1997
Articles,
reviews of concerts and releases, and band member interviews from
magazines and newspapers.
Singles:
'Barrel Of A Gun', 'It's No Good', 'Home', 'Useless'
Album: 'Ultra'
Amidst intense publicity surrounding the band's problems, 'Ultra' reaches No. 1 despite the band deciding not to tour, and 'Barrel Of A Gun' reaches their joint highest single chart placing at No. 4. The band's website is launched. Alan continues his 'Recoil' project, releasing 'Unsound Methods'.
Dead
Man Talking
[NME, 18th January 1997. Words: Keith Cameron. Pictures: Stefan
de Batselier.]
Seminal, in-depth Dave Gahan confessional discussing his drug years of
the mid-nineties and the much-publicised overdose. Dave bares all,
sparing neither himself nor the reader, dissecting his own state of
mind with disarming honesty and the odd flash of humour. Exceptionally
well written, this is the first of a two-part feature (the second is
below and consists of an interview with Andy and Martin on their side
of events) and the two together are probably the definitive story of
those trying times.
[5015 words]
Synth
And Sensibilities
[NME, 25th January 1997. Words: Keith
Cameron. Pictures: Stefan de Batselier.]
Sequel to the above article in which Dave
discusses his troubles. Martin and Andy make sparkling interviewees
discussing their own personal problems, their perspective on Dave's
troubles, the loss of Alan Wilder (with a little bitching) and the
making of the Ultra album. The occasional two-penn'orth from
Dave stops the article from appearing to pit band members against each
other, and the article on the whole is very readable: no easy task
given the subject matter.
[2855
words]
Back
From The Brink
[The Guardian, 7th February 1997. Words: Caroline Sullivan.
Pictures: Anton Corbijn.]
Newspaper
feature interviewing Dave Gahan, with minimal contribution from Martin,
about the upheavals of the last couple of years of his life. The focus is
somewhat more on Dave's state of mind in the time since his recovery than
the gory details of his addiction, and the length of the article makes it
a suitable primer for someone who doesn't want to pick over every last
detail of this unpleasant chapter in Mode history.
[1660
words]
They
Just Couldn't Get Enough
[Q, March 1997.
Words: Phil Sutcliffe. Pictures: Andy Earl.]
Detailed all-purpose article
on the band's history with especial focus on their problems in the
mid-nineties. The article stays at a sensible enough length not to get
too heavy and is often humourous in discussing the insanities of the
Devotional Tour. This article is the first section of three in a large
feature; the other parts are a grilling of Dave and an album
discography.
[2831 words]
Tears
Of My Tracks
[Q, March 1997. Words:
Phil Sutcliffe. Pictures: Andy Earl.]
Mercilessly-detailed in-depth conversation with Dave on all things
related to his drug troubles. A lot of the narrative in this piece was
used almost unchanged by Steve Malins for his biography and is a
harrowing account of events surrounding Dave's suicide attempt,
marriage breakup no. 2 and overdose. Second section of a three-part
feature: the other parts being a more general article and a
discography.
[3201 words]
Personal?
Jesus!
[Q, March 1997. Words: Phil Sutcliffe.]
Potted
discography of Depeche Mode albums, with sleeve shots and reviews.
Somewhat satirical, and look out for the sympathetic Alan Wilder
references.
[983 words]
[Arena, April 1997. Words: Gareth Grundy. Pictures: Jake Chessum / Various.]
An exceptional feature-length piece chronicling, with merciless precision, Dave's fall from grace and rehabilitation. While some articles of this sort milk the salacious details for all they're worth, the writer here has stuck to a relentless, unblinking narrative with very little commentary, not even from Dave himself. The result is harrowing, but just try stopping half way through.
[3800 words]
Mode
Three
[Future Music, April 1997. Words: Uncredited. Pictures: Various.]
Lengthy
band interview supposedly discussing technology but largely concentrating
on studio working relationships in the Ultra sessions. Some of the answers
are very vague and it seems that the band were lost in a studio without
Alan. However there is an exhaustive list of the equipment used, as well a
detailed career review from a technological point of view.
[5150
words]
[The Daily Star, 10th April 1997. Words: Lee Harpin. Picture: Anton Corbijn.]
Some soundbites on the Dave's drug problems, advertising the release of Ultra. A very basic piece and pretty sensationalist, as is only to be expected from short tabloid piece.
[308 words]
Triumph
Of The Basildon Three
[The Daily Mail, 11th April 1997. Words: Adrian Thrills. Picture:
Anton Corbijn.]
