Depeche Mode‘s Martin Gore has released a new electronic single, “Cross Whisper“, in collaboration with artist and lyricist Cliff Damavandi and with vocals from Gore’s daughter Johnnie Lee. Credited to the newly formed MG x CD + JL =, the track came out digitally on 20 October 2026 via Mute, with a limited transparent green 12″ vinyl edition following on 4 December.

The song grew out of a conversation about unexplainable phenomena, in which Gore described birds appearing at moments when people and animals close to him died, including an incident in which a bird tapped repeatedly at his studio window two days before he learned a close friend had died. Gore recounted the pattern: “I was out with some friends and we started talking about death so I shared that whenever someone close to me has died, birds start appearing, sometimes arriving every day for a year outside my window. When my mother died, a bird came, and again when my dog passed. When my cat died, a bird came into the house and flew downstairs into the room where it slept!”

Damavandi, who wrote the lyrics that Gore then set to music, described how the story prompted him to write: “When Martin was sharing his story, he was so alive, and I could feel the story as well as hear it. There was an otherness that compelled me to write the words.”

“Cross Whisper” opens with whispered vocals before Gore’s synthesizers enter, with a recurring percussive motif that echoes the bird’s tapping at his studio window.

Gore produced “Cross Whisper” and wrote it with Damavandi. The two share lead vocals and synthesizers, with Arielle Sitrick and Johnny Lee on background vocals. Marta Salogni, who also mixed and engineered Depeche Mode’s “Memento Mori”, handled the mix.

The 12″ single, released via Mute in a limited transparent green edition with an embossed sleeve, pairs the original 5:46 track with five additional remixes. Vinyl orders for the UK and EU go through Mute Bank; Gore’s Bandcamp page ships the 12″ from the US and offers a digital pre-order that delivers the original track immediately.

Mute also released an official visualiser for “Cross Whisper”, filmed in Japan and England by Luca Bailey.

‘Cross Whisper’ remixes on vinyl and digital

Remixes come from ANNA, a Brazilian techno DJ and producer; Regis, a techno artist, DJ and label head; Vera Grace, a Dutch techno artist; Pye Corner Audio, the British hauntologist also known as Martin Jenkins; and boothnavy.

Side A: “Cross Whisper”, “Cross Whisper (Regis’ Learn to See Mix)”, “Cross Whisper (Vera Grace Remix)”
Side B: “Cross Whisper (ANNA Remix)”, “Cross Whisper (Pye Corner Audio Remix)”, “Cross Whisper (boothnavy’s Murmuration Remix)”

The digital release on January 15, 2027 adds a seventh track, “Cross Whisper (Regis’ Cellular Drift Remix)”, which is not part of the vinyl tracklist.

About Martin Gore and Cliff Damavandi

Martin Gore was born in London on July 23, 1961. In 1980 he joined Andrew Fletcher and Vince Clarke in the Basildon, Essex group Composition of Sound, which became Depeche Mode after Dave Gahan joined as lead singer. The band released its debut album “Speak and Spell” on October 5, 1981. After Clarke left later that year, Gore became Depeche Mode’s principal songwriter, alongside keyboards, guitar, backing vocals and occasional lead vocals.

Gore’s work outside the band has also appeared on Mute. “Counterfeit“, an EP of cover versions, came out on June 12, 1989. “Counterfeit²”, with eleven covers of songs that shaped his own writing, followed on April 28, 2003. He reunited with Clarke as VCMG for the instrumental electronic album “Ssss”, released on March 12, 2012. His solo album “MG“, sixteen electronic instrumentals recorded at his Electric Ladyboy studio in Santa Barbara, California, came out on April 27, 2015. The five-track instrumental EP “The Third Chimpanzee”, introduced with the track “Mandrill“, followed on January 29, 2021, and “The Third Chimpanzee Remixed” on August 20, 2021.

Depeche Mode’s Andrew Fletcher died on May 26, 2022, after which the band continued as the duo of Gahan and Gore and released their fifteenth studio album, “Memento Mori“, on March 24, 2023. The concert film “Depeche Mode: M”, shot over three nights in Mexico City during the 2023 tour, premiered at the Tribeca Festival in June 2025 and reached Netflix on January 9, 2026. On March 6, 2026, the band issued “Universal Soldier” on War Child’s charity album “HELP(2)”.

Cliff Damavandi is an artist and lyricist. “Cross Whisper” is his first released work with Gore, and no earlier music releases under his name are listed in public discographies.

In Gore’s solo catalog, “Cross Whisper” is the first new release since “The Third Chimpanzee Remixed” in August 2021, and the first under the MG x CD + JL = name.

Jan Ronald Stange

Sometimes – when I’m not cooking, biking, listening to music or attending concerts, I write stuff for Side-Line.com. Mostly about Norwegian bands, but it’s been some Swedish, English, American, Danish, German and others too… 😉

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Danish/UK electronic act Oui Plastique have reissued their 3-track EP “UnMute” via Town And Towers Records. Originally recorded in 2018 for the UnMute project – a tribute to Mute Records – the remastered version is available from today on across all major digital platforms.

The release includes new vocal takes and updated mastering. “In some cases, they re-recorded vocals that had been lost over time,” Town And Towers Records says. “As a result, the 2025 versions sound a little different—but hopefully a lot better.”

Originally only available on Bandcamp, “UnMute” has now been released for wider distribution following a remastering process requested by the label.

The tracklist includes:

1. “Compulsion” – written by Joe Crow, popularized by Martin Gore on his solo EP Counterfeit
2. “The Bottom Line” – written by Martin Gore, originally released by Depeche Mode
3. “It Doesn’t Matter Two” – written by Martin Gore, featuring Bridget Gray (The Rude Awakening)

Check it out on Spotify:

About Oui Plastique

Oui Plastique is the collaboration between Martin Nyrup (Denmark), known from the darkwave act Perpacity, and James Thomas (UK). Their partnership began in 2017 on Perpacity’s album “Convergence”. In 2018, they released “UM EP 4”, their first collection of cover songs for the UnMute project.

Their debut full-length album “Fraternity of Strangers” followed in 2021 via ScentAir Records. The duo are currently working on a new album, scheduled for release in late 2025 or early 2026.

About Martin Gore

Martin Lee Gore, born July 23, 1961, in Dagenham, Essex, England, is the primary songwriter, keyboardist, and occasional vocalist for the iconic band Depeche Mode.

Gore’s musical journey began in Basildon, where he met bandmates Vince Clarke, Dave Gahan, and Andy Fletcher. Initially playing guitar and keyboards, he took on a more prominent songwriting role after Clarke’s departure in 1981.

Beyond Depeche Mode, Gore has pursued solo projects, releasing albums like “Counterfeit” (1989) and “MG” (2015), showcasing his more experimental side. He also performs as a DJ and has collaborated with his former bandmate Vince Clarke in the duo VCMG.

Gore’s contributions have been central to Depeche Mode’s success, with over 100 million records sold globally. Despite personal challenges, including struggles with alcoholism, he continues to roduce music. Gore resides in the United States.

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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(Updated with an extra transcript of the interview) Yesterday, our Norwegian correspondent Jan Ronald Stange shared a video forwarded to him by John-Erik Bye Johansen. The video featured a conversation between two childhood friends now living in California – Dave Huxtable and Martin Gore, a member of Depeche Mode.

Dave Huxtable, passionate about languages, pronunciation, and accents, invited Martin Gore to join him for a video on his YouTube channel. The channel itself covers linguistic topics in a fun and engaging way. “I’ve known Martin Gore since before he started Depeche Mode,” Dave says. “We both loved learning languages in school and bonded on exchange trips to northern Germany. In this video, we talk about those memories and how living in California has changed our English.”

Gore also discusses the challenges of studying languages in an environment where academic ambition was often ridiculed. “To actually try to speak a foreign language was kind of frowned upon by our peers,” he said. Despite this, both pursued languages seriously. Gore ultimately took A-levels in French and German – alongside mathematics – and later lived in Germany, where his language skills peaked through immersive experiences.

One such experience came after a breakup in 1987, when Gore moved into an apartment with an East German builder who spoke no English. “From getting up in the morning to dinner time, I was pretty much surrounded by German,” he recalled. This constant exposure pushed him to think and speak fluently in the language.

The conversation also explored the intersection of music and language. Gore: “I do often wonder actually whether the language aspect helped with the lyrics, the writing of lyrics,” pointing to the cognitive similarities in rhythm, intonation, and vocabulary. While some artists historically adopted American accents for commercial reasons, Gore emphasized that Depeche Mode always sang in their natural voices. “It just seemed more natural. We were English,” he explained.

Having relocated to California, both noted how migration affected their speech. Gore stated that although he’s adopted some American vocabulary – like “restroom” or “sunscreen” – he retained his British accent. “If you’re comfortable in your own skin… you don’t feel a need to fit in as much,” he said. Huxtable, a polyglot who has lived in nine countries, shared that he often tried to sound native wherever he lived, especially in non-English-speaking regions.

Their conversation concludes with a reflection on changing linguistic norms and how accents and word choices evolve in different contexts. Gore remarked on differences like “aluminum” versus “aluminium” and noted that he rarely uses Americanisms unless practical. He also humorously mentioned feedback from an 84-year-old German friend who still critiques his pronunciation.

The interview is of course more a friendly chat then an actual interview, filled with memories from milking cows to funny language mishaps and observations about language quirks in the U.S. and U.K.

Watch the full interview below.

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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Everyone has a preferred Depeche Mode, Recoil, or Martin Gore album, EP or single. Today we revisit one of the less commercial pearls, namely the debut solo studio release by Martin Gore, the “Counterfeit” EP.

Following the extensive recording and touring for Depeche Mode’s “Music for the Masses“, Gore – the primary songwriter and a founding member of Depeche Mode – sought a more intimate creative outlet. He selected lesser-known tracks that had inspired him, aiming to pay homage while infusing them with his unique style. It’s not surprising that the EP’s name, “Counterfeit”, played on the idea of recreating (or “counterfeiting”) original songs in his own voice and sound.

For the recording Gore worked closely with Rico Conning. Rico Conning, a British musician and producer, engineered and co-produced the EP alongside Gore at Sam Therapy Studios in London. During the recording process the duo used a blend of synthesizers, drum machines, and live instrumentation.

The EP features six tracks, each a reinterpretation of a song by a different artist:

1. “Compulsion” by Joe Crow
2. “In a Manner of Speaking” by Tuxedomoon
3. “Smile in the Crowd” by The Durutti Column
4. “Gone” by The Comsat Angels
5. “Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth” by Sparks
6. “Motherless Child” (Traditional Spiritual)

The “Counterfeit” EP was released on June 12, 1989, by Mute Records and was quite well received by both the press and the Depeche Mode ‘black swarm’. Commercially, the EP was modestly successful, and up until now still has a niche appeal.

A follow-up cover album followed in 2003, simply titled ” album “Counterfeit²”. The bands Martin Gore covered on Counterfeit² are: Blind Willie Johnson, David Essex, Hank Thompson, Julee Cruise, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Brian Eno, Kurt Weill and Maxwell Anderson, John Lennon, Hildegard Knef, Iggy Pop, The Velvet Underground.

Tracks that didn’t make the final cut

The EP holds 6 tracks, but he at least recorded one (or two) more that never made the final cut.

For instance there’s his cover of “Down in the Boondocks“, a song originally written by Joe South and popularized by Billy Joe Royal in 1965. Gore’s rendition, also recorded around 1989, was intended for his “Counterfeit” EP but ultimately remained unreleased, officially that is.

He also recorded a cover of “I Love You Love Me Love”, originally performed by Gary Glitter in 1973. This rendition was also not officially released but has surfaced on bootleg compilations.It’s not sure this track was intended for the “Counterfeit” EP though.

The Martin Gore hotel sessions

That Gore likes doing covers is an understatement. During the late 1990s, Martin Gore engaged in informal “piano sessions” at hotel lounges following certain performances. These impromptu gatherings featured Gore playing piano renditions of both Depeche Mode tracks and various cover songs.

Included were covers from ABBA, Elvis Presley, The Rolling Stones, Darrell Glenn, Mac Davis, Mark James, David Bowie, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), Leonard Cohen, The Beatles, The Skyliners,, The Doors, John Paul Young, Oasis, Sex Pistols, Marvin Gaye, and so on.

These sessions were typically attended by a small group of fans and friends and several recordings of some sessions have surfaced as bootlegs.

Some of the better known sessions that have been spread online include:

• May 7, 1997 – Hyatt Regency Hotel, Cologne, Germany: After recording a performance for RTL’s Samstag Nacht, Gore performed songs such as “When The Night Is Cold,” “He Touched Me,” and “Crying In The Chapel.”
• October 6, 1998 – Hyatt Regency Hotel, Cologne, Germany: Following a Depeche Mode concert, Gore’s setlist included “My True Love,” “Let Me Take You Love,” and “Yesterday.”
• October 9, 1998 – Maritim Grand Hotel, Hannover, Germany: This session featured tracks like “Enjoy The Silence” and “Ice Machine.”
• October 13, 1998 – Kempinski Four Seasons Hotel, Munich, Germany: Gore’s performance included “Sister Of Night,” “Just Can’t Get Enough,” and “Moon River.”

While not part of his official discography, these covers do provide a perfect insight into Gore’s musical influences and his penchant for reinterpreting rather diverse tracks.

Below is an example of such a session.

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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(Photo by Marco Krueger) Berlin based modular synthesist and DJ JakoJako, aka Sibel Koçer, has shared the first track, “Modus”, from her new four-track “Segmente” EP, set for release via NovaMute on 26 July 2024. All four tracks on this new upcoming EP originated in her live shows.

The new EP follows the “Verve” EP, her debut for Mute, a full length album, “Metamorphos” (2022, Bigamo) and her collaboration with Rødhåd, “In Vere” (2022, WSNWG), both of which came hot on the heels of two remixes for Mute – New Order’s “Be A Rebel” and Martin Gore’s “Vervet”.

Here’s “Modus”.

Koçer started her career working with modular systems and patch cables. Her studies soon progressed into performing regular live sets in Berlin, a Berghain Residency and a position at Berlin electronic music institution, SchneidersLaden.

In recent years she has been involved in several motion sensor dance projects with dancers at Superbooth and Kraftwerk Berlin, and has performed at the Royal Albert Hall with Bonobo, and at the Barbican in London with an improvised ‘Circle Of Live’ performance that featured dance and a specially commissioned art installation.

Jakojako live dates

• 26 May –Berghain (DE)
• 8 June – Wurzelfestival DE)
• 15 June – Danza Futura Festival (PT)
• 20 June – La Nature Festival (Ambient live set) (BE)
• 21 June – La Nature Festival (DJ set) (BE)
• 22 June – Dancity (IT)
• 14 July – Berghain (DE)
• 19 July – Detect Classic Festival (Live performance with the Detect Ensemble) (DE)
• 19 July – Detect Classic Festival (DJ set) (DE)
• 20 July – Harbour Summer
• 26 July – 2Nature (IT)
• 27 July – Junction 2 Festival (UK)
• 28 July – Äiniwalli (FI)
• 2 Aug – Whole Festival (DE)
• 11 Aug – Paradigm Festival (NL)
• 17 Aug – Ratherlost at Lofi (NL)
• 18 Aug – TR3 Festival (DE)
• 30 Aug – Station Nuage (FR)
• 31 Aug – Doel Festival (BE)
• 7 Sep – Draaimolen Festival (NL)
• 14 Sep – Smut Athens (GR)
• 20 Sep – Klub K4 (SI)
• 27 Sep – Berlin, Berghain (DE)

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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During a Depeche Mode concert at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena, frontman Dave Gahan intervened to stop a fight that broke out in the crowd. The incident occurred while the band was performing “Never Let Me Down Again”. Gahan paused the performance to address the situation near the stage and inquiring if everyone was okay.

Gahan used his mic to address the people involved in the row saying: “Hey, nothing’s that important (…) he’s lost his fucking phone. That’s what he’s worried about. His phone. There’s enough shit going on in the world without you guys.”

After slapping hands with one of the people involved in the row, the band resumed by starting “Never Let Me Down Again” allover again.

The Los Angeles concert was part of the North American leg of Depeche Mode’s ‘Memento Mori Tour’. A few days ago Depeche Mode members Dave Gahan and Martin Gore were honored with “Depeche Mode Day” at Los Angeles City Hall.

Below is a video of the incident.

Here’s a video shot from a different angle.

For more on Depeche Mode, see Brian Griffin, the iconic Depeche Mode photographer, dies aged 75 on Side-Line.

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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(Interview by János Janurik) Vince Clarke just released his first solo album “Songs Of Silence” in late autumn 2023. The fact that he has now recorded his first solo album after more than forty years in the pop business was long overdue. Our editor Janos Janurik contacted Vince Clarke and his partner in crime, Reed Hays, regarding this solo debut that opens up new listening perspectives into Vince Clarke’s previously unknown parallel universe, and a special concert in London.

