Depeche Mode: A Biography [Paperback]

Steve Malins (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 13, 2001

Bursting onto the pop music scene during the British electronic pop craze at the beginning of the 80s, and enjoying success and longevity greater than any of their kindred bands, Depeche Mode continues to bring music to the masses through their albums and world tours. In Depeche Mode: A Biography , rock writer Steve Malins goes back to the beginning, when David Gahan, Martin Gore, and Andrew Fletcher were teenagers in the suburbs of London, in a time when synthesizers were gaining ground in the wake of punk rock. Their catchy compositions would heavily influence much of the electronically-driven popular music that followed-and their albums Black Celebration and Violator would ignite a storm of worldwide adulation. Malins reveals the union of three completely different personalities that forms Depeche Mode: The reckless, flamboyant Gahan, the quiet, artistic Gore, and the pragmatic, confrontational Fletcher. Since the 80s the threesome has survived frequently colliding egos, marriages, the departure of band members Vince Clarke and Alan Wilder, and the bizarre vicissitudes of global fame, to create a working partnership that has lasted for decades. Depeche Mode: A Biography sheds light on the trials and tensions that the band has lived through, from the rigorous Devotional tour, during which Gahan, Fletcher, and Wilder were hospitalized at different times, to Gahan's insane adventures living in Los Angeles and his near-fatal drug overdose in 1995. Written with the band's cooperation, Depeche Mode: A Biography is a remarkable story of music, fame, and excess, a must-read for DM fans who just can't get enough.

Editorial Reviews

Review

An excellent narrative full of intrigue and excess. (New Musical Express )

A meticulously researched record of an unusual group...fascinating stuff indeed. (Uncut )

About the Author

Steve Malins has written books on Paul Weller and Radiohead. He lives in England.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Cooper Square Press (March 13, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0815411421
• ISBN-13: 978-0815411420
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #578,225 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unlike the rest of the world, it won't leave you unimpressed, May 30, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Depeche Mode: A Biography (Paperback)

Unlike other attempts to unmask the members of this band, this book finally got it right! Amid the controversies, near fatal tragedies, and stories of excess, you will gain an almost intimate perspective of the personalities involved within the band itself. Starting from the group's humble beginnings in Basildon, and ending with the recording of Ultra, the chapters fly by as you read about one of the least understood bands today.

What speaks loudest for the book, is that former Depeche Mode member Alan Wilder says on his website that the book is mostly accurate as opposed to previous attempts by other authors. While the book has been criticized by some as being mostly influenced by Alan's views on the other band members after he left the group, his comments are often balanced by what others had to say about the same people and events. Martin's drinking is addressed, as well as Dave's highly publicized overdose and Fletch's nervous breakdowns. Alan is said to be a loner by others, although he contends that he tried to be part of the group.

The only thing that really irritated me was that the author makes the same mistake as most critics when he tries to dissect the meaning behind Martin's lyrics. The lyrics, which Martin doesn't like to explain, can't be explained away as easily as most critics think, and it does tend to annoy me when I read an entire song explained by a phrase or sentence- especially when I don't agree with the sentiment!

Overall, a highly enjoyable read with many quotes from Martin, Dave, Alan, and Fletch, I would recommend this book to hugh DM fans and also those who have little more than a curiousity about the band.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not horrible; not great, either., September 22, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Depeche Mode: A Biography (Paperback)

A worthwhile, in-depth biography of Depeche Mode was certainly long overdue when this particular volume was published, and Steve Malins obviously tries to give a balanced, behind-the-scenes portrait of the band. Is he successful? Well, yes and no.

The book happily avoids the worst kind of scandal-mongering so common in the rock biography genre, and draws heavily from interviews with the band members and close associates. It's readable, the quotes are often amusing, and Malins does a fairly good job at illuminating the various personality conflicts and interpersonal relationships at play in DM. His take on the music is generally well thought out, though he does veer into arbitrary lyric analysis a bit too often for my taste.

However, the book does have its flaws, not least of which is truly dreadful editing and an uneven, idiosyncratic writing style. The fact that the book is heavily laced with interviews from band members is on its face a good thing, but this becomes less desirable when one realizes that most quotes are merely lifted from magazine and newspaper articles. For those rather trainspottery DM fans (like me) who've already read those articles, there's very little new ground here. The book also relies quite heavily on comments from Alan Wilder (not a problem for me, personally--I found Al's comments insightful and entertaining--but if you've an anti-Alan bias, be forewarned). And again, the lack of an index is irritating. Altogether, we're left with a well-meaning but ultimately patchy history of Depeche Mode's lengthy career. It's better than nothing, I suppose.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Must-Have for Every Depeche Fan, August 24, 2001

By 

River23 - See all my reviews

This review is from: Depeche Mode: A Biography (Paperback)

This is a highly informative book starting from the very beginning, showing the evolution of the band. Highlights include quotes from band members and friends, giving both positive and negative comments on the progress of Depeche Mode. Malins also shows the tensions between band members and problems they faced, such as drug addiction, breakdowns, and heavy drinking. While this book is extremely informative, Malins tends to devote a little too much attention to David's drug problems.