Depeche Mode The Name's The Game! (Zig Zag, 1982)
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THE NAME'S THE GAME!
People have always been confused about Depeche Mode. About how many guys were actually in the group for starters. Sometimes it would be David Gahan, Martin Gore and Andy Fletcher that the fans would see posing in photographs, and then suddenly Alan Wilder would join them on stage for live appearances. Just to settle the record...there are now four permanent members, both on and off the record!
"There was a reason for it," says Martin. "After Vince left and went to form Yazoo, we were getting ready to record a new album. Alan started playing with us but we wanted to make certain that any change in direction in our music wasn't attributable to Alan joining. We needed to show we were capable of musical alteration by ourselves.
"So we recorded 'Broken Frame' [sic] with that in mind, although Alan will be playing on our tours when we perform songs from the album. Now we feel free for him to be a full time recording member of the group now that the change in pattern has been established!" Alan has been touring with the group anyway, so it makes little difference to relationships within the band.
The other confusion about Depeche Mode has been their name. And if it makes you any happier, the guys themselves haven't a clue what it means either. "We were just searching for a title and couldn't think of anything. It's always a tough job trying to get something that you like and appeals to other people too. We saw the name on a magazine cover and it clicked. We've never bothered to find out what it stands for!"
Just where the group stands is something the band themselves find occasionally bewildering.
"It's really down to audiences in specific countries reacting different ways," says David. "For some reason we don't go down very well in France. There doesn't seem to be any reason for it, but we didn't feel at ease on our last tour there and on our next European tour soon we'll be giving France a bypass.
"The really embarrassing moments are in America because we seem to attract musical aficionados or the intellectual side of the business, which is really strange. In Britain we're very well known and have a huge following who are of the usual type...lots of young girls, naturally. But in the States we don't receive that kind of reaction at all. People who come back stage or to our gigs tend to be much more upmarket. It's quite weird and we don't know how to react to it! We're going to America soon and we'll have to see if things are different.
"What really upsets us more than anything in Britain is the kind of criticism we receive. We're never averse to constructive criticism...and can take flak from the music press. In fact, we prefer criticism because we often learn from that - we are totally angered by comments which are directed against us rather than the music. That seems quite irrelevant!"
Martin has now taken on the role of critic himself. He confesses he has no desire to want to go into the business of producing other groups' albums or singles, which seems to be the track record for many already established musicians. "I find that a bit boring, unless you really have the impetus to do that there isn't really a need, it's not fair on new bands either. [1]
"What I have been doing is reviewing demos sent to our record company by prospective recording bands. It makes a nice change from sitting at home with my feet up. Some of the bands are very professional, although there's fair amount of rubbish too. But if bands don't send in demos, they'll never know. And I'm never discouraging. I like to offer advice where I can. I'll listen to the tapes and select groups I think are worth following up, and make constructive comments about the others. It's very enjoyable really, so long as I don't have to do too many of them!"
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Touring has now become a more pleasant activity for the group, which is just as well as they're set to do Europe, America, Canada and Japan.
"I'll never forget those first tours," says Andy. "We were crammed into a van along with all the equipment and driving for what seemed like years along motorways. Now we've got a luxury coach and can do it in some style. There are video recorders and stereo on board and you can't beat a bit of comfort to put you in a good mood when you arrive in a foreign city and have to go straight to do sound checks before you can rest."
And as a bit of additional comfort, a couple of the guys take their girlfriends along. "For us, that really is a luxury. We don't feel they get in the way, although there are quite a lot of bands who feel girls on tour are an unnecessary burden. With us, it's like taking your best friend along.
"Although I reckon it's fair to say that when we first took the girls they took a while to adjust to the fan reaction. That was funny really, because our girls also run our fan information service so you'd figure on them knowing what to expect. But the reality of hundreds of girls trying to rush us and kiss us was a bit too much! It seems to be Alan the girls are attracted to. We don't mind him shouldering that responsibility!"
Even with creature comforts the guys admit they don't get much time alone with their girls. "There's just so much going on around us that there's little chance of a tour being for romantic interludes walking along a foreign street!" laughs Martin.
But occasionally the tours throw up an interesting proposition, as well as a major surprise. Like when the group were touring Europe and had a gig in Belgium to fulfil.
"We rarely bother to look at our schedules and so naturally thought we'd be playing Brussels. But instead we found ourselves pulling into a tiny place called Oberkorn. It was a curious kind of village with a population that would hardly fill the first few rows of any ordinary theatre so it was quite a fascination for us to find out what was going to happen.
"Instead of our gig being a handful of people, the place was packed as the audience came from all around and even from across the borders. But there was an interesting twist to this concert. When we got back to our hotel our record company told us that whilst the 'A' side of our single was all set, they need a title rapidly for the 'B' side. Like I said," Martin says, "we're never all that good on names and the first thing that sprang to mind was the name of this village. Oberkorn. So that's the title we used!" [2]
Whilst touring is a necessary evil for some bands, Depeche confess that they enjoy it, and when it comes to doing an album they get as much of a high. "We don't make elaborate preparations with music and lyrics, before going into the studio," says Martin. "Usually we have a loose framework to build upon, although there might be a few songs we've completed, worked and rehearsed. With studio time being so expensive you can't be in there too long.
