesburg that I believed they were truly in town. I experienced that pure emotion that manifests itself as weeping joy as they performed that night. All the pent up emotion of those years of pain, of my father’s recent death, started to show itself, and I let go completely and rode the wave of adulation. I remember at one point needing desperately to urinate, and being so caught by the music that I just peed my pants right there in the middle of the packed stadium rather than miss a moment. That was the hold they had over me.
I caught every single one of their Johannesburg shows, somehow finding the money for it at the last moment every time. I lost my voice from screaming. I got to meet some of them backstage, got to chat with them all briefly as they parted in Jo’burg. I got to watch Martin as a friend asked him for a cigarette. Stare incredulously with him as she carefully opened her almost full box, placed it inside, took it back out and turned it around so she’d have some way of recognising it from the others. Laugh with him as he said, “You’re not even going to smoke it!” with the sound of utter disbelief in his voice. “No,” she said, and sniffed a tear out of her eye. I was proud of myself; never once did I ask for an autograph or a photograph. Of what use? The music was all I needed. I didn’t want that time to end.
It did, and my musical world just kept on expanding. They stopped being the best band in the world, because now they had to share that place on the podium with many more people. They slowly but surely lost their godhood as I grew into an understanding that they are just people, after all. Remarkable people, yes. High profile, yes. But people. Just people. Subject to human problems like keeping a band together and rediscovering their equilibrium after the loss of a member.
February the twelfth, 2001. I am alive, and I am in love with life. I have shed my insecurities and taken my rightful place as a happy person, to laugh at the joke I finally caught a while back. I have started hearing the music of Depeche Mode differently, partly because of my own musical journey and partly because of my spiritual one. No longer do I project my unhappiness onto Martin’s words. Now I project my happiness. I had lost my way, but I’ve found it. I’ve got right, you could say.
Picture a twenty-seven year old male, sitting at his desk in an open-plan corporate office, dressed “smartly” with a tie, and making his way in the world. Picture him cursing as his auto-downloading application keeps crashing. Picture him reliving some of that teenaged excitement at a new Depeche release, bent forward over his desk with his head between the two speakers soaking up what he can from the music, unable to play it as loudly as he’d like to. Picture the thrill as he hears that they’re still doing it, still making music that’s fresh and different – yet still, somehow, the same. The distinct dichotomy that is the Depeche.
David, thank you. Thank you for living honestly. Martin, thank you for your songs and your voice. Andy, thanks for being Andy. And Alan – thank you for your influence. It was almost painful to see you go, but in many ways I’m glad you did. Liquid wouldn’t have been the same if you’d still been part of Depeche. You guys have enriched my life, positively so. I like to think I’m a connoisseur of music, appreciating it in almost every flavour I encounter and distinguishing at the slightest whiff whether it’s a cheap variety or not. This particular wine seems to be an Exciter, aptly named. You have grown and matured in your art, and I can hear it. You are closer to discovering that elegant simplicity that is so easy on the ears and so difficult to create. I look forward to having more than just this little taste.
P.S. – I live in Cape Town now. This is a hint, and not a subtle one. Table Mountain is calling you. You are feeling sleepy. Ohmmmmmmmm. You can hear the mountain. It is calling you. It wants to hear you again.
THE STORY OF DEPECHE MODE (PART 2)
[From Bong 49, September 2001. Words: Tony Wood.]
Following is the second part of a two hour documentary “The Story of Depeche Mode” broadcast on May 7th at 3.00pm on London Radio Live 94.9. The programme was produced by Tony Wood and narrated by Gary Crowley – both have been fans of the band for many years. You can hear the documentary in its entirety on the website
…Following the positive experiences gained from working in Germany, the band decided to record their fourth album there as well. “Some Great Reward” reached number 5 in the UK charts, and produced the catchy singles “People Are People” and “Master And Servant”, whilst also serving up the controversial “Blasphemous Rumours”. Martin’s fascination of leather-clad fashion and the band’s lack of direction concerning their image around the time of the album didn’t do them any favours. Looking back, Alan confesses they were damaging times: “I never was comfortable with Martin dressing up in girls’ clothing and the rest of the group would often comment and try to dissuade him but I think the more we might do that the more belligerent he would become about it. He had his mind set. All of us were naïve about image, none of us knew which direction we should be taking or how we should be looking, what press we should be doing. There were pressures from different angles to do different things and inevitably we would argue about it and have differences of opinion. So there was never a clear focus about what we should or shouldn’t be doing. We weren’t particularly great at doing interviews, we would contradict each other in the press and we weren’t particularly good at appearing on TV – we didn’t have the confidence to carry off an unusual look. So we kind of looked a bit stupid and I don’t think we really lived it all down, we haven’t really been forgiven for it.”
In October ’85, Mute Records released “The Singles 81-85” – a collection of Mode’s singles to date. After “Some Great Reward”, the band were uncertain of the direction in which to take their next album. Frustration began to surface within the group, leading to arguments and tension. Daniel Miller suggested their next album should be recorded in one continuous session, stretched over four months. Despite a spell in Berlin, he recalls the mood remaining uptight: “There was a bit of tension. We were trying to figure out the new balance of how we were going to work in the studio. Alan, who was a very good musician and loved working in the studio and experimenting with sounds, was taking quite a big part in the recording of the record, how the record was sounding and the way it worked. Martin would do a demo, which would suggest a lot of ideas, sometimes very specific, sometimes abstract. Then once we got in the studio we would develop those ideas. As time went on, Alan was becoming more and more influential in how those ideas were developed. It was the most difficult album I worked on.”
Inevitably, that dark vibe transferred onto the tracks that appeared on what is still regarded as one of their finest albums – “Black Celebration”. As Fletch remembers: “We had “Some Great Reward” out before and it was quite a commercial album and it did quite commercially well. With us, you’d expect us to follow it… but we followed it with a darker album. When people ask how have you kept your fans – ’cause constantly over the years we’ve completely surprised them, the reason they rush and buy a record is because they’re always thinking what are they going to do next? Which is a good thing. So, it is particularly one of my favourite albums, I think it has got one of the best collections of songs that Martin has ever written on there. The diversity of all the different styles, I think it is a really good album.”
Whilst the band were in danger of being tagged doom and gloom merchants, “Black Celebration” fared extremely well in terms of sales, and reached number 3 in the UK album charts. For a record that had created so much anxiety within the band, the final result connected more than ever with their fan base. They embarked on their biggest tour to date – stepping up one more level en route to stadium filling glory and recalled by Alan Wilder: “We went on a tour that just seemed to take off, particularly in America. It seemed to be where we stepped up a gear and went from playing smallish club venues through to quite big arenas. So, things moved very rapidly from that point onwards.”
Away from the music, Dave Gahan had got married. Fletch and his girlfriend Grainne moved into a new flat in London, Alan lived a secretive and almost reclusive existence with girlfriend Jeri, also in London, whilst Martin had decided to come home to England after a few years in Germany. By the time Martin had come up with a fresh set of demos for a new album, Daniel Miller had decided he was too busy running Mute to get involved with any production work. The album also saw Fletch take more of a back seat with musical contributions, and instead became the band’s representative in their business concerns.
