Depeche Mode

In 1980, "Photographic" appeared on the Some Bizarre compilation. After Daniel Miller heard it, they were signed to Mute Records on a simple handshake. It would be over 20 years before they signed a formal contract. Speak and Spell was released in 1981 with Vince Clarke doing the main writing with Martin Gore writing 2. The album sounds funny nowadays as it is typical "synth-pop" of the era although "Photographic" and "Puppets" are great songs. "New Life", "Dreaming Of Me", and "Just Can't Get Enough" were S&S's singles.

During the Speak and Spell tour, Vince Clarke left the band to persue other things. He did finish the tour until 1982. The 3 remaining members hired Alan Wilder for the forthcoming 1982 tour. Alan (unlike the other 3) was middle class and professionally trained on classic piano. DM released "Get The Balence Right" in 1982 following the Speak and Spell tour. They then began to record as a 3 piece.

A Broken Frame came out in 1982 as a 3-piece. Only then did they announce Alan Wilder as a permanent member of the band. I thought the album quickly took a dark turn even though there were a few "pop" tracks ("Photograph of You", "Meaning Of Love"). Most chilling of the dark tracks is "The Sun and The Rainfall" which I still think is an underrated songs. Martin Gore took over the songwriting duties of Clarke. My favorite of this one is "Satellite", just has a very odd but catchy beat to it. "Nothing To Fear" being the instrumental and "Leave In Silence", "Meaning of Love", and "See You" being the album's singles. Then they toured, yadda yadda.

In 1983, they started to get into sampling (the way it was intended) by recording odd sounds look a pipe hitting scrap metal. The highly experimental album ended up being Construction Time Again. It took on an enviromental theme (in a way) and really used the sampling technology well. They'd be using sampling in that style for many years to come. "Love, In Itself" and "Everything Counts" being the albums singles. The album was again mainly written by Martin Gore but also featuring "Two Minute Warning" and "The Landscape is Changing" written by Alan Wilder. I love "Pipeline" off this one which wasn't anyone's favorite, but it's so damn dark. Then they toured yadda yadda. Beginning to name their tours now as this one was Concert Time Again.

"People Are People" was released in late 1984. DM's American label, Sire, wanted to get more fanbase in America and when "People are People" hit the US top ten, they went ahead and released People Are People as a new album even though it didn't feature any other new material. The band wasn't pleased. It actually featured the song plus B-sides and odd tracks off previous albums, being the first unofficial singles compilation.

Some Great Reward found it's way out in 1984. The band was trying to distance itself from the typical "pop" music and they definately succeed as it was the darkest DM album to date. "People are People" , "Somebody/ Blashphemous Romours" and "Master and Servant" ended up being the singles. BBC (British Broadcasting Company) went apeshit over "Blasphemous Romours". The song is about a suicidal girl who is saved "by god" and finds love in Jesus. She is then hit by a car and killed. It basically is a huge strike against organized religion/god. The single could only be released with "Somebody". Alan Wilder penned "If You Want" which (to date) is the last DM song to be written by someone other than Martin Gore. Some Great Tour began.

Mute/DM made a strike against Sire by putting together the first "official" singles compilation simply titled The Singles 81-85. All the band's singles with two new tracks "Shake The Disease" and "It's Called A Heart". Making a slash against Sire, it was released as Catching Up With Depeche Mode in the US and also featured "Fly On The Windscreen" and "Flexible".

The turning point of Depeche came in 1986. Going back to the studio it was quoted 15 years later as "the only time the band has almost broke up". They completely removed themselves by now from the usual pop bands (by now sounded like nobody else actually) and went a step further. Black Celebration ends up being one of my 3 favorite albums because of how dark the album is. There is no hint anymore of "bubblegum pop" (which decreased slowly through the years). "Stripped" was the first single mimicing sexual inuendo when actually meaning emotional stripping. "Let me see you stripped down to the bone". "A Question Of Time" and "A Question Of Lust" being the other two singles. By now Gore had been singing a couple songs on each album and it continues with "A Question Of Lust" and "World Full Of Nothing". "Black Celebration" is still my favorite DM song but I don't like the recording of it off this album too much. "Here Is The House" and "Stripped" being my true favorites. It is a true classic because of it's distaste for typical behavior. The keyboards and drum beats not even coming close to any pop genre at all, it's when I feel they were became no longer pop.

Sire again becomes a problem. Black Celebration was released in the US with "But Not Tonight" at the tail end without the band's permission. It was only released on the "Stripped" single otherwise. I remember reading that this is when they decided to leave Sire, but were under contract for 3 more albums. Celebration tour began.

