sure to cause a stir...

[Electroswank]

I just read in the Tripwire daily newsletter(http://www.thetripwire.com/cs_homepage.php) this small article - is this old news? just curious

[06.11.03] Dave Gahan To Split Depeche Mode?

Dave Gahan, longtime singer for Depeche Mode, has said that he will quit Depeche if he doesn’t have a larger say when it comes to songwriting. Fellow Moder Martin Gore has been the longtime songwriter, but now that Gahan has released his debut solo work, Paper Monsters, the frontman is saying he will leave the band unless Gore relinquishes some of the power. In an interview with the Spiegel, Gahan stated, "Whether there is a future for Depeche Mode very much depends on whether Martin is willing and open enough to change. All I know is it won't be going on as it was, I want to be involved more in working on new songs." The gauntlet has been thrown! Whether this is handbags at 20 paces or the beginning of the end of one of the most groundbreaking bands of the 1980s is yet to be seen.


- Reported by Jeremy P. Goldstein

[~Bornslippy]

Bye bye Dave....... Sayonara......... adios..


That was too easy....

[~si_w]

Well, to be honest, this has been a long time coming. The last two albums have been pretty weak and a change in the band dynamics might just make a difference next time out.

Of course, seeing as Martin Gore has had his way for over 20 years, a change might be easier said than done...

[~Human Clone]

I didn't really expect another album from Depeche Mode anyway. I think this is Dave's way of softening the blow for the DM faithful. Oh well they had a good run. :)

They will all miss the spotlight and in 10 years they'll do a reunion tour with Alan and Vince and charge $200 a ticket (that is if Dave is still alive)...

PS Ordered my tickets for the Paper Monsters tour this morning, I guess I should go buy the album.

[Electroswank]

i wonder how true the comment really is. has anyone else found the article this snippet mentions?

i agree, a change in format thats been going on for over 20 years is easier said then done... but i guess if you're not having fun at what you're doing then its best to do what will make you, as an artist, happy.

i guess its just kinda sad to me :(

[~cliffwalk]

Originally posted by ElectroSwank
i wonder how true the comment really is. has anyone else found the article this snippet mentions?

i agree, a change in format thats been going on for over 20 years is easier said then done... but i guess if you're not having fun at what you're doing then its best to do what will make you, as an artist, happy.

i guess its just kinda sad to me :(

:) (OR) DM hired a really smart publicist that suggested getting Dave to take stabs at Martin that I'M CERTAIN neither of them consider very threatening after all of these years.

I mean, seriously, how many times, especially when he was strung out on heroin, do you think Dave has probably threatened he was going to leave DM that we've never heard about?

This is a melodrama. Bottom line, they either will or will not do another album. My guess is that they will.

I'd almost be willing to put money on it regardless of what the press thinks it knows.

Dave

[~amyagogo]

Originally posted by Human Clone
They will all miss the spotlight and in 10 years they'll do a reunion tour with Alan and Vince and charge $200 a ticket (that is if Dave is still alive)... .

Oh you mean, pull a Duran? :p

[test]

Originally posted by ElectroSwank
i wonder how true the comment really is. has anyone else found the article this snippet mentions?

i agree, a change in format thats been going on for over 20 years is easier said then done... but i guess if you're not having fun at what you're doing then its best to do what will make you, as an artist, happy.

i guess its just kinda sad to me :(

It's true. He's been spouting off in all sorts of interviews. Yeah, he may be upset with the way things are in dM. I can understand that. However, he has NEVER told these things to Martin. He even admits that he hasn't said anything to Martin. That bothers me. He is airing dirty laundry in public. He needs to shut his trap and sit down and talk to Martin. I am NOT saying that Martin is an innocent person in all of this. He may indeed be "difficult" to work with. Dave should have said ALL of this to Martin first, rather than in the public. I for one feel that this is the end of dM. :(

If you want more links, let me know. I know a site that has TONS of them.

