Depeche Mode Interviews

1983-12-09 Unknown, Munich, Germany

Mart Can Speak German

Interviewer: It's the third time in Germany with Depeche Mode, isn't it?

Dave: That's right, yeah.

Interviewer: I'm seeing one of your members is speaking German, is it Martin?

Dave: Yeah yeah yeah. He speaks... he has in England an "A Level", which enables him really to speak quite fluent German.

...

Alan is a Great Musician

Interviewer: You were saying some things that Alan Wilder wrote some things on the album and he wrote that brilliant B-side of Love In Itself, it's called Fools, you like it?

Andy: Yeah, the only thing is, when we was compiling the album that was one of the songs considered, but we didn't really think it fitted in lyrically with the running of the album, so that's why we didn't put it on the album.

Interviewer: Was this just the only reason?

Andy: Really, yeah. Because it's basically a love song, isn't it. And we felt we wanted to have an album with certain running concepts, so we didn't think it fitted in lyrically.

Interviewer: The other albums, you've done that A Broken Frame one just with Dave and Martin, did you? - A Broken Frame, the album, you just done it with Dave and Martin, yeah?

Andy: Oh, sorry, yeah, it's just... No, it's alright, I thought you just said Dave and Martin did it. Yeah, it's just the three of us that time. And looking back, we could have done with Alan really, because he is a very good musician and he's a great help to us, because I think we're really only average musicians, and having a really good musician sort of like brings your standards up.

...

Andrew and Vince

Interviewer: Do you still like Vince Clarke which was one of the first members of Depeche Mode?

Andy: What do you mean, do I still like him? What, as a person, or the music?

Interviewer: As a person, and maybe his music too.

Andy: Oh yeah, I really like him as a person. I mean he was my best friend for years and years, so I can't dislike someone, he's never done any harm to me, I still get on well with him now. I'm not so sure about the music, don't really like the Assembly single, it's very commercial but – I just think it's too MOR, really, for me.

Interviewer: Could Vince try to get back to Depeche Mode too?

Andy: No, no. We wouldn't have him, never.

Interviewer: And he never asked for...?

Andy: Well, I don't think... There's no chance, you know, because we wouldn't have him back. Because Alan's too... we're so friendly with Alan, you know. Alan's rooted now, and we don't need Vince.

...

:(

Interviewer: My most best songs are Shame and Shouldn't Have Done That because the lyrics are really brilliant. Have you got any songs you like mostly off one of the albums?

Martin: I've got a few favourites, and I like Shame, and I like Everything Counts, and I like See You, I think. I think they're my favourites.

Interviewer: And what about, nowadays you've written nearly all the songs from Construction Time Again. And one thing Dave told me was you went to... was it India? You went to India or another place in the world where poor people were living, and he said you were really saddened when you saw that, is that right?

Martin: Sort of, yeah. We went on a Far Eastern tour, and we visited places like Thailand and it was really... it was sort of sad in a way.

...

Alan is Still The New Guy

Interviewer: OK, Alan, my first question is, you are the member of Depeche Mode who came into the band last. Have you got the feeling that the band liked you from first moment and that you're a whole member, because at first you were just doing a tour with them, I think?

Alan: Well, obviously at first when you join a band, it takes a little while to get to know everybody, but now I've been in the band two years, and we all get on very well now, and I feel as much a member as everybody else.

Interviewer: Alan, you have written the B-side of Love In Itself which is called Fools, I think that that song is one of the best ones; why didn't you bring it on the album?

Alan: Well the words of Fools, they don't really fit in with all the other tracks on the album. And whilst the music was quite lively, it didn't really fit the whole theme of the album. So that's why it didn't go on the album.