Although the ingenious composer and sound wizard had several side projects alongside his main band Erasure – just think of the countless remixes, the collaborations with Martyn Ware, Paul Hartnoll and Martin Gore, and his label boss activities at Very Records, or the almost unknown album of instrumental compositions called “Deeptronica” – this is still the first time that he has released an LP under his own name. And on the parent label Mute Records. A feast for fans of electronic music!

Even the first appetiser was a shock for some fans: Vince ventured to the dark side, his solo track “The Lamentations of Jeremiah” sounding darker and sadder than ever before. The accompanying music video, shot in black and white, only reinforced the gloomy mood of the first pre-release track. This was anything but the dynamic electro-pop that Vince Clarke is known for.

The second pre-release single “White Rabbit” is already more similar to the typical musical style of the Erasure mastermind. Intelligent pop at its best, where hypnotising, shimmering electronic beats keep up the tempo with electric guitar sounds and thundering drums at the end. The visual backdrop this time is an animated film, with educational content about how we are “modern humans”. After the break since “The Neon” sound cosmos, fans of Vince Clarke’s music are eagerly awaiting their musical hero’s first solo LP.

„The joy for me has been the process of making the music… Everything else is a bonus.”

SL. When I heard and saw the track “The Lamentations of Jeremiah” for the first time, I was deeply touched by the experience. Although you mentioned to me in an earlier interview (around the time of the release of “2Square”) that you “still like to write “nobody understands me” songs”, you’ve waited so long to show this side of yourself. If there’s no pressure from the label, these songs might stay in the drawer. Is that really true? Did Daniel Miller persuade you to release these compositions as your first solo album on Mute?

Vince: The tracks I recorded during lockdown were never meant as an album. I was spending time in the studio just experimenting with sound and mood. I sent some of these ‘experiments’ to Daniel Miller, owner of Mute records and he suggested that perhaps this collection of soundscapes could be released as an album. Up to that point I was purely making the music for myself.

SL. As for the album title (“Songs Of Silence”), it wasn’t too hard to work out that it was some kind of homage to the legendary film score by Simon & Garfunkel. They were a big inspiration for you to compose music yourself, weren’t they? And what inspirations did you take this time? Or did everything follow your inner voice?

Vince: Yes, the title is a tiny homage to “The Sounds of Silence” and I’m a huge fan of Paul Simon. At the same time “Songs Of Silence” describe exactly what the album is about.

SL. The music of Vince Clarke lives without bombastic sound or glittery synth pop effects too, that was my first thought after listening to this album. What equipment did you use in your home studio this time?

Vince: For all the tracks I just used my Eurorack Modules. It was an opportunity to learn about the technology and really focus on the precise sounds I needed without being distracted by all the other sound sources in my studio.

SL. The opening track (“Cathedral”) already takes the listener out of the real world and frees them from the matrix. The whole thing has something religious and spiritual about it, in which the wholeness of the world is connected with one’s own existence. Such a process is necessary for mental health and for dealing with negative feelings. Was it the same for you?

Vince: I’m not religious but the word Cathedral suggested to me something huge and wondrous. I found the process of recording all these tracks to be cathartic and helpful to cope with the stresses I was experiencing at the time.

SL. One of my favourites is the track “Red Planet”. Relaxing ambient music with ethereal voices. I think a lot of fans – especially Depeche Mode fans – will say it’s their favourite track. Do you have your own favourite track from the album?

Vince: “Cathedral” is my favourite track and I’m also very fond of “Passage” which is all about a difficult/impossible journey.

SL. Not only “The Lamentations of Jeremiah”, but also “Scarper” has an acoustic touch – flamenco-like guitar. Once again a highlight of the album for me. Did you use samples here or did someone play the guitar live?

Vince: Reed Hays played cello on “The Lamentations of Jeremiah” and the guitar parts were played by my friend Steve Walsh.

SL. “Blackleg” is inspired by the traditional folk song “Blackleg Miner”. Your label mate, Frank Tovey, who died too soon, dedicated an entire album to workers’ songs in 1989 (“Tyranny And The Hired Hand”). Music and resistance was the main theme of this album. And what about you? What did you find inspiring about this folk song?

Vince: The song has a real raw edge to it. The lyrics are quite violent and paint a stark picture of the misery of the mining community during and after the Industrial Revolution. It was interesting to mix a very synthetic soundscape with something so organic.

SL. “Last Transmission” could also be related to the Erasure song “Turns The Love To Anger”, especially with the instrumental intro of its live version. It’s like a radio signal into space, with the hope that it will find a recipient with empathy. Do you still believe in the good in these difficult times?

Vince: No. I find it difficult to feel optimistic.

SL. You have always been known to be rather reluctant to appear in video clips. But for the first promo video, you had to stand alone in front of the camera. Where and how did the filming of “The Lamentations of Jeremiah” take place?

Vince: I wanted the video to convey a certain gravitas that reflected the sadness of “The Lamentations of Jeremiah”. It was shot in Brooklyn New York in a day.

SL. An animated video was made for “White Rabbit” – another favourite track of mine. You recently uploaded funny cartoons (“Günter Finn” and “Bacon And Eggs”) to the internet yourself. How did you find the cartoonist Daniele Arcuri for the second clip?

Vince: I saw his show reel on Fiverr and was instantly attracted to his irreverent and bonkers style of animation.

SL. At the special album release event in London the support band was the duo of Gareth Jones and Daniel Miller (called Sunroof), who play electro-improvisation music. Both of them have played a big role in your career. Was it natural for you to invite them to support you?

Vince: I was delighted that they agreed to do the show with us. I think the combination made for a really interesting evening.

SL. A month has passed since that concert in London. Your first solo album has received very good reviews, it’s also at the top of the album charts. Looking back on the whole process, what are your feelings now? Did you expect such positive feedback?

Vince: To be honest, I didn’t expect any feedback. The joy for me has been the process of making the music… Everything else is a bonus.

Reed Hays, the synthesiser specialist and master of the Buchla synthesiser, and long-time friend of Vince Clarke, also joins the conversation.

SL. Reed, you and Caroline were the first to sign a label contract with Vince’s Very Records. So far you’ve released two albums on his label and you then supported Erasure on their 2018 tour. Now you’ve played cello as a guest musician for Vince’s solo album. How did this invitation come about?

Reed: During the Reed & Caroline years Vince had me put together a couple instrumental tracks to promote Veryrecords on Soundcloud. One was called “Buchla and Cello” and the other was called “Cello and No Buchla”, so he was already familiar with my playing. While working on “Songs of Silence” he asked in his usual polite English manner, “Would you mind terribly if I sent you something, and maybe consider if it needs some sort of cello on it?” I purposely overplayed the part, thinking he would edit most of it out, but to my surprise he kept the whole thing!

SL. Were you there – as an expert advisor – for the entire creative period, or did you only hear the final result?

Reed: He played me some of the tracks while he was working on them, but I’m afraid I had no “expert advice” to give, because they already sounded amazing. I remember thinking only Vince Clarke could call something a “drone piece” but you’d still walk away from it with a catchy part in your head!

SL. Do you have your own favourite tracks from Vince’s solo album? If so, what are they and why?

Reed: Vince’s friend Steve does some great acoustic guitar work on “Scarper”. There’s a little blippy part on “Cathedral” that sounds Buchla-inspired, so of course it makes me smile every time I hear it. I love the sequencer in “White Rabbit” and of course his treatment of the “Blackleg Miner” song is wonderfully haunting.         

SL. On release day you shared the stage with Vince in London. What was your role at that concert?

Reed: In a very un-Vince reversal, nothing was rigidly synchronized. We were playing drones and triggering elements from the album by hand. The timing was totally based on the feel of the evening and the impressions of the visuals. And, of course, I had my cello with me. J

SL. For a while you had a joint radio show on a New York alternative radio station called “The Synthesizer Show”, which was very popular among fans of synthesiser music. Do you miss these radio shows? Do you talk to each other privately about what’s new in the genre?

Reed: It’s funny to think that for close to a decade “The Synthesizer Show” was an important anchor for both of us. It was a great way to break up the grinding tour schedule with Erasure, and during Covid it was the only activity either one of us had apart from family lockdown life. I’m sure we haven’t seen the end of “The Synthesizer Show” yet, but right now we have a couple ambient concerts to deal with!

SL. Do you currently have something in progress? Will there be another Reed & Caroline album?

Reed: I’ve been spending a lot of time with the Buchla 100, the earliest Buchla instrument. It’s also the rawest and most visceral of Mr. Buchla’s creations. I like to think of Reed & Caroline as a magical pre-Covid time capsule, but in a couple years her girls and my son will be out of high school, so never say never!

János Janurik

I began my career in online music journalism in 2001, writing about artists I had followed since the late ’80s and early ’90s, including Depeche Mode, Erasure and The Cure. I later edited the Hungarian Mute microsite for EMI Music Hungary. This led to interviews with Erasure, Nitzer Ebb and Alan Wilder, and some of those collaborations developed into lasting friendships. Since 2014, I have been part of the editorial team of depechemode.de. I also contribute interviews to Reflections of Darkness, Peek-A-Boo Magazine and Kaput Mag. I maintain a close connection to Mute Records artists and have also supported releases on Very Records. I am proud to collaborate with Side-Line Magazine, where I regularly publish interviews and features.

(Photo via MaximoTV) Los Angeles has declared December 13 as Depeche Mode Day at the City Hall. The day honors the band’s impact on the city’s music scene.

Depeche Mode’s relationship with Los Angeles and the KROQ radio station is a very special one. All started in the 1980s, with KROQ playing a pivotal role in promoting the band in the city. Another iconic moment was the Music for the Masses Tour, which ended with a concert at the Pasadena Rose Bowl in 1988. The whole was documented in the concert film “101” by D.A. Pennebaker. It is Alan Wilder who came up with the album’s title; the performance was the 101st and final performance of the tour (and coincidentally also the number of a famous highway in the area). The band’s performance on June 18, 1988 was attended by approximately 60,453 people. This attendance was a record at that time for the venue.

Forward to 1990 with the famous Depeche Mode riot at Wherehouse Records in Los Angeles. This in-store signing, sponsored by KROQ of course, drew an unexpectedly large crowd of over 20,000 fans, leading to a chaotic situation where the police had to intervene.

The event turned into a near-riot, with fans pressing against the store’s windows and creating a tumultuous scene. The band later released a special promo cassette featuring a band interview and “Something to Do (Metal Mix)”, which was previously unreleased in America, as a gesture to the fans who had attended the event. This cassette was distributed through KROQ.

In a speech councilwoman Monica Rodriguez expressed her gratitude to the attendees, recognizing Depeche Mode’s enduring influence in Los Angeles. Band members Martin Gore and Dave Gahan were present at the event. Gore delivered a brief speech reflecting on the band’s special connection with Los Angeles, noting the early support from KROQ radio station and recalling their first headline stadium show in the city. He also mentioned the Wherehouse Records riot in 1990, an event that gained national attention and inadvertently boosted the band’s profile. Dave Gahan from his side added a lighter note, jokingly wishing for such support during the band’s earlier days.

Check out this video from the Depeche Mode Day declaration.

For more on Depeche Mode, see Depeche Mode frontman Dave Gahan intervenes in fight at LA concert on Side-Line.

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

In 1981 Depeche Mode were: Vince Clarke, Andrew Fletcher, Martin Gore and Dave Gahan. When the Speak & Spell tour ended on Monday November 16 1981 at the London Lyceum, Depeche Mode knew they would end up with 3 soon after. In November 1981, Vince Clarke publicly announced that he was leaving Depeche Mode. Soon afterwards, Clarke joined up with blues singer Alison Moyet to form Yazoo (or Yaz in the United States).

Vince Clarke performed for the final time with Depeche Mode on Thursday 3 December for a television show, Off The Record, in Chichester. For those who wandered what that show looked like, you can now check it out below. Poet John Cooper Clarke was the support act.

The setlist:

• 00:00 Off The Record Intro
• 00:20 Photographic (Some Bizarre Version)
• 03:38 New Life
• 06:36 Puppets
• 10:10 I Sometimes Wish I Was Dead
• 12:19 Tora! Tora! Tora!
• 15:20 Just Can’t Get Enough
• 19:04 Boys Say Go!
• 21:48 What’s Your Name?

Why did Vince Clarke leave Depeche Mode?

It was with their third single “Just Can’t Get Enough that Depeche Mode struck gold. It was also the only Depeche Mode video to feature Vince Clarke. As a result they were soon playing on Top of the Pops. At this point Vince had decided to part ways with Depeche Mode as he felt that they were in favor of taking a different musical direction than the one he wanted to pursue citing arguments regarding songwriting, and admitting his own dogmatism where it comes to creating music. He also added: “There was never enough time to do anything. Not with all the interviews and photo sessions”

Clarke also said he was sick of touring, which Gahan said years later was “bullshit to be quite honest”. Gahan went on to say he “suddenly lost interest in it and he started getting letters from fans asking what kind of socks he wore.”

In a later interview with Vice, Clarke would say that he left Depeche Mode because the band was young and weren’t getting along adding “nothing more, nothing less, no regrets”.

Initial talk of Clarke’s continuing to write material for Depeche Mode ultimately amounted to nothing. According to third-party sources, Clarke offered the remaining members of Depeche Mode the track “Only You”, but they declined. Clarke, however, denied in an interview that such an offer ever took place saying, “I don’t know where that came from. That’s not true.”

Side-Line also covered Depeche Mode’s ‘Television Set’.

About Depeche Mode

Depeche Mode formed in Basildon, Essex, England, in 1980, initially under the name Composition of Sound. The lineup that became Depeche Mode came together that year around Vince Clarke (keyboards, guitars), Andy Fletcher (keyboards, bass) and Martin Gore (guitars, keyboards), with Dave Gahan joining shortly after as lead vocalist. The band adopted the name Depeche Mode at a gig at the Bridge House in Canning Town on 24 September 1980, where Mute Records founder Daniel Miller saw them and signed the group.

Depeche Mode’s debut single, “Dreaming of Me,” was recorded in December 1980 and released on Mute in February 1981, followed that October by the debut album “Speak & Spell.” Vince Clarke left the band that November, going on to form Yazoo and later Erasure; Alan Wilder joined on keyboards in 1982 and became an official member from the 1983 single “Get the Balance Right!” The band’s catalog through the 1980s includes “A Broken Frame” (1982), “Construction Time Again” (1983), “Some Great Reward” (1984), “Black Celebration” (1986) and “Music for the Masses” (1987), the latter turning the band into arena headliners in the US off the back of their Rose Bowl concert, later documented in the film “101.”

“Violator” (1990) and “Songs of Faith and Devotion” (1993) marked the band’s commercial peak, but Wilder departed in June 1995, continuing his own project Recoil, leaving Gahan, Gore and Fletcher as a trio. The band released “Ultra” (1997), “Exciter” (2001), “Playing the Angel” (2005), “Sounds of the Universe” (2009), “Delta Machine” (2013) and “Spirit” (2017) as a three-piece, touring with long-serving live members Christian Eigner (drums, keyboards, since 1997) and Peter Gordeno (keyboards, bass, since 1998). Alongside the band, Gahan released solo albums “Paper Monsters” (2003) and “Hourglass” (2007), and Gore released “Counterfeit²” (2003).

Depeche Mode was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on 7 November 2020. Andy Fletcher died on 26 May 2022, and Gahan and Gore continued as a duo, releasing “Memento Mori” in 2023 with Eigner and Gordeno again on the road. The band has sold more than 100 million records and placed 54 singles on the UK charts. Vince Clarke left the band in November 1981, shortly after the release of debut album “Speak & Spell,” going on to form Yazoo and later Erasure.

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Martin Gore from Depeche Mode was the man reason why Kay Burden from Platronic started writing songs. Kay: “It was love at first listen. I was overwhelmed by the intensity and intimacy of his lyrics and could not get enough of the special warm vibrato of his voice.” Her label manager now encouraged Kay to cover one of her favourite songs, taken from the1987 classic Depeche Mode album “Music For The Masses”.

The cover is very much stripped down version as you can hear below. The single is out via Town and Towers Records, a Danish Label.

The track can also be found on Conzoom Records’ upcoming Depeche Mode tribute CD which is out now.

Platronic are Finnish composer/producer Some-E and German singer-songwriter and co-producer Kay Burden. What started with chatting about electronic music on Instagram in 2019 and the idea of collaborating in the foreseeable future, turned into a real duo on EBM DAY – 24 February 2020. Since End of March 2023 the duo released five singles and one EP.

Side-Line also covered Depeche Mode’s ‘Speak To Me’.