[~gc42]

i dont buy it. there will be another dm release. creative differences aside, the money that dm albums and concerts bring in is just way too much to overlook. just look at all those bands that broke up when they were doing well and have since reformed. sex pistols come to mind.. i just heard they will be touring again this summer. it's just too much to pass up.

getting back on topic, dm needs something new.. i would suggest bringing in a new member, a kickass keyboard player will some mad progamming skills. that is what they need.

another thing to ponder, usually when there's a lot of infighting going on in a band they end up releasing some of their best material. i recall in many dm interviews the band saying that the black celebration sessions were very difficult, and if the band were to ever break up, that's would've been the time. well just look how that turned out. SOFAD is another one, another brilliant cd. i've heard recently dave and martin talk about how happy and upbeat they were during the ultra and exciter sessions, and they've been the weakest dm albums since 1983. (imo anyway). so maybe this news isn't so bad after all.

[~humming]

Dave has been hinting at this in several interviews that he's been giving lately. But I believe most of them are in languages other than English.

The June issue of Q contains an article, that I have read, that mentions this a bit.

But I think there has been a whole bunch of speculation surrounding the things that Dave has mentioned in interviews. A lot of DM fans are taking what he has said and made all sorts of wild assumptions and I think that journalists are starting to do the same.

I don't believe that Dave has flat out said in ANY interview that he wants to leave DM, but he has said that in order for there to be another Depeche Mode album in the future, something has to change... whether that be adding Christian and Peter has full-time members and thus giving them more opportunity and authority to give suggestions and input into the music OR letting Dave write songs for DM.

I *personally* think that Dave is really unsure on what he wants to do exactly with DM and his solo career. I think he wants to see how his solo tour and album fare and make his decision later on when he gets the chance to meet again with all the members of DM and discuss their future.
I think that he really enjoys himself doing his own thing that he just might stick with that and call it quits with DM. I think this because Dave has ALWAYS wanted to write his own songs and venture out on his own. He would mention these wishes in interviews dating back to 1990 and I'm sure even earlier, but I remember reading an old interview from them where he talks about this.
I also think that Dave is at a point of his career where he realizes he's probably already achieved so much with Depeche Mode and now he wants to focus on himself. I think he wants to create more for himself and leave a musical legacy that has more of a mark of his creativity than merely being the voice of Depeche Mode. I think he's searching for more personal satisfaction in his career and I don't think he can sustain the level he wants pursuing both DM and his solo stuff, considering the amount of time that he wants to devote to his family. So something will have to give.

Another thing is that I also agree with Steph. Dave has, I think, aired too much in interviews involving the personal affairs of the band and he may have not all mentioned these things to Martin, who should be the main one he's talking to.
Someone mentioned on BONG (the oldest DM mailing list) that Dave has a tendency to let his mouth run about things.. and it's true. Look at all the interviews during the Ultra era... he regrets a lot of the things he said about his drug problems in later interviews.

And to end this rambling...

As a longtime, hardcore Depeche Mode fan I am sad to hear about these things. It's going to be a grey day when Depeche Mode breaks up considering the immense amount of great music they've made and the amount of other bands they've influenced.
But at this point in their career I don't believe they're capable of producing another masterpiece. For me, Depeche Mode touched perfection twice with Black Celebration and Songs of Faith and Devotion and I'll always have those. And without Alan, there has been GREAT music, but just never quite the same.

Alexandra :)

[test]

Well, now according to Dave, the Exciter sessions weren't a happy period for him. He has said that the sessions were a struggle for him.

Dave has said in numerous interviews that "if he doesn't get more creative input then, he's done with dM." He is already saying that he's done with dM the way it is now!

You can go to depeche-mode.com and read all about Dave in the dM forum. Check out the many threads there. Do it when you have at least half an hour to read through everything.

I forgot to add two links that you can read about Dave:

http://www2.ocregister.com/ocrweb/ocr/article.do?id=42415&section=SHOW&subsection=MUSIC&year=2003&month=6&day=6<HR>

That is the one where he talks about the Exciter sessions.

Here is the one taken from NME today. It's basically the same thing that Electro Swank posted:

http://www.nme.com/news/105277.htm

[~technosapien]

Originally posted by ElectroSwank
the beginning of the end of one of the most groundbreaking bands of the 1980s is yet to be seen.

the beginning of the end happened a long time ago

depeche mode is OUTTA THERE

buh bye

dont let the synthpop door hit your a.ss on the way out

[~NightHalo]

I certainly hope it is all gossip and it's not true. I must say though that so far, Martin has impressed me more with the solo work. The stuff I've heard of Dave isn't my type of music. However as I've said before, Dave as the singer and Martin as the writer is the best in my opinion. :)

[~Bornslippy]

It's interesting how Martin Gore is going to react and respond to this... I think he's going to let David write two to three songs for the next DM record..... Folks listen , If Martin writes 10 to 12 songs and Dave write 2-5 or 10, then from this point on you'll have 13 to 18 songs per DM records..... I mean, sure I think Martin would be open to helping, giving tips to Dave's song writing skills. This is very exciting..