Meanwhile, Depeche employed a new producer, Dave Bascombe, and in 1987 started work on “Music For The Masses”. Given the success of “Black Celebration”, was there an air of optimism for the new project? Alan Wilder: “I don’t think we ever really could foresee what was happening with any of our records. We didn’t know what would come from them. Martin and Fletch were always very pessimistic about what we were doing, saying, “we won’t be able to do it we’re doomed” that kind of thing. We would just put it out there, see what happened, go on tour and hoped that we’d do well.”
Bascombe is hasty to expose the album’s shortcomings, and with hindsight, his nature probably meant that “Music For The Masses” was the closest album that came to being self-produced.
Peaking at number 10, the album gave way to three more single releases, the most successful of those being “Strangelove” – the other 2 failed to breach the top 20. By now, Dave Gahan had become a father to his son Jack. But success at home was being eclipsed by what was happening elsewhere, especially in the US, where Depeche were about to take an even bigger step up the ladder. A gruelling tour began in October 1987, culminating with their 101st concert at the Pasadena Rose Bowl in front of 70,000 fans. As Alan explains, the logistics and scale of the event gave the group a sense of caution: “I remember being very apprehensive about it, worrying about all the different aspects of the show. The fact that on the entire tour we used one PA system but for this one special gig we were going to use something completely different. We had to hire in all kinds of extra lights and different people to do this that and the other. It was just a logistic exercise that we weren’t really prepared for. I think everyone has said the same thing – we weren’t able to enjoy the moment because we were just worrying about it too much. Nobody really enjoyed the gig and we didn’t play particularly well that night. It’s only really when you look back and it’s being captured on film and the sound has been tarted up a bit, that you realise what a big, special moment it was for us as a group. We should have just taken the time to enjoy it a bit more.”
Daniel Miller: “First of all, the sheer scale of it, 70,000 people… I’d never been to any concert before with 70,000 people. Secondly, it wasn’t just 70,000 people watching the concert it was 70,000 people participating in the concert, really responding. Everybody there was a fan, it wasn’t “let’s go and have a look at this, see what it’s like”, there was 70,000 Depeche Mode fans there.”
OMD were the support act on the American tour. Their vocalist and songwriter Andy McCluskey paid tribute to the way Depeche had conquered the US market: “They had built themselves up into this huge monstrous touring machine, particularly in America, with this massive, what they call, alternative following in America. You could sell a million and still be alternative in America. Here we were being paid 5000 dollars a night to support them, which didn’t even cover our costs. Playing sold out arenas and stadiums. A band that had started, because they heard our first single. We had to swallow our pride a bit on that one. But, I look at it and say “they stuck to their guns and they delivered to an American audience something that the American audience wanted.”
[From Bong 49, September 2001. Words: Tony Wood.]
Summary: Continuation of the three-part band biography broadcast by a London radio station in May 2001. This part covers 1985-1990, and remains notably balanced and accurate.
part 1:
Following is the second part of a two hour documentary “The Story of Depeche Mode” broadcast on May 7th at 3.00pm on London Radio Live 94.9. The programme was produced by Tony Wood and narrated by Gary Crowley – both have been fans of the band for many years. You can hear the documentary in its entirety on the website
You must be registered for see links
but we’ve printed the transcript for those without internet access. So the story continues:…Following the positive experiences gained from working in Germany, the band decided to record their fourth album there as well. “Some Great Reward” reached number 5 in the UK charts, and produced the catchy singles “People Are People” and “Master And Servant”, whilst also serving up the controversial “Blasphemous Rumours”. Martin’s fascination of leather-clad fashion and the band’s lack of direction concerning their image around the time of the album didn’t do them any favours. Looking back, Alan confesses they were damaging times: “I never was comfortable with Martin dressing up in girls’ clothing and the rest of the group would often comment and try to dissuade him but I think the more we might do that the more belligerent he would become about it. He had his mind set. All of us were naïve about image, none of us knew which direction we should be taking or how we should be looking, what press we should be doing. There were pressures from different angles to do different things and inevitably we would argue about it and have differences of opinion. So there was never a clear focus about what we should or shouldn’t be doing. We weren’t particularly great at doing interviews, we would contradict each other in the press and we weren’t particularly good at appearing on TV – we didn’t have the confidence to carry off an unusual look. So we kind of looked a bit stupid and I don’t think we really lived it all down, we haven’t really been forgiven for it.”
In October ’85, Mute Records released “The Singles 81-85” – a collection of Mode’s singles to date. After “Some Great Reward”, the band were uncertain of the direction in which to take their next album. Frustration began to surface within the group, leading to arguments and tension. Daniel Miller suggested their next album should be recorded in one continuous session, stretched over four months. Despite a spell in Berlin, he recalls the mood remaining uptight: “There was a bit of tension. We were trying to figure out the new balance of how we were going to work in the studio. Alan, who was a very good musician and loved working in the studio and experimenting with sounds, was taking quite a big part in the recording of the record, how the record was sounding and the way it worked. Martin would do a demo, which would suggest a lot of ideas, sometimes very specific, sometimes abstract. Then once we got in the studio we would develop those ideas. As time went on, Alan was becoming more and more influential in how those ideas were developed. It was the most difficult album I worked on.”
Inevitably, that dark vibe transferred onto the tracks that appeared on what is still regarded as one of their finest albums – “Black Celebration”. As Fletch remembers: “We had “Some Great Reward” out before and it was quite a commercial album and it did quite commercially well. With us, you’d expect us to follow it… but we followed it with a darker album. When people ask how have you kept your fans – ’cause constantly over the years we’ve completely surprised them, the reason they rush and buy a record is because they’re always thinking what are they going to do next? Which is a good thing. So, it is particularly one of my favourite albums, I think it has got one of the best collections of songs that Martin has ever written on there. The diversity of all the different styles, I think it is a really good album.”
Whilst the band were in danger of being tagged doom and gloom merchants, “Black Celebration” fared extremely well in terms of sales, and reached number 3 in the UK album charts. For a record that had created so much anxiety within the band, the final result connected more than ever with their fan base. They embarked on their biggest tour to date – stepping up one more level en route to stadium filling glory and recalled by Alan Wilder: “We went on a tour that just seemed to take off, particularly in America. It seemed to be where we stepped up a gear and went from playing smallish club venues through to quite big arenas. So, things moved very rapidly from that point onwards.”
Away from the music, Dave Gahan had got married. Fletch and his girlfriend Grainne moved into a new flat in London, Alan lived a secretive and almost reclusive existence with girlfriend Jeri, also in London, whilst Martin had decided to come home to England after a few years in Germany. By the time Martin had come up with a fresh set of demos for a new album, Daniel Miller had decided he was too busy running Mute to get involved with any production work. The album also saw Fletch take more of a back seat with musical contributions, and instead became the band’s representative in their business concerns.
Meanwhile, Depeche employed a new producer, Dave Bascombe, and in 1987 started work on “Music For The Masses”. Given the success of “Black Celebration”, was there an air of optimism for the new project? Alan Wilder: “I don’t think we ever really could foresee what was happening with any of our records. We didn’t know what would come from them. Martin and Fletch were always very pessimistic about what we were doing, saying, “we won’t be able to do it we’re doomed” that kind of thing. We would just put it out there, see what happened, go on tour and hoped that we’d do well.”
