BONG 3
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DEPECHE MODE
THE DEPECHE MODE FAN CLUB
AUTUMN '88 ISSUE
Hello!
Time for another issue of ‘The Magazine With No Name’. As you'll probably notice, this issue is a Tour Special, with loads of gossip from all over the world. Not to mention photos taken by members of the band and their fans and friends.
There's also an up-to-date UK discography (I know that lots of you want overseas discographies... I’m working on it!)
I'm pleased to tell you that the Fanclub membership has multiplied during the course of the ‘MUSIC FOR THE MASSES’ tour so there're a lot of fans reading my inane ramblings for the very first time.
DM are not back on home soil, hopefully taking a long-deserved rest!
There’s yet another competition in this issue - open, as usual to everyone in the fanclub. I’m even going to let this one run for a longer period of time, as those of you living in Japan, Australia etc. have written to say that you find it difficult to get entries in on time. The prize this time is one of the actual flags used as part of the scenery on tour.
i hope you've all got your membership cards by now. Just sign your name on the white strip at the bottom.
Thanks to all of you who sent cards and presents to all of the band for their birthdays recently. It was great that so many of you remembered despite the fact that they've been flittering about all over the place! Everything that was sent c/o the Fanclub was passed on - never fear!
No definate news on a Convention yet... these things do take time! All | can say at the moment is that it'll probably coincide with the release of Depeche Mode’s film (more of that later) so that'll be around January. Also, there'll be two dates, one in London and another in Birmingham. Fanclub members only I'm afraid!
One other thing, please don't send me record sleeves, photos etc. to be signed by the band. There simply aren't enough hours in the day for them to sign everything and it’s untair to sign some people’s and not others.
See you at a convention!!
TOUR SNIPPETS
The American music business magazine ‘BILLBOARD’ printed a list of the 28 top concert grosses in their July 2nd issue and the ‘MUSIC FOR THE MASSES’ tour achieved the following positions:
1: June 18th Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California 8: June 9th CNE Grandstand, Toronto 15: May 21st Pine Knob, Clarkston, Michigan 17: May 20th Poplar Creek, Hoffman Estates, Illinois 27: May 28th Merriweather, Columbia
There was very nearly a catastrophe on the Japanese leg of the tour, Dave's voice wore out during the second concert. Fortunately, he managed to finish the show. In fact, the band’s reaction to the Japanese audiences is ‘Brilliant!’. DM were amazed to discover that the hotel they stayed in in Tokyo had 2,000 rooms!
Dave's birthday in Denver was a relatively quiet affair. A small group of friends sat in front of a massive TV set and watched the Arnold Schwarzenegger film ‘The Running Man’ and celebrated with ‘A few beers’. Alan's birthday was much wilder (Groan!) They were in New York and everyone decided to go out for a Mexican meal and then ‘hit the town. They ended up in a club called ‘The Tunnel’ where a group of young Italian men decided to have a ‘chat’ with the girls. Things got slightly out of hand, and there was a bit of a rumpus out in the street. Luckily, no-one was hurt and according to Fletch, ‘It was a bit like ‘West Side Story’, really’.
A final tot-up of attendances after the 101 dates on the ‘MUSIC FOR THE MASSES’ tour revealed that 900,000 people went to see DM'!!
Phoenix, Arizona holds two DM tour records. . . for being both the coldest and hottest dates on the same tour! The first time Depeche Mode played there, on December 8th '87 it was FREEZING! The next time, June 15th '88, the temperature was 110 degrees. This led to two keyboards actually ‘frying’ in the heat! Just like the Scouts, the DM road crew have the motto ‘Be Prepared’ and carry spare keyboards ‘just in case’. The concert went well and none of the crowd seemed any the wiser!
Dave hired a 1967 Mustang while in Los Angeles. The rest of the band were behind in another car. Dave decided to take a left on a red light and someone was driving in the other direction. Needless to day, there was a bit of a. bump! Luckily, no-one was hurt but Dave says ‘All these people were driving past going ‘Isn't that that guy from Depeche Mode?’ it was really embarrassing!’
SPORTS NEWS
The DM cricket eleven had a match against the OMD team. OMD were bowled out for 11 runs. The real hero of the day was Ginger Barwick, the merchandiser, who took 4 wickets and scored all the runs.
DM also won at football (or so they tell me!). Andy Franks is back on the team and scored a clutch of goals despite a pair of broken sandals.
stop press. .... Franksy would like it to be known that they were proper sandals and NOT flip-flops. He does NOT wear flip-flops.
NAT-WEST AND CAPITAL RADIO
I don't know if any of you have ever seen any articles in the press about the ‘Nat-West Live Action Concert Series’ which claims that a Depeche Mode concert will be broadcast on the Independent Radio Network in August.
I'm sorry to say that this is not true, and is the result of a clerical error on the part of Capital Radio, who are the only station permitted to broadcast this concert - we're not sure when this will be.
This has also led to Depeche Mode cropping up in a Nat-West promotion, whereby you can get a free cassette by introducing a friend, who opens an account at Nat-West. Depeche Mode do not approve of their name being linked with this promotion, and have not, in fact, been asked. Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do to stop Nat-West giving away tapes.