"What often happens is that whilst the guys are listening to the stuff we've taped, I'll nip into another room and work quickly on an idea and then present it to them. With a bit of juggling we usually come up with something we all like. It's getting the titles that really presents the problem!"
Relaxation, however, for Depeche Mode is a thing they do at home. "We're not the kind who enjoy partying it up every other night or travelling to clubs. Most of the time when we're not working we tend to stay at our parents' places in our home town, which is a fair way from London. We only travel into the capital when we need clothes or have to go to business meetings."
Martin says that books are his favourite pastime. "I collect them from all over the place. Anything. I just enjoy reading, it occupies a lot of my travelling time. None of us are real film freaks, so we rarely get out to the cinema or anything like that. Our film going is usually done in our coach on the video. Alan occasionally nips down the pub for a drink but that's about the limit of our raving it up!
"We all feel that it's essential to have this firm home base, because otherwise you tend to find yourselves leading a very insular existence, only mixing with people in the music business, and that isn't really good for your mind or your lifestyle, you need outside stimuli, even if other people think it's trivial.
"I can't see us changing. We've no desire to move up to the bright lights of London and become another set of lights or whatever one becomes there. It's nice to visit occasionally, though!"
Depeche Mode are now anxious to show to their audiences that their musical ability is not confined to a specific style; that they are capable of a wide range of interpretation. The World tour is a start!
"I'll never forget those first tours," says Andy. "We were crammed into a van along with all the equipment and driving for what seemed like years along motorways. Now we've got a luxury coach and can do it in some style. There are video recorders and stereo on board and you can't beat a bit of comfort to put you in a good mood when you arrive in a foreign city and have to go straight to do sound checks before you can rest."
And as a bit of additional comfort, a couple of the guys take their girlfriends along. "For us, that really is a luxury. We don't feel they get in the way, although there are quite a lot of bands who feel girls on tour are an unnecessary burden. With us, it's like taking your best friend along.
"Although I reckon it's fair to say that when we first took the girls they took a while to adjust to the fan reaction. That was funny really, because our girls also run our fan information service so you'd figure on them knowing what to expect. But the reality of hundreds of girls trying to rush us and kiss us was a bit too much! It seems to be Alan the girls are attracted to. We don't mind him shouldering that responsibility!"
Even with creature comforts the guys admit they don't get much time alone with their girls. "There's just so much going on around us that there's little chance of a tour being for romantic interludes walking along a foreign street!" laughs Martin.
But occasionally the tours throw up an interesting proposition, as well as a major surprise. Like when the group were touring Europe and had a gig in Belgium to fulfil.
"We rarely bother to look at our schedules and so naturally thought we'd be playing Brussels. But instead we found ourselves pulling into a tiny place called Oberkorn. It was a curious kind of village with a population that would hardly fill the first few rows of any ordinary theatre so it was quite a fascination for us to find out what was going to happen.
"Instead of our gig being a handful of people, the place was packed as the audience came from all around and even from across the borders. But there was an interesting twist to this concert. When we got back to our hotel our record company told us that whilst the 'A' side of our single was all set, they need a title rapidly for the 'B' side. Like I said," Martin says, "we're never all that good on names and the first thing that sprang to mind was the name of this village. Oberkorn. So that's the title we used!" [2]
Whilst touring is a necessary evil for some bands, Depeche confess that they enjoy it, and when it comes to doing an album they get as much of a high. "We don't make elaborate preparations with music and lyrics, before going into the studio," says Martin. "Usually we have a loose framework to build upon, although there might be a few songs we've completed, worked and rehearsed. With studio time being so expensive you can't be in there too long.
"What often happens is that whilst the guys are listening to the stuff we've taped, I'll nip into another room and work quickly on an idea and then present it to them. With a bit of juggling we usually come up with something we all like. It's getting the titles that really presents the problem!"
Relaxation, however, for Depeche Mode is a thing they do at home. "We're not the kind who enjoy partying it up every other night or travelling to clubs. Most of the time when we're not working we tend to stay at our parents' places in our home town, which is a fair way from London. We only travel into the capital when we need clothes or have to go to business meetings."
Martin says that books are his favourite pastime. "I collect them from all over the place. Anything. I just enjoy reading, it occupies a lot of my travelling time. None of us are real film freaks, so we rarely get out to the cinema or anything like that. Our film going is usually done in our coach on the video. Alan occasionally nips down the pub for a drink but that's about the limit of our raving it up!
"We all feel that it's essential to have this firm home base, because otherwise you tend to find yourselves leading a very insular existence, only mixing with people in the music business, and that isn't really good for your mind or your lifestyle, you need outside stimuli, even if other people think it's trivial.
"I can't see us changing. We've no desire to move up to the bright lights of London and become another set of lights or whatever one becomes there. It's nice to visit occasionally, though!"
Depeche Mode are now anxious to show to their audiences that their musical ability is not confined to a specific style; that they are capable of a wide range of interpretation. The World tour is a start!
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