It's been a while since I last posted and it's also been a while, nearly eight years in fact, since the Museo was last open. Eight years? There have been two Depeche Mode world tours in that time. Anyway, the Museo has been refurbished, the exhibits polished and so here we are. Rather than look at a rare release this time, I decided to have a look at a few things I have that you can't play.
As you can imagine, I've accumulated a lot of Depeche related stuff over the years and, though much of it seems fairly strange, it's nice stuff to have. Here are a few highlights. This post will feature on the usual social media places, so please feel free to add you own there. These are in date order to give the post a pleasing symmetry.
1985 - SOME GREAT REWARD US TOUR CREW T SHIRT
From the front, this looks like a perfectly ordinary Depeche Mode t-shirt from the mid 80's. However, when you turn it over....
As you'll see, it's a T-Shirt that was provided to the crew on the tour. This is the genuine article and is very rare. I've not worn, nor will I, so it stays with the other, younger DM t-shirts in the drawer they share. Yes, of course I have a specific drawer for them.
1988 - CONCERT FOR THE MASSES FLYER
This again is the genuine item. A number of flyers for the legendary Pasadena Rose Bowl gig have been kept safe fro over 30 years and I was able to get my hands on one earlier this year. It's A5 in size.
1990 - VIOLATOR HMV SHOP DISPLAY
Not a lot to say about this one really. It's from HMV and was displayed in one of their shoips.
1993 - SONGS OF FAITH AND DEVOTION SHOP DISPLAY
You know where this one is going don't you? It's a SOFAD era cardboard display thing from a shop.
1993 - SONGS OF FAITH AND DEVOTION CANDLE
It was the early 90's and with Depeche Mode in their Songs Of Faith And Devotion phase, promo items took on the theme of the era. The American record company released this promotional candle so that fans could recreate Dave's dressing room of the time in their own homes. The candle came wrapped in cellophane. Mine still is and I thus far resisted the urge to light it to see if it smells of as Devotional gig. Also released around this time was a roll of packing tape (France) and some Walking In My Shoes baseball boots (do you see what they did there?). There was also one other things.
1993 - SONGS OF FAITH AND DEVOTION PROMOTIONAL INCENSE BURNER
This is another innovation by the band's American record company. The incense burner comes with a chain around it so that you can swing while performing acts of faith and devotion. There is a metal tag on it and that says Depeche Mode on one side as you can see above.
On the reverse of the tag we have the album title and the Sire and Reprise logos.
That's what it looks like when you open it up. They are near impossible to find in mint condition. If you get one of those, it should come in a box. Mine has very much been used though will polish up nicely if I ever get round to it.
1998 - THE SINGLES 86-98 PROMO CUBE
Like the shop displays, not really sure what I can add here. It's a cube and it promotes the album The Singles 86-98.
See?
2014 - DELTA MACHINE PRIVATE PLANE SEAT COVER
"What's in the package?"
"Erm..."
"Not another bloody record. Surely not. "
"NO! It isn't a record. Promise."
"It looks like one. What is it then?"
"It's really cool. It's a seat cover from the band's private plane on the Delta Machine tour. Genuine article too. There aren't too many of these. What do y....."
*other person leaves room*
2024 - MEMENTO MORI VIP GIFT BAG
For the band's Glasgow gig earlier this year, I went for VIP tickets. No idea why really as they cost money that could easily be better spent elsewhere but getting one meant I got a free gift. Exciting times. It starts with the toilet bag show above. But what is inside?
An eye mask and a candle is the answer.
That's the candle box there.
There's the candle tin. It says Depeche Mode on it as you can see. Thrilling.
And finally, the candle itself. It is cedar scented apparently.
There we are then - a trip around the stranger parts of my collection. Next time, I'll go back to looking at the band's rarer releases in worrying detail. Look out for that soon.
For those of us who still remember the video age, DVD versions of Strange and Strange Too, Depeche Mode's classic video compilations have long been in demand. The original versions, the first released in 1988 and the second in 1990, captured the band at their artistic highpoint. Strange compiled their first videos with Anton Corbijn from A Question Of Time to, curiously but brilliantly, Pimpf and Strange Too featured the six videos made for songs from Violator namely the four singles, Halo and Clean.
Finally, both are reissued on DVD in the one package just in time for Christmas.