Optimism, it's a lifestyle. :)

[~Daft Monk]

I could have sworn this had it's own thread already ( http://www.electrogarden.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=6705 )with quotes like this:
- If Martin wants to make another record with me he will have to open up to my ideas. That's all. A simple wish. We have to reinvent ourselves, bring in new people and change our routines. But I don't know how he feels about it and at the moment I don't really care.

:But apparently it's at the top of today's news on nme.com as well. Apparently not all the press are DM fanatics.

[~si_w]

But apparently it's at the top of today's news on nme.com as well. Apparently not all the press are DM fanatics.

Oh my god, English band not that popular with English press shocker! :)

[~Daft Monk]

Every time I read something from a Brit POV about DM, the article usually starts off with the "despite their huge success in the US and Germany DM aren't really all that bad." Says something doesn't it?

[~Caster T]

I think if Martin lets Dave write some of the songs on the next DM album, it would further weaken the DM formula that has suffered since Alan’s departure. I feel Ultra & Exciter were good albums but don't stand up against their predecessors for consistency of quality songs. I have tried to get into Dave’s album, but I just find the lyrics flooded with clichés and the songs repetitive and here is a harsh phrase, quite bland. But things must move on, and if DM do break up then hopefully Martin will use the songs he writes for DM and record his first solo album of his own material. Sorry if I’ve offended any PM fans it’s just my humble opinion, and I still love Dave’s voice.

[~Scar Chemik]

Mr. Gahan, I have two words for you, Alan Wilder.

Alan's songs were just as good if not better than a lot of Martin's songs and Gore would have nothing of it. So, out he went. Mr. Gahan, you're songs are the weakest link, so, bye-bye.

Maybe, Dave should look Alan up?

[~arronc]

I dont think anyone, even their biggest fans are that bothered about whether they stay together or not.

I liked exciter, but i thought it would have been a better solo record for Martin than a dm record.

I for one dont care which way it goes.

[test]

Originally posted by Bornslippy
It's interesting how Martin Gore is going to react and respond to this... I think he's going to let David write two to three songs for the next DM record..... Folks listen , If Martin writes 10 to 12 songs and Dave write 2-5 or 10, then from this point on you'll have 13 to 18 songs per DM records..... I mean, sure I think Martin would be open to helping, giving tips to Dave's song writing skills. This is very exciting..

Optimism, it's a lifestyle. :)

Mark, I will give you credit for being optimistic. I just don't see it happening. Martin probably knows that Dave's material isn't all that great. He *hates* confrontation, so rather than tell Dave, "dude, your material is weak and needs some work", he just stays quiet. I honestly think that Martin would rather let the band go than to have to help Dave on his lyrics. It would be the mother of confrontations! Can you even see how *that* would go?? Dave's very abrasive at times. Martin hates confrontation. It's pretty much a no win situation.

I for one am glad that I saw them lots of times on their last tour. I usually pretend not to see things when it comes to dM, but this time the writing is on the wall. I think that Exciter was their last record. I would LOVE to be wrong, but somehow I don't think that I am. :(

[~Human Clone]

Originally posted by amyagogo


Oh you mean, &lt;b&gt;pull a Duran&lt;/b&gt;? :p

Yes indeed, or a KISS. :)

[~kellyrenee]

Originally posted by technosapien


the beginning of the end happened a long time ago

depeche mode is OUTTA THERE

buh bye

dont let the synthpop door hit your a.ss on the way out

JOEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <scowling> GRRRRR!

[test]

Ah, don't worry too much about Joel. I am sure his girlfriend took care of him when she read his post. Alex is a big dM fan. I am sure she handled it. :laugh:

[~Bornslippy]

Steph, can you please post more sites of Dave's recent interviews or even Martins... That would bee soooo super cool Steph..

[test]

Go to depeche-mode.com's forums. Look in the dM forum. I am off for Summer vacation after tomorrow, so I will have time to post links. You can also go to dm.com's board as well. They are there.

