Born on May 9th: Dave Gahan, the soul of Depeche Mode
Dave Gahan, the soul of Depeche Mode, is celebrating his 62nd birthday. Along with guitarist Martin Gore, he is one of two survivors from the original line-up of the band from Basildon.
After the short-lived stint of Vince Clarke (later to be reunited with Yazoo and Erasure), the departure of Alan Wilder in 1995 and the sudden death of Andrew Fletcher (an essential link in the development of the Depeche Mode sound), guitarist Martin Gore and singer Dave Gahan are the two survivors of the band founded in Basildon, Essex, England, in 1980.
Initially, many expected a very short life for this English quartet, which took its name from a French fashion magazine and used exclusively first-generation synthesizers such as the Kawai 100FS, the Roland Jupiter 4, the Yamaha CS-5 and the famous ARP 2600. And yet what freshness comes from the first single 'New Life' on the Mute label!
Born in Epping on 9 May 1962, Dave Gahan was not yet 20 when the band embarked on their first European tour in September 1981. Four cities: Hamburg, the Paradiso in Amsterdam, the Bains Douches in Paris and the Disco Rojo in Brussels. Apparently Dave was chaperoned by his mum on this first visit to the Low Countries!
Dave Gahan celebrates his 62nd birthday today. Do him a favour and listen to one of his solo albums, such as 'Imposter', an album of covers (including P.J. Harvey, Mark Lanegan and Neil Young) recorded with Soulsavers. And above all this heart-rending version of 'Metal Heart' by Marie Chan Marshall, better known by her stage name Cat Power.
(Pic :© Etienne Tordoir)
Photo: Dave Gahan, during a break in the recording of the "Generation 80" programme for Belgian television on 3 April 1982 (© Etienne Tordoir).
