Depeche Mode’s Dave Gahan and Martin Gore have spoken to NME about how the death of Andy Fletcher impacted their dynamic, and said that the loss brought them closer.
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The two surviving members were speaking as part of a new interview with NME when they opened up about how Andy Fletcher’s death last year impacted the band. Frontman Gahan likened the loss of the keyboardist to that of The Rolling Stones’ late drummer, Charlie Watts.
“With The Stones losing Charlie Watts, knowing about their longevity and how it’s fucking hard work to keep a band going for that long, you realise how it’s got to be losing an anchor,” Gahan told NME. “Fletch was part of what we knew as Depeche Mode for the last 40 years.”
He continued, providing insight into the complex dynamic that the band had up until the musician’s death. According to the frontman, both himself and Gore were relatively distant throughout the band’s four-decade tenure, however this changed following the loss, as recording upcoming album, ‘Memento Mori’ brought the two closer than ever.
“Martin [Gore] described it as two long-lost brothers meeting for the first time and having to have a real conversation,” he said. “It was about getting to know each other in a different way. Not that we don’t know each other well, but in terms of having a close friendship? That’s never really been the deal between Martin and I.”
Gore agreed, explaining: “Me and Dave never had any big issues or problems with each other, but we tended to be kind of distant. With there only being two of us left, that has led us to be closer and to talk more.”
This isn’t the first time that Gahan has spoken about the loss of Fletcher. In another interview with NME last year, the frontman described his shock at the loss of the keyboardist, stating that it “didn’t feel real” to be in the studio without him.
Elsewhere, Gore also discussed his increased admiration for Gahan’s songwriting abilities – adding that he regards ‘Memento Mori’ as displaying some of the frontman’s best work on the three tracks he’s credited on. “Dave’s writing gets better with each record we do, and that’s interesting to see,” he stated.
The two also discussed former NME cover star, Kelly Lee Owens – a Welsh electronica artist who the band have chosen to join them on their upcoming US tour.
“We decided she’d be a perfect fit,” said Gore, elaborating on his appreciation for the artist. “What she does is very atmospheric and it never seems like there’s only one person playing – she really puts her soul into it.”
Depeche Mode release new album ‘Memento Mori’ on March 24.
Their ‘Memento Mori’ tour kicks off this week in the US, before arriving in Europe and the UK later this summer. Visit here for tickets and more information.
The post Depeche Mode talk becoming “closer” after the death of Andy Fletcher appeared first on NME.
