Is Depeche Mode the best band in the world today?

[UselessAdvice]

The Guardian is a daily newspaper based in London. Today's edition has an interesting feature in the weekly "Film & Music" section ...

Name the best working band or singer in the world today: that was the simple question we put to scores of musicians.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009...-band-rock-pop

Unfortunately - nobody they asked picked Depeche Mode

The most votes went to Coldplay, U2, Radiohead and Bruce Springsteen.

On The Guardian website, the music blog is inviting people to have their say on "Who is the best band in the world today?"
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musi...in-world-today

If you register with the website (it's free of charge) then you can post your own comments on the blog!

[UselessAdvice]

A Depeche Mode fan has posted this really cool reply on The Guardian's music blog (it is one of the first 20 comments posted):

Depeche Mode

Last week I saw Depeche Mode perform in front of 40 000 fans at a one-day festival in Belgium. Tomorrow (27 June) I will see them rock the Stade de France in Paris. I have seen them on 10 different Tours and in 4 different countries - since my first time at Newcastle City Hall on 21 September 1983. They have the most original and engaging songs (written by Martin Gore), the most sensuous and versatile male voice (baritone Dave Gahan) and the greatest, most devoted fans on the planet.

Each DM concert is an almost religious experience, as Gahan wips up the audience into a frenzy of singalong, call-and-response, arm-waving, mass clapping and bouncing up and down. A celebration of life in all it's complexity. Light and dark. Joy and pain. Summed up during the climax of Personal Jesus as the whole audience lifts their arms to "reach out and touch faith!"

Depeche Mode are admired and respected right around the world as evidenced by the ticket sales for their current "Tour of the Universe". Unfortunately, in their home country (the UK) they are still considered by many to be a joke and not a serious band - because what serious band would use synthesizers on stage or even (gasp!) a drum machine! (although the 4 Tours since 1998 have all featured live drumming by Christian Eigner).

Despite having never split up and reformed, or gone away and come back (like contemporaries Madness, Spandau, Duran, etc.), Depeche Mode are still considered by many in the media as an 80s boy band who never made it to the top. This despite having had no less than 43 singles break into the UK Top-30 between 1981 and 2009 (only Madonna can top that!).

Depeche Mode have made 12 pioneering albums that have always broken new ground (unlike U2, Coldplay or Oasis) and have been successful both artistically and commercially not just in the UK but throughout the whole of Europe, the Americas and around the world.

So my vote has to go to Depeche Mode, not just because they are the most internationally successful British band of the past 30 years, but more importantly - because their concerts are the greatest, most heart-warming and life-affirming experiences to be had on this planet!

If you agree with this post - you can recommend it (but you will have to register on the website first I think).

Sorry I don't know who wrote this tribute to DM. Whoever it was seems to have rather foolishly used his real name ...

[swin66]

Great write up!

you should also post a link to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-Fr9KSKf0Q

[johnnycjnr]

With the excepton of Beck and Bowie,all of the atrists on that list suck big time.

[violator79]

Originally Posted by UselessAdvice

A Depeche Mode fan has posted this really cool reply on The Guardian's music blog (it is one of the first 20 comments posted):



If you agree with this post - you can recommend it (but you will have to register on the website first I think).

Sorry I don't know who wrote this tribute to DM. Whoever it was seems to have rather foolishly used his real name ...

Nice job...of course I've said this a million times...Depeche Mode never gets the credit they deserve on these mainstream sites. But at least you're trying.

swin66 - cool link!

[IFeeILoved]

Originally Posted by UselessAdvice

A Depeche Mode fan has posted this really cool reply on The Guardian's music blog (it is one of the first 20 comments posted):



If you agree with this post - you can recommend it (but you will have to register on the website first I think).

i've just recommended this post without registration, it counted me as (2)
(i just won't bear another blog, or website, or whatever it it, i already have too much of myself on the net )

[UselessAdvice]

Originally Posted by violator79

Nice job...of course I've said this a million times...Depeche Mode never gets the credit they deserve on these mainstream sites. But at least you're trying.

Hey vio! Me and you on the message board at the same time! It reminds me of the good old days! (something like 10 years ago now)

Tomorrow I will wear my Violator T-shirt (from The Singles Tour 1998 - USA leg) to the Depeche Mode concert in Paris. I know you will be there in spirit!

[violator79]

Originally Posted by UselessAdvice

Hey vio! Me and you on the message board at the same time! It reminds me of the good old days! (something like 10 years ago now)

Tomorrow I will wear my Violator T-shirt (from The Singles Tour 1998 - USA leg) to the Depeche Mode concert in Paris. I know you will be there in spirit!

I'll be there in spirit, whispering how jealous I am!!!!
You know I went to see them in Lisbon a couple of years ago and they canceled the show, right?

Oh well, just have to wait for Boston...have a great time! I hope your arms are sore afterwards...

[UselessAdvice]

Huge thanks to Kaleid, uglypretty and vio79 for adding your voices to the discussion over on The Guardian's music blog!

Does anyone else have something to add on this important issue?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musi...?commentpage=1

[UselessAdvice]

If you think the answer to this question is "Hell Yeah!" then you might be interested to have a look at this thread that I started over on the not DM-related Forum (which, looking back, was probably a wrong choice):

http://forums.depechemode.com/forum/...ad.php?t=30093