Die-hard fan-musician, Glezpik, had the chance to meet Alan Wilder at the recent Recoil gig in Mexico City. Of course Glezpik requested an autograph, but then he gets creative and teams up to play a one-off iPhone duet with The Maestro himself! Check it out:
Dave has donated a nice collection of his European gold and platinum awards to the non-profit Inter-Care for a series of fundraising auctions. According to the descriptions, Inter-Care was hand-chosen by Dave to be the recipient of proceeds. Based in New York, they provide comprehensive services for families and individuals affected by alcohol and drug addiction. Check out the auctions on eBay.
(Special thanks to Jam007 on Home for posting about these!)
Dear Dave,
Birthdays tend to be a day of reflection on one’s life and the journeys travelled. This past year has been one hell of a road travelled, and a little under a year ago I think so many of us wondered whether we’d even be able to sit around now, reminiscing over a great tour, another great Depeche Mode era and the obstacles overcome. Despite the uncertainty, the frustration, the ongoing damage, the unfounded rumors and lack of faith from some corners of the universe, you refused to give up or give in.
It seems the older we get, the more concerned people are with the ever-increasing number, but a number that is just that – an arbitrarily assigned counter. People aren’t remembered for how long they lived, but for what they did with the time they were given. The spirit never ages and music never dies. 47 was a difficult year for you, and every fiber in my spirit hopes 48 and beyond will treat you (and yours) much better.
This post is going up late in the day, but I hope you had a fantastic birthday!
Sincerely,
Amanda
Click to download full-size image!
So, for today, I give you a high resolution visual remaster from the Music for the Masses era. This poster was published in a teen magazine in 1987. I’ve scanned it, stitched it, and removed all the blemishes, pin holes, and creases. Enjoy!
I’m open to suggestions on things you’d like to see in the freebies section! What sorts of electronic DM goodies to you enjoy the most?
*Due to the large file size, these images will have to be hosted off my own server. I don’t have a magic money tree to help me pay for bandwidth, so these files may only work for a limited time. 
Historic Route 101. Photo by http://www.windycityart.com/.
Memories of the Tour of the Universe are still fresh, but with feet back on the ground for two weeks, many DM pilgrims are starting to take stock in the aftermath of just how much money was spent! The memories are priceless, but that doesn’t mean our bank accounts didn’t feel it (or in some cases, will continue to feel it). Our friends and families wonder how we do it! I promise you, I have no mysterious benefactors I’m certainly not rich, and the only credit card I own (by choice) is a Target card. With a bit of savvy, affording travel for DM may not be as impossible as you think! Read More
It’s been one week since we saw the end of a fantastic tour. The band and traveling fans alike are back home, sleeping in their own beds, mostly adjusted to their original timezones. The concept of post-concert depression (PCD) is a very real one, as the body and mind comes down from the natural high that comes from the thrill of any amazing and fun experience. However, my personal Tour of the Universe ended on such an unexpected high, I haven’t really had too much trouble with PCD. I coped with what I thought was the end of my adventure back in August, after the Dallas show. Dusseldorf was an amazing epilogue.
What I have felt, though, is the same as what I felt after traveling this summer: A somewhat disgruntled readjustment to normal life. The band has cited this as one of the difficulties of touring. Dave’s family suffered quite a bit of tension after he returned from Touring the Angel (the results of which can be heard in the subsequent release of Hourglass). Martin has commented about the awkwardness of something as simple as grocery shopping after a long tour. It goes without saying that Depeche Mode travels at a higher financial level than their fans. They certainly aren’t bumming couches from buddies, booking hostels and hotels with three people to a room, or hauling luggage up and down subway stairs like most of their traveling fans are. We certainly aren’t on and off tour for nine months. However, this isn’t about being well-taken care of or spoiled. It’s a psychological experience, in which I imagine better accommodations may help but do not prevent. I think one begins to understand that experience through the prism of a fan’s microcosm after even a few short trips. Read More
Violator: A Rose by Another Name
Violator insert. Photo courtesy of DepMod.com.
Twenty years ago today, 15,000 teenagers descended upon Wherehouse Music at the Beverly Center in Los Angeles, eagerly awaiting an in-store appearance by the band. The event was to promote the release of Violator, what would become one of Depeche Mode’s master works. It fuelled more publicity than ever imagined as the crowd situation spiraled out of control. Fearing for their safety, the band had to leave only minutes into their appearance – they didn’t do another in-store event until 2005.
I wish I could commemorate this anniversary with sweet memories of going to my local record store to purchase Violator, or share my own harrowing tale of the infamous Wherehouse riot, but alas, I cannot. I was seven years old – an age when most music bothered me because I found it hard to hear myself think. I didn’t care for pop music for a long time, inundated by what was left of the hairbands, bubble-gum pop and every other school-girl’s crushes on New Kids on the Block. My parents didn’t listen to top 40 radio and I was too young to care about MTV. I managed to completely miss the entire movement around the album, despite the media frenzy, and despite fact my step-sister owned the album. How many weekends I must have spent only feet away from music that would change my life so many years later!
Even though I can’t share in the memories of the time it was released, I can still fondly reflect on when Violator was new to me. In the fall of 1999, there were many hours spent on school buses, travelling to and from competitions with Violator by my side (in my handy discman!). I’m sure I thought “Halo” was the best song ever made, though there was never a track I didn’t like. My friend and I even sang “Enjoy the Silence” together for good luck between warm-ups and marching onto the field at every competition. I think it says a lot about Violator that nine years after it’s release, I knew several teenagers who treasured it in the same way as those who’d come before them. There’s no doubt in my mind the album will continue to console disaffected youth, inspire artists and musicians, and move all who love it for many years to come. Cheers to Depeche Mode, who’s music continues to carry on beyond their wildest dreams.