Alan Wilder would definitely use AI in music he says in interview with UK Depeche Mode cover band The Devout

The Devout – the UK Depeche Mode tribute featuring Reza Udhin, Keith Trigwell and Barclay Quarton – sat down with Alan Wilder (ex-Depeche Mode; Recoil) for a technical, candid interview about tools, touring, archives and the state of modern production.

Recorded in September 2025, the exchange with Alan Wilder focuses on practical craft rather than nostalgia, with Wilder addressing AI, sampling, and why authenticity in live tribute shows still matters. Here are some of the elements discussed in the interview, but make sure to read the complete interview as it holds a lot more info, including info on how “Death’s Door” was recorded, a Killing Joke studio surprise in Berlin, and much much more.

Modern music tools, AI and creativity

Asked how modern tools affect creativity, Alan Wilder was unequivocal: “All tools are exactly that – devices to be used intelligently and to one’s advantage. Good tools make tasks easier and… should tickle the imagination.” He traced a through-line from multitrack expansion to early synthesisers and digital sampling, noting that innovation arrives when “the creatives who understand what a tool is… apply sharp human ideas.”

On AI, Wilder called it “an incredibly powerful tool that may be used to one’s advantage if utilised by creative minds,” while stressing the need for safeguards: “AI has worrying connotations… musicians and artists may be exploited and abused… Copyright is complicated.”

Reflecting on Depeche Mode’s classic studio tactics – re-amping through PAs, unusual reverbs, found-sound sampling – Wilder said he wouldn’t impose limits today: “I would use AI technology as well as performance, electronics, sampling, digital processing – anything and everything if appropriate to the ideas/songs.” He added a practical caveat about chasing perfection past its peak: “The tipping point of boredom can work against you… passing the peak of a good idea and travelling up your own arse!”

Recoil masters recovered – and a cautious “you never know”

With EMU digital multitrack machines revived and Recoil multis for “Bloodline” (1992) and parts of “Unsound Methods” (1997) transferred, Wilder acknowledged the possibility of new work: “I make absolutely no promises… I have been thinking… of remixing some earlier works or reworking something… But this may not happen at all.” He added that Mute has discussed reissues of “Bloodline” and early material but “it still hasn’t been scheduled definitively.”

Alan Wilder also confirmed he recently downsized, letting go of his vinyl and CD collections after creating listening copies, and rediscovered “old multitrack tapes… sample disks… bits of gear and memorabilia.” On a follow-up sale: “I would like to hold a second auction… [but] it takes a lot of organising and cataloguing.” He said his priorities now favour fewer possessions and more time for family history research, which he described as “detective work” with creative parallels.

About Alan Wilder and The Devout

Alan Wilder (b. London, 1959) is a classically trained musician and producer best known for his tenure in Depeche Mode (1982–1995) and his solo project Recoil, founded in 1986 while still in the band. Early Recoil releases included “1 + 2” (1986) and “Hydrology” (1988), followed by “Bloodline” (1992) featuring Douglas McCarthy, among others.

After leaving Depeche Mode in 1995, Wilder established his own studio and issued “Unsound Methods” (1997) and subsequent works via Mute. Recoil has operated as a collaborative studio project led by Wilder with guest vocalists and engineers such as Paul Kendall.

The Devout is a UK Depeche Mode tribute project formed as a continuation/reboot of Speak & Spell. The current line-up features Barclay Quarton (lead vocals), Reza Udhin (vocals, guitars, keyboards; ex-Killing Joke, Inertia) and Keith Trigwell (programming/production), with shows built around the band’s classic-era tours and productions.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil.

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