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

(Photo by Travis Shinn, interview by our correspondent János Janurik) You might think that appearing as a warm-up act in front of a cult band that is popular all over the world is one of the best things in life, and that you have a bit of a stake in the success of the concert evening. But in reality, Depeche Mode‘s support acts don’t always have it easy, although the band has actually always had a good hand for its support acts. Some of them managed to endear themselves to Depeche Mode fans and even won fans for their own music projects. Others, however, had a hard time getting away from possibly being pelted with bottles on stage by the exuberant and impatient fans.

This spring, at the tour opener of the current “Memento Mori World Tour” in North America, the stage belonged to the females. At the first 9 concerts in the USA and Canada, Welsh musician and producer Kelly Lee Owens performed for American audiences as the support act for Depeche Mode on their first concert tour without Andy Fletcher. On the last night of the first leg of the world tour, fans were able to see singer Dave Gahan’s daughter live for the first time at the legendary Madison Square Garden. The proud dad watched Stella-Rose’s performance secretly in the company of his bandmate, Martin Gore.

Fans in Europe are still considered fanatics, which means that Depeche Mode’s supporting bands have to pull their socks up if they want to get the desired appreciation, i.e. a friendly applause, up on stage.

💡 TIP: And for those that want to go a step further, every concert not only allows them to experience the magic of music but also creates unique memories to cherish. If you are also a fan of their music, you can design Custom Keychains Canada with band elements, which can be the best carrier to connect memories and daily life. You can incorporate performance theme elements or images of your favorite musicians into your keychain. Especially with the convenient express customization service, you can keep your love alive without waiting.

The concert series opens in Amsterdam with a performance by Cold Cave, a dark wave project led by Wesley Eisold, who has already been a guest in Germany. This time he and his companions will play only one Germany concert in Leipzig, the remaining shows will take place in the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden and Slovakia. Our editor, Janos Janurik will see him live in Bratislava and contacted him to give an interview for us.

SL: You have just completed live performances in Whitby (TOMORROW’S GHOSTS FESTIVAL) and in London (O2 Academy Islington). How did these concerts go?

CC: That’s right. London was the last show we played and both in the UK were lovely for us. Great connection.

SL: The great artists of the Dark Wave movement, which have also inspired you, also came mainly from England, just think of bands like Joy Division, The Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Cult or The Sisters of Mercy, who have founded their own music genres. Was this noticeable in the reaction of the British audience? What kind of feedback did you get on those two nights?

CC: That’s a part of our appeal but another part of it is the lyrical and sentimental aspects of this. Sometimes it feels like genre is irrelevant. I’m a child of the 80’s so that’s what I love… which all works in LA too.

SL: Depeche Mode, whose dark songs from the 80s, such as “Blasphemous Rumours” or the whole “Black Celebration” LP also found favour in the dark wave environment, have had to struggle for years with the problem that they have not achieved the recognition they deserve in their own country. People in the UK still don’t seem to forgive them for not being the charming synth-pop boy band they once were at the beginning of their career. In America, on the other hand, where rock music – such as Bruce Springsteen’s live performances – still moves the biggest crowds, Depeche Mode have enjoyed cult status practically since their legendary Rose Bowl – “101” – concert. How do you see it as a musician? You come from the USA, but your music has more of a European character. Are there big differences in terms of the fanbase on the two sides of the Atlantic?

CC: If music is meant to transcend then it usually does. I find the people at our shows similar around the world. It’s really very international to me. DM’s reign around most of the world makes sense to me. They’re the best at what they do. I can’t complain. I put out my own music. No management or label help. Not much press. Don’t follow the rules. And still going.

SL: Wesley, you’re from Los Angeles. Many people first think of the endless coastline and surfing when they think of this city. Of course, there’s also Jim Morrison, who had a big influence on dark wave artists with the psychedelic rock band, The Doors. How did you discover this style of music? Who are your big favourites? How did you get involved in the LA music scene?

CC: I’m from nowhere. I grew up moving every year and have only been in LA for a decade which is five times longer than I lived anywhere else. That said The Doors were a first love of mine even though I was on the opposite side of the country. When you grow up trying to patch an endless void you just find this music or it finds you. I’m not involved in the LA scene. I don’t think that way. I grew up in punk & hardcore and stopped being concerned with scenes in my early twenties. I like my own scene. It’s an island I built for me and anyone who wants to come visit.

SL: Speaking of Jim Morrison, you’re also into poetry. How do you decide whether the lines you put together in your head become a poem or a song lyric?

CC: Good question. It’s really just where my interest is at when it appears. Sometimes they get used for both.

SL: A mutual friend of ours who also lives in Los Angeles is an active participant and supporter of the dark culture scene there, along with his wife. How did you meet Douglas McCarthy? Have you worked together on any projects?

CC: Amy, my partner, knows Douglas from Detroit. We then toured together ten years ago around the county for a month. I don’t think we’ve made music together but I care about him deeply and he’s always been there for us.

SL: Douglas has opened for Depeche Mode several times with his bands Nitzer Ebb and Black Line, as well as solo, and is also close friends with the band members. Has he recommended you as a possible support band for Depeche Mode’s current tour?

CC: I don’t think so.

SL: A musical collaborator of yours, Bryan Black aka Black Asteroid has also done remixes for Depeche Mode and with another project called Motor he has even released a joint single with Martin Gore called “Man Made Machine”. Please tell us a bit about your joint project!

CC: I met him in Paris 2013 at a Rick Owens runway show. We hit it off and I ended up singing on a few of his tracks. Even did it live a few times. Love his work.

SL: Are you a fan of Depeche Mode yourself? If so, when did you hear them for the first time? Do you have a favourite song or album by them? Have you seen them live? When and where?

CC: Of course! Hard to pick but maybe “It’s No Good”. Amy has seen them I think almost twenty times starting in mid 80’s.

SL: You are going to perform with Cold Cave on five nights (actually six, because in Amsterdam there is also a second show) before Depeche Mode as a support act at big outdoor / stadium concerts. You are also going to do a Germany gig in Leipzig at the legendary Festwiese. When was the last time you were on tour in Germany? What memories do you have of those concerts?

CC: It’s been a few years since a tour. I went to high school in Stuttgart and always love being there. One of the greatest countries. Definitely looking forward to Leipzig. We were there last in 2019 and the year before that with the Jesus and Mary Chain.

SL: I’m going to see your live performance in Bratislava. My 13-year-old daughter is also going to be there, she is also a big fan of synth pop and really likes her dad’s favourite bands. You also have an 8-year-old son. Has he already shown an interest in music? What does he think of your musical works?

CC: He lives and breathes it so far. Often joining us live for a song too. We are both lucky they are down for our music! He’s a great focus group for of a song is good or not.

SL: Your partner, Amy Lee, plays synthesizer alongside you. Which musicians are going to accompany you at the concerts with Depeche Mode?

CC: Amy Lee, Ryan McMahon and Anthony Anzaldo.

SL: Which song or album of Cold Cave would you recommend to those who don’t know your work yet? By the way, are you working on anything new right now?

CC: Always working! Hard to choose. My music really follows my immediate mood so would depend upon that. Maybe “Glory”.

SL: Thanks for the answers and hopefully you will gain many new fans for Cold Cave thanks to the shows together with Depeche Mode!

CC: Thank you! It’s a dream to support Depeche.

Cold Cave “Memento Mori” shows with Depeche Mode:

• Amsterdam (16./18.5.)
• Antwerpen (20.5.)
• Stockholm (23.5.)
• Leipzig (26.5.)
• Bratislava (28.5.)

Cold Cave Discography

For more on Depeche Mode, see Mediamass website pronounces Depeche Mode’s Dave Gahan dead, then… on Side-Line.

János Janurik

I began my career in online music journalism in 2001, writing about artists I had followed since the late ’80s and early ’90s, including Depeche Mode, Erasure and The Cure. I later edited the Hungarian Mute microsite for EMI Music Hungary. This led to interviews with Erasure, Nitzer Ebb and Alan Wilder, and some of those collaborations developed into lasting friendships. Since 2014, I have been part of the editorial team of depechemode.de. I also contribute interviews to Reflections of Darkness, Peek-A-Boo Magazine and Kaput Mag. I maintain a close connection to Mute Records artists and have also supported releases on Very Records. I am proud to collaborate with Side-Line Magazine, where I regularly publish interviews and features.

Depeche Mode has unveiled the lineup of support acts for their ‘Memento Mori’ European tour, set to begin next month. The duo, comprising Martin Gore and Dave Gahan, took to Instagram on April 12 to share the names of the five acts accompanying them during their 34-show run across Europe and the UK.

Cold Cave and Young Fathers are among the artists slated to join Depeche Mode on tour, along with Berlin-based band Hope, former Savages vocalist Jehnny Beth, and British trip-hop outfit Haelos (or Hælos).

The support acts for Depeche Mode

Here’s a short roundup of who these artists are. Cold Cave is a project by Wesley Eisold and blends darkwave, noise, and synthpop, drawing comparisons to Joy Division and New Order. Young Fathers is a Scottish group formed in 2008, who has won the Scottish Album of the Year Award twice and released a fourth album, “Heavy Heavy”, in 2023. Berlin-based band Hope, formerly Mamsell Zazou, creates dark, dystopian music influenced by their city’s art scene. Jehnny Beth, a French musician and former Savages frontwoman, has released solo albums and collaborated with numerous artists, including Trentemøller, Julian Casablancas, and Gorillaz. British trip-hop band Hælos, from London, released their second album, “Any Random Kindness”, in May 2019, showcasing their ‘dark euphoria’ sound.

The European leg of the tour will commence with two shows in the Netherlands on May 16 and 18. Following these performances, Depeche Mode will visit countries such as Sweden, Germany, France, Italy, the UK, and Austria before concluding the tour in Norway on August 11.

These tour dates promote the band’s 15th studio album, ‘Memento Mori’, which was released last month.

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For more on Depeche Mode, see Long lost Depeche Mode documentary goes online in the BBC Storyville… on Side-Line.

About Depeche Mode

Depeche Mode formed in Basildon, Essex, England, in 1980, initially under the name Composition of Sound. The lineup that became Depeche Mode came together that year around Vince Clarke (keyboards, guitars), Andy Fletcher (keyboards, bass) and Martin Gore (guitars, keyboards), with Dave Gahan joining shortly after as lead vocalist. The band adopted the name Depeche Mode at a gig at the Bridge House in Canning Town on 24 September 1980, where Mute Records founder Daniel Miller saw them and signed the group.

Depeche Mode’s debut single, “Dreaming of Me,” was recorded in December 1980 and released on Mute in February 1981, followed that October by the debut album “Speak & Spell.” Vince Clarke left the band that November, going on to form Yazoo and later Erasure; Alan Wilder joined on keyboards in 1982 and became an official member from the 1983 single “Get the Balance Right!” The band’s catalog through the 1980s includes “A Broken Frame” (1982), “Construction Time Again” (1983), “Some Great Reward” (1984), “Black Celebration” (1986) and “Music for the Masses” (1987), the latter turning the band into arena headliners in the US off the back of their Rose Bowl concert, later documented in the film “101.”

“Violator” (1990) and “Songs of Faith and Devotion” (1993) marked the band’s commercial peak, but Wilder departed in June 1995, continuing his own project Recoil, leaving Gahan, Gore and Fletcher as a trio. The band released “Ultra” (1997), “Exciter” (2001), “Playing the Angel” (2005), “Sounds of the Universe” (2009), “Delta Machine” (2013) and “Spirit” (2017) as a three-piece, touring with long-serving live members Christian Eigner (drums, keyboards, since 1997) and Peter Gordeno (keyboards, bass, since 1998). Alongside the band, Gahan released solo albums “Paper Monsters” (2003) and “Hourglass” (2007), and Gore released “Counterfeit²” (2003).

Depeche Mode was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on 7 November 2020. Andy Fletcher died on 26 May 2022, and Gahan and Gore continued as a duo, releasing “Memento Mori” in 2023 with Eigner and Gordeno again on the road. The band has sold more than 100 million records and placed 54 singles on the UK charts. The 2023 European tour supported “Memento Mori,” released that March as the band’s first album since Andy Fletcher’s death the previous year.

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Depeche Mode delivered a performance in Radio 2’s Piano Room, accompanied by the BBC Concert Orchestra so we informed a few days ago. They played “Walking In My Shoes,” their new track “Ghosts Again,” and a cover of “Sundown,” originally popularised by Scott Walker. All tracks were recorded at the BBC’s Maida Vale Studios (and this not well-known, but they are going to be sold).

The recording is now available on the BBC’s iPlayer.

Second time Depeche Mode performs with classical orchestra

This marked the second time the band has performed with a classical orchestra. The first occasion was at the Royal Albert Hall in 2010, during an event to raise funds for the Teenage Cancer Trust. A video excerpt below features “Home” being performed with an orchestra. Notably, Alan Wilder joined Martin Gore on stage to perform “Somebody,” which was his first performance with Depeche Mode since leaving the band. Additional musicians played strings for “One Caress,” “Home,” and “Come Back.”

The BBC Concert Orchestra is a British concert orchestra based in London, one of the British Broadcasting Corporation’s five radio orchestras. With around fifty players, it is the only one of the five BBC orchestras which is not a full-scale symphony orchestra.

About Scott Walker

The late Scott Walker, was an American-British singer-songwriter and record producer who resided in England. Walker was known for his emotive voice and his unorthodox stylistic path which took him from being a teen pop icon in the 1960s to an avant-garde musician in the 21st century.

The set will be aired on BBC Radio 2 on April 6.

For more on Depeche Mode, see Depeche Mode announces support acts for their 2023 European tour on Side-Line.

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Depeche Mode kicked off their extensive Memento Mori tour in Sacramento, California bringing a touching homage to the late Andy Fletcher during the performance of “World in My Eyes.” Andy Fletcher, founding member of Depeche Mode, died on Thursday, May 26 2022, at the age of 60 leaving a wife and two children behind.

This tribute will continue throughout the entire tour, and glimpses of the tribute can be seen in the photo and video taken at The Kia Forum, Los Angeles, on March 28. As evocative images of Fletcher appeared on the screen behind the band, Gahan honored him, saying, “our friend, Andrew Fletcher,” as the song concluded.

Dave Gahan and Martin Gore set the tone for the concert series with Memento Mori’s introductory songs, “My Cosmos Is Mine” and “Wagging Tongue,” before transitioning into a series of ’90s classics. The pair will refrain from delving too far into their early ’80s material, only including a handful of songs from before the Black Celebration era.

During Gore’s customary two-song solo segment, he revitalizes “A Question of Lust” and performs Memento Mori’s “Soul With Me.” In the encore, Gahan and Gore deliver a rendition of “Waiting for the Night” from Violator, a track that hadn’t been performed live since 2009.

You can check the full album out below.

Side-Line also covered Depeche Mode’s ‘Twisted mind’.

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

On February 14th, Depeche Mode took the stage to perform four tracks for the popular French television program, Taratata. This highly-anticipated performance was recorded for later broadcast on March 24th, 2023, which is the same day that the band’s latest album, “Memento Mori,” is set to be released.

While uploads of the performance have been taken down from Reddit and YouTube, there’s no doubt that this event will continue to generate buzz among fans leading up to the broadcast in March. Recordings of the performance are circulating in private chat groups.

The setlist of the TV performance:

1. Ghosts Again
2. Wagging Tongue
3. Precious
4. Personal Jesus

“Memento Mori” is the upcoming fifteenth studio album by Depeche Mode set to be released on 24 March 2023, through Columbia and Mute. The album was produced by James Ford and Marta Salogni. It was preceded by the single “Ghosts Again” and will be the first Depeche Mode studio album to be released after the death of co-founder and keyboardist Andy Fletcher on 26 May 2022.

Although work on the album began prior to Fletcher’s death, Dave Gahan stated in an interview with NME that Fletcher did not record any material for the album. The album will be promoted by a Memento Mori tour.

This is the track list of the album. All tracks are written by Martin L. Gore, except where noted.

1. My Cosmos Is Mine (Martin L. Gore)
2. Wagging Tongue (Martin L. Gore, Dave Gahan)
3. Ghosts Again (Martin L. Gore, Richard Butler)
4. Don’t Say You Love Me (Martin L. Gore, Butler)
5. My Favourite Stranger (Martin L. Gore, Butler)
6. Soul with Me (Martin L. Gore)
7. Caroline’s Monkey (Martin L. Gore, Butler)
8. Before We Drown (Dave Gahan, Peter Gordeno, Christian Eigner)
9. People Are Good (Martin L. Gore)
10. Always You (Martin L. Gore)
11. Never Let Me Go (Martin L. Gore)
12. Speak to Me (Dave Gahan, Marta Salogni, Christian Eigner, James Ford)

Here’s already a live performance in Paris on the program Quotidien with Yann Barthès with “Ghost Again”.

Side-Line also covered Depeche Mode’s ‘Memento Mori’.

