Following the tragic loss of bandmate Andy Fletcher in 2022, iconic music group Depeche Mode has rediscovered their love for life, music, and each other. Meeting with the surviving members, Dave Gahan and Martin Gore, in Berlin and London, they discuss their upcoming album, ‘Memento Mori.’
The new album represents a powerful journey for the band, which has experienced numerous changes since its formation 43 years ago. Depeche Mode has not only navigated lineup changes but also found immense success and influenced a wide range of artists, from Lady Gaga and The Killers to Deftones and Nine Inch Nails.
In the face of losing Fletcher, Gahan and Gore have focused on making the most of life and their time together. The album’s title, ‘Memento Mori,’ serves as a reminder to live life to the fullest, as it translates to “Remember you must die” from Latin.
Working with producer James Ford, experimentalist Marta Salogni, and The Psychedelic Furs frontman Richard Butler, Depeche Mode crafted an album that is both experimental and fresh. As the band gears up for their world tour, kicking off in Sacramento on March 23, they continue to inspire a new generation of fans and musicians with their dedication and perseverance.
Despite the challenges they have faced, Depeche Mode remains committed to their music and each other. They approach the future with cautious optimism, embracing the present and cherishing the opportunities that lie ahead. As Gahan expressed, “Losing Fletch made that feeling more real. Everything will come to an end. I don’t know when that is. After Fletch passed and we had to continue, I said, ‘Try to enjoy what you’ve got to do here and do the best you can.’ You really don’t know if you’re going to be doing it again.”
In addition to the release of their new album ‘Memento Mori,’ Depeche Mode’s resilience in the face of adversity has helped the band garner a renewed appeal among fans old and new alike. As the band navigates their new reality as a duo, Gahan and Gore’s ‘get up and do it yourself’ spirit resonates with their audience, inspiring them to take charge of their own lives and follow their dreams.
The recent inclusion of their 1987 hit ‘Never Let Me Down Again’ in the popular show ‘The Last of Us’ has further contributed to the band’s resurgence. With a 220.5% increase in streams in the US alone, Depeche Mode has once again captured the attention of the pop culture spotlight. Gahan reflects on this newfound recognition with amusement, stating, “We didn’t expect that. It’s like it’s our time again and you can feel it in the air. It’s amusing to me because we’ve worked hard, and we’re getting this weird recognition again of, ‘This band is important and cool, and they deserve to be here’.”