Bascombe is hasty to expose the album’s shortcomings, and with hindsight, his nature probably meant that “Music For The Masses” was the closest album that came to being self-produced.
Peaking at number 10, the album gave way to three more single releases, the most successful of those being “Strangelove” – the other 2 failed to breach the top 20. By now, Dave Gahan had become a father to his son Jack. But success at home was being eclipsed by what was happening elsewhere, especially in the US, where Depeche were about to take an even bigger step up the ladder. A gruelling tour began in October 1987, culminating with their 101st concert at the Pasadena Rose Bowl in front of 70,000 fans. As Alan explains, the logistics and scale of the event gave the group a sense of caution: “I remember being very apprehensive about it, worrying about all the different aspects of the show. The fact that on the entire tour we used one PA system but for this one special gig we were going to use something completely different. We had to hire in all kinds of extra lights and different people to do this that and the other. It was just a logistic exercise that we weren’t really prepared for. I think everyone has said the same thing – we weren’t able to enjoy the moment because we were just worrying about it too much. Nobody really enjoyed the gig and we didn’t play particularly well that night. It’s only really when you look back and it’s being captured on film and the sound has been tarted up a bit, that you realise what a big, special moment it was for us as a group. We should have just taken the time to enjoy it a bit more.”
Daniel Miller: “First of all, the sheer scale of it, 70,000 people… I’d never been to any concert before with 70,000 people. Secondly, it wasn’t just 70,000 people watching the concert it was 70,000 people participating in the concert, really responding. Everybody there was a fan, it wasn’t “let’s go and have a look at this, see what it’s like”, there was 70,000 Depeche Mode fans there.”
OMD were the support act on the American tour. Their vocalist and songwriter Andy McCluskey paid tribute to the way Depeche had conquered the US market: “They had built themselves up into this huge monstrous touring machine, particularly in America, with this massive, what they call, alternative following in America. You could sell a million and still be alternative in America. Here we were being paid 5000 dollars a night to support them, which didn’t even cover our costs. Playing sold out arenas and stadiums. A band that had started, because they heard our first single. We had to swallow our pride a bit on that one. But, I look at it and say “they stuck to their guns and they delivered to an American audience something that the American audience wanted.”
One year after the release of “101” as a live double album, they consolidated their success by recruiting a new producer, Flood, and crafting a set that not only turned out to be the best selling album of their career, but also brought much satisfaction to the band.
Fletch explains: “We had these great songs but the single we wanted to release was “Personal Jesus”. What we always try and do is think what is the best track. We were thinking why are we releasing this track and it’s going to be a disaster. We’re going to get in lots of trouble. We put it out six months before the album and it was still in the American charts when we released the next single. It’s the biggest selling 12 inch in Warner Brothers history. That’s more than Madonna or anyone like that. It’s a phenomenal thing. Then we’ve got “Enjoy The Silence” as well. That’s one of the most magical moments I’ve ever had in Depeche Mode. When we were in Denmark and we had this ballad called “Enjoy The Silence” and we just decided to speed it up and then Martin put this riff in and within an hour, we knew we had a massive hit record. We asked Martin to give us demos in their most basic form and “Enjoy The Silence” was very basic and it occurred to me that it could work brilliantly as an up tempo dance track. The others were a bit dubious but after a little persuasion they said “Why don’t you and Flood put something together that you think will be appropriate for this track and we’ll go away and then come back and play it to us when you’re ready.” That’s what we did with several tracks on that album.”
The atmosphere in the studio during the recording of “Violator” was upbeat, despite bouts of tension throughout some of the early sessions in Milan. As Alan Wilder recalls, Fletch was having a particularly bad time of things: “He sort of developed this depression which the rest of us became aware of gradually during some of that recording period so we sent him home to get better, to get some help and advice. That kind of helped things in a way, because it meant we didn’t have this distraction of somebody that was somewhere else, having a problem.”
The “Violator” album was a mammoth success and on the whole extremely well received, although a small campaigning lobby criticised the band’s choice for the album, claiming it incited distasteful thoughts. Over in the states, KROQ’s Richard Blade remembers, the new album was an important and much awaited release – and the fans weren’t to be disappointed: “ “Violator”, I think, was a breakthrough in the States because it really had a pop feel and it wasn’t because Depeche Mode sold out, I think it was because everyone else brought in. Depeche Mode didn’t change, they were always evolving. You listen to every Depeche Mode album and each one is a step ahead of the next. I think with “Violator”, what happened was, America was ready for Depeche Mode, they were ready for “Policy Of Truth” and “Enjoy The Silence”. Absolutely brilliant crafted songs.”
The artwork and stage design for the “World Violation Tour” was undertaken by London based visual artist Anton Corbijn. They’d worked with Anton in the past – his first assignment had been to shoot the video for “A Question Of Time” back in 1986. Allowing Anton a free rein on all aspects of their image, he set about trying to update and eradicate the persona the band had projected from their early days as naïve teenagers. Andy recalls: “You look at our whole career, you start from the beginning and start to move through it, it all starts to come together round about “Black Celebration”. During “Black Celebration” was when we first started to work with Anton Corbijn and before that as you can see from all our early videos and all our early photos, we didn’t really have a control or have much on the visual side. We weren’t happy, it was our fault you know. But from when Anton came in and took control over all our visuals and with our music getting better as well, it all seemed to come together.”
Anton Corbijn: “This sounds very austere as they say on the continent, but I don’t think there was so much of a Depeche Mode package before I got involved. There was nothing to grab on to. Of course, the music was there but I’m talking about the package. There wasn’t really that. I think the music and visual became one when I got involved.”
(to be continued)
Fletch explains: “We had these great songs but the single we wanted to release was “Personal Jesus”. What we always try and do is think what is the best track. We were thinking why are we releasing this track and it’s going to be a disaster. We’re going to get in lots of trouble. We put it out six months before the album and it was still in the American charts when we released the next single. It’s the biggest selling 12 inch in Warner Brothers history. That’s more than Madonna or anyone like that. It’s a phenomenal thing. Then we’ve got “Enjoy The Silence” as well. That’s one of the most magical moments I’ve ever had in Depeche Mode. When we were in Denmark and we had this ballad called “Enjoy The Silence” and we just decided to speed it up and then Martin put this riff in and within an hour, we knew we had a massive hit record. We asked Martin to give us demos in their most basic form and “Enjoy The Silence” was very basic and it occurred to me that it could work brilliantly as an up tempo dance track. The others were a bit dubious but after a little persuasion they said “Why don’t you and Flood put something together that you think will be appropriate for this track and we’ll go away and then come back and play it to us when you’re ready.” That’s what we did with several tracks on that album.”
The atmosphere in the studio during the recording of “Violator” was upbeat, despite bouts of tension throughout some of the early sessions in Milan. As Alan Wilder recalls, Fletch was having a particularly bad time of things: “He sort of developed this depression which the rest of us became aware of gradually during some of that recording period so we sent him home to get better, to get some help and advice. That kind of helped things in a way, because it meant we didn’t have this distraction of somebody that was somewhere else, having a problem.”
