I was watching a lot of Depeche Mode videos and concerts this weekend. I don’t know why. I mean I aways loved them, but all of a sudden there they were all over my social media.
I think it started by me watching a lot of the FireAid concert on social media and from watching those bands, mostly Stevie Nicks over and over, Depeche Mode starting popping up. So I started watching them. They weren’t part of FireAid, but I guess the genre sort of was part of what was at FireAid so the algorithms brought them up.
It started on my phone and then I put them on YouTube on my big tv screen.
What I found interesting is that they sort of don’t age, although David Gahan, front man, is getting gray streaks in his hair now, but he still sings and moves like he always did. He’s ageless. Although he has almost been dead more than once. Four times he had brushes with death and he go the nickname “The Cat” due to his coming back to life over and over.
He also was a heroin addict and had a drug induced heart attack right in the middle of a concert once. I don’t say all this to put him down, I say it all to build him up – he is invincible. He does his famous twirl through the concerts, enjoying every moment.
When you watch him perform, he takes over the stage, his movements, voice and engagement with the audience is incredible, he commands the stage, even when he isn’t singing – many times he gives over the performance to the audience and has them finish singing the songs.
David was ranked at No. 73 on Q magazine’s list of the “100 Greatest Singers” and No. 27 on its list of the “100 Greatest Frontmen”.
Founding member Andy Fletcher, “Fletch” passed away in May 2022. They talk about it in the CBS Sunday Morning interview below.
I drew the above cartoon over from a previous version this weekend since he and Depeche Mode were on my mind.
Regarding the video above of “Enjoy the Silence,” my favorite Depeche Mode song, among so many, I like this video because it shows David and the band over years. It sort of intercuts them singing the song in various stages of their career. Love that.
Here, below is a recent interview with David Gahan and Martin Gore on CBS Sunday Morning.
.You can get all the Depeche Mode music here at Amazon.
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