When Depeche Mode first started out in 1980 as Compositions of Sound, founders Martin Gore, Andrew Fletcher and Vince Clarke were looking for a distinct voice that could compliment the progressive electronic sound they were creating almost exclusively with synthesizers. It didn’t take long for the band to find Dave Gahan, a striking character with a deep baritone that would fit perfectly with the band’s eventual somber and often dark musical themes.
A drifter from a young age, Gahan had bounced around a variety of menial jobs until Fletcher heard him doing a cover of David Bowie’s “Heroes”. Recruited into the band, Gahan’s first contribution was changing the name to Depeche Mode, the name of a French fashion magazine loosely translated as fast fashion. In 1981 the band released their debut album Speak & Spell, a new wave, synth-pop mix that was heavy on keyboards on light on substance.
Gahan had relied on a clean and polished poster-boy look that consisted of closely cropped hair, jeans, t-shirts and leather biker jackets with studs.
While the new sound caught on with post-punk new wave fans, many critics dismissed the act as a novelty and when the talented Clarke left to pursue careers with Yaz and Erasure, not many expected Depeche Mode to last. But a funny thing happened. Gore and Gahan would form a unique working relationship that created instant chemistry with Gahan’s voice and Gore’s minimal compositions. While critics turned away, fans turned out in droves as the band went on to release a string of successful albums including Black Celebration and Music for the Masses. Today, Depeche Mode has achieved album sales in excess of 100 million.
The early period of Depeche Mode culminated with a sold-out concert at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena during the summer of 1988, serving notice that the boys from Basildon were here to stay. Next the group released their masterpiece, Violator, an album so well-crafted it sold in the millions and produced worldwide hits including “Personal Jesus”, “Policy of Truth” and “Enjoy the Silence”. Finally achieving a balance between organic guitars and dance-beats, Violator was a watershed moment.
Until now, Gahan had relied on a clean and polished poster-boy look that consisted of closely cropped hair, jeans, t-shirts and leather biker jackets with studs. However, after the release of Violator the singer began to drift from the calculated style of Depeche Mode’s sound and took a turn for the worse when he discovered the sinister allure of heroin.
When the band congregated to begin work on Songs of Faith and Devotion in Milan in 1992, Gahan was almost unrecognizable. With long and mangy hair, fresh tattoos and the far-away look of an opiate abuser he struggled to find common ground with his fellow mates. While the band experimented with live drums, more guitars and rock-oriented songs, Gahan dove deeper into his dark side and was soon waking up in hospital emergency rooms.
On tour, Gahan was actually replaced for several shows due to his erratic behavior and when the band finished a world-tour in 1995 it seemed the end was in sight. Keyboardist and drummer Alan Wilder left, Gore couldn’t re-unite anyone to record and Gahan was rumored to be one more binge from death. It would be three years before Gore, Fletcher and Gahan could get on the same page and release Ultra. A step forward for the group, the album featured the disturbing hit “Barrel of a Gun” with an accompanying video that could best be summed up as Gahan’s lost days in the drug wilderness.
“Most men look dreadful in a suit. You can’t buy off the peg – you’ve got to have it at least partially designed for your body. I’m very comfortable in one. It feels like I’m showing up for work”.
Having gone through the fire, the band and Gahan emerged more mature and focused. Gahan not only cleaned up his act but also took a fancy to haute couture, ditching his junkie-look for tailored suits and a clean-shaven appearance. Gahan would go on record with The Guardian saying, “Most men look dreadful in a suit. You can’t buy off the peg – you’ve got to have it at least partially designed for your body. I’m very comfortable in one. It feels like I’m showing up for work”.
With Gahan back on board and Gore ready to unveil the library of sounds he had shelved, Depeche Mode would enter the most accomplished phase of their career. After the lackluster Exciter in 2001 the band would hit full-stride and release critical and commercial successes with Playing the Angel in 2005, Sounds of the Universe in 2009 and Delta Machine in 2013. By now Gahan was not only contributing his own material to the band but would embark on solo albums and tours in his off-time. His deep voice continued to seductively haunt the avant-garde sounds Gore programmed and live shows became mass events as the Black Swarm, the name affectionately given to the band’s legion of fans, followed them across continents.
Now, at age 53, Gahan appears more comfortable than at any point in his life. Calm, confident and fashion savvy, the singer can still make audiences swoon with his sexy dance moves, dark, full-toned vocals and magnetic stage presence. Cutting a chic character during live performances, Gahan will now mix up black leather vests, pin-stripe jackets and custom belts to complete a look that took decades to perfect. What the future holds for the band remains to be seen, but for Gahan, his look and style are just getting better.
Az eredeti cikk itt olvasható: http://www.mnswr.com/dave-gahan-reach-touch-taste/
