Dave Gahan: Cash For Questions
[Q, June 2003. Words: Paul Stokes. James Burns.]
Running, if Depeche Mode's Dave Gahan is to be believed, is a great way to fill the void left by heroin. "When I first got my health back I used to go running every day," he says in an accent that blends Greenwich Village New York with Town Centre Basildon and, bizarrely, sounds South African. He looks a little sheepish. "Though these days I don't go as often as I used to."
Today is definitely not a running day. Gahan surveys the splendours of London member's club Home House before returning his attention to the discussion: What vices does a man who died for six minutes after an overdose in 1996 enjoy? [1]
"Smoking," announces Gahan who, though slender to the point of fragile and with ancient track-marks faintly visible among his tattoos, emits an aura of well-being. "But I'm working on that. I don't say, I'm never doing something again. But I'm good at saying I'm not going to do it today, so I plan to stop smoking when I get back home to New York."
He has good incentive. His first solo album, Paper Monsters, is about to be released and, with touring to follow, Gahan explains that it will do his vocals good. So what will he do for indulgences then?
"I buy loads of magazines," he says. "There's this shop I go to in New York that stocks all the British stuff, so I know what to expect from Cash For Questions - I bet there's some mad stuff in here, isn't there?"
Don't you just know it, Dave...
When you died for a few minutes after overdosing in 1996, were you bound for heaven or hell?
Julie Latchford, via e-mail
All I saw and all I felt at first was complete darkness. I've never been in a space that was blacker, and I remember feeling that whatever it was I was doing, it was really wrong. Then the next thing I remember was seeing myself on the floor, on the steps outside my hotel bathroom, and there was a lot of activity going on around me. I tried to shout out "I'm up here!" from wherever it was I was floating but nobody could hear me. In some ways it was very liberating. Then I came to and a cop was handcuffing me. It certainly wasn't a place I'd like to visit again.
Have you won any competitions in magazines lately?
Bernie O'Hagan, Ripley, Derbyshire
No, but I was just in Germany and I was given an award by a magazine. It's a gold chocolate Easter bunny with a little bell on it and it's for the best album so far this year, so I was quite chuffed, even though it is a chocolate bunny.
Do you get a free subscription to Depeche Mode, the French mag you stole the name from?
Michael Jones, Birmingham
I don't, but they once wanted to do a photo session with us. Years before that there was a period of time where there were lawsuits flying around because we'd copied the name. Once we became more successful they let it go because we probably helped them to sell more copies. I always see it in the shop where I buy my magazines in New York and it's funny because it's similar to House and Garden.
Does writing your own stuff for Paper Monsters mean you'll be taking over songwriting duties from Martin Gore on the next Depeche Mode album?
Lee Walmsley, via e-mail
I won't be taking over from Martin, but I'd like to think that as I'm moving forward in that way I'll be contributing my own songs and exchanging ideas. I don't think I could do it any other way right now. Has Martin heard Paper Monsters? He called me and said [puts on weedy voice], "I've just got back from holiday and I've got a message that there's an album at the post office which I'll pick up, but what I'm ringing about is have you got a number for a chiropractor?"
Is it true that a few years ago a bloke approached you for an autograph in the toilets while you were having a piss and you turned round and pissed all over him?
Christoff Platts, Sheffield
Yeah, that is true. I can't remember where it was though. I don't mind signing autographs but when you're at the urinal and someone's standing next to you shaking with a pen it's a bit strange. I actually gave the guy an autograph, but I was still pissing so it splashed all over his feet and he didn't notice because he was just so hell-bent on getting me to sign his bit of paper. I think now I'd just say, "Fuck off".
Si se les rompe algo en las casa, o hay que arreglar algo, lo hacen ustedes o piden ayuda al primero que se els cruce?
Jesica Cichero, via e-mail
No idea! Wait a minute, there's a bit I understand...Your new album is the best thing I've ever heard, do you agree? Yes.
[Actual translation: When you break things around the house do you fix them yourself or do you get someone in to do it for you?]
Do you realise your "dancing" is completely offbeat?
Ana Jeremic, Ottawa, Canada
[Laughs] Yeah! When I get up onstage I'm in a world of my own, but that's nothing to do with me: it's because the technology is too in time.
Dave, my partner's six year-old daughter has grown up convinced I'm you. Any tips on how I can let her down without breaking her heart?
Ian Cook, via e-mail
The most important thing is to be yourself. What I've learnt from my kids is there's no rulebook to being a father. I don't teach them that they must do this or that, they teach me. So I hope he'll learn from his daughter it's OK to be yourself. Please don't rely on me.
Do you ever regret the whole bleached blonde, eyebrow-plucking phase you went through?
Caroline Khachatoorian, Glendale, California
[Laughs] Yes, I do. For a long time I guess I was trying to find a look for myself because at that time my band never really followed any trend. We were a mishmash so I was pleased when [photographer] Anton Corbijn came along and styled us because it took the visual aspect away from us. I stopped plucking my eyebrows a long time ago.
Is it annoying having people mispronounce your name for 20 years?
Elaine Carr, Glasgow
I'm kind of over it. I thought for a while of releasing this new album under the name Ga-Han and calling the album Essex.
Being a bit of a lad, did you ever try to hide Martin's skirts?
Zoe Andrews, Reading
No, but Andy [Fletcher] and I - and I confess to this now - often hid his hats. He'd buy these fucking awful things, similar to what court jesters wear. We did actually talk to him about it all, but if you tell Martin not to do something he'll go to the extreme just to piss us off. [2]
[Q, June 2003. Words: Paul Stokes. James Burns.]
