Over the years, we've seen many metal musicians give props to, or cover, Depeche Mode. It was never a band I really took the time to explore until I kept seeing their name pop up in the mouths of musicians who I really enjoyed . So, when I needed a break from blast beats a few years ago, I took a deep dive into the catalogue of Depeche Mode, and it was one of the best decisions of my life. I have been a devoted fan of the band ever since, and I'm still waiting for a proper metal cover of "A Question of Time."
When Depeche Mode rolled into New York City for two sold out nights at Madison Square Garden, I wanted to see just how much metal is actually in a Depeche Mode set. To be clear, Depeche Mode has been called many things: dance, new wave, goth rock – but never metal. Depeche Mode are not a metal band, but they certainly share common elements – dark, atmospheric music, dark subject matter, aggressive drum beats and the occasional breakdown (albeit with synth). Oh my god, there is so much synthesizer, and it's glorious. After experiencing the band's music in a live setting, it was very clear whyRolling Stone called the band metal's secret influence.
The one thing that stuck out to me was the demographic, and how different it was from a metal show. I did spot some metal shirts in the crowd. There was a dude in an Opeth shirt, a dude in a Gojira shirt and a dude in a (new) Metallica shirt. Metalheads definitely appreciate Depeche Mode, but the majority of the crowd were women, and most of these women looked like soccer moms who don't go to shows often. But you know what? These soccer moms throw down. They are engaged, and there to party. During the climax to "Barrel of A Gun," one woman shouted "Break it down!" and was just feeling it. When the band broke into "Enjoy the Silence" it was as if Slayer had just played "Angel of Death." These women went nuts, dancing in the isles, to the point that a crotchety security guard had to come and dismantle the psuedo-mosh pit. The crowd was in the palm of the band's hand the entire set, doing extended sing-a-longs all night which seemed to even impress the band. I couldn't help but think some of these women were teens when the band broke big and said things like "goth is not a phase, mom!" Well, they sure proved it tonight. But they left most of their dark clothes at home.
Photo by Rodrigo Fredes
The band themselves sounded tight and excellent. Frontman Dave Gahan pranced around the stage like a reincarnated Freddy Mercury of Queen at times, and at times sashaying like a drag queen down an extension of the stage that looked like a runway from New York Fashion Week. He had full command of the crowd from the moment the show started and kept the party going, even pulling out a t-shirt gun towards the end of the show.
The set was the perfect blend of new material and classics. They sprinkled most of the new material in the first half of the set and then spent the last hour playing hit after hit. They played for about two hours, and for exactly one hour and 50 minutes, Gahan was dancing all over over the stage. The band even played "Black Celebration," a rarity, and threw in a poignant cover of David Bowie's "Heroes" after Gahan dedicated the song to the heroes of 9/11 on the 16th anniversary of the event.
So is Depeche Mode metal? No, but can a metalhead appreciate Depeche Mode? Absolutely, and this metalhead had a great time and I look forward to seeing these guys command the stage once more.
Depeche Mode are out on the road supporting their new album,Spirit. Get dates here.
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The band's name was taken from French fashion magazine, Dépêche mode, which means "fashion update" or "fashion news dispatch". Depeche Mode became famous in the 1980s. The band has sold over 100 million records around the world.
Is Depeche Mode heavy metal? ›
To be clear, Depeche Mode has been called many things: dance, new wave, goth rock – but never metal. Depeche Mode are not a metal band, but they certainly share common elements – dark, atmospheric music, dark subject matter, aggressive drum beats and the occasional breakdown (albeit with synth).
What is Depeche Mode's biggest hit? ›
Depeche Mode - Enjoy The Silence: released 5th February 1990
Internationally, it's Depeche Mode's biggest hit, even making No 1 in the Spanish charts.