They entered the studio in 1987 and again tried to evolve and change. Music For The Masses I think really pushed the band as far as fanbase goes. They were pushed to cult status and no longer depended on the radio. Even with that, "Strangelove", "Never Let Me Down Again" and "Behind The Wheel" were the singles. Rarely does a band remix their own song, but DM and Daniel Miller collaborated on the Aggro Mix of "Never Let Me Down Again" and I still love it. It's danceable but very heavy electronically and dark. They really started using sequencers in a different way on it. "To Have And To Hold" (later covered by Deftones) was another really dark one, but is still pretty dark though nothing in comparisson with it's predicessor.

Embarking on an extended tour they signed up for 101 shows. The Concert For The Masses tour ended on June 18th, 1988 when they arrived at the Pasadena Rose Bowl in California and played in front of almost 70,000 people (selling out the Rose Bowl). DM was urged to not go ahead with it due to the expensive cost of the building. 101 was released in 1988 as a double live album with the entire 2 hour concert. The concert/documentary (shot by D.A. Pennebaker) was released with the same name.

Depeche resurfaced in 1989 with "Personal Jesus" (which is still heard a lot in the US). Just after the new year in 1990, Violator was released. I'm not sure how to explain this album even though it's my favorite. I guess how to describe it is a band moving from a young, newer band. . to a mature, legendary band all grown up. "Enjoy The Silence" states that words aren't needed to express and shows a lot of contentment. "The Sweetest Perfection" watches Gore pick apart himself. Gahan's vocals had been maturing gradually and are expressed best on it. It was when everybody's best points came together for the first time 10 years after the beginning. Gahan having to become a frontman and representing the band instead of just a lead vocalist. Alan showed a lot more of his production skills (from working in a studio in his earlier days) more and had begun to do much of the work since Black Celebration.

Violator is still probably the most "classic" of DM albums even though it's the shortest. "World In My Eyes", "Enjoy The Silence" and "Policy Of Truth" were also released as singles in 1990 during the World Violation Tour. "Sea Of Sin" (one of the b-sides to "WIME") is still another high favorite.

Gahan had been pressured on the stress of carrying a high profile band and his marriage to his wife had been falling. Following the World Violation tour they all decided to take an extended break. This is when I guess the years of partying caught up with DM. "It'll catch up with you" or a saying something like that hehe.

By 1993, Violator had sold over a million copies worldwide and the band came together to create it's following. Instead of a band looking like they were ready to go, they looked like the band's death. Gahan had left his clean-cut image and showed up with long hair and a goatee, losing excessive weight, had left his wife and was now living in Los Angeles. This is when Gahan's heroin useage (along with Gore's drinking) had really begun to show. Staying in a house together that was converted into a studio it took 6 months to create the new album. Often fighting and Gahan hiding in his room, it was amazing it was finished.

Songs Of Faith And Devotion came out that year and was the darkest DM by a long shot (and still is). Beginning with "I Feel You" with a heavy/blues riff, it moves into "Walking In My Shoes" which strikes back at judgements, to "Condemnation" which was gospel based. Those three with "In Your Room" completed the singles but "Higher Love" and "Judas" being extremely good tracks. "Rush" found DM actually using distorted guitars. It was also the first time live drumming was used and for the tour Wilder (who also did drumming on the album) became a drummer as well as keyboardist.

The making of it almost detroyed the band. The Devotional Tour seemed to attempt to complete that. The first leg going smoothly, they released Songs Of Devotion. . Live wanting to do a live album that was different. It has the best version of "Higher Love" One thing I truely love about DM is their live versions rarely sound the same as the album versions. So, to each song there's many different versions. The Devotional video was also released around this time. The first leg ran into early 1994 and after a year of touring, Gahan had already fallen to a heroin addiction and tensions between band members growing tough.

A second leg was agreed upon and after Fletcher's frustrations went to it's extreme, he had a breakdown. Which is interesting considering he's the one keeping everyone together. Only playing keyboards on tours and dealing more with financial aspects, he often clashed with Wilder who did all the programming, most keyboard parts, and now drumming. The second leg was the first time any DM member did not attend. Fletcher went home to recoporate and his wife was also do with a child.

When the tour ended in late 1994, there was more of a sigh of relief than missing it (which was previously the case). DM had always been around each other for non-DM events as well and this wasn't the case anymore. Gahan retreated back to home as did the other members. In 1995 press got an earful when Alan Wilder, the 13 year long member, announced his departure from the band. He stated working relationships and "unacknowledged overworking" as reasons. Gore and Fletcher were saddened by the news as Gahan was so drugged he didn't seem to care.

Dave Gahan got married for the second time in late 1995 and was now in full throws of a heroin addiction, barely speaking with the other DM members. Gore was also battling alcoholism and was faltering himself. He was hospitalized for alcohol poisoning in 1995.