About Depeche Mode

Depeche Mode formed in Basildon, Essex, England, in 1980, initially under the name Composition of Sound. The lineup that became Depeche Mode came together that year around Vince Clarke (keyboards, guitars), Andy Fletcher (keyboards, bass) and Martin Gore (guitars, keyboards), with Dave Gahan joining shortly after as lead vocalist. The band adopted the name Depeche Mode at a gig at the Bridge House in Canning Town on 24 September 1980, where Mute Records founder Daniel Miller saw them and signed the group.

Depeche Mode’s debut single, “Dreaming of Me,” was recorded in December 1980 and released on Mute in February 1981, followed that October by the debut album “Speak & Spell.” Vince Clarke left the band that November, going on to form Yazoo and later Erasure; Alan Wilder joined on keyboards in 1982 and became an official member from the 1983 single “Get the Balance Right!” The band’s catalog through the 1980s includes “A Broken Frame” (1982), “Construction Time Again” (1983), “Some Great Reward” (1984), “Black Celebration” (1986) and “Music for the Masses” (1987), the latter turning the band into arena headliners in the US off the back of their Rose Bowl concert, later documented in the film “101.”

“Violator” (1990) and “Songs of Faith and Devotion” (1993) marked the band’s commercial peak, but Wilder departed in June 1995, continuing his own project Recoil, leaving Gahan, Gore and Fletcher as a trio. The band released “Ultra” (1997), “Exciter” (2001), “Playing the Angel” (2005), “Sounds of the Universe” (2009), “Delta Machine” (2013) and “Spirit” (2017) as a three-piece, touring with long-serving live members Christian Eigner (drums, keyboards, since 1997) and Peter Gordeno (keyboards, bass, since 1998). Alongside the band, Gahan released solo albums “Paper Monsters” (2003) and “Hourglass” (2007), and Gore released “Counterfeit²” (2003).

Depeche Mode was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on 7 November 2020. Andy Fletcher died on 26 May 2022, and Gahan and Gore continued as a duo, releasing “Memento Mori” in 2023 with Eigner and Gordeno again on the road. The band has sold more than 100 million records and placed 54 singles on the UK charts. The Taratata performance came during the promotional run for “Memento Mori” (2023), the band’s first album released as a duo.

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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The German magazine Sonic Seducer has two Depeche Mode issues out. The first is the issue 11-2022 which is out now and which can still be ordered in their shop if you haven’t bought it yet. The issue comes with an extended Depeche Mode title story plus interviews with Dave Gahan and Martin Gore. Added to this you get an original “Memento Mori” tour poster and more.

Next is the Depeche Mode special issue celebrating 40 years of “A Broken Frame” including a 2023 calender (with rare and exclusive photos from the band’s whole career). As an extra you get a story written by Martin Gore plus alternative cover art by Brian Griffin and the “Remode” cover CD. This issue is only available in the magazine’s shop.

Both issues can be ordered right here.

Side-Line also covered Depeche Mode’s ‘Walking in their shoes’.

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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DI*ove is a Belgian EBM project set up and driven by Eric Manchiniste. He’s a great fan of Electronic music and  started composing music at the age of 12 by tinkering with his mother’s appliances. Later on he dreamed of having a synth rather than a moped like most of his friends. After his first fee as a singer in a Rock band he bought a drum machine and the adventure began… The band DI*ove is the inversion of E-void, a more Experimental project from the early 2000s. DI*ove’s first album “DI*ode” got released in 2013 by EK Product. Later on Eric started to self-release his works. The second album “DI*vided” was released in 2016 while several EP’s got released as well. The newest EP “DI*version/Phase I” is a great piece of music mixing traditional EBM influences together with Electroclash and Minimal-Electro. An introduction to DI*ove.(Picture credits by Valsdarkroom / Interview courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: DI*ove is already active for numerous years but don’t release new work at regular basis. How did it all started and what have been the main changes and evolutions throughout the years?

Eric: I thought DI*ove was releasing an album/EP on a regular basis (lol). For the past 13 years, the project has been releasing a record every 3/4 years except lately because of the pandemic.

In 2008, I had some instrumental recordings to work on. That’s when I met Lukk. As he had enjoyed a few tracks, I proposed him to add his voice. The result was very convincing. From there on was born the first EP released on Knovel Records.

Over the years I have enjoyed collaborating with other singers (Sacha, Nina) and from time to time I also stick to the exercise of placing my voice -a bit like Martin Gore on Depeche Mode albums (lol).

Q: I always experienced your sound as driven by good-old EBM influences but what are your sources of inspiration and possible bands/artists you see as true references? What does DI*ove stands for?

Eric: I grow up with the sound of the 80’s. Going from New-Romantic to New-Wave to EBM/Indus. In the 90’s, I also flirted with post New-Beat, House-Tech… I’m still interested in what’s currently being done musically. That’s why today I pick a little bit from everywhere. It is clear that the music of DI*ove is mainly driven by Dark-Electronic music like EBM but I also like to inject more contemporary sounds; not to remain only in the codes of the past.

Q: Your debut album “DI*ode” (2013) was released on EK Product while all productions after that debut were self-released. For most artists it all happens the other way round so what does this ‘do it yourself’ approach mean to you? And how do you manage all different aspects next to music, like promotion, distribution, management etc?

Eric: Let’s say that with age the desire for artistic freedom becomes greater. Then it happens that there is a big difference between what is written on a contract and the reality. Let’s add that ‘do it yourself’ is in fashion. Besides that, I’m the kind of artist who doesn’t fancy businessman’s tasks, but still has to achieve them. I’m used to manage the functions related to promotion, distribution, artwork, concert canvassing… But I must admit that my door remains open for external help. The call is launched.

Q: Tell us a bit more about your newest work “DI*version / Phase 1”. How did this EP –or is it a mini-album (?) saw the daylight? What did you try to express and what have been the main focus in the song writing?

Eric: “Di*version” was composed right after the lockdown. I was quite happy to see people again, to party again and especially to have perspectives like releasing an EP. Nina and I had gotten into the habit of having a drink on Friday nights while listening to vinyl records. One night she said to me: ‘what if we made music together?’ The next day I plugged in my machines again and took my pen.

We rethought all the Friday night conversation topics and put the most important ones back in writing. From the living room on Friday night, we moved to the home studio to record “DI*version”.

Q: You clearly seem to like working with guest artists/singers and you already collaborated with famous names like Claus Larsen, Plastic Noise Experience ao. How comes and what are the main criteria you use to work with other artists? How do these collaborations happened; I mean what’s the real impact and input of the guest artists/singers?

Eric: Indeed, I like to collaborate with other people. On the one hand it’s an opportunity to meet interesting people and on the other hand, a different approach to work. A formula that works very well for me.

I met Claus Kruse from PNE at the beginning of the Facebook era. He had liked our 2nd EP and especially a track he wanted to remix. I didn’t hesitate for a second, knowing Claus’ work. I accepted and agreed to propose the track for the compilation “Face The Beat Vol 1”. Then he sang on “Addictions” a track from our first album.

The other Claus Larsen from Leather Strip was pure luck. We were spending our vacations in the same city and we met in a bar that we used to visit for its special food (private joke!).

We talked about music, collaboration and insisted on keeping in touch after the vacations. That was it! I had a track ready and I sent it to him. Claus recorded the vocals to finalize the track “Fly Naked”.

I feel honored to have collaborated with these artists who are part of my musical library. The impact is also felt for DI*ove in terms of credibility and visibility. On a personal level, these meetings boost my satisfaction and my work in the future.

Q: Belgium remains a prolific ground for talented EBM artists, but it also is a country with a small scene for this music genre. How do you as an independent artist manage this important aspect and what brings the nearly future for DI*ove?

Eric: Belgium has very good press abroad. The actors of the scene are very enthusiastic when it comes to spreading our music. I also appreciate the complicity and the work of the people who still believe in this kind of music by putting it forward. I would like to mention JL Marchal (Synthpop80.com), Greg and Walter for their radio show “Sampler Et Sans Reproches”. Recently, I still thought that the language barrier in Belgium was a problem. None or few traces of our music in Flanders until I met the “Luminous Dash”-team.

DI*ove is actually finalizing “DI*version Phase 2” and is thinking more and more about getting back on stage.

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

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6 days ago a video of Depeche Mode’s “Memento Mori” press conference was made available, but so far less than 150.000 people have seen it. So, since apparently it was not all that well spread, and because many of you had asked about it on October 5th, a day after the conference took place at Berlin’s Theater am Schiffbauerdamm, we now repost the video on Side-Line as well.

In the video Depeche Mode announced that they will release a new album, called “Memento Mori” early next year, and that they will embark on their first tour in five years. The news follows the death of founder member Andy Fletcher, who passed away during the making of the album earlier this year, and also was postponed because of this for obvious reasons.

Martin Gore says this in the video regarding Fletcher’s passing: “We started work on this project early in the pandemic, and its themes were directly inspired by that time, after Fletch’s passing, we decided to continue as we’re sure this is what he would have wanted, and that has really given the project an extra level of meaning.” Dave Gahan adds: “Fletch would have loved this album. We’re really looking forward to sharing it with you soon, and we can’t wait to present it to you live at the shows next year.”

Here are some screenshots from the video of the press conference followed by the video itself below.

But there’s a lot more in the video itself, which – as we said earlier – surprisingly has not gathered a lot of views. You can watch the full 21 minute video below introduced by studio footage and new material, which kinda sound good too.

Side-Line also covered Depeche Mode’s ‘Muddled Man’.

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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Yesterday we announced that Depeche Mode would launch a ‘Memento Mori Tour’ in 2023, their 19th tour as a band. That news has now been confirmed during a Berlin press conference together with the launch of an all new album called “Memento Mori”, their 15th studio album so far, expected for release in Spring of 2023 via Sony/Columbia.

During the press conference in Berlin today Martin Gore said the following regarding the new album: “We started work on this project early in the pandemic, and its themes were directly inspired by that time. After Fletch’s passing, we decided to continue as we’re sure this is what he would have wanted, and that has really given the project an extra level of meaning.” Dave Gahan added, “Fletch would have loved this album. We’re really looking forward to sharing it with you soon, and we can’t wait to present it to you live at the shows next year.”

For Depeche Mode it will be their first live shows in five years, since their 2017-2018 ‘Global Spirit Tour’ that is. The ‘Memento Mori’ world tour will kick off on March 23rd, 2023, in the USA and more precisely in Sacramento, CA. The first left of the tour will be a special, limited series of North American arena dates before the band heads to Europe for their summer stadium tour.

The North American dates will include stops at New York’s Madison Square Garden, Chicago’s United Center, Los Angeles’ Kia Forum and Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena, among others. The European stadium tour will start on May 16th, with stops at the Stade de France in Paris, Berlin’s Olympic Stadium, Milan’s San Siro Stadium, and London’s Twickenham Stadium among many others.

Tickets go on general sale this Friday 7th October at 10am right here.

The dates known so far:

• Thu 23 Mar 2023 Sacramento | Golden 1 Center
• Sat 25 Mar 2023 San Jose | SAP Center at San Jose
• Tue 28 Mar 2023 Inglewood | Kia Forum
• Thu 30 Mar 2023 Las Vegas | T-Mobile Arena
• Sun 02 Apr 2023 San Antonio | AT&T Center
• Wed 05 Apr 2023 Chicago | United Center
• Fri 07 Apr 2023 Toronto | Scotiabank Arena
• Sun 09 Apr 2023 Québec | Centre Videotron
• Wed 12 Apr 2023 Montreal | Centre Bell
• Fri 14 Apr 2023 New York | Madison Square Garden
• Tue 16 May 2023 Amsterdam Zuidoost | Ziggo Dome
• Sat 20 May 2023 Antwerpen | Sportpaleis
• Tue 23 May 2023 Stockholm | Friends Arena
• Fri 26 May 2023 Leipzig | Festwiese Leipzig
• Fri 26 May 2023 Leipzig | Festwiese Leipzig
• Sun 04 Jun 2023 Düsseldorf | Merkur Spiel-Arena
• Sun 04 Jun 2023 Düsseldorf | Merkur Spiel-Arena
• Tue 06 Jun 2023 Düsseldorf | Merkur Spiel-Arena
• Sun 71 Jun 2023 Bern | Stadion Wankdorf
• Sun 11 Jun 2023 Bern | Stadion Wankdorf
• Sun 17 Jun 2023 Twickenham | Twickenham Stadium
• Tue 20 Jun 2023 München | Olympiastadion München
• Tue 20 Jun 2023 München | Olympiastadion München
• Thu 22 Jun 2023 Lille | Stade Pierre Mauroy
• Sat 24 Jun 2023 Paris | Stade de France
• Tue 27 Jun 2023 Kobenhavn © | Parken
• Thu 29 Jun 2023 Frankfurt | Deutsche Bank Park
• Thu 29 Jun 2023 Frankfurt | Deutsche Bank Park
• Tue 04 Jul 2023 Décines Charpieu | Groupama Stadium
• Fri 07 Jul 2023 Berlin | Olympiastadion Berlin
• Fri 07 Jul 2023 Berlin | Olympiastadion Berlin
• Wed 12 Jul 2023 Rome | Stadio Olimpico di Roma
• Eri 14 Jul 2023 Milano | Stadio San Siro
• Sun 16 Jul 2023 Bologna | Stadio Dall’Ara
• Fri 21 Jul 2023 Graz | Wörthersee Stadion Klagenfurt
• Fri 21 Jul 2023 Klagenfurt | Wörthersee Stadion
• Fri 28 Jul 2023 Budapest | Puskás Aréna
• Sun 30 Jul 2023 Prague | Letisté Letany
• Wed 02 Aug 2023 Warsaw | PGE Narodowy
• Sun 06 Aug 2023 Tallinn | Tallinna Lauluväljak
• Tue 08 Aug 2023 Helsinki | Kaisaniemen puisto
• Fri 11 Aug 2023 Oslo | Telenor Arena, Oslo

Side-Line also covered Depeche Mode’s ‘s ’.

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

UPDATE: Depeche Mode officially announce new tour and album ‘Memento Mori’

When you see ticket reseller prepping things for a new tour you can be sure something is up. And indeed, in May 2021 a domain was registered to sell tickets for a 2023 Depeche Mode tour, we have monitored that domain for a while and a few weeks ago it went live indicating that something was coming up.

Known so far is that the tour will be called “Memento Mori Tour” and only a few cities (and first dates) where the band will land. In the list we got we found Leipzig (Red Bull Arena – 26 May 2023) and Frankfurt (Deutsche Bank Park Germany – 29 Jun 2023) followed by these cities which should see the band live at work in June or July 2023: London, Paris, Zurich,, Prague, Warsaw, Amsterdam, Vienna, Berlin, Munich and Cologne.

For Munich a poster surfaced which you can find below, it shows a June 20th 2023 date, and for Frankfurt there was also a poster that popped up in the street apparently.

You can expect more shows and solid dates pretty soon. For the band it will be the first time they start touring without Andy Fletcher who died in May this year. The only other period Fletcher didn’t play live with the band was when Daryl Bamonte took on his role for the remaining thirty-nine concerts of the Exotic Tour.

As for the title of the tour, ‘memento mori’ is Latin for ‘remember that you [have to] die’. It is an artistic or symbolic trope acting as a reminder of the inevitability of death. The most common motif is a skull, often accompanied by one or more bones. Often this alone is enough to evoke the trope, but other motifs such as a coffin, hourglass and wilting flowers signified the impermanence of human life.

A press conference in Berlin is in the making as well, tomorrow, and both David Gahan and Martin Gore left on a trip (to Europe) together as the video below (shot today in Los Angeles) shows.

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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(Photo by Reset Records) The English musician and singer Robert Marlow (real name Robert Allen) is no more. Marlow passed away on Thursday 22nd September after a short and unexpected illness. The news was communicated by a close friend of Marlow on Facebook. He would have turned 61 on October 21st.

About Robert Marlow

Robert Marlow was an English synth-pop singer, songwriter and musician and grew up in Basildon together with future Depeche Mode members Vince Clarke, Martin Gore and the late Andy Fletcher. But there’s more, he was also tied to Alison Moyet, with whom he played in a band, the Vandals. He ended up playing in a band, with Vince Clarke, called the Plan, and later French Look, with Martin Gore and Paul Redmond.

In 1983 Marlow formed The Peter Pan Effect. The project initially was born when Marlow was in a band called Film Noir, with future keyboardist and guitarist for the Cure, Perry Bamonte. After Clarke left Depeche Mode, Marlow approached Clarke and secured some studio time at Blackwing Studios with him and Eric Radcliffe. He was offered only one day, and decided to record “The Face of Dorian Gray”. This led to extra studio time. The single was released on Reset Records, a label founded in 1983 by Vince Clarke and Eric Radcliffe. The B-side was the track “The Tale of Dorian Gray“.

After that, he released three more singles: “I Just Want to Dance”, “Claudette” and “Calling All Destroyers”. Due to little airplay and low sales the album was shelved until 1999 when the Swedish label Energy Rekords released it.

