speed of dark

In 1987, my best friend lived across the street from us. She always seemed to know what was cool in music before anyone else, and the day she ran across the street with a cassette in her hand that year, she introduced me to Depeche Mode.

From the first sound of the album Music for the Masses, I was hooked. The driving bass and powerful voice of Dave Gahan, combined with the melodies of keyboards, provided a sound combination I had never heard before. Sheltered in a small town, I'd never even heard of Depeche Mode, much less any Brit-rock outisde of Pink Floyd or, of course, the Beatles. This album was the beginning of a change in my music tastes, away from Top-40 and the sludge that I heard on the radio.

The opening track on Music for the Masses, the first one I ever heard, is probably still my favorite DM song. It's difficult to choose, but "Never Let Me Down Again" is an awesome song, and gives a first time listener a good idea of what the sound of Depeche Mode is. The song begins with a build-up to an explosion of keys, piano, and drums, and Martin Gore's drug-themed lyrics as growled by Gahan.

This entire album is excellent, although it didn't do as well commercially as its follow-up, Violator. While Violator is in itself a masterpiece and is considered DM's "breakout" album, the breakout wouldn't have been possible without MftM. This album established a wildly obsessive fan base in America, and Violator just confirmed what we already knew. The overwhelming success of the 101 tour in 1988-89 which inspired a documentary and double album of its own and culminated in a sold-out show at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, preceded the release and success of Violator.

I became a teensy bit obsessed with DM for a while, buying everything DM that I could get my hands on, including subscribing to the BONG magazine and buying the original single boxed sets that were re-released in 2004. I didn't get to see them in concert until a few years ago at the Staples Center (horrible acoustics, had to use binoculars to see the stage, otherwise an impressive show). After seeing them live, I ended up moving and decided that I didn't want to drag all of the memorabilia that I had collected over the years around with me anymore. I sold almost every Depeche Mode item that I owned (except the CDs, of course) on eBay, and so much of the stuff I sold went to L.A...sometimes when I drive around, I wonder if the DM sticker I see on the car in front of me used to be mine.

Enjoy this assortment of Depeche Mode tracks from 1987-1990, and do yourself a favor and buy Music for the Masses, 101 and Violator. Someday soon I'll do a Depeche Mode retrospective, from beginning to now, complete with solo efforts including founding member Vince Clarke.

from 1987's Music for the Masses:
depeche mode: never let me down again
depeche mode: strangelove (single version)

from 1989's 101 (album versions available on MtfM):
depeche mode: pleasure little treasure [live]
depeche mode: nothing [live]

from 1990's Violator:
depeche mode: clean
depeche mode: halo

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