Since the death of Andy Fletcher in May, Depeche Mode fans have been worried about the future of the band. Now it's clear: Dave Gahan and Martin Gore will continue as a duo. The album "Memento Mori" will be released next spring, and their world tour will start shortly thereafter.
At noon today, a number of press representatives and 200 fans gathered in the "Berliner Ensemble" theater to learn personally from Dave Gahan and Martin Gore how Depeche Mode will continue after the death of Andy Fletcher. However, it was already clear on Monday evening when the band spread the first information via social media that it would continue.
At the press conference, the audience didn't find out too much new in the 15-minute talk with journalist Barbara Charone, presented by Live Nation boss Marek Lieberberg. Those who expected something highly emotional due to the loss of Andy Fletcher were a little disappointed. Frontman Dave Gahan and songwriter Martin Gore reported almost routinely on the recordings for the new album, the follow-up to 2017's "Spirit", which is due to be released at the end of March.
For the first time, the work took place in Gore's own studio in Santa Barbara and in New York, where it will also be completed shortly. The fact that these are both places where Depeche Mode had never worked in the past probably made things a little easier, the two musicians explain to Charone. It's more anecdotal moments when Gore and Gahan miss their bandmate and longtime friend, like shortly after their arrival in Berlin on Saturday, when he wasn't sitting at the hotel bar as usual.
The album title is "Memento Mori" which means "Be aware of your mortality". That might sound "morbid," says Martin Gore. But you can also look at him positively. "When you realize that you have to die, you live your life to the maximum," said the 61-year-old. However, the title was not created, as one might assume, after the surprising death of Andy Fletcher, who was just 60 years old, in May, but during his lifetime. Dave Gahan leaves open the question from the audience whether there will be a homage to the keyboard player at the upcoming shows of their world tour.
As part of their tour, Depeche Mode will play six stadium concerts in Germany as a duo together with their traditional live musicians. On May 26th they will be at the Leipzig Festwiese, on June 4th and 6th in the Merkur Spiel-Arena in Düsseldorf and on June 20th in the Munich Olympic Stadium. Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt am Main is on the agenda for June 29th and the Olympic Stadium in Berlin for July 7th.
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(This article was first published on Tuesday, October 04, 2022.)