In early 2002 Robert Marlow founded Marlow, which was a duo with Gary Durant. The duo released the single “My Teenage Dream” in 2002. An album followed in 2009, “Inside Outside”, on Electro-Shock-Records which would release all of Robert Marlow’s later side-project albums. The title track was arranged and produced by Vince Clarke, who had also remixed a track on the album called “Home”. The follow-up album “The Future” was never released and the duo split up in 2012. However in 2013 he would release a reworked version of “The Future” as “The Future Remixes”.

After the split of Marlow, Robert Marlow once again performed as a solo artist and released a new 7 track EP, “The Blackwing Sessions”, again on the German label Electro Shock Records. The release held tracks with other vocals and instrumentals from the “1982–1984 recordings in the Blackwing Studios”.

Cleopatra Records would later on release standard US releases of “The Peter Pan Effect” and Family Fantastic’s “Nice!” in a limited edition box double pack with additional info about Vince Clarke’s involvements in the two projects on the back. Family Fantastic was a project formed in 2000 by Clarke and Phil Creswick (ex-Big Fun), featuring various high-profile singers from the UK.

I have had the pleasure to interview Robert Marlow a couple of times, and although he never became a big superstar, he was ok with what he had achieved despite having to wait decades to see his dreams come partially true. A sweet person, maybe too kind for this world.

Our most since condolences to Robert’s friends and family.

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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The sudden death of Andy Fletcher yesterday has – as predicted – caused a big shockwave throughout the electro pop community. Several former colleagues and people close to the band have in the meantime posted condolences.

We picked the most relevant ones.

Alison Moyet was one of the first to react: “I have just heard the news. Since we were 10. Same estate. Class mates to label mates. He who kept faith with all the old gang and they with him. It doesn’t compute. Fletch. I have no words.”

Andy Bell and Vince Clarke from Erasure posted a picture of Andy Fletcher with as text an emoji of a broken heart.

Fletcher’s former Depeche Mode colleague Alan Wilder (Recoil) posted this: “A real bolt from the blue to hear about former Depeche Mode colleague Andy Fletcher yesterday. My thoughts and condolences are with his wife Grainne and all the family at this distressing time. RIP ‘Fletch’.”

Mute and Daniel Miller: “We mourn the loss of our dear friend Andrew Fletcher who passed away yesterday. Such an integral part of Depeche Mode from the very start of their remarkable journey, he will be missed beyond words. Our hearts go out to his family, Dave and Martin and to all the wonderful fans and friends who loved him. With love from Daniel and his entire Mute family.”

Phil Burdett who used to form a band, Norman & The Worms, with Martin Gore and who went to the same school as Fletcher posted the following: “So very sad to learn of the passing of Andy Fletcher my old school pal & eventual member of Depeche Mode. Whilst I have never been a fan of the band I have many good memories of the times at the end of my fourth/fifth form at St. Nicholas & he was an integral part of a very fertile period in Basildon at that time & somehow when contemporary friends are lost the sadness felt is made more vivid. He used to come & see me & Martin play at Norman & The Worms gigs & I always thought it odd that he was positioned in between us in this photo…out of all three in the picture two thought they would make it big…couldn’t have happened to a nicer chap…RIP Fletch…”

Deb Danahay who was very close to the band during its earliest history posted the following: “I’m still in shock… Andy never took drugs or even hard alcohol… he just loved a pint or two of lager with the boys… He never learned how to drive. He’d get the train back to Basildon to meet up with his old mates… he was a fiercely loyal friend… Something I’d love to tell devotees… that they’d travelled the same route on the same trains… I was at a DM event in Berlin with Gareth Jones and someone asked what Andy brought to the recording sessions, Gareth Jones was adamant that Fletch brought the whole process together…”

Orchestral Manoeuvres: “Tonight we are celebrating selling out The Greek Theatre in LA but it will be touched by a great sadness as all of us say farewell to Andy Fletcher from Depeche Mode. A beautiful person in an amazing band. We send alll our love to his family.”

Jurgen Engler: “Crazy news… R.I.P. Andy Fletcher… we hung out in Dusseldorf way back in the 80s on DM’s Some Great Reward tour… the band had invited me to meet them after the show… he was such a nice guy, easy going and curious… it’s hard to believe he left so young… I know the world won’t forget him 🖤”

Pet Shop Boys: “We’re saddened and shocked that Andy Fletcher of Depeche Mode has died. Fletch was a warm, friendly and funny person who loved electronic music and could also give sensible advice about the music business. Our sincere condolences to his family and friends and to Dave Gahan and Martin Gore. Neil & Chris xx”

Blancmange: “Very sad news. I have great memories of times we shared all those decades ago. On tour I never won a single game of chess against him. Before either of us signed record deals we both worked at London Bridge. me under that railway arch as a graphic designer and he in a suit, at a solicitors I think, or may be an accountants. I’d quite often bump into him, each of us doing a double take to process the sight of each other not standing on some tiny stage next to synths and tape machines.
A lovely man. A gentleman.”

Soft Cell: “We are so sad to hear about the passing of Andy Fletcher. Depeche Mode and Soft Cell will forever be part of each other’s early histories and genre-defining the early 80’s. What a band, and what a success story. We send our love to Dave, Martin, Daniel and all the Depeche Mode team.”

New Order: “We are saddened to hear of Andy Fletcher’s passing. Our thoughts are with Depeche Mode, their crew, his family and friends at this difficult time.”

This article will constantly be adapted with new quotes.

For more on Depeche Mode, see DJ 7rym releases 2hr long Depeche Mode mix honouring Andrew Fletcher… on Side-Line.

About Depeche Mode

Depeche Mode formed in Basildon, Essex, England, in 1980, initially under the name Composition of Sound. The lineup that became Depeche Mode came together that year around Vince Clarke (keyboards, guitars), Andy Fletcher (keyboards, bass) and Martin Gore (guitars, keyboards), with Dave Gahan joining shortly after as lead vocalist. The band adopted the name Depeche Mode at a gig at the Bridge House in Canning Town on 24 September 1980, where Mute Records founder Daniel Miller saw them and signed the group.

Depeche Mode’s debut single, “Dreaming of Me,” was recorded in December 1980 and released on Mute in February 1981, followed that October by the debut album “Speak & Spell.” Vince Clarke left the band that November, going on to form Yazoo and later Erasure; Alan Wilder joined on keyboards in 1982 and became an official member from the 1983 single “Get the Balance Right!” The band’s catalog through the 1980s includes “A Broken Frame” (1982), “Construction Time Again” (1983), “Some Great Reward” (1984), “Black Celebration” (1986) and “Music for the Masses” (1987), the latter turning the band into arena headliners in the US off the back of their Rose Bowl concert, later documented in the film “101.”

“Violator” (1990) and “Songs of Faith and Devotion” (1993) marked the band’s commercial peak, but Wilder departed in June 1995, continuing his own project Recoil, leaving Gahan, Gore and Fletcher as a trio. The band released “Ultra” (1997), “Exciter” (2001), “Playing the Angel” (2005), “Sounds of the Universe” (2009), “Delta Machine” (2013) and “Spirit” (2017) as a three-piece, touring with long-serving live members Christian Eigner (drums, keyboards, since 1997) and Peter Gordeno (keyboards, bass, since 1998). Alongside the band, Gahan released solo albums “Paper Monsters” (2003) and “Hourglass” (2007), and Gore released “Counterfeit²” (2003).

Depeche Mode was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on 7 November 2020. Andy Fletcher died on 26 May 2022, and Gahan and Gore continued as a duo, releasing “Memento Mori” in 2023 with Eigner and Gordeno again on the road. The band has sold more than 100 million records and placed 54 singles on the UK charts. Fletcher had been a member since the band’s 1980 formation, and his death left Gahan and Gore to continue as a duo.

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

We have had our fair share of bad news in the past few years, also this year started with bad news, but this news will cause a shockwave in the electro pop music scene as Andy Fletcher, founding member of Depeche Mode, died this Thursday, May 26, at the age of 60. Fletcher leaves a wife and two children behind. No further details regarding the cause of death were given.

The news was confirmed on the band’s official profile on social media as you can see below. Our sincere condolences to the family.

Andy Fletcher, full name Andrew John Leonard Fletcher, was born on the 8th of July 1961. Often referred to as as Fletch, he and schoolmate Vince Clarke formed the short-lived band No Romance in China, in which Fletcher played bass guitar. In 1980, Fletcher met Martin Gore at the Van Gogh pub on Paycocke Road in Basildon and with Clarke, the trio, now all on synthesizer, formed another group called Composition of Sound. Clarke served as chief songwriter and also provided lead vocals until singer Dave Gahan was recruited into the band later that year, after which they adopted the name Depeche Mode at Gahan’s suggestion.

Clarke left the group in late 1981, shortly after the release of their debut album “Speak & Spell”.

Their 1982 follow-up album, “A Broken Frame”, was recorded as a trio, with Gore taking over primary songwriting duties. Musician and producer Alan Wilder joined the band in late 1982 and the group continued as a quartet until Wilder’s departure in 1995. From then on, the core trio of Gahan, Gore, and Fletcher remained active, up to the release of their 2017 album “Spirit” and ensuing world tour.

The role of Fletcher in Depeche Mode

Fletcher’s role within Depeche Mode was often a topic of speculation. In early incarnations of the band, he played (electric and later synth) bass but as the band evolved after Vince Clarke’s departure in 1981, Fletcher’s role changed as each of the band members took to the areas that suited them and benefited the band collectively. He was the only member of the band who did not receive a songwriting credit.

Fletcher handled many of the band’s business, legal, and other non-musical interests over the years. In later years, this included acting as the band’s “spokesperson”, with Fletcher often being the one to announce Depeche Mode news (such as record album and tour details).It apparently was also Fletcher who helped settling the dispute between Gahan and Gore following 2001’s “Exciter” album and tour over future songwriting duties within Depeche Mode.

His own label, Toast Hawaii

In 2002, Fletcher launched his own record label, a Mute Records imprint called Toast Hawaii (named after the dish) and signed the band CLIEИT. He coordinated the recording of their eponymous 2003 debut and 2004’s “City”, while also producing “extended remixes” for their subsequent singles “Price of Love”, “Rock and Roll Machine”, “Here and Now”, “In It for the Money”, “Radio” and “Pornography”. CLIEИT left the label in 2006 and no further activity with Toast Hawaii was held or announced.

Initially to support CLIEИT’s live shows, Fletcher began touring as a DJ. Whenever he was on hiatus from Depeche Mode, Fletcher played occasional festivals and club gigs in Europe, Asia, South America and so on. The sets included various exclusive Depeche remixes. In late 2015, Fletcher embarked on a small tour of European clubs.

For more on Depeche Mode, see First reactions on death Andy Fletcher (Depeche Mode) from former… on Side-Line.

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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Back in the good old days, there was BONG, the official Depeche Mode fan club magazine which ran from 1988 until the closure of the club in 2002. Not that there was nothing before that as the magazine was previously distributed as a newsletter format publication known as the Depeche Mode Information Service, which ran from 1981 through early 1988. Anyhow, that all lays now in the past. Many friendships were built via the magazine, many relations as well and many readers were introduced to other bands such as Nitzer Ebb, Front 242, Pouppée Fabrikk, Cat Rapes Dog via the magazine’s penpal section. The last editor was Michaela Olexova (1994 – 2002) who also closed the doors of the magazine in 2002 with BONG 52, in beauty we must say and with a special attached CD holding 3 rare promo only remixes. Over the years we all also got to see her photographic skills as she became the in-house photographer for the magazine.

20 years later, Michaela revisited her photo archives and compiled the best pictures she took of the band during her reign in BONGland to publish them as “Dream”, a curated collection of Depeche Mode photographs from the period 1994 – 2002. You can order your copy right here: www.michaelaolexova.com.

We hailed Michaela who lives in London with her husband, daughter and cat.

Professionally you work as a website designer, photographer, digital creator, educator, and founder & creative director of Feel Good Websites these days. I see you deliver website templates, is that for WordPress only or for several different CMS types?

Michaela Olexova: My expertise is a brand and website design using the Squarespace platform which is a modern, clean and user friendly strategic tool to help you launch and grow your online business. I’m also about to introduce a new online course to help people create an authentic brand from the scratch that ignites their creativity, inspires them to dream big and believe that anything really is possible.

Let’s dive into the past. Being the former editor of the official Depeche Mode official fan club magazine Bong in 1994 – 2002, you have had some really direct access to the band. Is that still so now, I guess not, do you miss it?

Michaela Olexova: It’s been 20 years since the Bong magazine finished and we’ve all moved on, both professionally and personally. So although I’m still in touch with a few people I used to work with and may catch up with the Band members when they tour, we don’t have any more direct contact. It was a really exciting period in my life and I do miss it occasionally but it gave me so many wonderful memories which I wanted to bring back to life in this book.

Is the Depeche Mode era for you closed with this book now?

Michaela Olexova: I’m still a big fan of Depeche Mode and their solo projects so it can never really be closed… However, this book is one of my dreams come true, as the book title suggests, so I’m super happy and grateful that I can share this personal tribute with the world after all those years as a celebration of Depeche Mode, their music and their fans.

One thing I have realized when going through the book is that those past 20 years have flown away as if it all happened just yesterday. I guess it was also a trip down memory lane for you? How do you look back at that period?

Michaela Olexova: Yes, you’re absolutely right, it doesn’t feel like 20 years ago at all! The Bong magazine gave me a creative platform to explore my many passions and skills, whether it was design, photography, writing, music or production, and I was really lucky that I had the freedom to develop lots of my ideas and the Band trusted I was doing a good job. I guess this experience significantly influenced not only my life but also my career as it lead me to where I am today, running a creative design business and empowering women to dare to live their dreams.

How did you pick the pictures for this book and what order did you go for to present them in the book? I guess you ‘sit’ on a lot more material? What material did not make it and why?

Michaela Olexova: When I started organising my photo archive during the Covid lockdown, I realised I’ve got over 1,000 Depeche Mode photos. There are lots of photos from various tours, studio, behind the scenes and private photo sessions, so I decided to organise them in two chapters – Live and Life. I also had a good idea of the book format and knew I wanted to include about 70-80 photos in the final book so I made several shortlists. First, I went from 1,000 to about 300 photos based on my personal preferences, but also the quality of negatives, and then from 300 to the final 73 photos based on my intuition which then had to be scanned and digitally restored.

Your main focus is on Martin Gore and David Gahan, am I wrong these are also your favourite band members? By the way, where were those Martin Gore pictures taken, was/is that his own house’s garden?

Michaela Olexova: It’s funny you say that but it never really was my intention! The reason you see so many photos of Martin and Dave is simply because they’re both centre of the stage during the live shows and that’s all to it. There are also some great photos of Andy Fletcher on and off the stage – I especially like the ones from his visit to Prague – or Alan Wilder who left the Band soon after I started working with them. As for the photos of Martin Gore, they were taken at his country house in May 1995 when I was preparing my photo exhibition of portraits in Prague at the time and he kindly agreed to do a quick photo session to support my project.

I especially like that you also included non live pics in “Dream”, including studio sessions pictures made in a more relaxed atmosphere, or was that just the surface?

Michaela Olexova: The studio photos were taken over two days I spent with them at Rak Studios in London during the recording session of their album ‘Ultra’. I was there to do interviews with all the Band members for the Bong magazine and everyone was really relaxed and happy for me taking photos of the creative process. My favourite pictures are of Dave rehearsing for the song ‘The Love Thieves’, it was just him on the mic and me taking the photos inside the vocal studio which was a really special moment and I’m glad the relaxed atmosphere shows through these candid pictures.

I don’t know if you have a preferred era of the band visually? I personally was always quite attracted by the 1987 and 1989/1990 visual era of the band, I guess because that’s also when they released my preferred Depeche Mode albums. What about you and why?

Michaela Olexova: I guess the time around ‘Music For The Masses’ is really close to my heart as it’s when I discovered Depeche Mode and got attracted to their music. Growing up in the communist Czechoslovakia with hardly any access to the music or culture from the western part of the world, I was fascinated by their music, fashion, style and visuals. With Anton Corbijn’s moody black & white photos and videos, they managed to create a unique brand that was so different to anything or anyone else out there.

Doing promo for this book from the UK has been a postal nightmare, I see it happen with lots of products being shipped to the EU from outside the EU which don’t get delivered or in the best case get returned. Having your own company Feel Good Websites in the UK as well, do you see more of this Brexit ‘fun’ happening?

Michaela Olexova: Yes, I do but it’s not fun at all! To be honest, I was shocked how difficult it is to deliver a book from the UK to Europe. It’s still a mystery to me that the fans in USA, Brazil or Japan can receive their book within a few days while some of the fans in Europe have to wait for weeks or months because their delivery is stuck at the customs. Luckily, I run a digital business so I don’t have to deal with things like that on daily basis but there’s other post-Brexit issues which make things complicated for both, business owners and customers, and that’s a real shame.

