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Depeche Mode are a highly influential English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex, UK. more...

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They are one of the longest-lived and most successful bands to have emerged from the New Wave and New Romantic era, but were actually part of the "futurist" scene, alongside the likes of Soft Cell, Gary Numan and The Human League. Many of their videos have been in heavy rotation on MTV.

As of 2006, it was estimated that Depeche Mode has sold over 73 million albums worldwide and has had forty-four songs in the UK Singles Chart. They have had more top 40 hits in the UK without a #1 hit than any other artist. They have influenced many of today's popular recording artists, in part due to their recording techniques and use of sampling. Though very influential in the modern electronic dance scene, they remain generally classified in the alternative genre.

Depeche Mode was founded in 1980 by David Gahan (lead vocals, occasional songwriter), Martin Gore (keyboards, guitar, vocals, chief songwriter after 1981), Andrew Fletcher (occasional keyboards) and Vince Clarke (keyboards, chief songwriter 1980—81). Vince Clarke left the band after the release of their 1981 debut album; soon replaced by Alan Wilder (lead keyboards, occasional drums, backing vocals, occasional songwriter), who played with the band from 1982 to 1995. After Wilder's departure, Gahan, Gore, and Fletcher continue to perform as a trio.

Early history

1976–1980: Formation

Depeche Mode's origins can be traced back to 1977, when Vince Clarke and Andrew Fletcher formed a band known as "No Romance in China", with Clarke on vocals/guitar and Fletcher on bass. In 1978, Clarke played guitar in an "Ultravox rip-off band", The Plan, with school friend Robert Marlow on vocals and Vince on guitar/keyboards. In 1978–79, Gore played in an acoustic duo, Norman and The Worms, with school friend Philip Burdett (who now sings on the folk circuit) on vocals and Gore on guitar. In 1979, Marlow, Gore, Clarke and friend Paul Redmond formed a band called "The French Look", with Marlow on vocals/keyboards, Gore on guitar, Clarke and Redmond on keyboards. In March 1980, Clarke, Gore and Fletcher formed a band called "Composition of Sound", with Clarke on vocals/guitar, Gore on keyboards and Fletcher on bass. "The French Look" and "Composition of Sound" once played live together in June 1980 at St. Nicholas School Youth Club in Southend on Sea, Essex. Soon after the formation of "Composition of Sound", Clarke and Fletcher switched to synthesizers, working odd jobs to buy them, or borrowing them from friends. Gahan joined the band in 1980 after Clarke heard him perform at a local scout-hut jam session, crooning to a rendition of David Bowie's 'Heroes'. "Depeche Mode" was born. The new name was taken from a French fashion magazine, "Dépêche mode", which translates to "Fashion Update" or "Fashion News Dispatch" (dépêche = dispatch) though it has commonly been mistranslated as "Fast Fashion", due to the confusion with the French verb "se dépêcher" ("to hurry up").

Read more at Wikipedia.org