Entertainment For Lively Minds
How much influence did Depeche Mode have on electronic music?
Posted by Fridge on 26 June 2009 - 10:05pm.
Following on from the minor skirmish on DH's Michael Jackson thread, how much influence did Depeche Mode have on the techno/dance explosion of the late 80s?
I've always felt that this track http://open.spotify.com/track/02b6ICVNdyN15o9AKFgyLz from 1986's Black Celebration must have had a big impact, but I wouldn't be surprised to find that DM were influenced by others. The obvious links are Kraftwerk et al, but this thumping bass line played on a synthesiser merged with electronic percussion and 'haunted' synth melody seemed new to me at the time and on the road to umpteen later dance tracks.
Anyone in the Massive know better?
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And here's a dodgy youtube clip of a live performance...
A little.
There. Case closed.
to be more accurate LR
I think it's 2.3 rising later falling to 1.3 at 18.30 gmt squalls dogger and german bight
I think Violator...
...was a pretty big influence. I'm sure fans would call it genius ;-)
The Detroit techno guys
The Detroit techno guys loved them and cited Vince Clarke as a genius. This track was named several times by various people in interviews back in the day so to speak.
Huge, I'd have thought
They were the first band to "go global" based purely on synthesiser music and also putting on a great show. I think made things easier for The Prodigy, Chemical Brothers, Orbital and others to also enjoy success in the live arena. Kraftwerk were (and are) more of a novelty band.
Depeche Mode took the synthesiser and warmed it up. Before Depeche Mode, it was icy stares into the middle distance and absolutely no dancing. They shouldn't be any good live - but they *are*.
Sorry, but Kraftwerk a novelty act?
When Depeche Mode produce an album that is as innovative and beautiful as 'Trans Europe Express' then please tell me. There is more warmth in a track like 'Hall of Mirrors'than anything in the DM cannon.
The,'Trans Europe Express'-'Man Machine'-'Computer World' trilogy is imo one of finest in popular music, never mind electronic music. Thought provoking, political, witty and yes warm.
Oh, stunning live show as well.
I'm talking about the live act, Mint
I agree totally about Kraftwerk's recorded material, pioneering and beautiful stuff, particularly TEE. What I am saying is that in a live performance setting, Kraftwerk are distinctly Kraftwerk and no-one else can do what they do. Perhaps condensing that into the words "novelty band" was a mistake, but it was not through any lack of respect.
Depeche Mode began to build a name as a good live band, while being purely electronic - and I think this did inspire people to feel confident enough to say "I can do that too".
The influence was..
..technological and bad.
Since its embrace of all things programmed, black music is about as funky and soulful as...well Depeche Mode.
Not that black music has to be funky and soulful, but if you're going to replace that, it should be with something better, not the chocolate-box digital midi crap you hear on most hip-hop/R+B.
The answer is...
More than Michael Jackson, but a whole lot less than Kraftwerk, who are to electronic music what Sabbath are to Metal.
(incidentally, when I made that point about Depeche Mode on the other thread, it wasn't to select DM in particular, but because they were a fixture of the Electrifying Mojo playlist that galvanised May, Saunderson and Atkins in the Detroit in the mid-80s. Go here for details: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:knfyxqqgldfe)
Continental Europe
There is no bigger band. They are absolutely massive in France,Germany,Italy and Spain.
In Spain all the Big Spanish bands of the 80's are basically variations on the theme.
This is as much DM as I can stomach.
And I can stomach quite lot of what I am contractually required to call techno, but they always seemed so anaemic and spindly to me.