Side-Line also covered Depeche Mode’s ‘s ’.

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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Today we celebrate Epiphany, also known as Theophany in the east, a Christian feast day that celebrates the revelation of God’s incarnation as Jesus Christ. In Western Christianity, the feast commemorates principally (but not solely) the visit of the Magi to the Christ Child, and thus Jesus Christ’s physical manifestation to the Gentiles. And there’s no other king more suitable in synthpop land than Depeche Mode frontman Dave Gahan in the iconic 1990 video by Anton Corbijn of “Enjoy The Silence” taken from the cult album “Violator”.

Although instead of a king Anton Corbijn actually wanted to reference the themes and storyline of the philosophical children’s book “The Little Prince” from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Recorded in 1989, “Enjoy The Silence” was released as the second single from what was their seventh studio album on 16 January 1990.

It was Dutch director Anton Corbijn who shot the video for the band with Dave Gahan dressed as a king, crown and cloak included as he walks through various landscapes in Scotland, Portugal and the Swiss Alps, with a deckchair. It wasn’t the only video shot for the song, you might remember that a second video was made for a TV promo. It was shot by the French TV (for the TV Show “Champs-Élysées” with Michel Drucker) featuring Depeche Mode lip-synching the song while standing on the observation deck atop the South Tower of the original World Trade Center.

Dave Gahan: “I felt like an idiot!”

The latter video was dismissed as ‘official’ video although Dave Gahan hated making the first video as he was forced to drag a cape in snow and later said “I felt like an idiot!” As a result he also refused to do some scenes.

Note that it was Alan Wilder’s production which turned the song into a hit because the original was a slow and dull track. Songwriter Martin Gore created a ballad-like first version of the song, which the band took into the studio in 1989. At band member Alan Wilder’s insistence, the song was re-worked into the up-tempo version released on the album. It shows that Wilder was a real genius asset in the band during all these years. But that’s for another article.

The different Depeche Mode videos for ‘Enjoy The Silence’

The World Trade Center version with a similar intro as the Anton Corbijn one.

The Anton Corbijn version.

Side-Line also covered Depeche Mode’s ‘These Mortal Covers’.

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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Out on December 03 is a Blu-Ray edition, as well as a double DVD and deluxe version from Depeche Mode’s live concert film “101”. The concert featured was the final show of the “Music For The Masses” world tour recorded at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, on June 18, 1988. That’s 33 years ago… time flies!

The documentary, co-directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus included the winners of a contest who won an appearance in the Depeche Mode film.

The deluxe edition comes in a new HD edition based on 4K scans of the original film reels. The Blu-Ray includes 3 unreleased bonus performances of “A Question of Lust”, “Sacred” and “Something To Do”, as well as the official promotional video for “Everything Counts”.

And that’s not all, the set comes accompanied by a 48-page behind-the-scenes photo book featuring never-before-seen footage; a replica of the original American cinema poster (20 “x 30”); a 16-page book with the photos of Anton Corbijn, as included in the original version of the album; a double CD of the original concert version with 20 tracks from the concert and a download card giving access to 4K downloads of the movie and bonus performances, as well as 24-bit audio files from the live recording.

Although the Blu-Ray and DVD will have 5.1 mixes, there is no sign of audio-only surround sound as we got on the SACD in 2004. A standalone Blu-Ray and a two-DVD sets will also be available. Alos, included are interviews with Dave Gahan, Andy Fletcher, Martin Gore, Daniel Miller and Jonathan Kessler, but none with Alan Wilder. Rather weird…

Here’s a glimpse of what to expect.

Side-Line also covered Depeche Mode’s ‘All Too Familiar’.

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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(Photo by Travis Shinn) Following the release of “The Third Chimpanzee” earlier this year, Martin Gore (Depeche Mode) has announced he will release “The Third Chimpanzee Remixed”, a collection of remixes and re-workings. The remix release will be out August 20 on Mute via a limited edition double colored vinyl, CD, and digital platforms.

The second track from the release is a remix of “Vervet” by techno DJ and fellow Mute artist, Chris Liebing. Listen to Liebing’s remix below.

The first taste of “The Third Chimpanzee Remixed” came in February from Brazil’s ANNA, who opens the release with a mix of “Howler” which was included in recent BBC 6Music and BBC Radio 1 mixes. The special edition also sees remixes from artists including JakoJako, Jlin, Kangding, Rrose, Wehbba, The Exaltics, MoReVoX, and Barker.

Side-Line also covered Depeche Mode’s ‘Depeche Mode by Anton Corbijn’.

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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(Photo by Edith Bergfors at Studio Bergfors) Chris Liebing has announced details of a new album, “Another Day”, set for release on Mute on 19 November 2021. The new album will be available on double clear vinyl and CD, both with a silver finish and 16-page booklet, as well as digitally.

“Another Day” is the follow up to his 2018 debut for Mute, “Burn Slow” and launches with “Whispers and Wires” featuring Ladan (formerly known as Cold Specks) on vocals. Watch the video, directed by Edith & Anna Bergfors at StudioBergfors.

“Another Day” sees Liebing collaborating with a wide range of artists, including several who were involved with “Burn Slow”. Miles Cooper Seaton, in one of his last performances following his sad and untimely passing earlier this year, and Polly Scattergood lend vocals to a track each, while Ralf Hildenbeutel returns to produce. Ladan (formerly known as Cold Specks), Tom Adams and Maria Uzor (Sink Ya Teeth) are new collaborators for Liebing. Also Mute’s Daniel Miller contributed to the project: “Daniel’s input was just incredible, he brought his modular setup in our studio and he added this extra flavour.”

About Chris Liebing

Chris Liebing is a German techno DJ, music producer, radio host and founder of the record label CLR.

In the early 1990s, Liebing became active on the Frankfurt dance music scene where he also opened the Spinclub techno club in 1994. He furthermore worked at Eye Q Records in Frankfurt and formed his first label, Audio in 1996, which was followed in 1999 by CLR.

In 2004, he released the philosophy-themed Evolution, which took two years to make. In 2005, he worked with Speedy J on the “Collabs 3000: Metalism” album, released by Novamute. In 2009, he launched the CLR Podcast, which was made available every Monday via iTunes and CLR’s own website. The podcast was voiced by Liebing and featured guest mixes from a wide variety of techno DJs. Amongst the more notable guests was Depeche Mode’s Martin Gore. The podcast ran weekly until 2015 when the 315th and final episode was broadcast. It was replaced by a new weekly podcast entitled am/fm, which features only mixes and live recordings by Chris Liebing himself.

In 2018, Liebing launched his first album in eight years, “Burn Slow”, on Mute Records. The album included vocal contributions from artists such as Gary Newman and Polly Scattergood.

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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Austin, TX based Electro Goth duo WeirdWolves release their new song “Overdrive” and it’s really an excellent cut. Founded by Raphael Colantonio and Ava Gore, WeirdWolves offer strong industrial electropop featuring both male and female vocals.

The family name Gore will ring a bell with the Depeche Mode fans, and indeed, she is the daughter of Martin Gore. In Weirdwolves she takes care of the guitarwork and acts as a singer. Colantonio from his side is the former founder and creative director behind Arkane Studios, which is responsible for the hit video game franchises “Dishonored” and “Prey”. Ava Gore also supplied her vocals to the soundtrack of the latter game.

“Overdrive” was produced by Battle Tapes, Josh Boardman of Battle Tapes explains: “I’ve been a fan of Raphael’s work with Arkane Studios for a while. So when he reached out to me about working with WeirdWolves on a song they were writing for his next game I was intrigued. Once I heard the demo, I was excited by how much potential it had and where I could fit in to the equation. Working with Raf and Ava as a team on this song really helped us to fully realize what the song was trying to become.”

Check the track below.

“Overdrive” will be featured in the video game “Weird West” by Wolf Eye Studios.

About Weirdwolves

Weirdly enough, the duo started out as an acoustic band in 2018, but since then Gore and Colantonio have evolved into an electro-goth band. Their first single, “Ghost Voices – Weird West (Official Game Soundtrack)” was released in December, 2019. Three singles and a few remixes later they are now releasing what could be their breakthrough single.

Good stuff. Here are the other singles released so far.

Side-Line also covered Depeche Mode’s ‘The Third Chimpanzee Remixed’.

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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(Photos by Diane Zillmer & Gareth Jones) Out May 21 via the newly revived Parallel Series of Mute is the debut album by Sunroof (aka Daniel Miller & Gareth Jones), “Electronic Music Improvisations Volume 1”.

The new album, their first after four decades of friendship and collaboration, is a collection of eight improvised modular pieces recorded as live in various studio spaces across London. “Electronic Music Improvisations Volume 1” will be available on limited edition clear vinyl, CD, and digital platforms.

You can listen to “1.2 30.5.19” right below.

Check also the previously released “1.1-7.5.19”.

About Daniel Miller and Gareth Jones

Daniel Miller (founder of Mute) met Gareth Jones back when Miller asked Jones to work with him in late 1982 on what became Depeche Mode’s “Construction Time Again”. After the band had gone home for the day, they would stay to work on their own sessions. That practice continued and, by the mid-nineties, Sunroof had emerged as remix project reworking the likes of Can, MGMT, To Rococo Rot, Kreidler and Goldfrapp, and appeared on a compilation paying tribute to Neu!.

Back in 2019, Miller and Jones were heading to a György Ligeti concert at the Barbican and beforehand – as they often do when together in the same city – the pair spent a couple of hours improvising with modular systems. Unusually, this time they decided to record the session and, over a pre-concert meal, Gareth asked a question that seems logical after all these years: “Are we actually going to make a record together before we die?”

The following day, they set themselves some rules: “We decided to get together to do a bunch of improvisations,” explains Gareth. “We said we’d work in a number of different physical spaces but always together, in the same room. We were keen to do shorter pieces because we were both very inspired by Chris Carter and Martin Gore’s electronic music projects, where the pieces were very concise and compact.”

Key to their manifesto was a distinction between an improvisation and a jam session. “With modular systems, you can just go on and on forever and never actually complete anything. Sometimes that’s okay – part of the joy of a modular is that you can just keep going indefinitely. But with this we were keen to actually finish something, so setting that timeframe became a really important rule for us,” adds Daniel.

Tracklisting

This will be the tracklisting of the tracks on “Electronic Music Improvisations Volume 1”.

1. 1.1 – 7.5.19
2. 1.2 – 30.5.19
3. 1.3 – 30.5.19
4. 1.4 – 18.6.19
5. 1.5 – 9.7.19
6. 1.6 – 7.5.19
7. 1.7 – 30.5.19
8. 1.8 – 2.3.19

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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(Photo by Travis Shinn) Martin Gore, songwriter and founding member of Depeche Mode, has released the video for his new solotrack, “Howler”. The video was directed by NYSU (Bastille, New Order, Wild Beasts). The track is taken from the forthcoming 5-track instrumental EP, “The Third Chimpanzee”, out tomorrow.

“I resynthesized my voice and used warped delays and other manipulation effects on ‘Howler,’” Martin says of the track. “The end result was a sound that wasn’t quite human, more monkey like. I really liked the idea of blurring the lines between monkeys and humans. Sometimes I think we just feel that we’re so evolved, and that we’re so much better. I have been questioning that quite a lot recently.”

It’s been five years since Martin released his instrumental album “MG”.

Here’s the video for “Howler”.

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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(Interview by Simon Helm) Dubstar first came to prominence in the 1990s with the kind of hummable dreampop songs that worked as well driving as in clubs. 

Despite chart success, they went on hiatus at the end of the decade. Singer Sarah Blackwood joined Technique and went on tour with Depeche Mode, which led to the founding of Client, the first band on Andy Fletcher’s Toast Hawaii label. Collaborations followed with Martin Gore, Nitzer Ebb and Die Krupps, as the band rode the electro-clash wave.

Blackwood returned to the Dubstar fold and, in 2018, the act returned with a new album, One. Honed to the duo of Blackwood and musician Chris Wilkie, Dubstar’s sound maintained its classic resonance, but with updated and reinvigorated melodies.

The band’s latest release is “I Can See You Outside,” which comes with a video addressing themes like CCTV surveillance. Their previous single, “Hygiene Strip,” tackled the public health crisis. This is deeper material from a group that once got into trouble for using pictures of sexy pencil cases on their covers.

We spoke with Dubstar to find out more about creating under lockdown and their colourful history.

SL: Dubstar seems to be in a much better place as a duo. How do the two of you work together to create the new songs?

Sarah: We live a couple of hundred miles apart, so rely on WeTransfer and sending songs back and forth to each other. Chris will usually start with a template; and, if I like it and it feels and sounds good “sung,” we develop it. Sometimes the vocal suggests different areas to approach, like a key change or a word tweak, and sometimes they don’t need much development; they are almost fully formed and ready to send on to the mother ship, which is [producer Stephen Hague’s] studio.

Chris: Even the people at the end of my street seem a couple of hundred miles away nowadays. But yes, we already had a bit of practice at working “remotely” for geographical reasons. I can usually imagine what the songs will sound like with Sarah singing them, but often unforeseen ideas will emerge in response to what happens the first time she approaches it. Maybe because she hears something which I hadn’t, and her delivery suggests another layer of meaning.

SL: You have been working on new material with Stephen Hague. He seems to have collaborated with a lot of Northerners – New Order, Pet Shop Boys, OMD, Holly Johnson and Pete Shelley being just a few examples. How did you take to him, being from Yorkshire?

S: He’s very mild mannered and easy going. This time around, it was like picking up from where we left off. I can’t quite believe I’m saying this, but I’ve known and worked with him, on and off, for 25 years.

He has seen me through drunken melodramas to sober neurosis; through Dubstar to Client and back again. He even helped me design my kitchen. He’s always tried to nurture and encourage me as a person, especially during the first album, when I was overwhelmed by just about everything. He was a welcome, quiet and calming, influence; and he used to lend me books he thought would be relevant and helpful. Stephen went out of his way to put me at ease, which I massively appreciated. In all the madness, his recording studio was always a place of calm and focus. 

So, the Northerner in both myself and Chris is pretty direct. We don’t need pandering to, and hope what you see is what you get – which I think works well with Stephen’s laid-back calm, on both a productive and a personal level.

C: Perhaps it helps that he’s from Maine and is essentially a Northerner himself, in U.S. terms.

He brings a tranquility-of-mind to proceedings, which is something which me and Sarah have always struggled to achieve without assistance!

SL: The new material doesn’t shy away from confronting themes lifted from the headlines, including the pandemic. How have you been coping during the crisis?

S: I have significantly narrowed my horizons to stay sane, what with ever-changing restrictions. I can’t seem to keep up with which iterations are the most recent, so I just keep my head down, stay close to home, and go out only when it’s absolutely necessary.

I’m massively introverted, anyway, so I’ve quite enjoyed nesting and making unrealistic plans for my home environment, but some of my friends have found it very difficult and I worry for them. My WhatsApp groups with my friends and relatives have become lifelines, even if all we share is yet another banana bread recipe or the latest Donald Trump meme. I see more of my parents, via Zoom, than I ever did, so I think some good has come out of it.

I think my biggest problem will be re-adjusting, if and when the time comes. I haven’t used public transport or been into the centre of town since February. Two evenings out ended disastrously in anxiety attacks, so I think a gentle re-introduction is most definitely in order.

C: I haven’t coped well at all, but making the record has been a lifeline. I liken it to any recycling process: you can take fear and sorrow, and transform them into something less harmful, or even useful.

SL: Sarah, you have sung with Die Krupps. What was it like performing a Visage song with Germany’s legendary industrial act?

S: Well, I remember the recording of it vividly!!!! About three days before, in the middle of a tour, I was given a CD of “Der Amboss” with strict instructions to learn it – which really was mission impossible with absolutely no access to a CD player. Smartphones then were still a twinkle in the eye of Steve Jobs. 

So, on our Saturday off, Ralf [Dörper] dutifully appeared at the hotel just after breakfast, bundled me into a car, and whisked me off to a recording studio in Düsseldorf. I had the journey time to listen to it, on repeat, and then he told me I had to sing it in German too! I have no aptitude for languages, whatsoever, although all my German friends love teaching me very bad things to say for their own amusement. 

Honestly, trying to get my Yorkshire mouth and dialect around the song left us all in fits of laughter. I could see Ralf and Jürgen [Engler] doubled over in tears through the window of the control room, especially “habe spas mit mir”! It took a long, long time to record. 

I had the absolute pleasure of singing it with them onstage in London a couple of times, but I think a lot of the fans were confused as to who I was and why I was there. They were very accepting, though, and gave me a nice cheer. 

And then, post gig, I showed Die Krupps how to stretch out their hip flexors in the dressing room. That was an unforgettable image of them all doing the couch stretch. So game. Love them.

SL: Dubstar were managed, at one time, by the same man who had signed Test Department and Cabaret Voltaire to major labels. How did that come about?