Running, if Depeche Mode's Dave Gahan is to be believed, is a great way to fill the void left by heroin. "When I first got my health back I used to go running every day," he says in an accent that blends Greenwich Village New York with Town Centre Basildon and, bizarrely, sounds South African. He looks a little sheepish. "Though these days I don't go as often as I used to."
Today is definitely not a running day. Gahan surveys the splendours of London member's club Home House before returning his attention to the discussion: What vices does a man who died for six minutes after an overdose in 1996 enjoy? [1]
"Smoking," announces Gahan who, though slender to the point of fragile and with ancient track-marks faintly visible among his tattoos, emits an aura of well-being. "But I'm working on that. I don't say, I'm never doing something again. But I'm good at saying I'm not going to do it today, so I plan to stop smoking when I get back home to New York."
He has good incentive. His first solo album, Paper Monsters, is about to be released and, with touring to follow, Gahan explains that it will do his vocals good. So what will he do for indulgences then?
"I buy loads of magazines," he says. "There's this shop I go to in New York that stocks all the British stuff, so I know what to expect from Cash For Questions - I bet there's some mad stuff in here, isn't there?"
Don't you just know it, Dave...
When you died for a few minutes after overdosing in 1996, were you bound for heaven or hell?
Julie Latchford, via e-mail
All I saw and all I felt at first was complete darkness. I've never been in a space that was blacker, and I remember feeling that whatever it was I was doing, it was really wrong. Then the next thing I remember was seeing myself on the floor, on the steps outside my hotel bathroom, and there was a lot of activity going on around me. I tried to shout out "I'm up here!" from wherever it was I was floating but nobody could hear me. In some ways it was very liberating. Then I came to and a cop was handcuffing me. It certainly wasn't a place I'd like to visit again.
Have you won any competitions in magazines lately?
Bernie O'Hagan, Ripley, Derbyshire
No, but I was just in Germany and I was given an award by a magazine. It's a gold chocolate Easter bunny with a little bell on it and it's for the best album so far this year, so I was quite chuffed, even though it is a chocolate bunny.
Do you get a free subscription to Depeche Mode, the French mag you stole the name from?
Michael Jones, Birmingham
I don't, but they once wanted to do a photo session with us. Years before that there was a period of time where there were lawsuits flying around because we'd copied the name. Once we became more successful they let it go because we probably helped them to sell more copies. I always see it in the shop where I buy my magazines in New York and it's funny because it's similar to House and Garden.
Does writing your own stuff for Paper Monsters mean you'll be taking over songwriting duties from Martin Gore on the next Depeche Mode album?
Lee Walmsley, via e-mail
I won't be taking over from Martin, but I'd like to think that as I'm moving forward in that way I'll be contributing my own songs and exchanging ideas. I don't think I could do it any other way right now. Has Martin heard Paper Monsters? He called me and said [puts on weedy voice], "I've just got back from holiday and I've got a message that there's an album at the post office which I'll pick up, but what I'm ringing about is have you got a number for a chiropractor?"
Is it true that a few years ago a bloke approached you for an autograph in the toilets while you were having a piss and you turned round and pissed all over him?
Christoff Platts, Sheffield
Yeah, that is true. I can't remember where it was though. I don't mind signing autographs but when you're at the urinal and someone's standing next to you shaking with a pen it's a bit strange. I actually gave the guy an autograph, but I was still pissing so it splashed all over his feet and he didn't notice because he was just so hell-bent on getting me to sign his bit of paper. I think now I'd just say, "Fuck off".
Si se les rompe algo en las casa, o hay que arreglar algo, lo hacen ustedes o piden ayuda al primero que se els cruce?
Jesica Cichero, via e-mail
No idea! Wait a minute, there's a bit I understand...Your new album is the best thing I've ever heard, do you agree? Yes.
[Actual translation: When you break things around the house do you fix them yourself or do you get someone in to do it for you?]
Do you realise your "dancing" is completely offbeat?
Ana Jeremic, Ottawa, Canada
[Laughs] Yeah! When I get up onstage I'm in a world of my own, but that's nothing to do with me: it's because the technology is too in time.
Dave, my partner's six year-old daughter has grown up convinced I'm you. Any tips on how I can let her down without breaking her heart?
Ian Cook, via e-mail
The most important thing is to be yourself. What I've learnt from my kids is there's no rulebook to being a father. I don't teach them that they must do this or that, they teach me. So I hope he'll learn from his daughter it's OK to be yourself. Please don't rely on me.
Do you ever regret the whole bleached blonde, eyebrow-plucking phase you went through?
Caroline Khachatoorian, Glendale, California
[Laughs] Yes, I do. For a long time I guess I was trying to find a look for myself because at that time my band never really followed any trend. We were a mishmash so I was pleased when [photographer] Anton Corbijn came along and styled us because it took the visual aspect away from us. I stopped plucking my eyebrows a long time ago.
Is it annoying having people mispronounce your name for 20 years?
Elaine Carr, Glasgow
I'm kind of over it. I thought for a while of releasing this new album under the name Ga-Han and calling the album Essex.
Being a bit of a lad, did you ever try to hide Martin's skirts?
Zoe Andrews, Reading
No, but Andy [Fletcher] and I - and I confess to this now - often hid his hats. He'd buy these fucking awful things, similar to what court jesters wear. We did actually talk to him about it all, but if you tell Martin not to do something he'll go to the extreme just to piss us off. [2]