The “Violator” album was a mammoth success and on the whole extremely well received, although a small campaigning lobby criticised the band’s choice for the album, claiming it incited distasteful thoughts. Over in the states, KROQ’s Richard Blade remembers, the new album was an important and much awaited release – and the fans weren’t to be disappointed: “ “Violator”, I think, was a breakthrough in the States because it really had a pop feel and it wasn’t because Depeche Mode sold out, I think it was because everyone else brought in. Depeche Mode didn’t change, they were always evolving. You listen to every Depeche Mode album and each one is a step ahead of the next. I think with “Violator”, what happened was, America was ready for Depeche Mode, they were ready for “Policy Of Truth” and “Enjoy The Silence”. Absolutely brilliant crafted songs.”
The artwork and stage design for the “World Violation Tour” was undertaken by London based visual artist Anton Corbijn. They’d worked with Anton in the past – his first assignment had been to shoot the video for “A Question Of Time” back in 1986. Allowing Anton a free rein on all aspects of their image, he set about trying to update and eradicate the persona the band had projected from their early days as naïve teenagers. Andy recalls: “You look at our whole career, you start from the beginning and start to move through it, it all starts to come together round about “Black Celebration”. During “Black Celebration” was when we first started to work with Anton Corbijn and before that as you can see from all our early videos and all our early photos, we didn’t really have a control or have much on the visual side. We weren’t happy, it was our fault you know. But from when Anton came in and took control over all our visuals and with our music getting better as well, it all seemed to come together.”
Anton Corbijn: “This sounds very austere as they say on the continent, but I don’t think there was so much of a Depeche Mode package before I got involved. There was nothing to grab on to. Of course, the music was there but I’m talking about the package. There wasn’t really that. I think the music and visual became one when I got involved.”
(to be continued)
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ON ROAD WITH DEPECHE MODE
[From Bong 49, September 2001. Words: Various contributors.]
(1) Toronto, Canada (June 16)
I just attended the Molson Amphitheatre show two nights ago. It was simply… one of a kind. I enjoyed every second of it. However, for some reason the media in Toronto rated the show as average which is really strange and inexplicable to me. What D.M. gave Toronto last Saturday was amazing and I will never forget it. Hinko D., Toronto, Canada
(2) Chicago, USA (June 22)
The band performed with such enthusiasm and content. I feel they performed MUCH better than “The Singles Tour”. Every song was filled with passion during the performance. You could tell they were truly enjoying themselves onstage. For me, highlights of the show included the backing video screens for “It’s No Good”. I honestly did not know if I should watch the video or watch the band and could not keep my eyes on both! Another highlight was a different version of “Enjoy The Silence” that they did. It was simply breathtaking!! Of course, the final breathtaking instance was closing with “Never Let Me Down Again” and looking back towards the crowd and seeing everyone’s arms waving in unison. I was able to see it from the band’s perspective and it was absolutely chilling! The wave of arms seemed to go on for eternity and you could not see an end to it within the crowd. It was amazingly great! It was great to see Dave, Mart, and Fletch all in such great health and looking happy to perform! The concert was a truly magical experience for me! Laura Iwanenko, Hickory Hills, USA
(3) Detroit, USA (June 23)
Detroit City. Home to Motown Records and the purveyor of Mr. Ford’s motor vehicles. The Exciter tour is well underway and tonight we’re at the DTE Energy Centre just outside Detroit. The first thing that strikes me as I stroll through the massive woodland car park is that tonight’s show isn’t going to be your usual DM affair. As Bong’s erstwhile reporter on the spot, I speak to as many fans and punters as I can – getting a feel for tonight’s crowd and their expectations for the gig. I have to say it’s a very weird selection of people tonight, there’s the hardcore devotees, families with kids, college boys and girls barbecuing food from stoves in the backs of their trucks and cars. “Dream On” has been getting masses of airplay out here and the show has been sold out for quite some time. It’s interesting to see that a new breed of devotees have found the allure of Depeche through the strength of the single. As we found our seats, the sun began to set over the trees and “Easy Tiger” purred from the PA, it was a great shame that at this point, not everyone was in their seats – as the pizza and the burger outlets were proving to be too much of a distraction. For the rest of the crowd, anticipation was set for warp factor 10 in preparation for the Basildon 3. As the music faded, Martin, Fletch, Christian Eigner and Jonathan Creek lookalike Peter Gordeno strode onto the stage. People then start galloping back to their seats and an acoustic riff of “Dream On” is kicked into touch building the tension for Mr G’s entrance. The Add N to X style intro of “Dead Of Night” fires up, then everyone’s favourite frontman appears in his pinstripe suit… and Detroit goes totally mental. The last time I saw the band was in New York for “The Singles Tour” and it’s good to see Dave looking so fit and lean, not to mention sounding even better than ever. Martin looks good too in his silver top and white trousers, being more than usually animated. Next up is “Sweetest Condition”, and Dave goes into mic stand twirling overload, sweating buckets. The whole of “Exciter” gets a really good airing tonight with “Dream On”, “Breathe”, “Freelove” and “When The Body Speaks”. Old school Devotees will be pleased to see and hear classics stretching back to “Black Celebration”. “Halo” is the first classic tonight and even though it’s been tweaked a little, it sounds excellent. The whole band looks comfortable and relaxed. “Walking In My Shoes” does the business as it should, the crowd is really into it and it gets a huge response. The dichotomy that exists here tonight is that many of the crowd are seeing Depeche for the first time, and unknowingly they’re being won over – going from polite claps and cheers to full-on whooping and hollering. It’s really good to see. “Dream On” is another popular crowd pleaser tonight, it seems the majority of Michigan knows the words, but the amount of airplay it’s been getting out here, it’s not surprising. Dave points the mic into the crowd for the chorus and my doubts about this being a run of the mill gig fade away, as everyone (albeit not in tune) sings “Can you feel a little love”… even I’m starting too!!! A real surprise / highlight happens next as the backdrop turns to raindrops and the melancholy intro of “Waiting For The Night” starts. Again it’s been tweaked slightly but I’ve never heard it live. I imagine the live harmonies for Martin & Dave could present a bit of a challenge for this song, but it sounded just like it should and I’m really impressed, totally ace. At this point in the proceedings I can go home a happy man but there’s more to come. Everyone exits apart from Martin & Peter and they do “The Bottom Line” as you’ve never heard it before – country version to a backdrop of the Arizona desert from “Dawn Till Dusk”. I am, once again, really impressed – it sounded so good. “Breathe” is next and even though I’m not a huge fan of this song, it did sound much better live – so credit where it’s due. “Enjoy The Silence” gets the second biggest response of the night, and everyone is going mental and singing out loud. The whole band are wearing huge smiles, they’re clearly really enjoying themselves. “I Feel You” is as powerful as ever, sounding even better with the lovely Georgia and Jordan working their gospel charms into this classic. More so with “It’s No Good” – Jordan’s solo performance at the end of this song is top stuff. Aretha Franklin, eat your heart out! “Personal Jesus” provides the only Spinal Tap moment of the night when some idiot throws his drink and container onto the stage. A member of the crew who we’ll call Shiney McShine comes on to mop up around Dave’s feet and does an outstanding job (not only mopping the whole stage but Dave’s shoes as well!!!) Nice one Shiney – my wife wants to know if you can come round and do our windows when the tour finishes – if you’re free, thanks!! And so, after a brief “Thank you & goodnight” the band exit the stage and everyone stamps and cheers for an encore or three, they were not to be disappointed. Martin’s third solo effort tonight is the torch song classic of “Home”. I look over my shoulder, see the moon hanging in crescent over the venues and couples with their arms round each other having a cuddle – just as I’m thinking “ahh, that’s nice”, my wife grabs me and I’m forced to endure the rest of the song in a headlock! Dave runs back out and does one of his favourites, “Clean”. This is another song I haven’t heard live for ages and although it’s not a sing-along song, it remains one of my favourites of the gig, powerful stuff. At this point in time I was wondering what could be coming next, “Everything Counts” or “Useless”? – no, no and thrice no my friends, the masterpiece that’s “Black Celebration”. I totally wasn’t expecting this, matched with the hypnotic Anton Corbijn backdrop, it sounded truly awesome to hear again after such a long time. All good things have to come to an end and tonight’s show is no exception, but it ended in style with “Never Let Me Down Again” – you can’t really go wrong with that, can you? This provokes the biggest response of the night with crowd and Band alike. Martin starts jumping up and down like a mad thing and everyone joins in – with their arms in the air, encouraged by Dave. Totally excellent and a real crowd-pleaser. All in all the gig was remarkable in the fact that many of the crowd had gone to see a band and be entertained on the premise of one or two songs – but came away impressed and bowled over by how excellent the Depeche live experience can be. The boys did good!!! A massive, massive thank you to Steve, Lisa, Chelsea, Britney, Pinny, Law, Lisa & Lisa. Also that really nice girl I spoke to back stage, who’d driven from Wisconsin for the gig (sorry I’ve lost my note book with your name on it) & Paul for being such a character / pain in the backside (that’s the end of that chapter)! Pete Skinner, London, England
[From Bong 49, September 2001. Words: Various contributors.]