The package is sealed in cellophane when it arrives and once opened you find one of these increasingly prevalent Japanese OBI style things wrapped around the DVD case. It's pictured at the top of the article. Once removed and set aside to inevitably be lost any day now, the cover above reveals itself. Just look at how cool they look there. This is only five years after The Meaning Of Love for goodness' sake. I won't start bleating on again about how they accomplished so much in such a short space of time but Strange really does speak to the rapid progression of Depeche Mode both musically and artistically. Anton's involvement was crucial to this artistic reinvention and the air of European cool he added to the very European sounding Music For The Masses songs fitted perfectly. At this point, Depeche were a band who had no idea they were about to become stadium gobbling megastars. The two films on this DVD catch them on either side of that precipice and, when watched together (as I have done several times already), the staggering leap they made from 1987 to 1990 is readily apparent.
I've reviewed every Depeche Mode single in worrying depth previously, so rather than go through the videos again, here is a link to each review where the videos are all discussed:
A Question Of Time: man steals baby, delivers it to Alan, Martin gets his hair pulled
Strangelove : world record for most leather in a video ever, Alan gets his horn out, the band laugh
Never Let Me Down Again: Band holiday in Denmark, Martin's Accordion, Dave's two yellow cards
Behind The Wheel : Depeche Mode's Wandering Minstrels, Dave's moustache, the number 69
The version of Never Let Me Down Again on Strange is the Split Mix version of the track so the video is longer than the single version. Unlike the remix itself which is nothing less than a Godlike act of genius, the extended video doesn't add much really. There's some animated boot action and some dancing but that's that.
Pimpf features despite not being a single. The video is great is however. Martin sits, half naked naturally, in the Depeche Mode Museo pictured on the DVD cover playing along to Pimpf on a piano while the rest of the band wander around angrily trying to find him. The three of them pause and start singing along to the OHHH EEEE bit looking like three distressed leather penguins indulging in a terrifying mating call. The discover Martin's Museo when a direction sign saying PIMPF is found, a sign that Dave very weakly kicks over. Andy, Alan and Dave then descend on the Museo either very limply hitting it (Dave and Alan) or headbutting it (Fletch naturally) all while OHHing and EEEing. The combined force of the three leather penguins sees the Museo explode and collapse. OH MY GOD THEY HAVE KILLED MARTIN! Wait...what's that? It's a fully clothed Martin. He's alive and he's rescued the Music For The Masses horn. Thank goodness for that.
Between the songs, we get the same odd videos that featured on the original release featuring Rebecca Thornton (from Strangelove), Valdemar Christensen (Never Let Me Down Again) and Ippolita Santarelli (Behind The Wheel) all of whom have a lot of quite nasty things to say about Dave.
There are some extras on the DVD in the shape of Outtake Vignettes. The Strange three show some previously unseen footage from Strangelove and Behind The Wheel, the latter in two parts, the second of which is soundtracked by the Shep Pettibone Mix of the song. It's really lovely to see these vignettes as any unseen Depeche footage is always a treat, especially these days when the internet seems to have everything you could want or not want. Look out for Dave really getting into his eyebrow raising, Terry Thomas role in the Behind The Wheel section.
The DVD package comes with a two sided fold-out leaflet with pictures on it as you can see above.
Finally, Little 15 doesn't feature on here, no doubt because it wasn't an Anton video and also because it's very bad compared to the great videos here.
As regular readers of this blog know, along with Kevin May, I have written a book about Violator called Halo which, as well is being available via all good online retailers, is also the ideal Christmas present for any Depeche Mode fan. In addition to that, I own more copies of Violator than could be called healthy and I have bored many people for many years, talking about Violator and the fact it is the greatest work of art ever.
It won't surprise you to learn then that Strange Too is something I am very much a huge fan of. Everything the band did in 1990 was perfect and that includes the videos. I have of course droned on about the videos in earlier blogs so here are the four reviews if you really want to read them:
World In My Eyes : Dave takes a date to the movies, specifically a movie that features him and his mates
In addition to the four singles, Strange Too also features videos for Halo and Clean. When writing Halo, the book not the song, Kevin and I spoke to Pam Heffler (Halo) and Angela Sheldon (Clean) about their roles in the videos.
