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DEPECHE MODE
Depeche Mode is a bright, young electro-pop band that hail from Basildon, Essex, England. Their hit U.K. singles, "Dreaming Of Me," "New Life", "Just Can't Get Enough" and "See You", have changed forever the doomy, one-dimensionalimage of synthesized pop music in England.
"Light years ahead of the rest", said a reviewer in Smash Hits. "Damn near the most perfect pop group these two lucky lug-holes have sampled all season", said Melody Maker. "Depeche Mode are so neatly formed they could have been dreamed up by Brian Epstein", said Time Out.
Depeche Mode is very young - none of them is over 21. They came together while at different schools in Basildon. Originally a threesome; Andy Fletcher, Martin Gore and Vince Clarke, they featured two guitars and a synthesizer. Then Dave Gahan joined as singer. They discovered a new title while flicking through a French clothing magazine - Depeche Mode (Fast Fashion). It sounded good, only now the guitars and single synthesizers didn't. They ditched the strings and a11 three instrumentalists began playing synths.
Their demo tapes stirred little or no interest with the big London record companies, but while supporting Fad Gadget at the Bridge House, Canning Town they met Daniel Miller, founder of Mute Records. He was impressed from the first song, signed them and issued the debut single, "Dreaming Of Me". The group was subsequently signed to Sire Records in the U.S.
Then came a year of dazzling achievement. Despite tempting offers from the major record companies, Depeche Mode stuck with Daniel Miller and Mute Records in England. "Dreaming Of Me" made the lower reaches of the charts; "New Life" rose to 11, and then the third single, "Just Can't Get Enough", cracked the top 10.
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