Dave Gahan, a singer, declares, “We’re not going to replace Fletch; there’s no reason to replace Fletch.” That is not possible.
When the pandemic was at its worst, the members of Depeche Mode were forced to balance attempting to understand the widespread loss suffered by Covid with trying to enjoy the present. When frontman Dave Gahan and singer and multi-instrumentalist Martin Gore were crafting the lyrics for their 15th album, those two themes kept coming up. They did so by giving the record the name Memento Mori.
A few days prior to the band’s Tuesday press appearance unveiling Memento Mori, Gahan explains via phone from Berlin that the literal meaning of “memento mori” is “Remember that you must die.” “Many of the songs are reminding us that our time is limited and that we should make the most of it in a constructive way,” says the artist. Gore claims a buddy is where he first heard the Latin expression. I simply thought, “What a perfect album title for the songs that had already been written,” the singer explains.
It’s one of the few times a band has chosen an album title while recording a record and stuck with it. The Memento Mori tour will commence in North American arenas on March 23 and will begin in Sacramento. Producers James Ford and Marta Salogni are now finishing the record in London, which is scheduled to be released in the spring of 2019.
However, for Gahan and Gore, the title had a much deeper meaning before they even entered the studio. On May 26, Andy “Fletch” Fletcher, who co-founded Depeche Mode and played synthesizers and bass in the group since 1980, died naturally of an aortic dissection. Did Fletch’s passing cause them to reconsider the title? If anything, “I think it solidified it,” adds Gore.
Gore continues, “Of course, everyone will think that all of the songs were hastily composed after Andy died. “However, everything was prepared and well-planned. Unfortunately, Andy passed away just as he was about to begin working with us. I therefore prefer the concept of “memento mori” when taken in a more optimistic context, such as “Live each day and make the most of your time here.”
Gahan claims that this is the first time they are carrying out such an activity without Fletch. All of the songs were composed before Fletch went away, but when a life event like this occurs, songs change: They take on new forms and convey new meanings when sung. Though I’m sure I was thinking about a variety of other topics as I sang some of the vocals, Fletch was undoubtedly on my mind a lot.
The two musicians are still trying to understand why their bandmate left the group. Gahan replies, “You don’t always get to say goodbye.” With this, it was simply one of those instances where Martin and I were sitting in a church seat together and Fletch suddenly wasn’t there.
Losing your best friend is certainly very difficult, Gore explains. “Andy has been there with me since long before the band, and I feel like he has been there with me every step of the way. So, it’s quite difficult.
Gore believes his bandmate would have preferred for Depeche Mode to carry on though. He claims that “he was always considered as the band’s glue.” He could never have imagined that his passing would have led to the band’s dissolution.
Gahan and Gore are now more deeply affected by his loss. Fletch, who had a big, dry sense of humor, used to joke that while Gahan’s and Gore’s roles were well-defined — Gahan was obviously the singer while Gore wrote the majority of the songs — his job was to “bum around.” The two artists contend that he was more significant to Depeche Mode than he gave himself credit for.
After his passing, “we’ve learned more that he did play a significant role in the band,” says Gore. “Unlike Andy, who was extremely sociable, Dave and I are not. In the event that we ever needed to act, [Fletch] would enter and begin chit-chatting with everyone while Dave and I could conceal in a nearby corner. Despite the fact that Dave and I have been dating for 40 years, Andy’s loss forced us to become considerably closer. Previously, Andy served as the glue, as I said. He was the connecting factor that did indeed bring us together.
Gahan and Gore did not meet in person until July to begin working on the album. The singer believes that Fletch would have jokingly asked, “Can we just stop talking about death?” if he had been working on the album. The singer claims, “I missed that in the studio, and I know Martin did, too. We had the impression that he was still there.
The group’s opening montage for the Berlin event featured close-ups of musical instruments as echoing, unmistakably Depeche Mode music played in the background. A pulsating, fuzzy synth bass line and operatic vocals were featured on the soundtrack. The musicians were eventually captured in the studio together by the camera pulling back. Gahan’s voice eventually enters, singing, “We know we’ll be ghosts again.”
Gahan and Gore say the overall framework of the album came together smoothly, but they don’t feel ready to disclose any of the song titles from Memento Mori. In fact, days before the Berlin event, they’re not even certain what the final titles of the musical selections they’re playing are. Gahan claims, “It has a cinematic aspect to it.” It takes you on a little journey that begins with us saying, “This is my world,” and ends with, “How can I make the most of it?” Gahan claims that although the music appears mournful, it is nevertheless woven with optimism and enthusiasm. 12 tracks are most likely on the album, with a few extras being held back for a deluxe version.
