2001
Articles,
reviews of concerts and releases, and band member interviews from
magazines and newspapers.
Singles:
'Dream On', 'I Feel Loved', 'Freelove'
Album: 'Exciter'
Alternative
Press, January 2001
[Words: "R.C.". Picture: Marina
Chavez.]
Brief preview of Exciter
when it was still being produced (and before the title had even been
announced), with contributions from Dave and Martin.
[243
words]
Gear,
April 2001
[Words: Sarah Cristobal.
Picture: Robert Maxwell.]
Stunning picture of Dave in the fashion section of a men's magazine,
with accompanying text.
[111
words]
Depeche Mode:
Electro-Innovators in a "Fashion"
[From "Tower Guide to Dance and Electronic Music", Tower
Records, 2001. Words: Kurt B. Reighley. Pictures: Sheila Rock / Anton
Corbijn.]
Summary of the band in a US music store freebie. While the
author does a pretty good job of fitting the band's history accurately on one
page, his descriptions of their sound are not always reliable and occasionally
unfair. Fair enough as an opinion-piece, but if you are new to the band this
won't give you a real feel for their music and you ought to read around before
coming to any conclusions.
[659
words]
Virtually
Alternative, April 2001
[Words: Sat Bisla. Pictures: Anton Corbijn.]
Interview
with the band promoting the release of Exciter. The article
focuses in more detail than many articles on the making of Exciter
from a studio perspective and Martin's impetus for the lyrics. Despite
a slightly flat tone, there is plenty here for someone interested in
the band's methods and working practices without being overly
specialist.
[2676 words]
In
The Mode For Love
[Time Out, 4th April 2001. Words:
Sat Bisla. Pictures: Uncredited.]
Unusual
article using Depeche's releases as snapshots to trace the band's
history while Dave reflects. Factually, there's nothing wrong with it,
but Dave's musings colour the article a bit too heavily, and in some
places the author seems to bend over backwards to draw a particular
interpretation out of the band's story. If you are new to the band,
please read around.
[1820 words]
The
Basildon Bond
[The Times Magazine, 14th April 2001. Words: Paul Connolly.
Pictures: Anton Corbijn.]
Compelling and balanced article with
contributions from all band members telling the band's story and
promoting Exciter. It's refreshing to see more from Martin and
Andy, who bounce off each other throughout, and the article opens with
a devotion-inducing vignette of Martin singing and playing under the
influence in a pub.
[2264 words]
Flaunt,
May 2001
[Words: Tom Lonham. Pictures: Anthony Mandler.]
Intelligent
interview with the band portraying all three as men who have earned
their maturity the hard way, through epic excesses and mistakes, and
surviving to tell the tale. All three band members glow with health
and optimism and the camaraderie is obvious in this article, which
examines how changes in their lifestyle have influenced Exciter.
[1604 words]
Keyboard,
May 2001
[Words: Robert L. Doerschuk. Pictures: Anton Corbijn.]
Specialist interview looking
in close detail at the studio technicalities of the making of Exciter.
Most of the album's songs are examined down to the intricacies of how
certain sounds were made, and Martin and Andy discuss their working
processes and the equipment and software used. Producer Mark Bell is
also briefly interviewed. Although the average reader will probably
lose interest half way through, this article is outstanding for
musicians.
[4252 words]
Q&A:
Depeche Mode
[Mean Street, May 2001.
Words: George A Paul. Picture: Anton Corbijn.]
Short
article, one of a glut announcing the release of Exciter, interviewing
the band. The article focuses on studio practices, their collaboration
with Mark Bell, and how subtle changes in working methods affected the
sound of the finished album. The article makes a good job of showing
the band from a specialised angle without becoming too involved to put
off the general reader.
[1218
words]
Blank
Celebration
[Revolver, May 2001.
Words: J. D. Considine. Pictures: Anton Corbijn.]
Easy-reading article in a US magazine
surrounding the release of Exciter. The author muses on their
rise to fame in the USA, the origins of their style, and the bizarre
way in which the band members individually remain nondescript despite
the success of the band as a whole. An article that manages to strike
the balance between content and interest.
[2493
words]
Just
Can't Get Enough
[Uncut, May 2001. Words: Stephen Dalton.
Pictures: Anton Corbijn / Redferns.]
Fully detailed juggernaut of a band history, with contributions from
all the band members, Alan Wilder and Daniel Miller. Despite its
length, the article is accurate and does not drift or lose pace, and
the author keeps a balanced view of the Devotional-era excesses and
their aftermath. A discography at the end reviews the albums more
reservedly than usual. This is the best article for someone wanting a
thorough grounding in the band's history, short of buying a book. A
masterpiece.
[14384 words]
[NME, 12th May 2001. Words: Stephen Dalton. Picture: Anton Corbijn.]
Some Exciter reviews pick up on the gentle tone of the album and fall into the familiar "they aren't what they used to be" routine. This one goes right against that, praising the musical direction as breath of (mature) fresh air, and positively hollering from the rooftops Dave's expressive new voice. If anything could convert a sceptic to Exciter, it's this one.
