Depeche Mode

Artist Image: Depeche Mode
Attribution
Image Credit: Nir Nussbaum (Self-photographed), CC BY-SA 2.5

Biography

Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan (lead vocals, occasional songwriter since 2005), Martin Gore (keyboards, guitar, vocals, chief songwriter after 1981), Andy Fletcher (keyboards) and Vince Clarke (keyboards, chief songwriter 1980-81). Vince Clarke left the band after the release of their 1981 debut album, Speak & Spell, and was replaced by Alan Wilder (keyboards, drums, occasional songwriter) with Gore taking over songwriting. Wilder left the band in 1995; Gahan, Gore, and Fletcher have since continued as a trio. Depeche Mode's origins date back to 1977, when schoolmates Vince Clarke and Andy Fletcher formed a The Cure-influenced band called No Romance in China, with Clarke on vocals and guitar and Fletcher on bass. Fletcher would later recall, "Why am I in the band? It was accidental right from the beginning. I was actually forced to be in the band. I played the guitar and I had a bass; it was a question of them roping me in." In 1979, Clarke played guitar in an "Ultravox rip-off band", The Plan, with friends Robert Marlow and Paul Langwith. In 1978–79, Martin Gore played guitar in an acoustic duo, Norman and The Worms, with school friend Phil Burdett on vocals. In 1979, Marlow, Gore, and friend Paul Redmond formed a band called The French Look, with Marlow on vocals/keyboards, Gore on guitar and Redmond on keyboards. In March 1980, Clarke, Gore and Fletcher formed a band called Composition of Sound, with Clarke on vocals/guitar, Gore on keyboards and Fletcher on bass. Soon after the formation of Composition of Sound, Clarke and Fletcher switched to synthesisers, working odd jobs in order to buy or borrow the instruments from friends. Dave Gahan joined the band in 1980 after Clarke heard him perform at a local scout hut jam session, singing to a rendition of David Bowie's "Heroes", and Depeche Mode were born. When explaining the choice for the new name taken from a French fashion magazine, Dépêche mode (from French dépêche that means here "dispatch" - from Old French despesche/despeche - or "news report" and mode that means "fashion"), Martin Gore said, "It means hurried fashion or fashion dispatch. I like the sound of that." Gore recollects that the first time the band played as Depeche Mode was a school gig in May 1980. The band made their recording debut in 1980 on the Some Bizzare Album with the song "Photographic", which was later re-recorded for their debut album Speak & Spell. The band made a demo tape but, instead of mailing the tape to record companies, they would go in and personally deliver it. They would demand the companies play it; according to Dave Gahan, "most of them would tell us to **** off. They'd say 'leave the tape with us' and we'd say 'it's our only one'. Then we'd say goodbye and go somewhere else." According to Gahan, prior to securing their record contract, they were receiving offers from all the major labels. Phonogram offered them "money you could never have imagined and all sorts of crazy things like clothes allowances". While playing a live gig at the Bridge House in Canning Town, the band were approached by Daniel Miller, an electronic musician and founder of Mute Records, who was interested in their recording a single for his burgeoning label. The result of this verbal contract was their first single, "Dreaming of Me", recorded in December 1980 and released in February 1981. It reached number 57 in the UK charts. Encouraged by this, the band recorded their second single, "New Life", which climbed to number 11 in the UK charts. The next single was "Just Can't Get Enough". This relentlessly upbeat piece of synthpop became the band's first UK top ten hit and it remains one of their best known songs. It was also the first Depeche Mode song to get a music video and is the only one of the band's videos to feature Vince Clarke. Depeche Mode's debut album, Speak & Spell, was released in November 1981 and peaked at number ten on the UK album charts. Critical reviews were mixed – Melody Maker described it as a "great album... one they had to make to conquer fresh audiences and please the fans who just can’t get enough", while Rolling Stone was more critical, calling the album "PG-rated fluff".

Details

Item Name Item Details
Year Formed 1980
Number of Albums 113
Record Label Mute
Website www.depechemode.com
Wikipedia Depeche Mode on Wikipedia
Social Networks

Trivia

In what year was Depeche Mode founded?