The band is working on finishing the album and figuring out how to perform live again without one of their founding members. Gahan declares, “There is no need to replace Fletch; we are not going to do so.” “That is not feasible. There was only ever one Fletch, that much is certain. So Gahan and Gore are working with multi-instrumentalist Peter Gordeno and drummer Christian Eigner, who have been touring members of Depeche Mode since the late Nineties, on how to pull it off live and incorporate the new music. (The band is already collaborating with longstanding partner and photographer-filmmaker Anton Corbijn on the look of the tour.)
Gahan responded that the group was still working out the details but had settled on some of Fletch’s favourite Depeche Mode songs when asked in Berlin if the band will be paying tribute to Fletch on the tour. He laughed and added, “He’ll be there in spirit, I’m sure, judging us.
Another amusing incident was a reporter who inquired about the band’s potential for a “unplugged” tour. Gahan laughed and remarked, “We’re an electronic band, so we can’t really unplug.” We can test it with battery packs or anything, Gore continued.
Depeche Mode will begin their Memento Mori tour in North America rather than Europe, which is an unusual choice for the band. If we have ever started in America, I can’t recall when, Gore says. We probably did at one point, but it just seemed like a new thing to do. (On May 16, the European leg will start.) The ensemble will perform in places like Madison Square Garden, Chicago’s United Center, Twickenham Stadium, and the Stade de France the next year.)
They will continue to move on while grieving the loss of their buddy and bandmate till then. When Gore and I arrived in Berlin, we checked into a hotel where we had previously been with Andy, and all we could see was the bar where we frequently saw people seated. That gave me a little reality check. We just need to put our heads down and work as hard as we can because everything we do moving ahead is different.
2023 Memento Mori World Tour
Sacramento, California on March 23 at Golden 1 Center
San Jose, California, March 25 at SAP Center
March 28 – Kia Forum, Los Angeles, California
Las Vegas, Nevada on March 30 at T-Mobile Arena
San Antonio, Texas, April 2, AT&T Center
Chicago, IL on April 5 at the United Center
Toronto, Ontario on April 7 at Scotiabank Arena
Quebec City, QC on April 9 at the Videotron Center
12 April – Centre Bell, Montreal, Quebec
14 April – Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Amsterdam, NL on May 16 at Ziggo Dome
20 May – Sportpaleis Antwerpen, Antwerp, Belgium
Stockholm, SE on May 23 at Friends Arena
Leipzig, Germany on May 26 at Leipziger Festwiese
May 28 in Bratislava, Slovakia at the National Football Stadium
Bordeaux, France on May 31 at Matmut Atlantique
Barcelona, Spain on June 2 at the Primavera Sound Festival
Dusseldorf, Germany on June 4 at Merkur Spiel-Arena
Dusseldorf, Germany on June 6 at Merkur Spiel-Arena
Madrid, Spain on June 9 at the Primavera Sound Festival
11 June – Bern, Switzerland – Stadion Wankdorf
Dublin, Ireland on June 14 at Malahide Castle
London, United Kingdom, June 17, Twickenham Stadium
Munich, Germany on June 20 at Olympiastadion
Lille, France on June 22 at Stade Pierre Mauroy
Paris, France on June 24 at Stade de France
Copenhagen, Denmark on June 27 at Parken
29th of June – Deutsche Bank Park, Frankfurt, Germany
Lyon, France on July 4 at Groupama Stadium
Berlin, Germany on July 7 at Olympiastadion
12th of July – Stadio Olympico, Rome, Italy
Milan, Italy, July 14 at San Siro Bologna, Italy, July 16 at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara
Klagenfurt, Austria, July 21 @ Wörthersee Stadion
Zagreb, HR @ Arena Zagreb, July 23
Bucharest, Romania on July 26 at Arena Națională
Budapest, Hungary on July 28 at Puskás Aréna
August 2 – Warsaw, PL – PGE Narodowy July 30 – Prague, CZ – Letany Airport
Tallinn, Estonia, at Tallinna Lauluväljak, August 6.
Helsinki, Finland on August 8 at Kaisaniemen Puisto Oslo, Norway on August 11 at Telenor Arena