Of Halo which features the band dressed as clowns, Dave pretending to be strong, a donkey and much more, Pam said:
"I auditioned for the video and I suppose it was not long before we shot it. I was dancing with a choreographer named Sarah Elgart in her dance company at the time and she recommended me to the director since she was choreographing the video. I probably didn't know much about Depeche Mode.. just their name! I believe we only shot for 1 day and 1 evening ( it could have been two but I don't remember exactly) and as I recall, don't believe much was discussed about the concept of the video just how we would participate. We did hang out with the band and I remember everyone being super cool. I am actually surprised by the video. I didn't know it was going to be so unusual. What we did was super goofy and pretty straight forward and the video is rather eclectic, creative and unusual in a great way!"
Clean is very much a Martin solo video and he spends most of it getting off with Angela Sheldon while World Violation video footage plays ominously on the wall of the flat he's in. Here's the Q&A with Angela that formed the basis of her section in Halo:
1. Were you a Depeche Mode fan before you starred in the Clean video? If so, how long had you been a fan? I was most definitely a fan of DM before I got to be in the Clean video. I had been a fan since People are People and I was a huge Black Celebration fan.
2. How did you get the role in the Clean video? I went to a massive casting call full of models. I was sitting on the floor reading a book (I think Henry Miller) and the casting director thought I stood out more than the others due to that fact and spent more time with me.
3. The video is very simple - was there much of a production set-up required? We shot at the house in the hills for the pool and then shot on a sound stage for the sofa scene. There was more production of that required because of the video playing in the background.
4. Did you realise at the time that the location was actually the rented apartment belonging to the production team (Anton and Richard Bell) as they were in LA doing other work for the band? I knew they were staying there but I didn't know it was their rented apartment.
5. How long did the shoot take? I think it was two days.
6. Was Martin the only band member present? Yes, Martin was the only band member present. He was not there during the pool scene but obviously there on the sofa.
7. What was your reaction when you were told about what the video would entail? I was thrilled. I was actually dating an extremely jealous guy who flipped out when I told him, so I broke up with him to do the video.
8. Was it fun getting to make out with Martin for the video? I was a huge fan of Martin Gore and was more than happy to make out with him, but we did the "Hollywood" version where you don't actually touch tongues. Believe me, I tried. He was very professional and kind.
9. It's a fairly intense video, in terms of what it is portraying, so how did it seem between yourself, Martin and the crew when the camera wasn't rolling? Anton was wonderful and everyone was very professional and kind. It was not like the horror stories you hear. In fact, I was the one who was lamenting the fact we weren't actually making out. (I love Martin Gore)
10. Did you see the World Violation Tour at all? If so, what did you think? I was invited to see the tour after we filmed the video and got VIP backstage passes. It was fantastic.
As with Strange, the between song films featuring Dave and a toy car, the band going to the drive-in etc are all there. The reverse side of the leaflet (above) features pictures from the era.
There are additional Outtake Vignettes with Strange Too which are a joy. The Personal Jesus section soundtracked by Personal Jesus (Acoustic) shows outtakes from the video where all four band members are having a lot of fun which is cool. That is followed by two Policy Of Truth outtakes. The first is exceptionally moving as it is entirely comprised of shots of Fletch not used in the video. It is of course really hard not to think of Andy when Depeche Mode comes up. This short film is a lovely tribute to the great man. The final outtake shows Dave driving around New York soundtracked by Policy Of Truth (Trancentral Mix).
Ultimately, this DVD is a wonderful release. It shows Depeche Mode at their creative highpoint and adds a few extra touches to make the whole package one every Depeche fan will want to have. Now all we need is a reissue of Live In Hamburg and we can finally thrown away our VCRs.
A quick update from David and Kevin on the release of Halo:
As Depeche Mode fans will acknowledge, it’s been a sad and unsettling time over the last few months, especially for the family and friends of keyboardist and founding member Andy ‘Fletch’ Fletcher, who passed away suddenly in May.
We were in the process of working through the final edits of ‘Halo’ when the news emerged that week – a massive high for us, which turned very quickly into a shocking and very sad low.
The story behind Depeche Mode’s classic album Violator doesn’t change as a result of Fletch’s untimely death (in fact, many parts in our book that feature him have a certain poignancy now) but we wanted to ensure we respectively give some distance between the grieving among family, friends, the band and fans with the book’s release.
As we write this post, we are also reading proofs from our publisher and getting excited once again about its release.
‘Halo’ will be available from all the usual online retail outlets from Thursday, September 29, via Grosvenor House Publishing in paperback and e-book.