1980

...Depeche Mode is an English band, founded in 1980 , originally from the town of Basildon, Essex, United Kingdom. They are one of the most enduring and s...
What French magazine is the band's name derived from?

Dépêche mode

...mantic era. The band name is derived from a French fashion magazine, Dépêche mode , which means fashion dispatch. The band have been highly influential...
What does Dépêche mode mean?

fashion dispatch

... derived from a French fashion magazine, Dépêche mode, which means fashion dispatch . The band have been highly influential in the electronic dance mus...
What is the band's most recognized song?

Enjoy the Silence

...eries of highcharting singles over their threedecades long career. Enjoy the Silence is their most recognized song and is one of the most covered song...
When did Clarke leave the band?

December 1981

... recognized song and is one of the most covered songs in history. In December 1981 , Clarke left the band and later went on to form Yazoo, The Assembly...
When did Alan Wilder become an official member?

December 1982

... January 1982 as a live keyboardist but became an official member in December 1982 . He left mid1995 to fully concentrate on his Recoil project and the...
In what year did Wilder leave Depeche Mode?

1995

...e 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 t...
In what city was Wilder performing Somebody in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust?

London

...ed Depeche Mode on stage after 16 years, for a performance of Somebody during a show at London 's Royal Albert Hall in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust....
What is the name of the band that Vince writes and sings all their early material called?

Composition Of Sound

...ince writes and sings all their early material the band is named Composition Of Sound . The guys spot their new vocalist in a local scouthut jam sessio...
What song does Dave Gahan charm the members of Composition Of Sound?

Heroes

...ession with another band. With a strong cover of the David Bowie number Heroes , Dave Gahan charms the members of Composition Of Sound and is immediate...
Who charms the members of Composition Of Sound and is immediately invited to join the Band?

Dave Gahan

...h another band. With a strong cover of the David Bowie number Heroes, Dave Gahan charms the members of Composition Of Sound and is immediately invited...
What is the name of the school where Depeche Mode perform their first ever gig?

St. Nicholas School

... reading in college. Depeche Mode perform their first ever gig at St. Nicholas School in Basildon on May 31st, followed by several shows in Essex and ...
Where is St. Nicholas School located?

Basildon

...e. Depeche Mode perform their first ever gig at St. Nicholas School in Basildon on May 31st, followed by several shows in Essex and London. At one of ...
What record label is Stevo associated with?

Some Bizarre Records

... London. At one of their shows, they are approached by Stevo, of Some Bizarre Records , who persuades them to record a track for his Some Bizarre compi...
Who produces Photographic?

Daniel Miller

...e Bizarre compilation, due out in February the following year. It is Daniel Miller who eventually produces Photographic, which appears on this album. ...
What is the basis of the agreement with Daniel?

5050 profitsharing arrangement

...e to make a single and enter an agreement on the basis of a 5050 profitsharing arrangement with Daniel. Shortly before Christmas, Depeche Mode go into...
How much profit sharing does the band agree to make?

5050

...che Mode agree to make a single and enter an agreement on the basis of a 5050 profitsharing arrangement with Daniel. Shortly before Christmas, Depeche...
What is the name of the first single by the band?

Dreaming Of Me

...0 profitsharing arrangement with Daniel. Shortly before Christmas, Depeche Mode go into the studio to begin work on their first single Dreaming Of Me ....
In what year did Depeche Mode make their U.S. debut?

1984

...and 1983's Construction Time Again, they made their U.S. breakthrough in 1984 with their platinumcertified fourth LP, Some Great Reward. From there, D...
What was the name of their fourth platinum certified LP?

Some Great Reward

... U.S. breakthrough in 1984 with their platinumcertified fourth LP, Some Great Reward . From there, Depeche Mode remained a fixture on the international...
In what decade did depeche mode continue to be a fixture on the international Top Ten?

'90s

...e, Depeche Mode remained a fixture on the international Top Ten with hit '90s albums such as the classic Violator and their first U.S.U.K. While inter...
In what year was Ultra released?

1997

...lving sound adapted with the times, whether diving into moody triphop on 1997 's Ultra or digitizing with experimental electronic on 2001's Exciter. Or...
When did Depeche Mode get their start?

