Late night on September 9th, 1981, I listened to Bernard Lenoir’s weekly show on France Inter.
I was 12 years old, living in France, and always looking for cool music to brag about on Monday mornings in High School.
Playing live from Les Bains Douches, the trendiest club in Paris, Depeche Mode was going through my ears for the first time.
Tora!Tora!Tora! was my favorite song from the show.
Also, I thought setting up the drum machine in the middle of the stage was interesting.
I don’t know why that detail stuck in my mind, probably because most bands would have hidden behind a curtain the fact that they don’t have a drummer.
I didn’t immediately fall in love with DM, and I got bored quickly with “Just Can’t Get Enough.”
However, the band immediately became a must within my crew of “trendy” high school kids. We would listen to the latest from Anne Clark, Front 242, Kraftwerk, Bauhaus, Joy Division, Cabaret Voltaire, New Order, The Sisters Of Mercy, etc.
For some reason, Depeche Mode was always sneaking into the tape player, and the music started to grow on me. Then, I started to listen to the words. I was shocked. How can Depeche Mode think exactly like me and express my thoughts in beautiful songs?
When I was old enough to attend a show, I went to Paris in 1986 and got hooked forever. It was simply and purely blissful.
The concert was epic, and I got lucky because the production filmed it.
Since then, I missed a few tours but attended over 50 shows.
For Memento Mori, I attended four shows in the First European Leg and booked six for the Second European Leg, starting in early 2024.
The 4-year gap between albums is perfect to go by my life, then travel all over Europe every four years to go on my pilgrimage. The words and music of Depeche Mode help me stay in check with my values, remember where I come from, and figure out what I am doing here.
Forty years later, Depeche Mode has been the marker of my entire life, and they sing what I think since Day 1 until today.
My relationship with the band is so weird and positive that I thought it would make a cool story.
Depeche Mode brought me so much positive vibe in my life. The idea behind this podcast is not only about nerding out the music and the story of Depeche Mode. It is also about our stories. The so-called Devotees or Black Swans who followed this band for decades. Usually, it is the only band we follow like this. I aim to bring on other DM devotees because there are so many wonderful stories out there. Whenever I attend a show and talk to old-school fans, I confirm that Depeche Mode is not your usual band, and the fans are not the usual type.
Email me if you wish to share your story on the podcast.
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