We’re expecting a final pre-order date almost any time soon and a full list of retailers, too. We’ll share that information ASAP!
When the news about Andy Fletcher's death broke last Thursday, it is fair to say that every Depeche Mode fan was left stunned. For all of us, the last few days have had a shadow over them as we come to terms with this. Memories have been shared on social media, friends have got in touch with each other to see if they're ok and tributes have poured in from the numerous people Andy's life touched. It is not often that someone is universally considered to be a good guy. Fletch was one of those people.
Look at all the band and music industry types who have offered their condolences or tributes for example. While Dave and Martin may be the members of the band with the higher profiles, Andy's role, often understated by many, was obviously a key one, not only in Depeche Mode but also in the way he advised and nurtured other artists and young acts. When Kevin May and I interviewed people for Halo, every person we spoke to talked fondly of Fletch from his key role in the production process, where his input and comments were vital, to talking to and being there for support bands on the tour.
There is no getting away from the fact that without Andy Depeche Mode would almost certainly have ended years ago. When asked what he did during a radio interview seen in 101, he famously said "I bum around" but he did much more than that. As Martin's best friend, he was vital in keeping everything together, a crucial mediating voice in the band especially in the post Wilder years where Dave started pushing for more songwriting involvement. He had the best job in the world; he was the biggest Depeche Mode fan there is and he got to be part of the band.
While the last few days have been overwhelmingly sad for all of us Depeche fans, it's impossible to imagine how Andy's family, Martin, Dave and everyone associated with the band must be feeling. The fans are all mourning the loss of someone who has been part of our lives from the moment we first got into the band but those close to Andy have lost something much more than that.
I was determined not to make this post go on and on about how sad I am and how sad all Depeche fans are because what we are all feeling is inconsequential compared to the feelings of people who actually knew Andy. Instead, let's end on a few Fletch highlights. These are some of my favourites but there are of course many, many more. Rest in peace Fletch - you were a one off.
Firstly, 3 from 101 though there are many more to choose from:
1. Fletch tries his hand at guitar playing
The scene in Nashville where Martin and Andy visit a guitar shop is superb. Andy picks up an acoustic and strums a few bars. "Impressive," you think, "I didn't know Andy had it in him." Then Martin arrives, plays what appears to be several tunes at once and Fletch heads back to the transport outside. For God's sake Martin, stop showing off.
2. "People are people so why should it seem....." "Well, you got three of the words right."
3. "I'm Andy Fletcher from Depeche Mode and you're listening to the alternative dance party from hell"
From elsewhere:
1. Andy drinks a cocktail in the Just Can't Get Enough video - seriously, how happy does he look? That was a man who knew he was about to give up the day job and spend his life doing something much more fun.
2. Fletch gets his kit off, Rock Werchter, 7th July 2013
Anything Dave can do, Fletch can do better. Or something.
Picture courtesy of Depeche Mode Classic Photos & Videos Facebook Group
3. The Fletch dance.
You know the one - clap, grab your mic, wave, walk around the keyboard and repeat. See 101 and The World We Live In and Live in Hamburg. For later years, see The Fletch Arm Lift.
There are of course many, many more examples. Fletch brought a sense of humour to Depeche Mode and that was crucial as it offered a counterpoint to the other sides of the band. He brought so much more to the band too of course and that's what we are all missing today and will continue to miss for a very long time.
Halo - The Story Behind Depeche Mode’s Classic Album Violator will be published in August 5, 2022.
The book is an oral history of the career-defining album and era for electronic pioneers Depeche Mode, stretching from August 1989 upon the release of the first single Personal Jesus to November 1990 and the end of the World Violation Tour.
Written and published by Kevin May and David McElroy in association with UK-based Grosvenor House Publishing, Halo features interviews with those who had key roles during the making of Violator and the subsequent tour.
David and Kevin also hear from those involved in the iconic artwork of the album and its single releases, videos, publicity and other figures associated with the band before, during and after Violator’s release in March 1990.
Each of the book’s eight chapters includes a first-hand account of the era from fans (“Devotees,” as they came to be known), exclusive photographs and a detailed timeline of an extraordinary period in the British band’s history.