A
fair and openminded heads-up on the release of Ultra, recapping on recent
band history just enough for a reader knowing little about Depeche Mode to
get their bearings. Despite the unpromising title the author is quick to
point out the band's calibre and describes Ultra in positive and vivid
terms.
[540
words]
Common
Synths
[NME, 12th April 1997. Words: James Oldham. Artwork: Paul
McCaffrey.]
Lukewarm and
slightly cynical review of Ultra. The writer seems generally
happy with the music but has misgivings about the overall purpose of
the album. At a time when other reviewers were commenting on the
changes the band were making to their style, the writer is a little
disappointed that the band have produced something he considers samey,
rather than serve up cold the details of their personal problems.
[690 words]
[The Sunday Times, 13th April 1997. Words: Andrew Smith. Pictures: Anton Corbijn / Uncredited.]
A Dave Gahan interview from a broadsheet newspaper, mainly a recap of the band's history. Understandably it looks mainly at the troubles of the mid 1990s (it would have been contrived in 1997 to look anywhere else), but this is kept restrained and to the point, never dropping into lurid sensationalism. Some sensible comments on the music and overall a better-than-average piece.
[1065 words]
Pavement,
16th April 1997
[Author unknown.]
Article from a New Zealand
magazine or possibly e-zine (can anyone give me further information?)
interviewing Martin about Ultra and, inevitably, the band
members' recent personal problems. Very refreshing in that it gives
Martin's perspective, knocking down a few misconceptions and giving a
sober view on aspects of the band that have at times been blown out of
proportion. Required reading for a balanced view of what really
happened.
[2918 words]
Depeche
Mode, Adrenaline Village, London
[Melody Maker, 26th April 1997. Words: Daniel Booth. Picture:
Alpha.]
Not so much a review of the Ultra
launch party as a musing sparked off by the gig, with the author
considering Depeche Mode to have become sidetracked from the kind of music
they have always done best. Few fans will like this review, but the author
states his points precisely and without dropping the band lamely in the
80s synthpop box. Far more useful than the other review I have for this
gig.
[394
words]
Old
Grave Of New Dave!
[NME, 26th
April 1997. Words: Simon Williams. Pictures: All Action.]
Underwhelmed review of the Ultra launch party held at London's
Adrenalin Village. The writer is understandably left cold by the
massive expenses allegedly incurred in hosting the party, but chooses
to go overboard in his criticism with a string of sarcastic (and
sometimes unintelligible) remarks directed at virtually every aspect
of the band. Healthy proof that Depeche Mode are no more immune to the
trappings of fame than anyone else - but very little else to recommend
the article.
[605
words]
It's
A Mode Mode Mode Mode World!
[Hits, 28th April 1997. Words: Janet Trakin. Picture: Anton
Corbijn.]
Short article combining a quick resume, a
review of Ultra and a mini-interview of the band. The writing is
somewhat flat and interview covers the usual ground, so there is
comparatively little here that will be new to many people, although
this is another good starting point if you're new to Depeche Mode.
[1099 words]
[Details, May 1997. Words: Gavin Edwards. Pictures: Various.]
A detailed and engrossing piece, not the best I've seen but better than many, focussing mainly on Dave's problems. The piece is noticeably marred by the writer adopting a rather ironic, seen-it-all-before tone in places, which doesn't exactly treat the subject with the tact it deserves. Some interesting bits in there though, if you have the stomach.
[2537 words]
Modus
Operandi
[Detour, May 1997. Words: Shari Roman (Ed: Trent Buckroyd).
Picture: Anton Corbijn.]
Engaging band interview discussing the
making of Ultra and the band's musical tastes, and recapping on recent
history. The band are very much taking stock of themselves here,
considering their prospects as they get older, but there is a lot of
banter which makes the article very readable.
[2278 words]
Ultra
Sounds
[Guitar World, May 1997. Words: Alan di Perna. Pictures: Alastair
Thain.]
A
remarkable, detailed interview with Martin for a guitar magazine. The
interviewer focuses on the band's use of guitars but with never loses
sight of the fact that Depeche Mode are not primarily a guitar band.
Priceless for a guitar enthusiast and currently the only article I have of
its kind.
[4166 words]
[Spin, May 1997. Words: Barry Walters. Picture: Donald Christie.]
No prizes for guessing the content in this telephone interview with Dave Gahan. As could be expected for 1997 Dave is in his confessional mode yet here seems to talk honestly and openly without laying it on with a trowel. The immediacy of the conversation, along with flashes of humour, are the saving grace of an otherwise average article. In the photograph, Dave shows his contrition for knitwear-related offences.
[1103 words]
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