Great British Bands, Chapter 2: Depeche Mode

(Public Domain/Distributed by Sire Records)

Got to say that I always loved this band. I really got into the techno pop of the 80’s and 90’s and I had many favourite bands, but Depeche Mode was usually on top of the list… Depeche Mode was formed in 1980 by Vince Clarke, Andrew Fletcher, Martin Gore and David Gahan. In 1981 Clarke left the group and Alan Wilder came in and stayed until 1995. Gahan, Gore and Fletcher kept the group going as a trio until Fletcher’s death in 2022. Now Gahan and Gore act as a duo. The band hails from Essex, England and they are the for sure fathers of «electronic rock».

«Dreaming of Me» was the band’s first single released in 1981. It reached number 57 in the UK lists, and was the first single before the release of their first LP Speak & Spell (1981). «New Life» came later and reached number 11 in the UK and a few months later they released «Just Can’t Get Enough» and this one reached the top 10, reaching number 8.

One of my faves from the group is «Personal Jesus» from 1989 as well as «Policy of Truth«, both from the album Violator, a phenomenal album. According to Q Magazine Depeche Mode is «The most popular electronic-rock band the world has ever known», and the Sunday Telegraph said they were «one of the greatest British groups of all times». I don’t disagree that they were (up to 1989/90) one of the best techno pop, electronic-rock groups but to be among the best British groups of all times, that is another story. As far as I am concerned when they switched over to a grunge sound I kind of lost interest. But the album Violator is a jewel.

Hope you like them and tell me what you think…