Which songs did Alan Wilder write for Depeche Mode? ›
Wilder wrote a handful of songs for Depeche Mode, including "Two Minute Warning" and "The Landscape Is Changing" (and a B-side, "Fools") from the album Construction Time Again, "If You Want" (and a B-side, "In Your Memory") from the album Some Great Reward, and co-wrote "Black Day" (and a B-side, "Christmas Island") ...
Are Depeche Mode religious? ›
Both Martin and Dave have said they don't follow any organized religion, but both have said they are 'spiritual. '
What is the meaning of Depeche Mode in slang? ›
much thought to the definition of “Depeche Mode.” Over the years, it's been posited so much as truth that it is taken as fact the name means “fast fashion.” In reality, the words “depeche mode” together loosely translate into “telegram fashion,” “fashion dispatch,” “fashion update,” or, more succinctly, “fashion news.” ...
What are Depeche Mode fans called? ›
Simply put Depeche Mode fans are called Devotees primarily because their extreme loyalty to the band is unrivaled by almost any other music fans. You could say Devotees are extraordinarily faithful to the band, their music, and their dark and grandiose way of thinking.
What kind of rock is Depeche Mode? ›
| Depeche Mode |
|---|
| Origin | Basildon, Essex, England |
| Genres | Synth-pop electronic rock new wave dark wave alternative rock |
| Discography | Depeche Mode discography |
| Years active | 1980–present |
10 more rowsIn May 1996, Gahan overdosed on a speedball at the Sunset Marquis Hotel in Los Angeles, which resulted in his heart stopping for two minutes until he was revived by paramedics. He said he had an out-of-body experience: "All I saw and all I felt at first was complete darkness.
Has Depeche Mode ever had a number one? ›
Since their debut in 1981, Depeche Mode have had 54 songs in the UK Singles Chart, as well as one US, and two UK number one albums (Songs of Faith and Devotion and Ultra). All studio albums have reached Top 10 in the UK. Also they had 7 number one albums in the German Album Charts from 1993 to 2017.
Martin Lee Gore (born 23 July 1961) is an English musician and songwriter. He is one of the founding members of the electronic rock band Depeche Mode and is the band's main songwriter. He is the band's guitarist and keyboardist, and occasionally provides lead vocals.
What made Depeche Mode famous? ›
By 1988, the group was big enough to pack the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, a show documented in the director D.A. Pennebaker's film “Depeche Mode 101”; the triple-platinum album “Violator,” released two years later, yielded hit singles like “Personal Jesus” and “Enjoy the Silence,” which pulsed like techno but brought ...
Does Martin Gore write all Depeche Mode songs? ›
Almost all Depeche Mode's songs were written by Martin L. Gore, with a few being written by Alan Wilder, most of the first album, “Speak & Spell”, being written by Vince Clarke, another few more recent ones written by Dave Gahan and a single one co-written by Gore and Gahan.
Why is Depeche Mode called Depeche Mode? ›
Depeche Mode roughly translates to “fashion news” in French, and the band name was pulled from the now-defunct fashion magazine Depeche Mode.
What bands inspired Depeche Mode? ›
Depeche Mode: Influences
- Heroes. David Bowie. David Bowie. ...
- The Model. Kraftwerk. Kraftwerk. ...
- Electricity. Orchestral Manoeuvres In the Dark. ...
- Being Boiled. The Human League. ...
- Down in the Park (1998 Remaster) Gary Numan, Tubeway Army. ...
- Ricky's Hand. Fad Gadget. ...
- Warm Leatherette. The Normal. ...
- Children of the Revolution. T.
noun. dispatch [noun] a written official report. a dispatch from the commanding officer.
What does mode mean in France? ›
[mɔd ] feminine noun. tendance) fashion. à la mode fashionable ⧫ in fashion.
What does je me depeche mean? ›
Translation of "je me dépêche" in English. I hurry. I'm hurrying. I'll hurry. I hurried.
What does Depeche Toi mean in English? ›
Dépêche-toi ! Come on! Hurry up! Comment allez-vous ?