[~technosapien]

nobody "takes care of me"

depeche mode stinks!

[~Jupiter 4]

See what happens when you sell the DW-8000 in favor of a Gretsch Country Gentleman?

[test]

I did a search on google.com. Here are some results:

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://www.mcm.net/interview/index.php/33268/&prev=/search%3Fq%3Ddave%2Bgahan%2Binterview%26hl%3Den%26 lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://www.re-flexion.de/interviews/interviews-2003/2003-06/dave-gahan/interview-dave-gahan.htm&prev=/search%3Fq%3Ddave%2Bgahan%2Binterview%26hl%3Den%26 lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8

http://www.ananova.com/entertainment/story/sm_789270.html?menu=entertainment.music

http://www2.ocregister.com/ocrweb/o...3&month=6&day=6_


I also suggest that you register at depeche-mode.com to read those boards. There are more links and discussions about Dave there.

You can also go to depechemode.com. There are boards there. You don't have to register to read those.

[~Bornslippy]

Gratzi Steph... :)

[test]

You're welcome. I still have to mail out your cds. I was swamped with work. I will mail them out tomorrow. I will probably add a cd or two for making you wait. :)

[~Bornslippy]

Thank you Steph... Dont worry, everyone is pretty busy, it happens to the best of us...l.o.l. Thanks very much again..

Mark

[test]

There's even a mention of Dave quitting dM on the EGN homepage. Here's the link:

http://electrogarden.com/

[~kathy]

personally, I really can't understand Dave's point of view...his collaboration in composing DM songs would change DM sound and that is not what I want! Martin has always done a so great work, why be offended by such a thing like "he has always used my voice like an instrument?" so what's the problem...Dave's a great singer (the greatest for me) so probably his voice is the most important instrument of DM music! I don't know why he should be upset for that! anyway, I hope it's just a moment, I would be very sad if DM would split up...and Dave is wrong to leave this comments to magazines, if he has some problem with Martin, after 20 years aren't they able to solve them without being under the public eye?

[~NullDevice]

Originally posted by kathy
personally, I really can't understand Dave's point of view...his collaboration in composing DM songs would change DM sound and that is not what I want!


Okay, this is nothing personal but this attitude, very prevalent among fans of a band, REALLY bothers me.

A band or artist has absolutely no responsibility to do what you or any other fan wants. It's not up to us to determine what sort of ways a musician wants to express himself or herself. If Dave wants to stretch his creative wings, get involved, express himself, take some risks, then more power to him. If Depeche Mode doesn't sound the same, well, that's their choice, not ours. Maybe it'll suck, maybe not, but even if it does, it's their creative outlet, not fulfilment of any obligation to their fans.


Martin has always done a so great work, why be offended by such a thing like "he has always used my voice like an instrument?"


I can perfectly sympathise. Imagine you were an artist, but all you were allowed to do was paint-by-numbers someone else's work. Sure, you could pick which brush you wanted to use and you could mix your own colors, but if the creator said "this is a picture of a red house" and you were stuck painting red houses...can you imagine how frustrating that could be after 20 years, especially if you've gone out and proven that you can paint whatever you want on your own pretty well?

Okay, that's an overblown analogy, but I've had to perform in groups where I have had no creative input whatsoever, I've completely disagreed with the way things were written, and it is immensely frustrating.


so what's the problem...Dave's a great singer (the greatest for me) so probably his voice is the most important instrument of DM music! I don't know why he should be upset for that!


Beacuse he's not getting the chance to express himself, only act as a mouthpiece for Martin. And while he's good at it, it's probably wearing him down.


and Dave is wrong to leave this comments to magazines, if he has some problem with Martin, after 20 years aren't they able to solve them without being under the public eye?[/b]

This part I agree with. It's weird that Dave would go to the press before he went to Martin...but then again, maybe he *did* go to Martin and hasn't gotten a response yet? Or maybe Dave is just being asenine in front of the press - it wouldn't be the first time he's spouted off about something like this (he made similar comments before SOFAD).

At least, if Dave writes some songs, we might see an increased output. It takes Martin what, 2 years to write an album's worth?

