Стенограмма пресс-конференции группы Depeche Mode (16-06-2005)

16 июня 2005

Press Conference, Dusseldorf, Germany (June 16th, 2005)

Details: On June 16th, Depeche Mode held a press conference in Dusseldorf, Germany, to announce the "Tour 2005/2006". Thanks to Mute Records, you can view the entire press conference, edited down for web viewing.

The following is a transcription of the video clips available. At the bottom of the page, you will find low and high bandwidth links to the video files.

NOTES: The video was shot by a third party film crew, who sadly (at times) started filming what is referred to as "b-roll" (wide camera shots, sweeping shots of the crowd, et cetera). We apologize for the quality of the film. Also, we'd like to give a special thanks to Peter² from depeche-mode.com for the bulk of the transcript.


Photo Op

Introduction


Marek:
If we could come to the end with the photographs now, please? The last minute - there you go guys, this is your opportunity - and then please no more flashes. Ok, thank you very much everybody. Thank you. We'd appreciate if you could sit down. Thanks a lot. You see - the band does that too. Thank you very much, and Fletch, the word is yours.

Fletch (Opening statement):
Thank you, Marek, for your introduction. Thanks for putting all this together. Thank you very much.

We've just come straight from mixing the album. We just started mixing, we should be finished in about three weeks. Welcome to all the media and all the fans for coming this afternoon to the world launch of our latest tour. This year has already been good for Depeche. We've been working since January on our new album. The vibe has been great, and we're confident that this album will be up there as one of our best.

[Applause]

It is therefore with great enthusiasm that we feel we are now in a position to proudly announce the next Depeche Mode world tour. Thank you very much.

Many questions... we won't answer.

Marek:
Thanks a lot and we can start of right away. We're ready for your questions, so if you could just raise your hand so... there's a hand up there. That's nice.

Dave:
There's a brave man.

Journalist:
First of all I'd like to thank you guys for coming over to Eastern European countries because so many great artists ignore those countries these days and... I feel... well... you're great actually for doing this. And... this question is probably not appropriate enough in this situation, but, was there ever a moment during the last four years that you felt maybe there might not be another Depeche Mode album?

Dave:
No.

[laughther]

Journalist:
Thank you.

Fletch:
I think what's important is... I think we've all been doing our individual solo projects and sometimes it's very confusing to the fans, you know. Is there gonna be another album? Is there not? But I think it was in the minds of everyone that we were gonna be doing another Depeche Mode album.

Journalist:
So what's the name of the new album, and when will it be released?

Martin:
We're open to suggestions...

[laughter]

Dave:
The album will be released middle of October. But as yet we don't, as usual, have a title.

Fletch:
It's our biggest problem at the moment. So if anyone has any ideas...?

[someone in the crowd suggests "Exciter 2"]

Dave:
What was that?

[someone in the crowd suggests "Exciter 2", again]

Dave: "Exciter 2"... hehe...

Fletch:
Is that the number "two" or "t-o-o"?

Marek:
You know, my sixtieth birthday is coming up so that's could an occasion, really...

Fletch:
"Marek is sixty"! The new Depeche Mode album. It really is desperate, we're down to anything at the moment... even "Marek 60".

Marek:
Further questions please... thank you very much... over there...

Journalist:
I saw Dave and Martin on their solo tours and they enjoyed playing live more and more without playbacks and stuff and the question is: Are there tendencies to play more and more live with Depeche Mode as well without samplers, playbacks, or is it the same set-up, the same musicians because you trust in them now, I guess?

Dave:
Well, you know, we're still sort of... Christian is definitely gonna be playing with us but we are working on that at the moment... how we're gonna present these new songs and the older songs as well, and I think it will be a little different, but, we'll definitely draw on sort of like past tours for ideas, but we wanna do something fresh, and we wanna do something that's kinda different for us, and challenging of course - visually as well as musically.

Journalist:
[Journalist from "Bild Zeitung" presents himself, and the crowd laughs]

Marek (to the band):
Hehe... excuse me, can I spell that for you? It's "Bild..."

Martin:
What dirt do you want?

Marek:
We appreciate your support.

Journalist:
Please tell us about the show.

Fletch:
Is that it?

Journalist:
Please tell us about the show. Will there be huge...

Fletch:
We are all gonna be nude. Wearing Hawaiian dresses during the interval.

Marek:
Aloha!

Fletch:
Aloha.

Dave:
We've all had surgery... we've all had various surgeries... construction.

Fletch:
No, to be honest, we're just starting to design the show at the moment with Anton Corbijn... again... it's really in the early stages. At the moment we're concentrating on the album.... finishing the album, and just starting to work on what the tour will look like. I wish I could give you more than that.