Summary: A collection of reminiscences from Exciter concert-goers in North America.
(1) Toronto, Canada (June 16)
I just attended the Molson Amphitheatre show two nights ago. It was simply… one of a kind. I enjoyed every second of it. However, for some reason the media in Toronto rated the show as average which is really strange and inexplicable to me. What D.M. gave Toronto last Saturday was amazing and I will never forget it. Hinko D., Toronto, Canada
(2) Chicago, USA (June 22)
The band performed with such enthusiasm and content. I feel they performed MUCH better than “The Singles Tour”. Every song was filled with passion during the performance. You could tell they were truly enjoying themselves onstage. For me, highlights of the show included the backing video screens for “It’s No Good”. I honestly did not know if I should watch the video or watch the band and could not keep my eyes on both! Another highlight was a different version of “Enjoy The Silence” that they did. It was simply breathtaking!! Of course, the final breathtaking instance was closing with “Never Let Me Down Again” and looking back towards the crowd and seeing everyone’s arms waving in unison. I was able to see it from the band’s perspective and it was absolutely chilling! The wave of arms seemed to go on for eternity and you could not see an end to it within the crowd. It was amazingly great! It was great to see Dave, Mart, and Fletch all in such great health and looking happy to perform! The concert was a truly magical experience for me! Laura Iwanenko, Hickory Hills, USA
(3) Detroit, USA (June 23)
Detroit City. Home to Motown Records and the purveyor of Mr. Ford’s motor vehicles. The Exciter tour is well underway and tonight we’re at the DTE Energy Centre just outside Detroit. The first thing that strikes me as I stroll through the massive woodland car park is that tonight’s show isn’t going to be your usual DM affair. As Bong’s erstwhile reporter on the spot, I speak to as many fans and punters as I can – getting a feel for tonight’s crowd and their expectations for the gig. I have to say it’s a very weird selection of people tonight, there’s the hardcore devotees, families with kids, college boys and girls barbecuing food from stoves in the backs of their trucks and cars. “Dream On” has been getting masses of airplay out here and the show has been sold out for quite some time. It’s interesting to see that a new breed of devotees have found the allure of Depeche through the strength of the single. As we found our seats, the sun began to set over the trees and “Easy Tiger” purred from the PA, it was a great shame that at this point, not everyone was in their seats – as the pizza and the burger outlets were proving to be too much of a distraction. For the rest of the crowd, anticipation was set for warp factor 10 in preparation for the Basildon 3. As the music faded, Martin, Fletch, Christian Eigner and Jonathan Creek lookalike Peter Gordeno strode onto the stage. People then start galloping back to their seats and an acoustic riff of “Dream On” is kicked into touch building the tension for Mr G’s entrance. The Add N to X style intro of “Dead Of Night” fires up, then everyone’s favourite frontman appears in his pinstripe suit… and Detroit goes totally mental. The last time I saw the band was in New York for “The Singles Tour” and it’s good to see Dave looking so fit and lean, not to mention sounding even better than ever. Martin looks good too in his silver top and white trousers, being more than usually animated. Next up is “Sweetest Condition”, and Dave goes into mic stand twirling overload, sweating buckets. The whole of “Exciter” gets a really good airing tonight with “Dream On”, “Breathe”, “Freelove” and “When The Body Speaks”. Old school Devotees will be pleased to see and hear classics stretching back to “Black Celebration”. “Halo” is the first classic tonight and even though it’s been tweaked a little, it sounds excellent. The whole band looks comfortable and relaxed. “Walking In My Shoes” does the business as it should, the crowd is really into it and it gets a huge response. The dichotomy that exists here tonight is that many of the crowd are seeing Depeche for the first time, and unknowingly they’re being won over – going from polite claps and cheers to full-on whooping and hollering. It’s really good to see. “Dream On” is another popular crowd pleaser tonight, it seems the majority of Michigan knows the words, but the amount of airplay it’s been getting out here, it’s not surprising. Dave points the mic into the crowd for the chorus and my doubts about this being a run of the mill gig fade away, as everyone (albeit not in tune) sings “Can you feel a little love”… even I’m starting too!!! A real surprise / highlight happens next as the backdrop turns to raindrops and the melancholy intro of “Waiting For The Night” starts. Again it’s been tweaked slightly but I’ve never heard it live. I imagine the live harmonies for Martin & Dave could present a bit of a challenge for this song, but it sounded just like it should and I’m really impressed, totally ace. At this point in the proceedings I can go home a happy man but there’s more to come. Everyone exits apart from Martin & Peter and they do “The Bottom Line” as you’ve never heard it before – country version to a backdrop of the Arizona desert from “Dawn Till Dusk”. I am, once again, really impressed – it sounded so good. “Breathe” is next and even though I’m not a huge fan of this song, it did sound much better live – so credit where it’s due. “Enjoy The Silence” gets the second biggest response of the night, and everyone is going mental and singing out loud. The whole band are wearing huge smiles, they’re clearly really enjoying themselves. “I Feel You” is as powerful as ever, sounding even better with the lovely Georgia and Jordan working their gospel charms into this classic. More so with “It’s No Good” – Jordan’s solo performance at the end of this song is top stuff. Aretha Franklin, eat your heart out! “Personal Jesus” provides the only Spinal Tap moment of the night when some idiot throws his drink and container onto the stage. A member of the crew who we’ll call Shiney McShine comes on to mop up around Dave’s feet and does an outstanding job (not only mopping the whole stage but Dave’s shoes as well!!!) Nice one Shiney – my wife wants to know if you can come round and do our windows when the tour finishes – if you’re free, thanks!! And so, after a brief “Thank you & goodnight” the band exit the stage and everyone stamps and cheers for an encore or three, they were not to be disappointed. Martin’s third solo effort tonight is the torch song classic of “Home”. I look over my shoulder, see the moon hanging in crescent over the venues and couples with their arms round each other having a cuddle – just as I’m thinking “ahh, that’s nice”, my wife grabs me and I’m forced to endure the rest of the song in a headlock! Dave runs back out and does one of his favourites, “Clean”. This is another song I haven’t heard live for ages and although it’s not a sing-along song, it remains one of my favourites of the gig, powerful stuff. At this point in time I was wondering what could be coming next, “Everything Counts” or “Useless”? – no, no and thrice no my friends, the masterpiece that’s “Black Celebration”. I totally wasn’t expecting this, matched with the hypnotic Anton Corbijn backdrop, it sounded truly awesome to hear again after such a long time. All good things have to come to an end and tonight’s show is no exception, but it ended in style with “Never Let Me Down Again” – you can’t really go wrong with that, can you? This provokes the biggest response of the night with crowd and Band alike. Martin starts jumping up and down like a mad thing and everyone joins in – with their arms in the air, encouraged by Dave. Totally excellent and a real crowd-pleaser. All in all the gig was remarkable in the fact that many of the crowd had gone to see a band and be entertained on the premise of one or two songs – but came away impressed and bowled over by how excellent the Depeche live experience can be. The boys did good!!! A massive, massive thank you to Steve, Lisa, Chelsea, Britney, Pinny, Law, Lisa & Lisa. Also that really nice girl I spoke to back stage, who’d driven from Wisconsin for the gig (sorry I’ve lost my note book with your name on it) & Paul for being such a character / pain in the backside (that’s the end of that chapter)! Pete Skinner, London, England
(4) Cleveland, USA (June 24)