SNIPPETS
Firstly onto this issue's competition to win a rather massive flag that has adorned the concert venues of the world!... All I want to know is, How many of those flags do you think were made for the tour? Entries on a POSTCARD or SEALED ENVELOPE marked ‘FLAG’ to arrive here by November 1st.
‘STRANGE’ LYRIC COMPETITION The answers:
1: Disillusioned, I was disenchanted _ SATELLITE 2: Get down on my knees _ MASTER & SERVANT 3: You grip me with your eyes _ IT DOESN'T MATTER TWO 4: Something like a nagging itch _ SHAME 5: I laughed and climbed the rising cast _ DREAMING OF ME
The ten winners of a copy of the ‘STRANGE’ video are:
Jacky Jones from Wallasey in Merseyside Ronny Tolleisen from Horten in Norway John Rosson from Flitwick in Bedfordshire Julie Ruiz from Fulham in London Monica Fritiofson from Laholm in Sweden Marcelino Lopez Gomez from Madrid in Spain Valerie Lopez from Meyzien in France Kristen Burkhart from Glendale in Arizona | Sandra Bottcher from Weinstadt in West Germany Gustaf Lofbert from Sandby in Sweden.
‘LITTLE 15’ dented the British charts slightly despite only being available on import and receiving no airplay. The video was shot in London at Fletch's home by Martyn Atkins. The 'B’ side, ‘STJARNA’, has brought in a flurry of queries from you lot asking me what it means. Martin told me that it’s a Gothic word, meaning ‘Star’, although Alan received a letter from a Swedish fan saying that it is, in fact a Swedish word, also meaning ‘Star’.
DM will be appearing at the MTV Awards in Los Angeles on 7th September where they'll perform ‘STRANGELOVE’. This is because the song is being re-released in the US along with a brand-new video. The 7" will be the LP version. Tim Simenon (who some of you will have heard of through his ‘BOMB THE BASS’ single) is currently working on a 12” remix and it will have remixes of ‘NOTHING’ on the ‘B' side.
Martin spent his holiday on an island off the coast of Venezuela, while Fletch is planning to stretch out on ‘a beach somewhere hot’. The other two haven't made any holiay plans as yet. They're just making the most of being at home after so long!
THE YEAR OF THE MODE?
January looks like being a very hectic time for the band. The New Year heralds the release of a live album, recorded at The Rose Bowl, Pasadena, on June 18th. It was actually the 101st date on the ‘MUSIC FOR THE MASSES’ tour. The working title for the album is ‘A BRIEF PERIOD OF REJOICING’. It'll be a double album with a photo-booklet by Anton Corbijn and is currently being mixed in London by DM and Alan Moulder, who has worked with The Eurythmics, The Jesus & Mary Chain, B.A.D. and The Smiths among others. According to Dave, he’s ‘Sooooo hip!!’. There will be a single released from ‘A BRIEF PERIOD OF REJOICING’ but there's no definite news. .. chances are it'll be an old favourite.
Anton Corbijn has been amazingly busy on the tour. Not only did he take all the photos for the tour programmes and the album cover and booklet, a collection of his colour and black and white photographs of Depeche Mode is being published in book form, also planned for next year!
Even more January happenings: DM will be going into the studio to work on a brand new album AND a film will be released. The film, recorded ‘on the road’ in America has the same working title as the live album and is scheduled for simultaneous release. Full details next issue!
Want to win a ‘mystery prize’. . . If somebody can tell me exactly where DM got the phrase ‘A BRIEF PERIOD OF REJOICING’ from, by November 1st, they shall receive a very exciting and wonderful prize from the depths of my prize cupboard. All I'll say at this point is that it’s soemthing donated by a member of the band. Postcards to the usual address marked ‘ABPOF’.
MORE ON THE FRONT...
By Charmaine Ramdass
Did you see Front 242 supporting Depeche Mode on the European leg of the tour? Are you interested in knowing more about them? Then read on!
The Belgian-based band was formed six years ago by Daniel B Prothese (synths), Jean Luc de Meyer (vocals) and Patrick Codenys (synths). Richard 23 (vocals and rhythms) joined the band in February 1983.
Although the group members have trained in different professions (graphic artist, demographer, hi-fi technician), their work is strongly committed to the music they make. This music has often been described as hip-hop, hardcore disco and technopop, but is better categorised as ‘electronic body music’, that is, a smooth blend of intricate melodies, heavy basslines and rhythmic drumming. The band strive to combine sound and image as one. This unity is conveyed by the pure and simple energy in their music. The hard, army-type image projected by the band also helps this, (importance is based on the total image of the band not that of the individual) and they draw fashion inspiration from futuristic style science fiction films, such as ‘Mad Max’, ‘Blade Runner’, ‘Alien’ and ‘The Terminator’.
Front 242 have no plans to tour Britain but their next single (entitled Head-hunter) is released on September 23rd and their new album, Front by Front, is out on October 28th.
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BONG 3 Autumn 1988 List of BONG magazine scans |
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