Depeche Mode

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Formed:
1980, over 32 years ago.
Snapshot:
A Group with 168 releases, and credited 3 times on others' music. 5 members.

Biography

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Depeche Mode are an English electronic group who went beyond their new romantic beginnings to explore darker themes, becoming one of the most successful and enduring bands to emerge from the early 80s UK music scene.

The band's single releases, including “Just Cant Get Enough”, prepared the ground for their debut album, 1981’s Speak and Spell, which made the Top 10 of the UK charts. The follow-up, A Broken Flame, hinted at a less pop-oriented sound than the band would embrace for future releases. The third album, Construction Time Again, featured new instruments and production techniques and introduced industrial elements to the band's work.

Up until 1984 Depeche Mode's success had been confined to Europe, but the single “People are People” reached the Top 20 in the US and heralded the start of a period of commercial and critical success which would see the band become more popular in the US than in their homeland. 1990’s release Violator was a huge success in the US, eventually achieving triple platinum status. As tribute to the strength of their writing, one of the tracks from Violator, “Personal Jesus”, was covered, separately by Johnny Cash and Marilyn Manson.

By 1994 the band were ranked alongside R.E.M. and U2 as premier stadium-filling bands, but the strains of success were beginning to take their toll and it would be a couple of years before they were to release their next album Ultra. This was considered by fans to be far from their best work and it was not until the 2005 release, Playing the Angel, that the band were said to have returned to form.

Music

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Genres

New Wave, Synthpop, Alternative Rock, Electronic, Electronic Rock, Electropop, Alternative Pop, Pop Rock, Electronica, Live Electronics. Vote on Genres

Discography

171 releases – 168 under their own name and 3 credits on others' music Edit
1

Members

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Andrew Fletcher

Andrew Fletcher

current & founder member
  • keyboards:
    • 1980-
Dave Gahan

Dave Gahan

current & founder member
  • lead vocals:
    • 1980-
Martin Gore

Martin Gore

current & founder member
  • keyboards, guitar, vocals:
    • 1980-
Alan Wilder

Alan Wilder

  • keyboards, drums:
    • 1981-1995
Vince Clarke

Vince Clarke

founder member
  • keyboards:
    • 1980-1981

In the News

Depeche Mode's Jukebox Musical

Jun, 20 2010

If you're looking to stage a musical, where better to find inspiration -- and ready-made songs -- than your favorite music artist? After successful productions based on the lives and music of ABBA, Queen, Fela Kuti and many more, English synth-pop legends Depeche Mode are to get the stage show treatment thanks to a producer and writer on the Mediterranean island of Malta. "Depeche Mode's music always had that theatrical element in it," Adrian Buckle told The Times of Malta, before cautioning that: "Depeche Mode are not ABBA or Queen. The story can't be a happy one." The story will center around Depeche's 2005 album Playing The Angel. "It is a story of two boys growing up, coming of age and discovering love," Buckle said. "They are abused, used, taken advantage of... It's their sad way of discovering life." Buckle caused controversy last year when a play he was working on, Stitching, was banned by censors, and he confirmed that the stage version of Playing The Angel would not be sanitized. "Well, I'm not going to invite my grandmother," he said.

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Fans of Depeche Mode

bartholomule
Trent Holcomb
TimBrough
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