Marek:
Thank you very much. Next question's right here.

Journalist:
Mr. Lieberberg just mention Anton who is your favorite photographer... or long time director. And is he going to be designing the new stage and the new lightning for the next tour?

Dave:v Yeah he's been taking a lot of pictures of us. He took some pictures in California and New York where we were working, and... yeah, we're working with him to sort of trying to throw around ideas for how we're gonna present, as I said, present the songs. And like Fletch said it's kinda really in the early stages at the moment, we haven't really got anything concrete to tell you.

Martin:
But he's also doing the sleeve and, you know, all that kinda stuff... all the stuff he usually does.

Marek:
Thank you.

Journalist:
As you are seen as some sort of icons of the 80s, what do you say to the trend of very much 80s elements in today's dance music?

Dave:
Where are you? I can't... Oh... hi... hello!

Martin:
There's always... I think we get asked this question every time we put an album out or every time we go on tour. There's always elements of 80s around... yeah okay, maybe there are a few more around at the moment, but it's always there and it's always present.

Journalist:
How are you? How do you feel? You guys look pretty good today. I think the fans would agree.

[Applause]

Journalist:
So what do you do the whole day beside working on the album... I think you finished the album yet?

Dave / Fletch:
No... not quite.

Journalist:
Oh, ok... so you can't tell us anything about the sound yet? Sound about the whole album?

Fletch:
Yeah, I think the album is not as digital, perhaps, as "Exciter"... using a lot of analogue synthesizers again, mixed with guitars. It's a bit perhaps more organic... warmer maybe. Ben Hillier has really brought, I think, a new sound perhaps... and it will be great when you guys hear it. We think it's a different sound to Depeche Mode. I hope everyone likes it.

Journalist:
Where did you record the album? In New York or were there different places you went to?

Fletch:
It was recorded in Santa Barbara, New York and finished in London... or, not, finishing in London, sorry.

Journalist:
I would like to know if it for you is something special for you to play here in Dusseldorf? You play already sometimes here. I saw you here 22 years ago... playing here.

Fletch:
Shhhh... you mean TWO years ago!

Dave:
Actually, I remember you, I think...

[laughter]

Journalist:
Is it something special to you to play here in Dusseldorf and in this new arena?

Martin:
Oh, it's our favorite place...

[laughter]

Journalist:
I got two questions. The first one I think is more to Mr. Lieberberg. How much will the tickets be?

Fletch:
By the way, does everyone think Marek looks great?

Journalist:
And I think Mr. Kessler looks great too.

Fletch:
We think that Marek might replace, or be in the band! I think he looks as good as the band, or even better! The leather jacket - very Alan Wilder like.

Marek:
I got it from an outfitters... a special outfitters. I think the tickets are gonna range between 45 and 47 Euros. So they're not going to be as expensive as U2 ticket.

[Applause]

Fletch:
The band wanted them much cheaper... much cheaper! But these two here (pointing at Kessler and Lieberberg) said "no, they must be that price."

Dave:
And, by the way, Alan Wilder did actually sell that jacket on eBay!

Marek:
And the band is not playing 'Live 8'.

Journalist:
How many songs on the new album are written by Mr. Gahan?

Fletch:
All of them.

[laughter]

Fletch:
No, no... I think... three or four?

Dave:
Three, yeah.

Fletch:
They are very good as well.

Dave:
Thanks, Fletch.

Fletch:
You can give me that tenner afterwards for saying that.

Journalist:
Do you have concrete plans to release a DVD again, a live DVD again, and what do you think about the DVD format in general?

Martin:
We don't have concrete plans, but we probably will release one, yes. We're gonna be doing a lot of filming during the tour, so inevitably it will come out at some point.

Journalist:
The first question was have you been already thinking of the set list of the tour... the songs you will be playing... and second part of the question are you gonna be probably more flexible than you used to be in the previous tour and change the set list more often than you used to do?

Dave:
Well... really that's again something we haven't really talked about. I mean what we usually do is start compiling a list of songs that each of us would like to do. And then we sit together and sort of... quite often anyway a lot of those songs are the same... like our favorites and stuff that we like to perform. But... you know... I think there's a possibility that sometimes certain songs will change within the set, but again, we haven't really rehearsed it, we haven't sort of tried these things yet. We're not in that position yet really. But it's difficult as well once you get kinda of like into a performance that you enjoy doing and it really feels strong, you know, you don't wanna like change that because... you're going all over the world, different countries, different audiences, and you wanna give the most powerful performance you can. So, once you kinda lock into that it does becomes quite difficult - more difficult than you think - to change.