S: Just like Marc Almond, our first encounter with Stevo [Pearce] was in Leeds. His first words were, “See that billboard? Your name will be on there one day, in lights!” 

I wasn’t bowled over, to be honest. That sort of thing doesn’t really float my boat. In fact, it would be more likely to induce panic if it ever happened. He was one in a long line of potential managers we had seen. The record label were losing patience with us. We needed a manager – needed one the day before yesterday – and we were terrified of making the wrong choice, but were also so tired, physically and emotionally. We were at the stage where the last one we had seen was the best one – and he was the last one.

Also, his girlfriend was Cleo Rocos. Cleo was Stevo’s secret weapon. Both Chris and I wanted to be in Cleo’s orbit. She was just one of “those” people:  warm, fun and genuinely caring. She became a bit of a rock for me at the time: encouraging me with writing and performing; buying me CDs of interesting artists, like Dory Previn; picking up false eyelashes for me on her travels; and, most wonderfully, she used to ring me when she knew I was scheduled to be on my own in a hotel room. 

She was a big fan of watching C4 Friday night comedy, especially Frasier, and Chris and I continued that tradition long after Stevo had stopped managing us. We always sent a little thank you into the universe for Cleo. 

To me, then, Stevo appeared quite bonkers. He also told me he was dyslexic, and the one thing I admired about him was that, every day, he would learn a new word and incorporate it into his vocabulary. He never saw limitations, only exciting possibilities – no matter how crazy. One of his more publishable ideas was to engineer a photo opportunity in front of the Selfridges Christmas tree, with him dressed as Santa bestowing us with our gold disc for Goodbye sales, whilst the EMI executives posed as elves. In the little green suits and curly toe shoes. It never happened.

C: I was aware of Stevo as a teenager, because he was often referenced in relation to The The or Soft Cell, and I used to find his notes of wisdom on the Some Bizzare record sleeves interesting. The one he put on Soul Mining always stuck in my head: “With every kick in the face and every hurdle you pass, the rewards get greater“.

It seemed very profound and benevolent, so I suggested that he put one on our Goodbye album. It wasn’t quite as snappy, but I appreciated the lineage.

We could probably fill an entire book with anecdotes just from the period where he was our manager. I was amused that he had a literal, free-flowing fountain of Dom Perignon in his office on New Bond Street to entertain visitors, until I realised who was paying for it.

SL: It seems like narcissists are everywhere in the music industry these days. Does that mean they are winning?

S: Ha, I’ve encountered a couple over the years. I don’t think I ever will again, now I’m a little older and hopefully wiser. I think narcissists have always been with us but social media has given them a platform to thrive, and we are becoming more able to spot them. It’s that thing: the more you look for them, the more you see. Maybe social media exaggerates those traits in people, too, like a virus, which is very sad. They start as entertaining and end up being toxic, which can stir up emotions – and sometimes that’s not a good thing.

We have never been more scrutinised as a society; nor judged as individuals, particularly in media and politics. I think having a profile comes with responsibility, which some don’t realise, and it’s time we all started to scrutinise how we communicate. It used to be something we all just took for granted, but maybe the negative aspects of social media have thrown up some things we can all learn from. 

C: It’s unsurprising that narcissists would be attracted to the music business or any role in public life, because it affords them attention. They’re often good at it for a while, but it’s bound to end badly, because they lack the ability to perceive how others see them.

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

(Photo by Travis Shinn) Five years after the instrumental album “MG” Martin Gore is back with some more solo material, but if you had hoped to hear his voice on the new material then you’ll be (again?) be disappointed.

The songwriter and founding member of Depeche Mode, today released “Mandrill”, an instrumental taken from the forthcoming 5-track instrumental EP, “The Third Chimpanzee”, out January 29. “Mandrill” was produced and written by Martin and recorded this year at Electric Ladyboy in Santa Barbara, California. You can listen to it below, but we honestly didn’t get excited y what we heard.

Martin Gore: “The first track I recorded had a sound that wasn’t human, it sounded primate-like. I decided to name it “Howler”, after a monkey. Then, when it came time to name the EP, I remembered reading the book “The Rise and Fall of the Third Chimpanzee”. It all made sense to call it that, as the EP was made by one of the third chimpanzees.”

Check out “Mandrill” for yourself.

“The Third Chimpanzee” EP Tracklisting

1. Howler
2. Mandrill
3. Capuchin
4. Vervet
5. Howler’s End

Side-Line also covered Depeche Mode’s ‘Overdrive’.

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Wayne Hussey, frontman of The Mission, will soon have a new single out in support of key workers dealing with Covid-19 globally. He has remade the classic Mission anthem “Tower Of Strength”, joined by members of The Cure, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Slowdive, Bauhaus / Love and Rockets, The Smiths, The Twilight Sad, Depeche Mode, The Cult, The Wonder Stuff, Gary Numan, Evi Vine, Midge Ure (Ultravox), Spear of Destiny / Theatre Of Hate, Beauty In Chaos, The Soft Cavalry, All About Eve, Guns N’ Roses, Nine Inch Nails and Gene Loves Jezebel.

The actual collaborators include: Andy Rourke, Billy Duffy, Budgie, Evi Vine, Gary Numan, James Alexander Graham, Jay Aston, Julianne Regan, Kevin Haskins, Kirk Brandon, Lol Tolhurst, Martin Gore, Michael Aston, Michael Ciravolo, Midge Ure, Miles Hunt, Rachel Goswell, Richard Fortus, Robin Finck, Steve Clarke, Tim Palmer, Trentemøller

Produced by Wayne Hussey, this release features mixes by Tim Palmer and Trentemöller. This is also the first time brothers Jay and Michael Aston (of Gene Loves Jezebel) have recorded anything together since parting ways many years ago.

Here’s a preview of the song featuring for instance Martin Gore.

The single itself will be out on August 28 on all digital platforms followed by a 12” vinyl and CD on October 2.

Wayne Hussey: “When Covid-19 hit I started receiving messages asking ‘why don’t you re-issue Tower Of Strength for the front line workers?’ The song had apparently been adopted as an anthem by some NHS workers, and it got me thinking that I would like to contribute something to the greater cause at this unprecedented time and the only thing I could really contribute is music. So in conjunction with my good friend Michael Ciravolo, I came up with the idea of recording a new version of Tower Of Strength for charity by enlisting the help of musician friends and acquaintances. Tower Of Strength was first released by The Mission as single in 1988 and then again in 1994. It charted twice in the UK top 40 and has proved to be probably our biggest song and the one we generally close our shows with. It is anthemic. I wondered if recording a more well known song might have a greater reach but neither Michael or I could come up with any suggestions that seemed to fit lyrically without getting too corny. So Tower Of Strength it was then.

Usually I detest things that are done for charity that are also self-serving, but I came up with a plan that satisfied my conscience. I spoke with my fellow Mission band members who co-wrote the song – Craig Adams, Mick Brown and Simon Hinkler – and we agreed to give up any publishing income generated by the new version to nominated charities, including mechanical and performance royalties and 100% of any revenue raised by sales. TOS2020 has been renamed to divert funds from the original version, and the charities will all be personally nominated by the people involved in its recording and release. Because the musical contributions are global our idea is that the proceeds will be divided and distributed equally among all the beneficiaries.”

Tracklist for the vinyl:

Vinyl Side A

1. TOS2020 (Beholden To The Front Line Workers Of The World mix)
2. TOS2020 (single)

Vinyl Side B

1. TOS2020 (Trentemøller remix)*
2. TOS2020 (Albie Mischenzingerzen remix)**

Tracklist for the CD:

1. TOS2020 (Beholden To The Front Line Workers Of The World mix)
2. TOS2020 (Trentemøller remix)*
3. TOS2020 (Albie Mischenzingerzen remix)**
4. TOS2020 (single)

Tracklist for the digital bundle:

1. TOS2020 (single)
2. TOS2020 (Beholden To The Front Line Workers Of The World mix)
3. TOS2020 (Trentemøller remix)*
4. TOS2020 (Albie Mischenzingerzen remix)**
5. Tower Of Strength (original new remaster) – The Mission (free bonus track with bundle only)

Side-Line also covered Depeche Mode’s ‘s Martin Gore launches new solo track ’.

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

(By our UK correspondent Simon Helm) When Depeche Mode recorded Construction Time Again, they left the studio in order to find sounds for sampling. Armed with producer Gareth Jones’ Sony Professional Walkman, they roamed through East London construction sites in search of metal to strike.

In the recent documentary, Hansa Studios: By the Wall 1976-90, Jones returns to the location the band used for a lot of their field recordings. In an archway leading from a dead-end street to a set of stairs, covered in graffiti, he rattles metal panels and explains the simple methods used to generate the sounds brought back to nearby Garden Studios.

Daniel Miller’s Synclavier, which had been brought into the studio, had sampling capabilities, as did the band’s E-MU Emulator I. The band had the tools to play with found sounds, and they took inspiration from an Einsteurzende Neubauten concert to combine industrial noise with pop. This approach also added some grit to their sound: as Martin Gore explains in the Hansa Studios documentary, their field trips sometimes attracted the attention of workers or watchmen, one of whose “Oi!” cries became part of their set.

The Pedley Street Arch, as the location is known, currently sits under the London Overground railway in the E1 post code. It sometimes appears on maps as Fleet Street Hill, part of the Bethnal Green district. In the past, it was slum area, and it still has not been properly gentrified, despite the hipsters partying on a nearby allotment.

Because it is relatively unused and has an oppressive feel, the location has been used in many TV shows and films, including Luther and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Thanks to Jones, we now know that Depeche Mode got there first, kicking at corrugated steel and worrying watchmen to make “Pipeline.”

Side-Line also covered Depeche Mode’s ‘Spirits in the Forest’.

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Moog Music has announced that Depeche Mode songwriter Martin Gore will receive the 2019 Moog Innovation Award.

Here’s what Moog Music has to say about it:

“Musical pioneer Martin Gore’s masterful electronic meditations on the human condition have illuminated the connection between transformative sound and pure emotion for decades. A founding member of the band Depeche Mode, Gore’s sensual electronic compositions and introspective lyrics have resonated with faithful audiences around the world and impacted the direction of countless visionary artists from Trent Reznor to Johnny Cash.

Gore’s enduring ability to connect the rawest aspects of the human experience to the dance floor defined an era and perpetually reminds us what it means to be human through the emotional power of electronic sound. For his contributions we are honored to name Martin Gore as the recipient of the 2019 Moog Innovation Award.”

Martin Gore will be presented with the award during the Moogfest which takes place on Friday, April 26 at the Carolina Theatre immediately following his keynote conversation with Mute Records founder Daniel Miller. Since 2004, Moogfest has brought together artists, futurist thinkers, inventors, entrepreneurs, designers, engineers, scientists, and musicians. By day, Moogfest is a platform for conversation and experimentation. By night, Moogfest presents cutting-edge music in venues throughout in Durham, North Carolina. Performing artists include early pioneers in electronic music, alongside pop and avant-garde experimentalists of today.

The Moog Innovation Award recognizes artists who have contributed to the exploration of sound in popular music and beyond for the past 50 years, exemplifying the bold, innovative spirit of Bob Moog. Past recipients include visionary artists Gary Numan, Devo, Suzanne Ciani, Brian Eno, Bernie Worrell, synth designers like Herb Deutsch, last year’s recipient Bernie Krause, and Thomas Dolby, who will also be performing and presenting this year.

Side-Line also covered Depeche Mode’s ‘Master and Servant’.

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Alien Skin is an Australian synth-pop project set up in 2008 by George Pappas. George has been involved with the legendary 80s formation Real Life, but is now working on his own. After having released three albums on the now defunct A Different Drum plus multiple self-released productions, Alien Skin signed to the Russian ScentAir Records to unleash a new full length. “P.O.P. POP” is without a shadow of a doubt the most atypical and visionary work ever accomplished by Alien Skin. It’s a modern piece of electro-pop. I talked about it with George Pappas.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: You’re always introduced as having been member of Real Life, which became famous for their legendary 80s hit “Send Me An Angel”. I think you were not involved during the early years of the band, but what has been your personal experience with this band and is Real Life still active today?

George: My time with Real Life began circa 1995 when I was brought in to do studio work on the song “Meltdown“ a key track on the 1997 album “Happy” and also did a handful of local gigs. Subsequent to this I permanently joined the band who had been hitherto dormant and away from the public eye for a number of years. I ended up co-writing half the “Happy”-album with singer David Sterry and programmed our entire set list for live performances. In 1998 we embarked on an extensive tour of the US, Germany and Australia to promote “Happy” and in 2000 were asked to perform at Synthstock2000 in Salt Lake City US with the likes of OMD and Berlin. In 2004 we released the follow up album “Imperfection” and once more toured the US in support. All in all I recorded 3 albums with Real Life before we called it a day in 2005.

David Sterry continues to tour internationally under the name of Real Life as part of various 80s review shows with other singers of the era. I must also add, as we all lived in Melbourne in the 80s, I knew of Real Life almost from day one, becoming an obsessed fan and catching the band at every gig around the city from 1982 till “Send Me An Angel” became the massive hit and took them to international stages for the next few years. I clearly remember when songs such as “Angel” were simply just live tracks performed in their set list during those early, extremely exciting, innovative, electronic, new wave days. Very fond memories; I was a fan well before I became a band member.

Q: I think you set up Alien Skin around 2007 and got rapidly signed to A Different Drum, releasing your debut album “Don’t Open Till Doomsday” in 2008. What did you try to express with this solo-project and can you compare the original sound and spirit of this debut work with your new album “P.O.P. Pop”?

George: In 2003 we (Real Life) signed with US label A Different Drum to release the album “Imperfection”.  After we returned from our 2004 tour of the States in support of said album, and after nearly a decade co-writing with David Sterry I felt the urge, as you do, to write and release something outside the confines of the band. I think David and I were a complimentary team, and I always valued writing with him, but nonetheless I had untapped ideas that had no outlet, songs and moods that could never fit within a Real Life album. And so, returning to Melbourne I started writing songs for, as yet, an unnamed project. After completing a couple of demos I approached A Different Drum who agreed to release a full album upon completion. That album became “Don’t Open Till Doomsday” and one of the tracks was called “Alien Skin” and from the song title I adopted my moniker. MySpace at the time was a major asset in getting the album and the name known to a large number of people.

“Don’t Open Till Doomsday” is still an Alien Skin favorite for many fans. I can understand why, it has the  brooding, melancholic, slow and medium tempo atmosphere ala Depeche Mode with Martin Gore-ish vocals. That’s where my head was at, at the time. It had a couple of key songs “Razor Arms” & “Saviour” which continue to be fan faves, so I have a lot to thank the album for. “P.O.P. POP” is a distant cousin, it obviously comes from the same source – me – so there will always be connections and associations in the music and sound but I view it as a totally different type of Alien Skin release – an exercise in being more rhythmically upbeat and strident. Nonetheless I believe it maintains the moody, dark colored melancholic spirit of my debut. I don’t do ‘happy’ very well:)

Q: After A Different Drum closed its doors, you self-released a few productions. What’s the importance of a label today and especially when we realize the CD format is progressively getting lost? How do you expect the music industry evolving and what does it mean to you as a musician?

George: A label – and here I speak generally of independent labels dealing with non-mainstream artists like myself -will always have more clout than an individual musician or band, especially within the music industry with promoters, magazines, reviewers, interviewers, retailers etc. Supporting and representing many artists, a label is a brand within itself in the market and if one has music released through a trusted label it demonstrates that someone else aside from yourself believes in your music and in you. I regard a supportive label as a confidence crutch providing a release with a sense of gravitas and for me there is also the value of knowing I am not laboring alone to promote my new work.

Yes I agree, the CD format is progressively getting lost and is now mostly for die-hard fans; all music sales across the board have been declining for years. But sales are not what I value most about being on a label. For instance “P.O.P. POP” was released via ScentAir Records exclusively as a CD through retailer POPoNAUT, Germany; it reached number 11 on their sales chart remaining in the top 15 for weeks. Now, although this does not imply great sales it nonetheless demonstrated to me a genuine level of fan support and the label played an important role in generating awareness of the album, far more than I could have achieved alone.

Anyhow, I can see the time, if not fully realized yet, when ownership of music, whether physical or purchased download, will become irrelevant in an absolute sense with no motivation to acquire it. Technology, convenience and the promotion and consolidation of social behavior through big money corporate marketing will continue to see the delivery and experience of music as an adjunct to telecommunication streaming plans and who knows what else in the further future. Live performance though will always remain a means to connect with people and is an area where a musician may earn more than via music sales. But this is mitigated due to many variables and only a minority make a decent living through touring. One cult band that continues to do this after nearly 40 years, and one I adore, is The Legendary Pink Dots. International gigging keeps them financially afloat.

