Friday, August 5, 2011
A sobering interview with Depeche Mode
On a recent day in Los Angeles, hordes of Depeche Mode fans made their way toward the intersection of Hollywood and Vine for a free concert by their heroes on "Jimmy Kimmel Live."
Most were clad in black T-shirts and black pants -- the uniform of the true Depeche Mode devotee.
The three members of Depeche Mode are still partial to wearing black, but their attitude is a lot lighter and brighter than their music and history would suggest.
Thirteen years ago, singer Dave Gahan famously died from a drug overdose and was brought back to life by paramedics at the Sunset Marquis hotel down the road. Since then, he's given up drugs and taken up yoga and songwriting, the latter being what used to be the exclusive domain of guitarist Martin Gore (who has since sobered up himself)
It's changed the dynamics of the trio, known for such hits as "Personal Jesus," but in a good way, says Depeche Mode keyboardist Andy Fletcher.
Depeche Mode - Since Martin quit his drinking about 3 years ago he got a new addiction: eBay
"Tea and Biscuits", that is the promo code name for the new Depeche Mode album "Sounds of the Universe", labeled by Dave Gahan as being a rather arrogant album title. And actually, when I arrive in the posh London Brown's Hotel in Albemarle Street, Mute could not have chosen a better name. The hotel itself has a very distinguished UK look and feeling and tea is served as being 'Tea for breakfast' in silver sets with the better UK traditional sweets on top. Delicious. While the other journalists wonder around I notice the band's manager Baron Jonathan Kessler next to me. I don't bother chatting him up as he clearly has other things on his mind. Instead I ask for a coffee with hot milk and wait to go up for the interview with Depeche Mode's Andy Fletcher, always willing to spill some nice beans.
I listen to the album on my iPod and again notice the increased interaction between Dave Gahan and Martin Gore via their songwriting. With Martin's technique being much more traditional, Gahan continued to write with Christian Eigner and Andrew Phillpott since after the "Playing The Angel" tour. Add to this that unlike whatDepeche Mode usually do, and that is NOT taking a producer twice in a row, "Sounds of the Universe" was again produced by all rounder Ben Hillier. Because - as Gahan said in earlier interviews - "he gave us the kick up the arse that we definitely needed (...) he knows what he can get out of us, he knows the best way to get that out of us, and to keep us working and to keep the energy going in the studio, and he's very musical".
Biography
Biography
Depeche Mode are an English alternative band, founded in 1980, originally from the town of Basildon, Essex, United Kingdom. They are one of the most enduring and successful bands to have emerged during the 80s, and particularly from the new wave/new romantic era. The band name is derived from a French fashion magazine, Dépêche mode, which means “hurried fashion” or “fashion dispatch.”
The band have been highly influential in the electronic dance music scene, especially synthpop, techno and trance, in part due to their innovative work, recording techniques and use of sampling. Their most successful album is arguably 1990’s Violator, which reached the #2 position in the UK, #7 in the US, and sold over 8 million copies worldwide. The band has released a long series of high-charting singles over their three-decades long career. Enjoy The Silence is their most recognized song and is one of the most covered songs in history.
The original line-up was Dave Gahan, Martin L. Gore, Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke. In December 1981, Clarke left the band and later went on to form Yazoo, The Assembly and Erasure. Alan Wilder joined the group initially in January 1982 as a live keyboardist but became an official member in December 1982. He left mid-1995 to fully concentrate on his Recoil project and the band continued as a trio. In 2010 Wilder re-joined Depeche Mode on stage after 16 years, for a performance of Somebodyduring a show at London’s Royal Albert Hall in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust.
The band have been highly influential in the electronic dance music scene, especially synthpop, techno and trance, in part due to their innovative work, recording techniques and use of sampling. Their most successful album is arguably 1990’s Violator, which reached the #2 position in the UK, #7 in the US, and sold over 8 million copies worldwide. The band has released a long series of high-charting singles over their three-decades long career. Enjoy The Silence is their most recognized song and is one of the most covered songs in history.
The original line-up was Dave Gahan, Martin L. Gore, Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke. In December 1981, Clarke left the band and later went on to form Yazoo, The Assembly and Erasure. Alan Wilder joined the group initially in January 1982 as a live keyboardist but became an official member in December 1982. He left mid-1995 to fully concentrate on his Recoil project and the band continued as a trio. In 2010 Wilder re-joined Depeche Mode on stage after 16 years, for a performance of Somebodyduring a show at London’s Royal Albert Hall in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)