Martin:
Our band motto is: We fear change.

[laughter]

Journalist: Is it possible, if you decide which songs to play, that even you have to listen to the lyrics again because you didn't listen to your own songs for many years, maybe? Is this possible?

Martin:
Definitely! I don't have a clue... you know.

Journalist:
Because I guess you do not listen to your own songs all the time.

Dave:
You mean learn them again?

Journalist:
Maybe, I don't know...

Dave:
Oh yeah! (laughs)

Journalist:
I am talking about for example Singles Tour I was quite surprised when you played "Just Can't Get Enough" as the last song. And I guess no one expected it to be played again. Maybe we get some new surprises again on this tour?

Dave:
Maybe...

[laughter]

Journalist:
Thank you very much. And Dave, one last question, how do you prepare your voice? Are you doing the training weeks ago, month ago? Because you sing 20 songs each night for half a year or four month maybe, you know?

Dave:
Yeah, I, you know, I have a routine of what I do and...

Fletch:
We hear it a lot, don't we? In the studio...

Dave:
Yeah, and I stick to it. And it's like for me it's just preparation for the singing. It's something I do everyday anyway, it's like you know going to the gym or something, you know.

Journalist:
I would like to ask why did you choose the old artwork of the last CD because you always have set standards with your design and your look and your artwork in the past.

Dave:
So you didn't like it?

[laughter]

Journalist:
That's the older one and you have always used another one.

Dave:
We wanted to do something different because it wasn't like a studio album and it was always something that we really... we didn't expect it actually to be as succesful as it was., but, with the artwork, we just wanted to have something that was really separated from what we'd done before, but unfortunately you didn't like, but we can't please everybody.

Marek:
He didn't say he didn't like it.

Dave:
He did. He did!

Marek:
He did?

Fletch:
The artist is always right.

Journalist:
As we know, Dave wrote four songs for the new album. Are you going to perform, Dave, all of them by yourself, or are you going to let probably Martin to perform one of the tracks?

Dave:
No, everybody's gonna leave the stage at that point, and I'll just be on my own with a little triangle, and I expect you all to be very quiet.

[laughter]

Dave:
Listen, no of course, if we...

Fletch:
He's not joking.

Dave:
If we perform any of those songs then we'll perform them as a band, you know we recorded them as a band you know and, actually the songs have got a very sort of different flavor to them than what I expected. And it's... once we start working on things in the studio, depending on who we are working with and who's producing, things start to take on a life of their own anyway, and we all contributed.

Journalist:
What are the themes of your songs... what are the plots?

Dave:
Pain and more pain!

[laughter]

Journalist:
And why? Why pain?

Dave:
Cause it's painful.

Fletch:
Life is just painful.

Dave:
Oh, and some suffering too. We all suffer. Can't do without that.

Journalist:
It can be "Pain in the ass"?

Dave:
Well that's... that's... that's what you... that's... I don't know...

[laughter]

Journalist:
Speaking of recording, Ben Hillier's working attitude, while producing Blur, was basically starting at ten and finishing at six.

Martin:
That's what he says! He lies!

Journalist:
Is that the way he treated you too?

Fletch:
That's how he started of. But he lies...

Dave:
Well yeah, you know we kinda like tried to stick to a sort of... we started a bit earlier... like starting at eleven and finishing a bit earlier, but generally we just, you know, we'd all roll in around eleven o'clock or something and everybody sitting around for a while drinking coffee, and answering their emails.

Journalist:
[A rather long question about the lasting appeal of "Just Can't Get Enough"]

Fletch:
I think "Just Can't Get Enough" you know, is just a good pop-song, and... uh... it's good that it's played as much today as it was early on. But the secret of staying young...

Dave:
Well, I think what people don't know about that song is actually, "Just Can't Get Enough" is about... pain!

[laughter]

Dave:
It's about not getting enough... pain. So there's a kinda dark message in there.

Fletch:
And suffering as well...

Dave:
To stay within the...

Martin:
It was one of the first rap songs of it's day.

Journalist:
On the 2001 tour, you had Fad Gadget as support in Germany, now he can't support you on the next tour, for obvious reasons. Fad was linked closely to the band's history. How can you find someone as adequate as Fad Gadget to support?

Fletch:
Actually it's quite easy... actually it's terrible that Fad isn't around - that Frank isn't around. But we got the perfect replacement - The Normal - with Daniel Miller. He hasn't said yes yet, but I'm sure if enough fans really go for it, we might persuade him.

