|
Depeche Mode
1980-
|
 Get the Ringtones
 Listen/Buy @ Amazon
 Get the Sheet Music
|
Artistfacts:
| Their original name was Composition Of Sound. "Depeche Mode" was the title of a French magazine (translated, it means "fast fashion") that went out of print in 2001. It was chosen because it sounded cool. |
| Clarke went on to create Yazoo, The Assembly, and Erasure. |
| Clarke wrote virtually all their music while he was a member. All but two songs on Speak & Spell (the band's first album) are his: Martin wrote "Tora! Tora! Tora!" and "Big Muff." |
| Fletcher owns a restaurant in London called Gascogne. The address is 12 Blenheim Terrace, St. John's Wood, London NW8 0EB, England. |
| Martin and Dave have been known to trade vocal duties in concert, one singing a song the other sang on the album. |
| Martin only began writing songs because Vince Clarke left the band and someone had to. |
| It was hard for the band to get gigs early on, since the didn't hide the fact that they had no drummer. They would often put the drum machine on the riser for the drums, or out in the middle of the stage to make it obvious. |
| Until sometime in the late '90s, their contract with Mute Records was a handshake deal with Daniel Miller. |
| Photographer Anton Corbijn was hired to help with the band's image during the Music For The Masses era. He is the same photographer that took the picture of U2 on the cover of The Joshua Tree. (thanks, Kelly - Portland, OR, for all above) |
| Dave Gahan became lead singer of Depeche Mode after other band members heard his interpretation of David Bowie's "Heroes." He also had the look they wanted. (thanks, kaeovo - Zagreb, Europe) |
| Andy and Martin along with Alison Moyet and Perry Bamonte (from The Cure) went to St. Nicholas Comprehensive school. Vince went to Laindon High Road School, which was the enemy school. (thanks, Dave - Basildon) |
| In the mid-'90s Gahan was hospitalized after an almost fatal speedball (mixture of cocaine and heroin). This is often fatal or can cause paralysis. However, Gahan survived and did not have permanent health problems from it. On the contrary: after the incident he decided to enroll in a rehab center and get rid of his drug addiction. Gahan has been completely clean for almost 10 years now. (thanks, Gerrit - Belfast, Northern Ireland) |
| Martin Gore speaks fluent German. (thanks, lizza - mexicali, Mexico) |
| They appear in the video game The Sims 2 Open For Business. In addition to being characters, they recorded a new version of their song "Suffer Well" in Simlish, which is the language spoken in the game. (thanks, Bertrand - Paris, France) |
| In 2009, Apple tried something new, offering an "iTunes Pass" for the Depeche Mode album Sounds of the Universe, which entitled buyers to video extras and other songs in addition to the album. Record companies are always trying to upsell their artists, as they want fans to buy the music, go to concerts, purchase merch, etc., and the iTunes model of selling individual tracks doesn't suit this. By offering the "Pass," Apple is extending an olive branch to the labels. (thanks, Bertrand - Paris, France) |
Get Songfacts for Depeche Mode
Comments:
| In Germany in the early 80s their name seemed to be pronounced "DEH-Peshe Mode," with the accent on in the first part of the word. I used to watch a German program "Formel Eins" and that's the way the host would pronounce it. - Tom, Marble Falls, AR |
| Their new album is like listening to paint dry. - Danny, Sydney, Australia |
| Amazing they have endured so many years. The best always last! - Stephen, Lehi, UT |
| Dave Gahan has developed a successful solo career over the last two or so years writing his own songs. A new album by Depeche due in the autumn of 2005 has songs written by Gahan has well has Gore as a result. - Richard, Rotherham, England |
| the album 'violator'includes the hits 'personal jesus,'policy of truth,'and 'enjoy the silence.' - rod, davao city, Other |
| Alan Wilder originally joined the band in 1981 as a replacement keyboardist for Vince Clarke. He remained a part-time member (he was only available for live performances and apperances, no studio work) until 1983, when he became a full-time member. - Ben U., San Jose, CA |
| Depeche Mode's roots go back as far as 1976, with Fletcher and Clarke forming a band called 'No Romance in China'. They originally had two guitars, but were dropped for synths - Scott Evans, Bradford, Finland |
You can post a comment, but you have to register first.