Depeche Mode Artist Information
New wave became a vital part of popular music in the eighties. Many of the artists from that era have come and gone, but some remain. Depeche Mode was one of the vital cogs of that genre of music, and nearly thirty years later are not only still around, but still creating great music!
The band's origins can be traced all the way back to 1977, when Vince Clarke and Andrew Fletcher were in a band by the name of No Romance in China. Three years later the two were joined by Martin Gore in another band called Composition of Sound. Up to this point synthesizers were a minor part of the band's sound, but once Clarke and Fletcher switched to primarily playing them, their sound began to take the shape they are well known for today. Later in 1980 Dave Gahan joined the three, and Depeche Mode was born.
Depeche Mode was playing a gig at the Bridge House in Canning Town, an area of East London, England, when Daniel Miller, head of a new label by the name of Mute Records, approached them about recording a single for his label. The result was their first single Dreaming of Me. An immediate hit, the single climbed to Number 57 on the U.K. Singles Chart, and in November of 1981 Depeche Mode's debut album Speak and Spell was released, peaking at Number Ten on the British Album Chart.
All was not entirely well though, and Vince Clarke decided to leave the band the same month Speak and Spell was released. He went on to team with Alison Moyet in the popular British synthpop duo Yaz. Alan Wilder eventually replaced Clarke and was with the band until he left in 1995.
It was impossible to be at a club in the eighties and not hear a Depeche Mode song. Their songs possess tons of energy, perfect for the dance floor, but underneath the synthpop often lies a brooding, dark lyrical style. This was one of the main characteristics that set Depeche Mode apart from their peers, intriguing lyrics that were masked in part by the incredible music that the listener heard. Listen to Everything Counts, Master and Servant, Black Celebration, Never Let Me Down Again or Enjoy the Silence if you disagree.
Their legacy is undeniable, as countless artists cite the band as an influence. All eleven of Depeche Mode's studio albums to date have charted in the U.K. Top Ten, two have topped the charts, and in the U.S. five have charted in the Top Ten with the 1993 release Songs of Faith and Devotion reaching the top of the Billboard Hot 200. Depeche Mode to date have had 14 singles chart in the Top Ten of the U.K. Singles Chart, and four Number One singles on the U.S. Modern Rock Chart.
If you need more proof of the popularity of Depeche Mode, their 1987-88 tour for Music for the Masses is documented on the live double-disc 101, a concert in front of over 60,000 rabid fans at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena!
This will be one heck of a tour, and a welcome return to the spotlight for one of music's long time great artists. Lock down your hard-to-find and sold out seats today to see Depeche Mode live with your purchase of premium tickets from TickCo Premium Seating!