I am a big fan of Depeche Mode and I just recently went to one of their concerts in Cleveland, OH. That was the first and only concert I’ve been to before and I have to say that was the best day of my life. I wish that I could have been closer to the band (especially David) because they are so great… but as long as I was there, I guess that’s great! I just really wanna thank the band and tour set up people for giving me the best day of my life! Christy B. Fostoria, OH, USA
(5) New York, USA (June 27)
About 20 of us made it across the Atlantic on Air India flight 101 to witness Depeche Mode at their best. The band had a series of unfavourable reviews after playing outdoors in Detroit to an audience made up of families who came with their barbecues and picnic hampers for a Sunday afternoon out. We were all apprehensive, but thankfully Madison Square Garden was packed with Devotees, and we were treated to a top show. At 9pm the lights went out and we ran down to the front barrier with an English flag. There was a rush of excitement as everyone recognised the opening notes of “Easy Tiger”. “Dead Of Night” and “Sweetest Condition” set the atmosphere for the rest of the show. The emphasis of the “Exciter Tour” is very much on the musicians working together as a band. Martin played guitar for almost the entire show, Christian’s drumming brought real energy to the songs and Dave put a real effort into the quality of his singing. “Halo” was the first real kick-arse song of the night… everybody started jumping up and down… and despite some poor reviews, this was proof that Mode hadn’t lost it! “Walking In My Shoes” followed – another great performance with a dramatic ending. “Dream On” may not be the most outstanding single, but the live extended version really rocks. Dave did his spinning microphone stand antics, and you could almost imagine you were back at an 80s Mode gig! However, not wanting us to peak to early, the pace of the show was brought down for the next 5 songs. Dave and Martin came forward to perform an almost acoustic version of “When The Body Speaks” while the rest of the band sat at the back of the stage and watched with admiration as Dave sang one of his best vocals all night. This was followed by “Waiting For The Night”. Yee Hah! It’s Mart’s big moment, and we get a country ’n’ western rendition of “The Bottom Line”. The crowd love it and clap along. Who would have thought it? On the second night this has been substituted with an acoustic (piano / vocal) version of “Surrender”. The rest of the band took up their positions to perform “Breathe”. Martin launches into it, and has already reached the chorus. The powerful drums and slide bass have transformed this album ballad into a rock monster, and Martin is milking this opportunity to really let his hair down and enjoy himself. Gone is the old shy Gore… this man is walking in Dave’s shoes… And now for something completely different. “Freelove”. Dave comes back on, and flirts with the backing singers, Georgia & Jordan. This song has so much soul, and at the end we are all encouraged to sing along. Can this really be Depeche Mode? Luckily 20,000 people knew the correct words to “Enjoy The Silence” and managed to help Dave out when he got confused and began the song by singing the second verse. Nobody cared though, it was as brilliant as ever, with yet another new variation in the middle. “I Feel You” was moodier and heavier than we have ever heard it before. Dave even falls down dead in the middle of it so we can then witness a resurrection. Very rock’n’roll… Anton Corbijn shows off his sense of humour with a hilarious re-make of the film “Jaws” as a projection during “In Your Room”. Surreal! The comedy continues in a Depeche Soap Opera projection during “It’s No Good”. It’s new, but already an old favourite. The extended live version of “I Feel Loved” gets even the laziest of American concert goers off their backsides and dancing in the aisles! The band are enjoying this one, and their smiles are infectious as 20,000 happy fans feel loved. Perhaps this should be called “I Feel Loved Up”! Dave is beaming, and gives his son Jimmy (who is in the audience) a mention, before dedicating “Personal Jesus” to him. The usual euphoria. Everyone is ecstatic, Martin comes on to do “Home” as an encore – such sweet perfection! Then time to please the hard core fans, Martin hides behind his keyboard and Dave returns to give an emotional performance of “Clean”. This is your real gritty Depeche Mode and we love it! Remember all those tinkly bits on “Black Celebration” that Alan Wilder demonstrated on the “101” video? Forget them! This is “Black Celebration 2001” – big fat deep synths, great visuals and mean drums. It’s slower and moodier, and it works! Time for the grand finale – “Never Let Me Down Again”. We’ve all heard it a million times before – but this time it’s bigger (about 9 minutes’ worth!), better and rockier than ever. Apparently at previous concerts Dave had to explain to the audience that they should be waving their arms at this point. Luckily there were 20,000 fans at Madison Square Garden who already knew exactly what to do, and they were doing it!! Alan Morgan, Herts, UK
I am a big fan of Depeche Mode and I just recently went to one of their concerts in Cleveland, OH. That was the first and only concert I’ve been to before and I have to say that was the best day of my life. I wish that I could have been closer to the band (especially David) because they are so great… but as long as I was there, I guess that’s great! I just really wanna thank the band and tour set up people for giving me the best day of my life! Christy B. Fostoria, OH, USA
(5) New York, USA (June 27)
About 20 of us made it across the Atlantic on Air India flight 101 to witness Depeche Mode at their best. The band had a series of unfavourable reviews after playing outdoors in Detroit to an audience made up of families who came with their barbecues and picnic hampers for a Sunday afternoon out. We were all apprehensive, but thankfully Madison Square Garden was packed with Devotees, and we were treated to a top show. At 9pm the lights went out and we ran down to the front barrier with an English flag. There was a rush of excitement as everyone recognised the opening notes of “Easy Tiger”. “Dead Of Night” and “Sweetest Condition” set the atmosphere for the rest of the show. The emphasis of the “Exciter Tour” is very much on the musicians working together as a band. Martin played guitar for almost the entire show, Christian’s drumming brought real energy to the songs and Dave put a real effort into the quality of his singing. “Halo” was the first real kick-arse song of the night… everybody started jumping up and down… and despite some poor reviews, this was proof that Mode hadn’t lost it! “Walking In My Shoes” followed – another great performance with a dramatic ending. “Dream On” may not be the most outstanding single, but the live extended version really rocks. Dave did his spinning microphone stand antics, and you could almost imagine you were back at an 80s Mode gig! However, not wanting us to peak to early, the pace of the show was brought down for the next 5 songs. Dave and Martin came forward to perform an almost acoustic version of “When The Body Speaks” while the rest of the band sat at the back of the stage and watched with admiration as Dave sang one of his best vocals all night. This was followed by “Waiting For The Night”. Yee Hah! It’s Mart’s big moment, and we get a country ’n’ western rendition of “The Bottom Line”. The crowd love it and clap along. Who would have thought it? On the second night this has been substituted with an acoustic (piano / vocal) version of “Surrender”. The rest of the band took up their positions to perform “Breathe”. Martin launches into it, and has already reached the chorus. The powerful drums and slide bass have transformed this album ballad into a rock monster, and Martin is milking this opportunity to really let his hair down and enjoy himself. Gone is the old shy Gore… this man is walking in Dave’s shoes… And now for something completely different. “Freelove”. Dave comes back on, and flirts with the backing singers, Georgia & Jordan. This song has so much soul, and at the end we are all encouraged to sing along. Can this really be Depeche Mode? Luckily 20,000 people knew the correct words to “Enjoy The Silence” and managed to help Dave out when he got confused and began the song by singing the second verse. Nobody cared though, it was as brilliant