[NJOberheim]

Originally posted by NullDevice
[b]
A band or artist has absolutely no responsibility to do what you or any other fan wants. It's not up to us to determine what sort of ways a musician wants to express himself or herself. If Dave wants to stretch his creative wings, get involved, express himself, take some risks, then more power to him. If Depeche Mode doesn't sound the same, well, that's their choice, not ours. Maybe it'll suck, maybe not, but even if it does, it's their creative outlet, not fulfilment of any obligation to their fans.
[b]

I can't say I agree with this statement. I understand the need for an artist being able to express themselves as they want but to say that an artist has NO obligation to their fans is simply not true (IMO).

I grew up listening to Depeche Mode, as many on EGN did. I bought every album, single, 12 inch, then bought them all again when CDs came out. I went to every concert in my area, etc, etc...I, along with all their fans, had a part in their success.

Let's say Depeche Mode were to release a Rap record (a la 50 Cent style), because all of a sudden Andrew Fletcher decided that he wanted to take part in the music too and he just so happens to really like rap. Would that be OK too? Andrew is entitled to have a say too. No!

When you've built a devoted fan base, you have a responsibility to them. I think that when a band or band member, feels like getting artsy and go off on a tangent, they need to either release a solo project, as Dave did, or release an album under a different Band name. Dave can do whatever is little heart desires in his solo projects. Why must he change Depeche as well?

Rich

[~Human Clone]

Originally posted by NullDevice


I can perfectly sympathise. Imagine you were an artist, but all you were allowed to do was paint-by-numbers someone else's work. Sure, you could pick which brush you wanted to use and you could mix your own colors, but if the creator said &quot;this is a picture of a red house&quot; and you were stuck painting red houses...can you imagine how frustrating that could be after 20 years, especially if you've gone out and proven that you can paint whatever you want on your own pretty well?




I disagree somewhat. If this was the case, Dave should have left DM many years ago. Dave is a great singer don't get me wrong but so is Martin. I think Martin could have sang a lot of those songs himself. I think when Dave went through his "drug phase" (and I use the term loosely). He was incapable of contributing anything artistic, I feel the band carried him during this period.

If he wants to start writing his own music with DM he should talk to Martin privately and not make threats via interviews.

[~NullDevice]

Originally posted by NJOberheim
I can't say I agree with this statement. I understand the need for an artist being able to express themselves as they want but to say that an artist has NO obligation to their fans is simply not true (IMO).


This is why Gary Numan nearly gave up music. He started making albums he thought the fans wanted, and not what he wanted, and he was miserable. And made crappy albums.


I grew up listening to Depeche Mode, as many on EGN did. I bought every album, single, 12 inch, then bought them all again when CDs came out. I went to every concert in my area, etc, etc...I, along with all their fans, had a part in their success.


Sigh. I *hate* this argument. You bought their albums becasue you liked what they were doing. They didn't make their albums because you wanted to buy them. You were under no obligation to buy it if you didn't like it. You still aren't.

Just becasue you liked their older stuff, this somehow gives you special priveleges to dictate what music they make?


Let's say Depeche Mode were to release a Rap record (a la 50 Cent style), because all of a sudden Andrew Fletcher decided that he wanted to take part in the music too and he just so happens to really like rap. Would that be OK too? Andrew is entitled to have a say too. No!


This doesn't make sense as an argument - first of all, Dave isn't saying he wants to take control of dM's sound - he's saying he wants to be involved in songwriting. If Martin agrees, then what's wrong with that? If they think it's a good idea, who are we to say it's not?

So if Fletch came along and said "let's make a hiphop album" and Dave and Martin said "excellent idea!" then they can go and make a hiphop album and more power to them. I probably won't buy it, and neither will you I'm guessing, but it's entirely within their rights to determine their own direction as a band.


When you've built a devoted fan base, you have a responsibility to them.


How do you figure? Unless you've preordered their next album, they certainly have no financial obligation to make what you want to hear. You bought the music they *already* made, not the music they're *going* to make. If you don't like the direction they pick, you have no obligation to buy the album. They make the music first, then you decide if it's sucessful. That's how it's always worked.

If they want to do something new, I think that's great. That's why they don't sound like "Speak and Spell" anymore. If they didn't, they wouldn't've lasted long. Their decisions to change direction gave us Black Celebration, Violator, and SoFAD.

I bet even the most die-hard fans get sick of hearing them release 10 albums that sounded like MFTM. A great album is great - once.

