Posted on 05/26/2022 1:06:17 PM PDT by Carpe Cerevisi
Depeche Mode’s Andy Fletcher has died at 60. “We are shocked and filled with overwhelming sadness with the untimely passing of our dear friend, family member, and bandmate Andy ‘Fletch’ Fletcher,” reads a statement that was posted on the band’s social media accounts. “Fletch had a true heart of gold and was always there when you needed support, a lively conversation, a good laugh, or a cold pint. Our hearts are with his family, and we ask that you keep them in your thoughts and respect their privacy in this difficult time.”
Fletcher was born in 1961 in Nottingham, England, and moved to Basildon when he was a child. It was there that he met future Depeche Mode founding member Vince Clarke. In the late ’70s, he started a band with Clarke called No Romance In China; after meeting Martin Gore, they all formed a different trio called Composition Of Sound. In 1980, Dave Gahan joined the group and they changed their name to Depeche Mode.
Though Clarke would leave the band after the release of their debut album Speak And Spell in 1981, Fletcher continued as an active member, playing keyboard throughout their entire career. Along with Martin and Gore, he released 17 albums with Depeche Mode, the most recent of which was 2017’s Spirit. He was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2020.
I don't want to start any blasphemous rumours.
Their music is great to drive to. Other DM favorites are “Personal Jesus” and “People Are People.”
Have fun on your road trip!
Lucky you - you got to see them live! :-)
I agree 60 is too young. What a shame.
I was at the iconic 1988 show in Pasadena. Kind of the Led Zeppelin 1975 Madison Square Garden show of Alternative Rock. Loved DM, great band live and influences on other bands in that genre. DM was a shining light of ingenuity in a derivative wasteland of hair metal and teen popstar that was mid to late 80’s music. I graduated in HS in 1984 and there three types of kids, Springsteen kids, DM kids and Country music kids in my class. Country still sucks but I have learned to appreciate Bruce.
I guess he finally got enough.
It's funny you say that. I discovered them on a road trip from Denver to San Diego via a cassette I ordered through that old Columbia "buy 1 get 12 more for 1¢" deals. The favorite track of the trip was Route 66.
Everything counts in large amounts.....
I liked that. Thanks.
Check out their remake of Billy Idol “Eyes Without A Face”
Its pretty good too :)
I don’t think I ever heard DM’s version of Route 66 until you mentioned it - just looked it up now.
Yes, that would be great to drive to.
Almost 50 comments and no quips about the immortal Keith Richards?
RIP, Andy Fletcher and all the other people who are gone too soon (including those in Buffalo, NY and Texas).
How many of the three were “vax”ed?
RIP, all.
Amen.
One Hit Wonder in 1983???
While I agree their early 80’s stuff was their best stuff, their US hits were much later:
“Enjoy the Silence,” No. 8, July 14, 1990
“People Are People,” No. 13, Aug. 3, 1985
“Policy of Truth,” No. 15, Oct. 20, 1990
“Personal Jesus,” No. 28, March 3, 1990
“It’s No Good,” No. 38, June 7, 1997
“Strangelove,” No. 50, Oct. 22, 1988
“World In My Eyes,” No. 52, Dec. 22, 1990
“I Feel You,” No. 37, March 13, 1993
“Route 66/Behind the Wheel,” No. 61, May 21, 1988
“Never Let Me Down Again,” No. 63, Feb. 13, 1988
Hardly. If you haven’t listened to them since 1983, you’ve missed out on their best work. The Violator (1990) and Ultra (1997) albums were both brilliant from start to finish.
policy of truth
Gahan is a good frontman. Not a great singer, but he does have stage presence.
No problem. I only saw the band with Alan White..
If you want to pick one album to listen to, try “Violator”, it was a bit more polished and consistent and has a couple of their big hits on it. Or there’s “Music for the Masses”, which is more of a compilation to catch the US audience up on all the early releases we missed, that’s pretty good too.
Kind of like The Cure, a lot of their best stuff came before they started having hits.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.