Q+A VAULT / DEPECHE MODE
What is this strange bass mix we hear on the bassline of ‘Behind The Wheel’ -moog and Obx?
If I remember correctly, it was a combination of three different sounds: A hand striking the end of a hoover tube and then sampled (true), a guitar pluck- sampled and pitched down, and a minimoog for added bottom end.
In ‘To Have & To Hold’, during the Russian samples at the beginning, right before the first note, there is a girl’s voice mixed way into the background. What is she saying?
No idea.
During ‘Nothing’ (album version), right while Dave is singing “I’m not trying to tell you anything….” it sounds like there is a voice mixed into the background (one syllable, a male voice). Am I right?
You could be. The last time I listened to MFTM was about 1988. You’ll forgive me if I’m a little vague about these extremely trainspotter-like questions 😉
Who did the moaning / groaning and laughing in ‘I Want You Now’? Was it Dave and Mart?
No, I think it was a couple of girls who were hanging around the studio – thought we’d make use of them 😉
Have your abilities to play the “most important rock’n’roll instrument”- the flute, ever been used on a DM song ? (What about the intro of ‘Behind The Wheel’ ?)
Well, technically speaking, we’re talking panpipe rather than flute on ‘Behind The Wheel’ but you could be forgiven for mistaking the peruvian nose-flute for our own western version. Apart from that, it is possible that a few flute samples are mixed into various DM tracks over the years.
The final mix of ‘Music For The Masses’ is highly blended and it is more difficult, in comparison with previous and subsequent albums, to pick out individual sounds and musical lines. Was it your purpose and why?
No, it wasn’t intended to be that way. All our records were supposed to sound crystal clear , full, dynamic and powerful 😉
Are you satisfied with the production / final mixing of the two albums ‘Black Celebration’ and ‘Music For The Masses’?
It’s only natural to think, with the benefit of hindsight, that you could have done your previous work so much better. In fact, I’d be worried if I didn’t think that about every single record I’ve been involved in. It’s what drives you forward. ‘Black Celebration’ has some good stuff on it but the mixes do sound odd – too much reverb, not enough bottom end etc…. ‘MFTM’ actually ‘sounds’ better but is not such an interesting record.
Is it true that the breathing sound on ‘I Want You Now’ is a deflating / inflating accordion played without a note?
Correct.
Which version of ‘To Have And To Hold’ was first – LP or Spanish Taster? Which of the two do you prefer and why?
The L.P. version was recorded first and is possibly one of DM’s darkest tracks. The Spanish Taster is basically Martin’s demo which he insisted on recording as well. Which one do you think I prefer? I don’t think there is a more perfect example of the musical differences between myself and Martin.
Which of the following DM instrumentals do you like most / least and why? ‘Kaleid’, ‘Nothing To Fear’, ‘Agent Orange’, ‘Big muff’ and ‘Pimpf’?
I like ‘Agent Orange’ and ‘Pimpf’ because they have the most atmosphere.
How much effort did it actually take you to convince (or persuade) Martin to release your version of ‘To Have And To Hold’ rather than his?
It wasn’t really a question of persuading or convincing – the album version was the primary one, he just wanted to include his demo on the album.
On 31/8/98, cvogt asked a question about Martin’s demo of ‘To Have And To Hold’. The whole question + answer has me a bit confused…. was there an argument or something regarding which version went on the album and did Martin’s demo end up out there somewhere? Please enlighten me.
It’s really very simple. Martin submitted his demo in the usual way and although I liked the song, his original idea was too ‘lightweight’ for my taste (and I felt, the mood of the album) so I pushed it in a darker, more atmospheric direction. This was the primary version of the song which was always intended to be on the album. Martin however was very attached to his more ‘poppy’ demo and said that he wanted to record it too – hence the ‘Spanish Taster’. It wasn’t a question of fighting with one another over this, it’s just that Martin saw the song in a different way to me. When I originally answered this question, I said that it was a good example of the musical differences between us.
Some questions about instrumental tracks such as ‘Agent Orange’, ‘Kaleid’ and ‘Nothing To Fear’ etc. Was this pure Martin Gore work or did other members contribute to them?
They were written by Martin and then recorded in the usual way.
What thing produced the sound we can hear at the beginning of ‘Behind The Wheel’? Was it really a coin?
If you read the September editorial you’ll find the answer…..it was an item from the studio kitchen 😉
I have seen a strange video for ‘Never Let Me Down Again’ shot somewhere at the seaside with you on drums, Fletch on unplugged synths :-), Martin on guitar and Dave on vocals. Do you remember it? If so, why and where was it shot and who directed it (I doubt if it was Mr Corbijn)?
If I remember correctly, it was done for a Belgium T.V. show. I don’t have any other details.
About the Russian speech in ‘To Have And To Hold’. It translates as “Evolution of nuclear arsenals and socially-psychological aspects of arms race is considered in these reports”. Not the worst speech for creating dark atmosphere. 😉
Thanks for the info. – very interesting.
Why it was decided to change producers for ‘Music for the masses’? What role did David Bascombe play in making this album?
Of all the DM albums, ‘Music For The Masses’ was probably the most self-produced record. With all due respect, Dave Bascombe’s role was more as a good engineer rather than producer. It was at a period when the ‘co-production with Dan Miller’ era of DM had run its course.
Do you like the remixes of ‘Everything Counts’ and ‘Strangelove’ done by Tim Simenon in 1989?
Of the two, I prefer ‘Everything Counts’.
Why did the band choose to use Daniel Miller’s remix of ‘Strangelove’ instead of the single version?
We felt that the single version was too cluttered.
Is it a guitar sample at the beginning of ‘Never let Me Down Again’?
Yes it is, processed through one or two effects.
‘Never Let Me Down Again’ is about drugs, right? It has got to be. I mean, “We’re flying high, we’re watching the world pass us by” etc. How do you feel about that? Did Martin use drugs when writing this song? I knew he had some alcohol problems but I never heard of him using drugs.
I can’t speak for Martin’s songs – I know as much about what they mean as you do. I also can’t speak for Martin’s lifestyle, you’ll have to ask him personally if you want the answer to that one.
Why wasn’t ‘Little 15’ directed by Anton Corbjin and why it was originally only released in Germany?
It was released only in France and seemed like a good opportunity to try a different director.
What is your favourite song from ‘Music For The Masses’?
‘Never Let Me Down’
Was it always you that performed the piano on instrumentals such as ‘St Jarna’, ‘Pimpf’ and ‘Memphisto’?
Yes.
In Dave Thomson’s literary masterpiece, it says that Martin presented his demos for ‘Music For The Masses’ in what amounted to their finished state and was adamant that they should be recorded as such. Is this accurate?
No. This is laughable. I could have gone on holiday for a year if this had really been the case. Thomson works along the same kind of lines as the tabloid music press. You can read all about the truthof recording ‘MFTM’ in the September editorial.