If they just start making the music that you want to hear, and not the music that they want to make, then they've sold out in the worst possible way.

Besides, I've been a huge dM fan for the past 15 years, bought albums, seen shows, and consider myself a deep fan, and *I* think it's okay for them to change - why should depeche mode listen to you and not me? Or me and not you?


I think that when a band or band member, feels like getting artsy and go off on a tangent, they need to either release a solo project, as Dave did, or release an album under a different Band name. Dave can do whatever is little heart desires in his solo projects. Why must he change Depeche as well?


How do you know it's going to be bad? How do you know it's even going to change much? Left to his own devices, a Martin-led dM will probably give us another Exciter. All Dave seems to want is a voice in the process, not a complete change in direction.


If this was the case, Dave should have left DM many years ago. Dave is a great singer don't get me wrong but so is Martin. I think Martin could have sang a lot of those songs himself.


Admittedly, I'm overstating it a bit. He probably hasn't felt this way for all 20 years. But since SOFAD Dave's been making more comments like this. Maybe he should've quit long ago. Maybe it's just come to a head now becasue he's proven to himself and others that he's capable of doing more than just signing someone else's songs. Maybe Martin should've kicked Dave out and gone it alone. They have their reasons, I'm sure, that we don't know about.

I do agree that Dave was not smart to take this to the press first, though. But we're only speculating as to why.

[~neo]

I feel that both Dave and Martin should stop acting like baby's. And Dave needs to show more professional respect for his band mates. Lets all wish Martin and dave the best.

[test]

Why is Martin acting like a baby? He has been the band's CHIEF songwriter for years. If Dave wanted to contribute to the band, he had ample opportunity to do so in 2000/01 when they were working on Exciter. Martin admittedly had writer's block. Did Dave step up to the plate and offer anything? Nope. He kept his mouth shut and NOW spouts off. Did he do anything to help? Did he offer anything to Martin? Nope. He didn't do anything to remedy the situation and now he complains about things. His credibility with me is zero.

[~pop]

So tired of their dramas.
I wish they break up or get married.

[test]

Martin's not the one causing all the drama. That would be Dave, aka Big Mouth, Gahan stirring it all up. He should have kept his mouth shut and kept all this s h i t private!

[~pop]

Originally posted by NJOberheim


Let's say Depeche Mode were to release a Rap record (a la 50 Cent style), because all of a sudden Andrew Fletcher decided that he wanted to take part in the music too and he just so happens to really like rap.


I think that would be SO COOL....
It would be so entertaining to see...

You people are sick...
What color underwear does Martin wears????
BLACK?????

Let those guys do whatever they want to do.
They aren't your personal family.
If you start not liking them, don't buy their CDs, TSHIRTS,
and attend their concerts. They already MADE their money.
They are writing music for themselves. Let them have some fun.
Last time I checked, you can't buy Depeche Mode stocks, so
your vast interests toward their decisions are up to them.
Gee... some of you sound like those mall chics who constantly talk about NSYNC. DM are artists. They aren't stocks.

[~NullDevice]

My god, for once Pop and I agree on something! :)

You know, anything we say about this right now is pure, pure speculation. Unless someone here has been in dM band meetings and studio sessions since 1995, we can't say for sure who's being egotistical, who's done what, who's allowed what, etc. We don't know anybody's reasons for anything. for all we know, Dave could be shooting his mouth off at Martin's prodding as a way of generating press for the band (very unlikely, but it could happen). So before we start decrying Martin's big ego, or Dave's aseninity, or Fletch's lack of talent, or the demise of Depeche Mode, or the suckitude of an as-yet-unwritten-and-unrecorded album, we should probably all just shut up and see what happens.

[test]

Dave is generating press for himself. He's been trying to distance himself from dM since his crappy album was released.

[~NullDevice]

Hey, I said it was unlikely. But all I'm saying is we aren't privvy to the band's motives so anything we say at this point is just purely a guess.

[test]

You said press for the band. I just said press for himself. It's all the same really. ;)

[~NullDevice]

picky picky picky! Nyaaaaaah! :D

[test]

I'm sorry, it's the teacher in me. :D

[~pop]

DM sold 6,000,000 copies of Personal Jesus.
We can easily assume they might have 9,000,000 fans throughout the world. EGN has 7249, which is about 0.0805444%
not even 1% of the share. I say, they aren't listening.

