Get well soon Dave.

I was really worried to read that Depeche Mode’s singer David Gahan was diagnosed with a cancerous bladder tumour – hence the band had to cancel most of their tour. According to the news http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8071720.stm he had surgery to remove the tumour. I wish him all the best and a speedy recovery. I love Depeche Mode. One of the best bands Britain’s got (and it’s a shame they don’t get as appreciated in Britain as they get outside like in the USA or Germany, where they have one of their biggest and most loyal fan base. The band produced three albums in Berlin in the 80ies).  I grew up to their music. My first ever concert was Depeche Mode at the Sartory Halls in Cologne. I was 13 then and remember dancing on a table and enjoying myself. Depeche Mode was already a trio then and the better for it. Their weakest album is “Speak and Spell” which was mostly written by Vince Clarke. I got their new CD “Sounds of the Universe” for my birthday and though it isn’t up there with the classics Violator, Ultra, Songs of Faith and Devotion and Music for the Massesand Black Celebration (to name just a few), it is a wonderful album which grows on you (always a good sign as you won’t get tired of it too quickly) and is proof that Depeche Mode is one of the few bands from the eighties who still produce consistently brilliant music.

Their music has been covered by a lot of musicians and my favourite covers are Johnny Cash’s version of “Personal Jesus” and Tori Amos stripped down version of “Enjoy the Silence”. If you don’t know both – try and find them on the net.

I couldn’t name just one favourite song, as there are just too many.

Next time they consider playing in Cardiff I will try and get tickets. Depeche Mode’s concerts are legendary. Even stormy rain doesn’t faze them – in September 2001 we saw them at the Trabrennbahn in Hamburg and it was just pissing down with rain and freezing. The rain was so heavy it drowned the stage at one point, but the band just carried on with their set, played plenty of encores and it was absolutely brilliant. Not so good was getting home- as the heating didn’t work in our car and I was shivering on our way from Hamburg to Kiel.