as ever, with yet another new variation in the middle. “I Feel You” was moodier and heavier than we have ever heard it before. Dave even falls down dead in the middle of it so we can then witness a resurrection. Very rock’n’roll… Anton Corbijn shows off his sense of humour with a hilarious re-make of the film “Jaws” as a projection during “In Your Room”. Surreal! The comedy continues in a Depeche Soap Opera projection during “It’s No Good”. It’s new, but already an old favourite. The extended live version of “I Feel Loved” gets even the laziest of American concert goers off their backsides and dancing in the aisles! The band are enjoying this one, and their smiles are infectious as 20,000 happy fans feel loved. Perhaps this should be called “I Feel Loved Up”! Dave is beaming, and gives his son Jimmy (who is in the audience) a mention, before dedicating “Personal Jesus” to him. The usual euphoria. Everyone is ecstatic, Martin comes on to do “Home” as an encore – such sweet perfection! Then time to please the hard core fans, Martin hides behind his keyboard and Dave returns to give an emotional performance of “Clean”. This is your real gritty Depeche Mode and we love it! Remember all those tinkly bits on “Black Celebration” that Alan Wilder demonstrated on the “101” video? Forget them! This is “Black Celebration 2001” – big fat deep synths, great visuals and mean drums. It’s slower and moodier, and it works! Time for the grand finale – “Never Let Me Down Again”. We’ve all heard it a million times before – but this time it’s bigger (about 9 minutes’ worth!), better and rockier than ever. Apparently at previous concerts Dave had to explain to the audience that they should be waving their arms at this point. Luckily there were 20,000 fans at Madison Square Garden who already knew exactly what to do, and they were doing it!! Alan Morgan, Herts, UK
(6) Tampa, USA (July 8)
The opening act, Poe, surprised me. She was impressive – very nice looking, great voice, good presence, friendly with the audience (she was actually IN the audience for a short time). The one song I wasn’t too impressed with – I am not into anger really – but otherwise she was great. During this time, I was seated on the aisle alone (I had to come alone). This couple sat next to me, and said that I must be a big fan, because I trekked out alone. The lady then said that I wasn’t alone, I was with them. How nice. I was also looking around, and it surprised me that the crowd was so eclectic. You had the “black dressers”, you know, with the black lipstick, pink or green hair, piercings, etc. You had some stylin’ people, dressed in sequins and knee boots, there were teenagers, and people that seemed in their 40’s, people dressed like nerds, and joe / jane averages like myself, fat and thin, drunk, sober and other. I also belong in the categories of fat, old (34) and sober. When DM came out, the crowd went nuts, including me. Our world was righted for a few short hours. Andy was his usual in the background self, Martin was his not-so-in-the-background self – he had all white on (he shone), with feathers, and a belt that had “Exciter” on the back, but then he turned around, and on his pants, very carefully placed near, ahem, you know, was “Exciter” written across his mid-section, daring and cocky, but that is what we like about him, and Dave was shimmering in blue, and looking great. I cannot even remember what order the songs came in, I was looking at the floor show. After the first song, Dave took off his vest, then after the second song, he unbuttoned his shirt, then after song number three, he opened said shirt and took it off, and I spent the fourth song wondering if he would keep going (but I remembered that it would be against the law – rats!!!) His pants were low enough that you could see his hipbones, and he touched himself enough that you looked, and then looked again. The front part of the concert was mostly “Exciter” stuff. Dave was very energetic, whew, he can whip me around like he did that microphone stand any time... Martin sang “Breathe”, which is my personal favourite, what a wonderful voice he has, and what hair!! Dave did make one mistake on “Freelove”, mixing up the order of “no hidden catch, no strings attached”, but hey, I’ll bet that everyone has done that in the privacy of his / her own home. Then they started in on old favourites, and the crowd was out of its collective minds. “Enjoy The Silence”, “Black Celebration”, “In Your Room”, there were more, but my brains are enjoyably fried, so I won’t try to remember them all. Dave got a breather or two, he held that microphone stand out, and you could hear “all I ever wanted, all I ever needed is here, in my arms, words are very unnecessary, they can only do harm” perfectly sung by the audience… it was magic. I particularly liked the way that they used lighting, texture and shadow to create patterns and larger-than-life images of themselves onstage. It set the mood for each song, be it red and depressing to gently lit, almost festive, to stark, glaring white light to emphasise the harsher tunes. I knew before I went that it was Andy’s birthday (I do not know why I knew, I can’t even remember my own name sometimes), and I tried to yell it to him, but there of course was no way he could hear me, and I forgot to make a sign. On the first encore, I was glad to mention Andy’s birthday, and he asked us to sing. Andy covered himself with his shirt, but then he came out and let us celebrate his birthday with him, he came to the forefront so we could laud him, then he got back behind his keyboard and was his usual self again. I felt privileged to have been there for his birthday, I also wondered if he celebrated it with his family, and where did he go, what did he do (or not). The lady sitting next to me wondered, after the second encore and people were starting to file out some, if they were going to leave without singing “People Are People”. I told her that I didn’t think they would sing it, as it is not a song that the band likes, and if the house lights came on, that was it, and as soon as that came out of my mouth, on came the house lights (isn’t it ironic?). I don’t know if she was disappointed or not, but I sure wasn’t. The time did fly by, though. I saw Depeche Mode, and it was great – now I can die happy… Sandra Pittman, Largo, USA
(7) Seattle, USA (July 29)
One thing different in the show that night was that there were no projections. It was a bit too windy for the screen to be up, so we decided not to have it at all. It was quite odd at first, but then it was kind of cool to see just the guys performing. At times you get distracted by the screen and forget there are people on the stage. It was also cool because all you could see was the mountains behind the band – SO pretty, it almost didn’t look real. After the show, we had a great time down at the hotel bar with Martin entertaining us with his beautiful voice. There was a man at the bar that turned out to be a piano genius, so him and Martin became the best of pals and showed off for us the whole night. Martin even sang some Elvis to my mother – she was in heaven! Michelle Carlson (publicity manager on tour),
(8) Santa Barbara, USA (August 5)
The show started off rather early, due to the many curfews imposed on the venue (one of which was, sadly, a low sound level). It was odd seeing DM come on stage with the sun still out. Probably the absolute lowlight of the tour so far, for me, was during “Dream On”, when some ass in the front pit decided to shower David with his beverage – twice! People… if you see a band member come to the front of the stage, and they look a bit sweaty, this is not a cue to shower them with unsolicited mystery liquids! They have fans on stage, and water bottles all around the stage. Suffice it to say that the unwanted drenching pissed David off and he almost speared the guy with his mic stand – thank God he didn’t). After security dragged the loser’s ass out of the pit (to the chanting of “kick him out” from the crowd and a “thanks a lot dickhead” greeting from David), the show went on. A few songs later, David came back out to the same area of the crowd, and was “high flying” people and shaking hands, making up for the earlier show interruption. The performance highlight was when Martin came back out after his earlier performance of “Sister Of Night” to sing “Home”, he said “this is home” (meaning his new hometown, not necessarily the song title). The lyrics took a new meaning with that. BRAT (the webmaster).