As Alien Skin, working alone and outside the commercial mainstream all this has nominal effect on me. Making a living out of music sales in not something I rely on and gigging is not an option. Having said that, the lack of commercial prosperity does impact upon me as I cannot justify outlaying much money on any music project I undertake, even to the exclusion of some, on economic grounds.

Q: Over now to “P.O.P. Pop”! The title speaks for itself, but still some of the lyrics like “Aim With The Wrecking Ball” clearly refer to the impact of the 80s. Tell us a bit more about it all?

George: Well firstly “Aim With the Wrecking Ball’ has no straight narrative and it’s a mixture of thoughts that I realize can be interpreted in various ways, not necessarily as to what was in my head when I wrote it. It is certainly not my attempt to smash my music idols of the past, as has been suggested by some reviewers, quite the contrary. It’s an eclectic mix of political and social statement, not to put too pompous a tag on it mind you.

Most of my music heroes originate from the UK and Britain has had an enormous impact on world history which has been well documented for millennia. It fascinates me. The Victorian and post-Victorian era is one I’ve been interested in for quite some time and that’s how “Wrecking Ball” begins with my references to Victorian built industrial cities that were composed of masses of impoverished, poorly housed proletariat of the period. Eventually council estates took the place of slums but did not redress most of the social ills. The wrecking ball is a metaphor for the need of social, economic change.

Moving forward, name checking 1970s cultural icons (with Depeche Mode thrown in for good measure) is my way of focusing attention on the dystopian social culture of Britain in that era, a period of protracted economic struggle for working people; a social powder keg that lead to the ‘winter of discontent’ and the rise of the political right wing regime of Margaret Thatcher. If one has a listen to the lyrics you will hear I only aim the wrecking ball at Thatcher and the corporate financiers in the City with an allusion to the Sex Pistols (it ain’t pretty), nowhere else. And, as a follow through, the Thatcher regime was a political blueprint for Reagan in the 1980s, and here we go, my oblique segue to the 80s. Ironically, the 1980s is not an era I am particularly fond of with social & economic upheavals begun then that continue to influence and command us today.

The title track “P.O.P. POP” was inspired by an anecdote Noel Gallagher (Oasis) told of being at a British songwriters award night. When song of the year was announced 8 people stepped up to accept the said award. He was dumbfounded at how a single song can be authored by so many people so he walked up to their table and asked. One did the beats, one the chords, one the lyric, one the topline (melody) etc etc. I share his distaste for conveyer belt, generic, pop fodder.

“Devil In The Detail” was inspired by Nosferatu, “Me And You” by Dan Deacon (but very Bauhaus sounding) from the Francis Ford Coppola film “Twixt” which I saw last year. “Byron Said To Mary” is a particular favorite written after having read Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” and her eulogy for Byron in 1824. The song has an aggressive drum track coupled with that relentless bassline and sounds powerful with the volume cranked up.

Q: The album might be inspired by the 80s, but I experienced your new work as refreshing and even very visionary. This is not a stereotypical electro-pop work, but definitely an opus revealing minimal & intelligent sound treatments. What kind of work did you want to accomplish and what have been the main goals in sound creation?

George: Firstly, thank you so much for your kind praise of the album! I consciously aimed for a different Alien Skin album than what I had been doing to date, especially in attitude and with a change of attitude comes the choice of ‘sound’ itself. The transitional album was its predecessor “1980 REDUX” which again was a conscious decision to deviate and create an 80s themed release, albeit through my own particular prism and perspective. This, I believe, was a major change for me and returned me to my earlier electronic roots from the era of the late 70s into the early 80s.

I had a couple of left over tracks from “1980 REDUX” which were incomplete sketches “Aim With The Wrecking Ball” and “P.O.P. POP” were there musically, but very bare and unlike the finished album tracks and with no lyrics. I completed those two with spoken word in early 2018 and felt I stumbled upon an album ‘direction’ which I liked and I simply continued with more and more tracks with a similar vibe. Dominant, harder edged beats were important, faster tempos and rapid electronic synth sequences became intrinsic to each song and sound design.

Q: What does ‘pop’ music mean to you? How did you see this music genre evolving throughout the years and do you expect some changes/evolutions we maybe already can hear today?

George: My personal history, given my age, is a long one and I have been learning and absorbing music genres for 6 decades now. I was brought up on the crackling electricity of 1960s & 70s innovation that produced ever-lasting pop and rock that lives and inspires still. So, to me ‘pop’ is something precious, something that can be beautiful, meaningful, fun, exciting and ever so memorable. I love strong melody and clever application of ideas that may appear simple on the surface but with closer inspection, if you look for them, are damn genius at work sometimes. A clever, well written, well produced, memorable pop song is pure bliss to me.

I don’t hear anything of this in what goes under the umbrella of pop today nor have I been inspired by such for quite sometime. Depeche Mode with Martin’s brilliant songwriting flair in the 80s was perhaps the last time I was obsessed with pop, albeit their own very unique and dark sense of pop. The word applied nowadays makes me wince, and displays little connection to my own idea of pop and what it once related and referred to. Hence I have no idea how it will pan out in the future, how it may evolve, and much of what is new today continues to be rooted in one way or another in the past, for big industry supported commercial pop music anyhow.

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

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Since many new Depeche Mode fans have no connection with how they sounded before 1993, the band has decided to re-record their biggest hits in the music style they have been using for the past couple of albums. Not a bad idea, which is also what Martin Gore tells: “Over the years our sound has changed so much that many songs barely sound like Depeche Mode or at least not like we would have recorded them now. For instance, how can new fans even know that we created such tracks as “Black Celebration” or even “People are people” when you are listening to our latest albums. We have changed and improved so much that sometimes even for us it’s incredible!”

The re-recorded compilation, working title “If only we could”, will hold 17 tracks and will be produced by Ben Hillier. Included will be such tracks as “Just can’t get enough”, “Master and Servant”, “Strangelove”, … all getting the ‘spirit’ treatment. The band will start recording after they have finished their current tour and also plans to attach a small clubtour, the few thousands of tickets will each be sold via eBay to the highest bidders.

For now now enjoy the contest below if you haven’t participated yet, or you can just hit this link to participate.

Side-Line also covered Depeche Mode’s ‘s ’.

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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It was known that legendary dark troubadour Leonard Cohen had health issues, but the news that broke this morning still remains very sad. Leonard Cohen is no more, he passed away at his home in Los Angeles at the age of 82. The sad news was announced on the singer’s Facebook page and confirmed by his son Adam Cohen.

Despite his health issues Cohen did finish a new (and excellent) album, “You want it darker”, which offered some of his darkest work ever. It was also why Side-Line reported about it, despite some less eclectic readers wondering ‘what this old guy’ was doing in our news. It goes without saying that many artists from this scene are very familiar with Cohen’s work as his lyrics and musical atmospheres did inspire many despite being from a completely different background.

Martin Gore for instance made an excellent cover of “Coming back to you” for the 1995 tribute album “Tower of song – the songs of Leonard Cohen”, an appropriate song to celebrate the genius of Cohen.

Side-Line chief editor Bernard Van Isacker had a special bond with his music: “Ever since my parents introduced me to Leonard Cohen at a very young age, I have always felt that he was my musical companion in life. I’ve seen him live a couple of times, have a whole range of bootlegs from him, all of his records too of course, and I basically can’t get enough of his work which is so intense yet so relaxing to listen to. What many people don’t know is that next to music, Cohen was also a writer. He published the poetry collection “Flowers for Hitler” in 1964 and the novels “The Favourite Game” (1963) and “Beautiful Losers” (1966). I have all the first editions at home. His work as a writer is quite enjoyable but the sales were apparently very poor (not that that ever stopped me from buying something). Although I ended up in this electronic scene, I still feel that his songwriting and lyrics writing are unmatched. His death shocks me although I knew he was not well. I hope that my other hero Clint Eastwood will still live for a couple of years because I get the same warm feeling when I see Clint acting or Leonard playing live… A truly sad day which has the same effect on as when the comic authors Bob De Moor, POM and Hergé died. I see my companions de route dying one by one.”

Enjoy Cohen’s latest album below, a “chef-d’oeuvre” according to Van Isacker:

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Background/Info:

Read the news on ‘Another Fall From Grace’.

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

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Out on on November 11, 2016 via SONY Music Entertainment – and already available for ordering right here –  is be “Video Singles Collection”, a 3DVD library anthology containing more than four hours of Depeche Mode music videos (and two-plus hours of audio commentary) including work by Julien Temple, Anton Corbijn, D.A. Pennebaker, John Hillcoat and others..

“Video Singles Collection” is the first official Depeche Mode archival title to be released under the SONY imprimatur since it acquired the rights to the Depeche Mode catalog in July 2015. No Blu-ray set though, which is rather disappointing and surprising since the older videos really could use the format.

Note that more Depeche Mode releases will see the light as “Video Singles Collection” is the first in a series of retrospective projects around Depeche Mode. You might get yet another best of… hoorah…

Back to the actual item. The set includes 55 newly restored versions of the video singles in addition to four rare alternate videos and new commentary on specific individual clips, recorded by members of Depeche Mode especially for this release. Vince Clarke and Alan Wilder have not been asked to deliver input.

You can order the set right here from Storming The Base.

Here is the list of videos featured on the release:

• Just Can’t Get Enough (directed by Clive Richardson)
• See You (directed by Julien Temple)
• The Meaning of Love (directed by Julien Temple)
• Leave in Silence (directed by Julien Temple)
• Get the Balance Right (directed by Kevin Hewitt)
• Everything Counts (directed by Clive Richardson)
• Love, In Itself (directed by Clive Richardson)
• People Are People (directed by Clive Richardson)
• Master and Servant (directed by Clive Richardson)
• Blasphemous Rumours (directed by Clive Richardson)
• Somebody (directed by Clive Richardson)
• Shake the Disease (directed by Peter Care)
• It’s Called a Heart (directed by Peter Care)
• Stripped (directed by Peter Care)
• But Not Tonight (directed by Tamra Davis)
• A Question of Lust (directed by Clive Richardson)
• A Question of Time (directed by Phil Harding)
• Strangelove (directed by Anton Corbijn)
• Never Let Me Down Again (directed by Anton Corbijn)
• Behind the Wheel (directed by Anton Corbijn)
• Little 15 (directed by Martyn Atkins)
• Strangelove ’88 (directed by Martyn Atkins)
• Everything Counts (Live – from “101”) (directed by D.A. Pennebaker)
• Personal Jesus (directed by Anton Corbijn)
• Enjoy the Silence (directed by Anton Corbijn)
• Policy of Truth (directed by Anton Corbijn)
• World in My Eyes (directed by Anton Corbijn)
• I Feel You (directed by Anton Corbijn)
• Walking in My Shoes (directed by Anton Corbijn)
• Condemnation (Paris Mix) (directed by Anton Corbijn)
• One Caress (directed by Kevin Kerslake)
• In Your Room (directed by Anton Corbijn)
• Barrel of a Gun (directed by Anton Corbijn)
• It’s No Good (directed by Anton Corbijn)
• Home (directed by Steven Green)
• Useless (directed by Anton Corbijn)
• Only When I Lose Myself (directed by Brian Griffin)
• Dream On (directed by Stephane Sednaoui)
• I Feel Loved (directed by John Hillcoat)
• Freelove (directed by John Hillcoat)
• Goodnight Lovers (directed by John Hillcoat)
• Enjoy the Silence ’04 (directed by Uwe Flade)
• Precious (directed by Uwe Flade)
• A Pain That I’m Used To (directed by Uwe Flade)
• Suffer Well (directed by Anton Corbijn)
• John the Revelator (directed by Blue Leach)
• Martyr (directed by Robert Chandler)
• Wrong (directed by Patrick Daughters)
• Peace (directed by Jonas and François)
• Hole to Feed (directed by Eric Wareheim)
• Fragile Tension (directed by Rob Chandler and Barney Steel)
• Personal Jesus 2011 (directed by Patrick Daughters)
• Heaven (directed by Timothy Saccenti)
• Soothe My Soul (directed by Warren Fu)
• Should Be Higher (directed by Anton Corbijn)

Bonus Alternate Music Videos

• People Are People (12″ Version) (directed by Clive Richardson)
• But Not Tonight (Pool Version) (directed by Tamra Davis)
• Soothe My Soul (Extended) (directed by Warren Fu)
• Stripped (Unreleased Alternate Cut) (directed by Peter Care)

Bonus audio

• 2016 audio commentaries by Dave Gahan, Andy Fletcher and Martin Gore

For more on Depeche Mode, see Depeche Mode to announce tour dates and new album on October 11 on Side-Line.

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Read the review of ‘Another Fall From Grace’.

Side-Line also covered Depeche Mode’s ‘s ’.

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

(Photos by Johan Vanderhoeven) Side-Line reader Johan Vanderhoeven is in Santa Barbara, California right now, and he posted a picture proving that the Depeche Mode gang is in the city to record a brand new album.

Says Johan: “I know they were in Martin’s studio which is in the center of the city, so I quickly passed by to take a picture when Fletch came out to have a smoke.”

The new album will be the follow-up to 2013’s “Delta Machine” album. In a webcast interview with Rob Bell on 25 January 2016, Martin Gore announced a projected return to the recording studio in April 2016, with both Gore and Dave Gahan having already written and demoed new songs. The new album is currently anticipated for a Spring 2017 release.

And a while back we asked what you expected for the new Depeche Mode album, here is your TOP 10 requests.

Surely get instant facebook shares and more on female facebook video views click here.

For more on Depeche Mode, see That’s how Depeche Mode left the studio after recording there for 6… on Side-Line.

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Here’s a rare item which Dennis Burmeister (writer of the must-have luxurious edited Depeche Mode book “Depeche Mode : Monument – The English Edition“) reminded us of on Facebook earlier today.

The picture shows a shirt featuring Depeche Mode’s Dave Gahan, tour manager Jonathan Kessler and Martin Gore’s security Darrell Ives, following Gahan’s arrest for a disturbance at the hotel they were staying at. The incident took place in Quebec City, right at the start of the first USA leg of the Devotional tour. Gaian spent the night in jail, and this photo was taken by the press. These shirts were made to commemorate the event and given to crew members only so it wasn’t exactly mass produced.

Daryl Bamontes tour diary back then included this: “September 6th, Quebec: Did a rehearsal tonight and we have the opening night of the North American tour tomorrow night. The hotel sent us a memo today (in french). Kessler translated it. It basically said that all power in the hotel would be cut between 5am due to work being carried out. Couldn’t they have let us known when we booked the room 3 weeks ago? The memo also said that extra “stuff” would be provided to “assist” guests to their rooms in the darkness. What this should have said was: “Several large, fat, ugly, stupid off-duty policemen will shine industrial strength flashlights in your face whilst hurking obscenities at you in French, therefore implying that you have no right to be in the hotel and so giving them every right to deny you access to the rooms that you have paid a lot of money for. “signed The Management” As you can imagine, a melee ensued, and Dave bumped into one of them. I’m sitting writing this in the waiting room of the local nick as Kessler tries to get David and Darrell Ives (Head of Security) out on bail. One of the band is in jail and we haven’t even done a gig yet!”

And the journal post continues by saying: “September 7th, Quebec: Went to court with Dave today. All charges were dropped. We were so happy we bought ice lollies on the way out of the courthouse and appeared on the front cover of the local newspaper eating them. You’ve gotta laugh, aint ya? Dave did a very good show tonight, considering he had done some bird bang to rights.”

Thanks to Dennis for getting this item re-surfaced.

Note that Martin Gore would get arrested later on in Denver, which also deserved him a crew-only T-shirt, including his mugshot and the text “Enjoy The Silence”. See the detail on the left.

For more on Depeche Mode, see Paul Kendall (Recoil, Nitzer Ebb, Depeche Mode, …) shows us his 10… on Side-Line.

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

In RobCast, a weekly podcast by Rob Bella, Depeche Mode’s Martin Gore has announced that Depeche Mode will ‘probably’ start recording a new album in April. According to the podcast, which you can listen below, Depeche Mode are planning to have a meeting within the next few weeks to schedule the future plans. The new album , their 14th studio album, would again be holding songs penned by both Martin Gore and frontman Dave Gahan.

Listen to the podcast below (past minute 57):

For the band it will be their first new album since the March 2013 released “Delta Machine” which only had one moderately successful single, “Heaven” (none of the 3 singles from the album reached the UK Top 40 for instance). The album itself was quite poorly received by the press, with both NME and Pitchfork Media giving it an all-time low 5/10 (also Side-Line was not impressed and gave it a 4/10); The Independent rated it 2/5 just like The Observer did.

In short, the band will have to prove that they are able to deliver a good album after a few not so brilliant releases. It’s unclear whether the new album will again be released via by Columbia Records and Mute Records. And it’s also unclear who will be in the production seat (Ben Hillier? Flood? …).

To be continued. In the meantime read what fellow fans expect from the new Depeche Mode album.

Side-Line also covered Depeche Mode’s ‘ tribute of Depeche Mode’.

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com