1981-01-11 Hope 'N' Anchor, London, England, UK
Notes
Depeche Mode supported Blancmange. It was very well possible that Depeche Mode was supposed to be the main act, since they were listed as such on the advertisement bills. But it may have been explained by on Neil Arthur from Blancmange, who told BBC 6 Radio on 2017-08-02: "[...] Daniel Miller from Mute, he was looking after Depeche Mode, he came over and said, "Do you mind going on last?" We say, "Oh no, we don't mind, Depeche Mode will go on first, we go on after them. Why is that?" He says, "Because they got to get the train back to Basildon.""
Daniel Miller recollected in 2015:
"I remember, typical of the British press, that there was an article [on the next wave of supposed New Romantics]. Depeche did a gig at The Hope & Anchor in Islington: Roger Ames[1] came down, so did Chris Briggs – all these major label A&Rs were there, all trying to sign the band. At the end of the gig, I went backstage and all these people were already in the dressing room saying: ‘Mute’s a nice little label, but they’ll never get you any success. There’s only two people working for it.’"
References
- ↑ Roger Ames then wanted to have a meeting with the band. There are some quotes on this meeting, but the details vary. Andy Fletcher in DM's 'Stripped' biography: "He came down to have a pint with us in a pub in Basildon, to try and sign us with Chris Briggs and a guy called Martin Dean. Martin Dean later signed Wham! to the worst deal of all time, and WE could have been signing that worst deal of all time!" Neil Ferris in the documentary on the 2006 Speak & Spell remaster DVD: "[...] Roger Ames, who was an A&R man at Phonogram in those days, approached the band and wanted to sign them. And I sat with the band, I remember Dan sitting quietly in the corner, and I was saying, 'Guys, stay with Daniel. Daniel is really gonna look after you and all.' And it was quite incredible because they were... And I'll always remember Vince Clarke in those days, because Vince was still in Depeche at that point, and Vince said, 'Yeah, it's alright, but if we get famous and we do Top Of The Pops, do you think we can do that in the afternoon so I can get back on the cheap day return of Basildon?'" Neil Ferris again in Simon Spence's 2011 DM biography: "I always remember we had a meeting round at my office with Roger Ames, who was at Polygram in those days, and who wanted to sign the band. Obviously, Daniel didn't have a deal with the band - it was a handshake. So Daniel said: can we have the meeting at your office? The band came to my office, with my wife and myself and Daniel and Roger Ames stood there and said: you guys should leave Daniel and sign with me at Polygram, I can do this that and the other... Fletch sort of said: well, you know, I've got to think about it. And then Dave said: if we get on Top Of The Pops do you think we can get a cheap-day return from Basildon?"