The opening act, Poe, surprised me. She was impressive – very nice looking, great voice, good presence, friendly with the audience (she was actually IN the audience for a short time). The one song I wasn’t too impressed with – I am not into anger really – but otherwise she was great. During this time, I was seated on the aisle alone (I had to come alone). This couple sat next to me, and said that I must be a big fan, because I trekked out alone. The lady then said that I wasn’t alone, I was with them. How nice. I was also looking around, and it surprised me that the crowd was so eclectic. You had the “black dressers”, you know, with the black lipstick, pink or green hair, piercings, etc. You had some stylin’ people, dressed in sequins and knee boots, there were teenagers, and people that seemed in their 40’s, people dressed like nerds, and joe / jane averages like myself, fat and thin, drunk, sober and other. I also belong in the categories of fat, old (34) and sober. When DM came out, the crowd went nuts, including me. Our world was righted for a few short hours. Andy was his usual in the background self, Martin was his not-so-in-the-background self – he had all white on (he shone), with feathers, and a belt that had “Exciter” on the back, but then he turned around, and on his pants, very carefully placed near, ahem, you know, was “Exciter” written across his mid-section, daring and cocky, but that is what we like about him, and Dave was shimmering in blue, and looking great. I cannot even remember what order the songs came in, I was looking at the floor show. After the first song, Dave took off his vest, then after the second song, he unbuttoned his shirt, then after song number three, he opened said shirt and took it off, and I spent the fourth song wondering if he would keep going (but I remembered that it would be against the law – rats!!!) His pants were low enough that you could see his hipbones, and he touched himself enough that you looked, and then looked again. The front part of the concert was mostly “Exciter” stuff. Dave was very energetic, whew, he can whip me around like he did that microphone stand any time... Martin sang “Breathe”, which is my personal favourite, what a wonderful voice he has, and what hair!! Dave did make one mistake on “Freelove”, mixing up the order of “no hidden catch, no strings attached”, but hey, I’ll bet that everyone has done that in the privacy of his / her own home. Then they started in on old favourites, and the crowd was out of its collective minds. “Enjoy The Silence”, “Black Celebration”, “In Your Room”, there were more, but my brains are enjoyably fried, so I won’t try to remember them all. Dave got a breather or two, he held that microphone stand out, and you could hear “all I ever wanted, all I ever needed is here, in my arms, words are very unnecessary, they can only do harm” perfectly sung by the audience… it was magic. I particularly liked the way that they used lighting, texture and shadow to create patterns and larger-than-life images of themselves onstage. It set the mood for each song, be it red and depressing to gently lit, almost festive, to stark, glaring white light to emphasise the harsher tunes. I knew before I went that it was Andy’s birthday (I do not know why I knew, I can’t even remember my own name sometimes), and I tried to yell it to him, but there of course was no way he could hear me, and I forgot to make a sign. On the first encore, I was glad to mention Andy’s birthday, and he asked us to sing. Andy covered himself with his shirt, but then he came out and let us celebrate his birthday with him, he came to the forefront so we could laud him, then he got back behind his keyboard and was his usual self again. I felt privileged to have been there for his birthday, I also wondered if he celebrated it with his family, and where did he go, what did he do (or not). The lady sitting next to me wondered, after the second encore and people were starting to file out some, if they were going to leave without singing “People Are People”. I told her that I didn’t think they would sing it, as it is not a song that the band likes, and if the house lights came on, that was it, and as soon as that came out of my mouth, on came the house lights (isn’t it ironic?). I don’t know if she was disappointed or not, but I sure wasn’t. The time did fly by, though. I saw Depeche Mode, and it was great – now I can die happy… Sandra Pittman, Largo, USA
(7) Seattle, USA (July 29)
One thing different in the show that night was that there were no projections. It was a bit too windy for the screen to be up, so we decided not to have it at all. It was quite odd at first, but then it was kind of cool to see just the guys performing. At times you get distracted by the screen and forget there are people on the stage. It was also cool because all you could see was the mountains behind the band – SO pretty, it almost didn’t look real. After the show, we had a great time down at the hotel bar with Martin entertaining us with his beautiful voice. There was a man at the bar that turned out to be a piano genius, so him and Martin became the best of pals and showed off for us the whole night. Martin even sang some Elvis to my mother – she was in heaven! Michelle Carlson (publicity manager on tour),
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(8) Santa Barbara, USA (August 5)
The show started off rather early, due to the many curfews imposed on the venue (one of which was, sadly, a low sound level). It was odd seeing DM come on stage with the sun still out. Probably the absolute lowlight of the tour so far, for me, was during “Dream On”, when some ass in the front pit decided to shower David with his beverage – twice! People… if you see a band member come to the front of the stage, and they look a bit sweaty, this is not a cue to shower them with unsolicited mystery liquids! They have fans on stage, and water bottles all around the stage. Suffice it to say that the unwanted drenching pissed David off and he almost speared the guy with his mic stand – thank God he didn’t). After security dragged the loser’s ass out of the pit (to the chanting of “kick him out” from the crowd and a “thanks a lot dickhead” greeting from David), the show went on. A few songs later, David came back out to the same area of the crowd, and was “high flying” people and shaking hands, making up for the earlier show interruption. The performance highlight was when Martin came back out after his earlier performance of “Sister Of Night” to sing “Home”, he said “this is home” (meaning his new hometown, not necessarily the song title). The lyrics took a new meaning with that. BRAT (the webmaster).