NOTE: The following is not on the video (sorry - the film crew decided to stop taping for an unknown reason). Here is the missing text:

Dave:
We'll buy him a new cape as well

[Martin laughs]

Marek:
Guys I think we should give the fans an opportunity to ask some questions, yeah?

Dave:
Absolutely.

Fletch:
No dirty ones please.

Marek:
If you have a question, please raise your hand. If you have the answer also raise your hand.

Fan:
How much songs will Martin sing on the new record?

Fletch:
Zwei. (German for "two")

Dave:
We do some duets as well.

Fan:
Is it possible for you to move the chairs a little bit more to the front?

[roaring applause and laughs]

[The band move to the front of the stage]

Dave:
Good question!

Fletch:
That's why our fans are so intelligent. They ask the right questions.

Fan:
I don't have a question, I just want to say thank you for your music. I have grown up with your music, and I will be old with your music.

Dave:
Thank you.

Martin:
Thank you.

Fan:
Dave, I would like to know whether you have quit smoking?

Dave:
No. You know, I always, before we start touring, sort of try and stop...

Fan:
And do you still do your work out, your jogging or whatever you do?

Dave:
Yeah.

Fan:
Ok. Thank you very much.

[laughs]

Fan:
My name is Torsten. I have a title for the new album... "Pain".

[laughter]

Dave: We already got that one!

Fan:
Or "Painful".

Dave:
I thought "Move The Chair" was better actually!

Marek:
Ok, back to our journalists. Right here. The man in the middle. Ok. Thank you.

Journalist:
Would it be possible to ask a political question as well?

Fletch:
Yeah.

Journalist:
Considering personal experiences, what do you think of the question of drug legalization as a matter of public health care, instead of punishing people for consumption?

Dave:
That's a tough question...

Martin:
I think you're asking the wrong band...

Dave:
Yeah, I don't think there should be punishment for it, actually. People need help.

Journalist:
Would you support legalization?

Dave:
You need help to get them, you know.. that's the... No, no I would not support legalization, no.

Journalist:
And would you ever play China maybe?

Fletch:
Yeah, I think we'd love to.

Marek: (to Andrew Zweck)
Andrew, was that your hand up?

Dave:
Mr. Zweck... he's on his phone.

Journalist:
I think it's a question for all women. Dave, you look wonderful. What did you [giggles]... What did you do the last time? Long holiday, change you hair dresser, or new women?

Dave:
I can't really answer that. Same old, same old.

Fletch:
What about us? Me and Martin? That's so unfair.

Journalist:
Do you have any idea which other band will support your shows in the US and Europe?

Fletch:
We're just working on that at the moment, we haven't come to any decisions.

Dave:
There's a lot of bands that have come forward that would like to... you know... play... open for us, but we, again, we haven't decided yet.

Journalist:
Who will take this decision?

Dave:
We usually all do. You know, again, it's like a list, a big list and, you know... we will come to that later on.

Fletch:
It's harder in Europe, obviously, especially with the German audiences, because as we know some acts have gone down very badly in front of German audiences.

Dave:
We purposely pick bad ones actually, so that we look better.

Marek:
We would like to come to the last three questions please, so go ahead...

Journalist:
As you mentioned that you could possibly play in China, did you check out the polls on Depeche Mode fan sites? People in South America seem to be dying and desperate to see you live in the closest future. So what is that problem? It's just the lack of strong promoters in that part of the world, or is it something else?

Fletch:
I think it's a lack of time for us, you know we got families, and, already the tour we're taking on is very big. I think we're gonna take an attitude, I believe so, that if we're enjoying ourselves maybe we'll do some of these other places after the tour. But at the moment we can't commit to that.

Journalist:
In your opinion, how does the opportunity of music downloads is changing the music in our times?

Dave:
I think it's something that is there... and... you know it's just part of, you know, what happens with music now. You know, it's something that you have to accept, and... in some ways I think it's good. There's a lot of things you can't find in record stores, you know, that... you can only find on the internet. But I think things are getting better, you know, there's more availability, and you can legally download and you know there's lots of ways to do things, so the artist doesn't get hurt.

Journalist:
Martin, I've heard you're gonna play as a DJ tomorrow, at the Sonar Festival in Barcelona. Is that true?

Martin:
Where are you?

Journalist:
I'm here.

Martin:
Yes, that's true.

Journalist:
Which kind of music are you gonna play?

Martin:
It's like I don't know... hard techno kinda stuff.

Journalist:
Can I hire you for my birthday party next year, when you come to Brussels?

Martin:
If we're in town the same day, yes.

Journalist:
Ok. Great.

Award Presentation / End