[test]

A lot of dM fans are really ignorant about other bands. They tend to only listen to dM. I can say this because I used to be one of them.

[~platformone]

my 2 cents: I like DG's "really crappy album"
all things end.
who's fletcher anyway?
counterfeit or counter crap?

it's only a band. I mean in all seriousness, they will do as they please. At least they didn't break up, then wait 18 years only to come back with an attempt to screw loyal fans out of $1,900 a pop for "v.i.p." passes.

[~conditioner]

well put-=no matter how dope Duran was, that's the most ridiculous shizzl I've ever heard from a band.
And if DM breaks up -most of us would be sad, myself definetely included. But then we just cherish the stuff they did before. It's just a band.

[test]

Ohhhh, wait! You haven't heard ANYTHING yet! Poe, who opened for dM back in 2001, is auctioning backstage passess for over $3,000.00 a piece! She has sold one already and has another for a buy it now price for $3,000,00! :eek: The first one is a lifetime pass for a tour she isn't even doing as of yet. The second one is a ONE time pass. She is charging outrageous amounts that make Duran's package look like peanuts. Duran Duran look like amateurs!

Tell me that both artists aren't disgusting.

[~cliffwalk]

To me it's not the artists I find disgusting, it's the people that give them the money. Money=reassurance=validation.

dave

[~gc42]

any artist that makes their fans "buy" their way backstage isn't worth supporting. they should be grateful for the support fans give them. the idea that an artist would take advantage of their fans and use them for profit is sad. if thats what poe is doing then i'll never buy a ticket to see her play live again.

i just recently saw placebo here in T.O. and brian molko from the band came out to chat with fans after the show for what must have been over an hour. he didn't have to do that, he wasn't paid to do it. he seemed genuinely greatful to the fans that went out of their way to buy a ticket and come see them play. amazing show btw, placebo are one of the best acts in music today. very underrated imho.

[test]

Well, a friend and I started an email war over all this last Thursday. We asked WHY she all of a sudden is selling access when she freely gave it away? We were lambasted and called non fans and told by some lemmings to leave the list. I emailed Poe herself and told her my feelings about the whole matter. I think it is appalling and absolutely disgusting that she is selling herself. She is prostituting herself. It's too bad that sooooooooo many of her fans are TOOOOO stupid to see it for themselves!

Some of her fans are now trying to say that she is going to be touring and this is money to raise funds. That's complete BUNK! She's tooo lazy to get a job and earn a living. She wants to earn her money on the backs of her fans. I for one will NEVER buy another Poe cd, spend any money on a tour, etc. I was once a massive fan. Now, I am just disgusted and very disappointed. :(

I am not happy with Dave and what he has been saying over the past few weeks. At least he has enough sense to NOT sell access to himself. I certainly hope artists selling access isn't a trend that will catch on.

[~humming]

Originally posted by Stephanie
Why is Martin acting like a baby? He has been the band's CHIEF songwriter for years. If Dave wanted to contribute to the band, he had ample opportunity to do so in 2000/01 when they were working on Exciter. Martin admittedly had writer's block. Did Dave step up to the plate and offer anything? Nope. He kept his mouth shut and NOW spouts off. Did he do anything to help? Did he offer anything to Martin? Nope. He didn't do anything to remedy the situation and now he complains about things. His credibility with me is zero.

But the situation *could* have also been that Dave might have tried to help Martin, but Martin refused his help and instead turned to Gareth Jones and Paul Freegard.

Or maybe Dave tried to contribute something and simply got outvoted. Fletch is going to be on Martin's side.

I also wanted to add that we are speculating a lot here on what's going to happen down the road.

AND while I didn't agree with Dave going off in public about his frustrations with Depeche Mode right around the release of his new album, I think he's realizing it's not the best course to take. I read recently, on another forum I believe, that when a fan asked him at a signing about possibly leaving Depeche Mode, he replied that he hasn't left anything and right now he just wants to concentrate on PM.

[test]

As for Dave trying to help, I honestly believe that HE would have said that he offered to help Martin, but Mart turned him down. He's been vocal on how Mart would yell that he was in the wrong tune and what have you. I am sure that Dave would let us all know if he offered something and got turned down again.