Those sharing their stories include Francois Kevorkian, Steve Lyon, Andy Franks, Roberto Baldi, Pino Pischetola, Nils Tuxen, Paul Kendall, Richard Bell, Richard Smith, Pam Heffer, Angela Shelton, Gareth Jones, Neil Ferris, Bruce Kirkland, Billie Ray Martin and many more.
Halo will be available in paperback print and e-book formats.
Pre-order details and a list of online retail outlets where Halo will be available will be shared ahead of the August publication date.
David and Kevin, commenting on the release of Halo, remark: “We’re both thrilled and excited to be releasing Halo. We’ve tracked down and interviewed a wide range of figures involved in this remarkable era for Depeche Mode, from engineers and musicians in the studio at the time, to publicists, support bands, designers and even extras from some of the videos.
This oral history is for fans and general music lovers who are curious about how a masterpiece was created. It’s an opportunity to learn first-hand from many of those involved in the making of Violator, in their own words, how this seminal album was made, marketed, toured and the impact it had on music and fans.
This book has been a long time in the making, delayed by life, injury, a pandemic, work and all sorts, so we’re extremely grateful to those who have given us their patience to complete proceedings!”
Depeche Mode's second singles compilation, The Singles 86-98 was released on 28th September 1998 hot on the heels of Only When I Lose Myself.
It's hard to think of a better run of singles from any band of Depeche Mode's era or indeed any other era. From Stripped to Enjoy The Silence to It's No Good, the band released classic after classic over a twelve year period. That period of course saw the band move from the pop world into the stadium league and they enjoyed a level of success that nobody saw coming.
By the time 1998's brief world tour came around, Depeche Mode were an entirely different band from the one we saw when Stripped was released. Alan had gone, Martin spent more time playing the guitar than keyboards and Dave was in recovery following the Devotional era and its many, erm, highs and they had gone from playing Whitley Bay Ice Rink to Pasadena Rose Bowl. They packed a lot into the period from 1986 to 1998.
The Singles 86-98 marked the end of another chapter in Depeche Mode's history. As part of the ongoing Singles blog project, it seems sensible to use that album as a way of gathering together the Singles reviews from the period. Here they all are then. Keep an eye out from the next review in the series, Dream On which will be along soon.
The lot of the fourth and final single from an album is generally an unhappy one. Everyone's bought the album so everyone has heard the song, so are casual fans really that interested? It's been released because there's a tour still to promote or some remixes to use up.
That wasn't the case with World In My Eyes however as it was one of Depeche Mode's most exciting single packages. Two new B-sides! A fancy limited edition!! A video that showed live footage from World Violation!!!
Let me take you on a tr....oh, never mind.
AROUND THE WORLD AND BACK - WORLD IN MY EYES
The Single
BONG 10 announced that World In My Eyes would be the band's next single in fairly understated style saying "The final single release from Violator, World In My Eyes, will be released as a mini EP in late September to tie in with Depeche Mode's European dates. It will also feature two new songs." As we will see, and as you know, it did feature two new songs. I'm old fashioned and an EP is four songs. A single with three tracks is a three track single surely and not a mini EP. I'm sure nobody cares however I'm not doing my job (job?) if I don't pick up on the smallest of details.
The three track single/three quarter ep was released on 17th September. There weren't too many reviews but there was of course one in Smash Hits.
The guest reviewer that week was MC Tunes, a man very few of you will remember. He was from Manchester so that was almost enough on its own in 1990. That said, I did buy the cassette single of the song he released with 808 State called The Only Rhyme That Bites, but I was young. Anyway, Mr Tunes us highly complimentary called World In My Eyes "a bloody good dance tune" before going on to say that Dave sounds like Pavarotti compared to Shaun Ryder which isn't hard to argue against.
Picture courtesy of Michael Rose
The NME was its typically sniffy self. It's hard to work out what the reviewer is on about on first read. . It seems to praise them but can't help but mention Just Can't Get Enough. Some of the language used is a little off colour too, even by the standards of 1990.
The single didn't perform that well in the UK, again doubtless hindered by a lack of an in-studio Top Of The Pops appearance. The video was shown a couple of times but that was that. It entered the charts at number 28 on the 29th of September and climbed to 21 the following week. It then went up further to a high of 17, before falling to 22, 46 and finally 66 before that was all there was and it disappeared for good.