1976

...duct of Britain's new romantic movement, Depeche Mode got their start in 1976 , when Basildon, Englandbased keyboardists Vince Clarke and Andy Fletcher...
Who formed the group No Romance in China?

Vince Clarke and Andy Fletcher

...eir start in 1976, when Basildon, Englandbased keyboardists Vince Clarke and Andy Fletcher first teamed to form the group No Romance in China. The ban...
What was the name of the album released in 2001?

Exciter

...op on 1997's Ultra or digitizing with experimental electronic on 2001's Exciter . Originally a product of Britain's new romantic movement, Depeche Mode...
What album was released in 1986?

Black Celebration

...e group's future in grave doubt. Released in 1986, the atmospheric Black Celebration continued the trend toward grim melancholy and further establishe...
In what year was Black Celebration released?

1986

...ger Alison Moyet, leaving the group's future in grave doubt. Released in 1986 , the atmospheric Black Celebration continued the trend toward grim melan...
In what year was Music for the Masses released?

1987

...ver 500,000 copies in the U.S., which earned it gold status. Released in 1987 , Music for the Masses, featuring three Hot 100 singles in Strangelove, N...
How many Hot 100 singles were included in the 1987 release?

three

...earned it gold status. Released in 1987, Music for the Masses, featuring three Hot 100 singles in Strangelove, Never Let Me Down Again, and Behind the...
What was the name of the 1987 album released by the group?

Music for the Masses

...pies in the U.S., which earned it gold status. Released in 1987, Music for the Masses , featuring three Hot 100 singles in Strangelove, Never Let Me Do...
Where was Depeche Mode formed in 1980?

Basildon, Essex

...Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in Basildon, Essex , in 1980. The band currently consists of Dave Gahan (lead vocals and coson...
What was the name of the band's debut album?

Speak & Spell

...ore, Andy Fletcher, and Vince Clarke, and released their debut album Speak & Spell in 1981, bringing the band onto the British new wave scene. After f...
When was Speak & Spell released?

1981

...tcher, and Vince Clarke, and released their debut album Speak & Spell in 1981 , bringing the band onto the British new wave scene. After founding membe...
When did Alan Wilder replace Clarke?

1982

... Broken Frame as a trio. Gore took over as main songwriter and later, in 1982 , Alan Wilder replaced Clarke, establishing a lineup that continued for 1...
What was the name of the band's last two albums in the 1980s?

Black Celebration and Music for the Masses

...ed for 13 years. The band's last albums of the 1980s, Black Celebration and Music for the Masses , established them as a dominant force within the elec...
Who replaced Clarke in 1982?

Alan Wilder

...rame as a trio. Gore took over as main songwriter and later, in 1982, Alan Wilder replaced Clarke, establishing a lineup that continued for 13 years. ...
In what year did the band release Violator?

1990

... Rose Bowl, where they drew a crowd in excess of 60,000 people. In early 1990 , they released Violator, an international mainstream success. The follow...
What was the name of the album that the band released in 1993?

Songs of Faith and Devotion

...tor, an international mainstream success. The following album Songs of Faith and Devotion , released in 1993, was also a success, though the band's int...
What was used to make the video for Enjoy the Silence?

UK Promo Mix

... Sibeling was released. For the video for Enjoy the Silence the rare UK Promo Mix was used. Enjoy the Silence became the band's best known song and mo...
What country did Enjoy the Silence win a gold single from?

Germany

...t was in the Top Ten of many West European countries and earned gold in Germany . It won Best British single at the 1991 Brit Awards. Enjoy the Silence...
What album brought Depeche Mode into the mainstream?

Violator

...ts following was limited to a sizeable cult until 1990, when the album Violator brought the group into the mainstream. Since then Depeche Mode has had...
Depeche Mode has been one of a few bands to infuse pop with what?

some sense of credibility

...t, Depeche Mode has been one of a few bands to infuse pop with some sense of credibility . Most pop songs just don't reflect life the way it really is,...
What do most pop songs just don't reflect?

life the way it really is

...h some sense of credibility. Most pop songs just don't reflect life the way it really is , songwriter Martin Gore told Spin magazine. Throughout our ca...