What's going on with Depeche Mode?
 

I consider myself a fan (their the only concert I've ever went to by myself). I think their music and lyric are amazing and beyond sexy (I could listen to Behind the Wheel a million times) but I have kind of lost touch with what's going on with them.

Are they a group anymore? I recently saw an ad for a Dave Gahan solo concert. I know their last album was Exciter, but I didn't buy it - was it any good?

dave claims he's not in the band anymore, although that may be an unofficial quote. other than that, i'd like to know as well.

I personally felt Exciter was really weak, but there are a few good songs on it. I think the songs off it sounded a lot better live. Suppossedly they are planning on making a new album once Dave gets done with his solo tour. We'll see...

I thought EXCITER was really good, BUT it's very uneven, meaning it's mostly ballads and hardly any dance numbers. I'm a big fan of the era between SOME GREAT REWARD and VIOLATOR and enjoyed the good mix of the dance songs and ballads.

Dave and Martin still have a few 'issues' that need to be resolved if Depeche Mode is ever going to continue...as most will know Dave is currently in the process of a solo tour...Martin recently released his 'Counterfeit 2' EP (with limited positive feedback and success)

'101' is finally coming to DVD (Oct. 21) so who knows what the future holds in the long term...when you consider Daves own personal traumas and that Vince Clarke and Alan Wilder have been and gone who'd have thought they'd still be around in any capacity after 20+ years?

I am (or was) a big DM fan. I own the first 12 strikes and the DJ revenge series. I think I have about 75 DM CDs alone. I saw that Dave Gahan and Martin Gore both had solo CDs come out (weird they were around the same time) Like any dedicated fan, I picked both solo albums up; I have to say though, they were both pretty damn week. I hope they patch things up, soon, and start making good music again. Just my thoughts.

I heard an interview with Gahan a few weeks ago and, while I don't remember details, I could have sworn I heard him saying something about getting to work on a new DM album. I remembered thinking to myself that there could possibly be a new album out by the end of next year

Well, as most of you know, Dave made some pretty anti-Depeche Mode remarks in many of his interviews to support his (lousy) solo album. Which probably didn't sit too well with Martin and Fletch (as well as the label). He has changed his tune somewhat lately. I'm guessing because his solo stint was such a bust. The album debuted around #127 on Billboard's Hot 100 Albums. And dropped like a stone. He didn't even sell out most of the clubs he played at here in the U.S. I found it quite odd how he dissed Depeche Mode so much and yet played many of their songs on his solo tour. My opinion of the guy dropped several notches because of his behavior. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.