[~NullDevice]

Didn't Dave write a few tracks (the infamous "Ocean Song" among them?) that didn't make it to Exciter?

Jones, Freegard and Mark Bell woulda been there regardless - they're producers and programmers, which the band would need regardless of whether Dave had any input into the process. Even when they had Alan in the band, they still hired Flood and all the rest, so if they make more albums they'll still be hiring producers, programmers, sound designers and engineers.

[~cliffwalk]

Originally posted by Stephanie
I am not happy with Dave and what he has been saying over the past few weeks. At least he has enough sense to NOT sell access to himself. I certainly hope artists selling access isn't a trend that will catch on.

Again, it's one thing to put access to yourself up for sale...

It's an entirely different thing to BUY that access.

I think the latter is worse.

It's not like a drug dealer selling drugs here... these are people PAYING MONEY to "MEET" an "IDOL". Why not capitalize on that kind of insanity? Worse things have been done for a buck.

*I'm more or less playing devil's advocate here, please don't interpret my statements any other way*

Dave

[~NullDevice]

Damn, there goes my "buy a date with Null Device" plan...

[test]

Yeppers, Dave wrote the Ocean Song, which is now called Closer. It's a B side to I Need You. Dave wanted it on Ultra and Martin said that it wouldn't have fit with the theme. Martin was right! I have heard Closer and it wouldn't have fit at ALL on Ultra. I don't understand HOW the man who *can* sing on dM albums suddenly can't on his own? He's out of tune and grating. This whole rock image of his just doesn't suit him at all.

[~NullDevice]

My point being if he wrote a song for the album, wouldn't that be considered "attempting to provide input?" It's just me questioning the argument previously made of "why didn't Dave try to add input when they needed it during Ultra and Exciter?" Seems to me that he did, and either Martin didn't like it or it wasn't very good (or both). I haven't heard "Closer" yet so I can't judge. That's all.

[~pop]

I HATE DEPECHE MODE.
I never hated DM before I joined EGN.

[~NullDevice]

Thanks for sharing. ;)

[test]

Oh, I see it now. Yep, I am thick at times. :laugh:

Well, you may like Closer and Breathe but I didn't. Then again, I don't venture into rock all that much. I prefer electronic music.

Oh, Pop, if you think dM fans on the EGN are bad, then don't ever go to dm.com's message boards. We are tame here compared to them.

[~NullDevice]

Or bong. Bong can be insane. I've been on that list since 1992 (bong@lestat.compaq.com! w00t!) and it's been rpone to flame wars the likes of which EGN has never seen...

[test]

Oh, yeah! I forgot about BONG!! I was on it in 1995/96, whatever it was when Dave was having all of his problems. I used my university email account. They called me during Winter Break to tell me that I had to come and dump my emails because I had over 3,000 and I was clogging the server. :laugh: That list is wild! I get the digest now, so it isn't as bad. ;)

[~pop]

Originally posted by NullDevice
Thanks for sharing. ;)
YOU ARE VERY WELCOME

Originally posted by NullDevice

Jones, Freegard and Mark Bell woulda been there regardless - they're producers and programmers, which the band would need regardless of whether Dave had any input into the process. Even when they had Alan in the band, they still hired Flood and all the rest, so if they make more albums they'll still be hiring producers, programmers, sound designers and engineers.

Very true.
DM is a package idea.
Martin Gore is a great song writer. He is nothing more.
One of these days if I ever meet him, I am going to pick his brain
about synths. I have a feeling he doesn't have a clue about them.
Since the major gearhead (Alan) left, they have to outsource
one of the function to consultants like corporations would do.
I noticed more people are involved in the recording since depature of Alan. Fletcher is still in the band, because if he leaves I bet it will affect record sales. Even ratings for a TV show can go down when one of the vilian is pulled out from the show.
I know everyone complains about Fletcher, but I met people will miss him if he is out of the picture. Everyone also know money
was never divided into four equal ways in the past.
Also, Dave should realiase he isn't an natural
born song writer and give up writing. He should be happy
that he has natural born gift. He is born with an amazing voice. The voice like that can't be acquired through practices.
Dave should leave the band and hire song writers to write
his music. I bet he will do lot better than Martin.
That isn't an new idea. Elvis and Frank Sinatra
never wrote a single tune. Those guys have amazing born
voices. They concentrated on things they were very good at.