[413 words]
In
A Relaxed Mode For 'Exciter'
[Billboard, 19th May 2001. Words:
Larry Flick. Picture: Anton Corbijn.]
The
band appear detoxed, refreshed and rejuvenated in this interview from
Exciter's week of release, discussing the challenges they faced in
creating a new Depeche Mode album after twenty years in the business
and all the well-known highs and lows. Despite being quite short this
is a thoughtful article that manages to be intelligent without getting
heavy.
[1213
words]
[FHM, June 2001. Words: Caroline Rees. Pictures: Anton Corbijn / Various.]
Relentless chronicle of Dave's problem years, far enough from the events to be old news. Here Dave is just learning how to laugh at his former self, but the writer's tone seems one of admiration at his resilience combined with horrified fascination. It all seems to lick its lips at the nasty details a bit too much, and there comes a point where reading it just feels plain wrong.
[2946 words]
Many
Smack-Free Returns!
[Q, June 2001. Words: Dorian Lynskey.
Pictures: Spiros Politis.]
Compelling band biography, with some emphasis on the chaos of the
Devotional Tour. However, the author avoids the pitfall of many
journalists and avoids dwelling melodramatically on Dave's problems,
probably on the (wise) assumption that the details are easily enough
had elsewhere. The tone is resolutely upbeat and the photography is
stunning. Recommended reading!
[4039
words]
Reconstruction
Time Again
[Q, June 2001. Words: Gareth Grundy. Picture: Spiros Politis.]
The
author of this slightly cynical review is disappointed with 'Exciter',
considering it a feeble effort in comparison to Depeche Mode's earlier
material. While it makes depressing reading, the views are fairly
expressed and have been shared by many fans.
[330
words]
User's
Guide: Depeche Mode
[Kingsize, June 2001. Words: Uncredited. Picture: Anton Corbijn.]
Unusually engaging selective
discography, with Martin riding shotgun. Most of the studio albums are
reviewed both in terms of the music itself and the circumstances that
surrounded their production. Martin's comments illuminate each album
further and the result means a review that doesn't clinically dissect
each release, but tells you the important stuff: whether or not you'll
like it. Committed fans will enjoy squabbling over how to put the
'Best of the Rest' in exact order of merit...
[1147 words]
Sing
When You're Winning: Andy Fletcher of Depeche Mode
[Four Four Two, July 2001. Words: Matt
Allen. Picture: Paul Postle.]
A refreshing chat with Andy which actually scarcely touches on
music, coming from a UK football magazine. It's as pleasant a change
for us as it must be for Fletch to discuss something other than
Depeche Mode, and we get to see a totally different aspect of Andy as
he talks about the troubles of parenting a young Arsenal fan and the
lengths the Mode go to to keep up with the football on tour.
[1138
words]
Mode
Ahead
[Muzik, July 2001. Words:
Ralph Moore. Pictures: Anton Corbijn.]
Dance-oriented
interview laying the "Depeche Mode as dance pioneers" line
on with a trowel. The band work their way tactfully through some
sticky moments as the interviewer evidently tries to make them seem
more involved with the present-day dance scene than they are.
Consequently both parties realise that the band aren't really that
familiar with Ibiza and that ilk. Nonetheless, having the slightly
unusual focus, this makes for interesting reading.
[1723 words]
Still
Gahan Strong
[NME, 22nd September 2001.
Words: Stephen Dalton. Picture: Uncredited.]
A
glowing review of a date of the Exciter tour in Germany. The author is
clearly impressed by Depeche Mode's continued ability to command a
cult following while remaining a quality band, and relieved at their
recovery from what he sees as blips in the 1990s. One to have devotees
cheering!
[385
words]
Mode
in Britain
[Hot Tickets, 12th-18th October 2001. Words: Andrew Panos.
Pictures: Anton Corbijn / Tibor Illyes.]
Basic
article in a London entertainment guide giving an introduction to
Depeche Mode for the casual reader. It gives an overview of their
career while Dave and Andy reflect on their success in America and
relative misconception in the UK. Simple, but notably balanced in
tone.
[1712 words]
The
Long And Winding Mode
[The Observer, 21st October 2001. Words: Sam Taylor. Picture:
Betrand Guay / AFP.]
Better
than the cringeable title would suggest, this article is an exceptionally
well thought out and articulate review of a gig at Paris Bercy during the
Exciter Tour. The author is impressed by virtually all aspects of the band
and their performance, while keeping their feet firmly on the ground and
never going overboard. Best of all, the author is able to state
reservations about some of the newer material while being quite clear that
they are not another Eighties has-been.
[925
words]
New
Life
[DJ, 1st-14th December
2001. Words: Gal Detourn. Picture: Anton Corbijn]
Article
in a UK dance magazine ahead of the release of Goodnight Lovers,
(re-)presenting Depeche Mode as players in the present-day dance music
world. The article gives the reader a crash course in Depeche Mode
history, bearing in mind the unusual audience. Exciter's
remixes are enthusiastically discussed, but the author is careful not
to overstate their influence upon dance music as some have.
[1238 words]
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