Gahan ended up in the hospital as 1995 with his arm sporting two large lacerations. The statement tried to deny any suicide attempt and to this day it's not known. Even journalists were worried. One, who was close to the band, later stated that he even prayed for Dave. Following his release from the hospital he continued to use heroin religiously until Fletcher and Gore pushed for him to go into rehab during a visit to LA.

Gahan was in Exodus for a short time but ended up in the hospital again in 1996. Paramedics stated that they found Gahan on the floor after a frantic phone call from a woman. He reportedly flatlined for 3 minutes. I've always found this stuff interesting. For 3 minutes Dave Gahan was dead. He had overdosed on a speedball (mixture of heroin and cocaine - also what killed Alice In Chain's Layne Staley and Cobain had injected it as well just before his death). After his release he was arrested and jailed.

Gahan got demos from Gore in late 1996 and they set out to record once again. Gore even stated they never expected an album as everyone seemed to be enjoying it so little. Getting vocals for only one song done, Gahan was urged into rehab once again.

In 1997, Gahan resurfaced a clean-cut and sober man. Recording resumed and that year Ultra was released. Songs. . was a loud, dark album and Ultra was very soft and relaxed in nature. "Barrel Of A Gun", "It's No Good", and "Home" becoming the singles. The true force of this album is felt in the lesser known tracks "Love Thieves", "Freestate" and especially "Insight" ("And the spirit of love is rising within me"). They emerged an amazingly cured band finding their love in music again. Now a 3 piece for the first time since 1982, they decided against hiring another member. "It's No Good" becoming Gahan's "hope" song and it's very pretty in nature and one of Gore's best songs. Ultra was another mature album showing a band coming back from the unthinkable. Now completely out of the Sire contract, DM finds comfort in America through Reprise.

DM decided against doing a tour for Ultra as they felt they didn't want to jeopardize the reconciled working relationships within the band. They did play a few "Ultra Parties" at record stores and radio events but there were only 4. 1997 ended with DM back and Gahan singing the best he ever has, going from a strong baritone voice to soft in nature.

Returning to the studio in 1998, they recorded "Only When I Lose Myself" along with a couple besides for the next singles compilation. Continuing to work through soberiety, Gahan's vocals to this day don't sound better than in this song. You can feel the passion and rebirth in his voice. The Singles 86-98 was released in 1998 (Duh) and they started their first tour in over 4 years with an extra keyboardist and drummer as touring musicians. The somewhat short tour ended in 1999.

They came together again in 2000 to work on yet another album. Number nine. I was totally anticipating this one as I eventually liked the direction of Ultra after I got used to it. May 2001 came and Exciter was released. "Dream On" was surprisingly a "hit". I remember even hearing it at Best Buy and almost fell over. DM on MTV?? NO WAY!!! I don't want them to get huge, but it's about time they get some credit for a good song and not "People Are People" and "Personal Jesus". "Freelove" and "I Feel Loved" were also released as singles that year.

June 2001, I finally got the chance to see them live. Dave's become a great performer and they finally looked like a legendary band on stage enjoying it. Instead of the horrorified Devotional tour. "Goodnight Lovers" was released as a single in 2002. The Exciter ended in 2002 as well.

Following the tour, both Gahan and Gore began working on solo albums. Gore's Counterfeit2 was first out in 2003 and again featured covers. It's relaxed like recent DM, but in a different way. Covering Roxy Music, John Lennon, among others he expresses his love very definely.

Gahan came second also in 2003 with Paper Monsters which is the first time the DM vocalist wrote any songs. Working with longtime friend and multi-instrumentalist Knox Chandler, Gahan set out to have each song "spend a day at rock bottom" from his days as a junkie. Amazing that it was the subject due to the albums extreme relaxation. This one could easily put me to sleep honestly. "I Need You" is so pretty and "Hold On" helps me keep going.

Today, Gahan and Gore are finishing up tours in support of their solo albums and in 2004. . maybe the tenth DM album? Will Gahan actually write a DM song? This band has been to hell and back and strived to keep things together which is how they've succeeded in their longevity I'm sure. 23 years. That's almost as old as I am and people still ask me who they are!! That's the best part. Been a part of me at 10 years old and 14 years later, I still love them. Gahan's "Stay" reminds me a lot of Sara, so it's a bit painful and I still can't listen to the song.

DM is the symbol of sticking with something you believe in even though things get rough, which is probably why Battle Cry won't end due to the hiatus. DM has been a HUGE influence on the first two BC albums and had even more effect when it comes to my mind. They seem to calm me when nothing else will. Gotten me out of many suicidal moods. The legendary band moves on.