Depeche Mode Remasters
Posted by The G on August 31, 2009 under G Reviews | 
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Martin Gore and Dave Gahan of Depeche Mode. Photo by G.
If you are a Depeche Mode fan, you need to pick up the 2006 remasters.  Each album from “Speak and Spell” through “Exciter” has been remastered – as disc one�and disc 2 features a DVD with the entire album in 5.1 surround sound, all the b-sides from that album and documentaries about each record.
I watched all of the documentaries this weekend, as I’d never seen them before and I was blown away by how cool they are. Â Each documentary runs from 30 minutes to 1 hour in length and there are interviews with all band members, recording engineers, producers, video directors and you’ll see live clips, rehearsal footage and clips of most videos from the album.
Here’s some fun facts that I learned watching these documentaries:
- Martin Gore recorded “Somebody” completely naked.
- The Pet Shop Boys opened for Depeche Mode at their infamous “101″ concert at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California
- The band hate their songs “People are People” and “It’s Called A Heart,” so they refuse to play them live.
- Ironically, during the mixing of the song “Get The Balance Right,” they had a hard time getting the balance right.
- Depeche Mode recorded their albums and then after the fact participated in B-Side sessions for each record.
- Most of the album “Ultra” was recorded with Dave Gahan completely addicted to heroin and Martin Gore was drunk during most recording sessions for his vocals.
- “Fly on the Windscreen” was nearly a single, but the label decided to change it as the first word of the song was “death.” Â In retaliation, the band reused this b-side as an album track on “Black Celebration.”
-When Alan Wilder left the band (after the Songs of Faith and Devotion Tour), he had to tell Dave Gahan via fax as Dave was too messed up on heroin to answer his phone.
-Dave Gahan thinks his best vocal of all time is on the song “Condemnation.”
There were so many more great stories, so I urge you to pick these up if you are in a Depeche Mode.
Gail said,
Re:>>- Martin Gore recorded “Somebody” completely naked.>>
TMI, G. Thanks!
Bob said,
I have held off ont he re-issues for many reasons. Namely the exclusion of many of the B-sides. I also don’t have a surround sound system. I have picked up Violator on Vinyl and the remastering sounds awesome. I will probably pick up some more of those.
On your observations…I knew the “Somebody” fact. That pretty much confirmed my one of my thoughts on Alan’s departure. And I think Condemnation is one of their worst songs and his vocals while maybe on…are very annoying.
-b
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