The song itself is of course as Kraftwerk like as Depeche Mode have ever and, lyrically, it is firmly rooted in the bedroom. Not quite Prince but getting there. It opened every gig on the World Violation tour and did so in spectacular style and has been played 623 times to date. The only recent tours where it hasn't really featured are the Delta Machine tour (6 times) and the Exciter tour where it wasn't played at all. It's amazing how many times I say that. Was anything actually played on that tour? Oh yes, The Dead Of Night was. Never mind. For years I thought the Devotional version of World In My Eyes was the definitive version of the song but the Global Spirit Tour version was astonishing. When I heard it at the Barrowlands gig (have I mentioned I was there? I have? Ok), it blew my mind. It was a real standout on the last tour; a classic given a new lease of life (see also Everything Counts).
The two B-Sides have never been played live, not even as a random Martin choice during a solo spot. The first one that appeared on the 33 1/3 rpm b-side of the 7" was Happiest Girl (Jack Mix). It's a great B-side but very much a track suited to that role than the role of album track. That's not to say I don't like it - far from it - I just don't think that it would have fitted on Violator. It's yet another song about sex featuring thighs, eyes, lips, hips, skin and...err...deep within, all of which clearly make the focus of the song happy. The bassline is a lovely thing and the middle "And I would have to pinch her" part a joy.
The next new track is Sea Of Sin (Tonal Mix), a real lost gem in the Depeche catalogue. Whereas Happiest Girl is a pervy pop song, Sea Of Sin is a darker track, all moody electronics and lyrics about diving into whatever a sea of sin is. Whatever it is, it certainly seems to get better as it gets wetter, although I presume that the person in the sea would get wetter, not the sea itself. Anyway, that ridiculous pedantry aside, it's a bloody great track.
The Violator era was Depeche Mode's finest B-Side era. Outstanding all round.
The Video
This was a thrilling video at the time and, to be honest, still is. The glimpses of the World Violation tour footage were incredible, especially for those of us who were unable to go to a gig on that tour. The drive-in cinema part of the video was filmed on 26th July 1990 at the Motor Vu Theatre in Tooele, Utah which you can still visit today. At the time, the drive-in was owned by the parents of Mistie Bradshaw Fowks who first spoke about this to Depeche Mode Classic Photos And Videos Facebook Group. Kevin May and I have interviewed her for Halo too and you can read all about her experiences of the filming in the book. Suffice to say, she had a great time, met the band AND got free gig tickets, so not a bad experience at all. The live footage was taken from the band's two shows at the World Music Theater in Chicago on 2nd and 3rd July 1990. The standard single version of the video is shorter than the version that appears on the video compilation Strange Too.
The video opens with Dave lying on a bed. Last time we saw him, he was leaning on the roof of a car having got fed up with the Policy Of Truth girls and their Depeche double crossing ways. By this point, he's turned his back on women. It's just Dave and Dave only from now on.
Oh wait. Here he is, back in a snazzy old fashioned car, and he has a date. Being an old romantic, he takes her to see a Drive-In film. Imagine that. You go on a date with the lead singer of a band famous for singing with live chickens - your head must be spinning. "What will we do tonight I wonder," you think, "what romantic film will he take me to see?"
Well Dave keeps his date guessing as, by the time we see them again, it's dark. Suddenly, the music starts and it turns out that Dave's idea of a date is taking someone to see footage of him and his mates jumping about (well - spinning (Dave), nodding (Martin), having a lovely time (Fletch) and Alaning (Alan) anyway) on stage. Hardly the stuff of Casanova. Rumour has it that he put the roof down and then played the demo of Hole To Feed as a prelude to the film. Shocking.
The film starts and...wait a minute...Big DM curtains! A crowd! Dave on stage! Fletch waving! Grainy live footage is everywhere. What is this? Look - there's Martin in some inappropriate shorts! Big screens! Alan! And he's not wearing leather. What on earth is this?
Dave then whispers to the woman at the "Let me show you the world in my eyes" line at the end of verse two before we cut back to the screens to see Martin's head on screen as the "woo-ooo-ooo-ooo-ooo-ooo-ooo-oooh" noise kicks in at the end of the verse, like a fluffy haird, bondage gear clad Wizard Of Oz. By this point, I imagine Dave's date is thoroughly bored.
Then - more live things! Martin nodding about looking ace! Look at those films! There's Alan's head! Is that a sparkler? Why is there a sparkler? It's Alan's head on a screen again! There's a woman in a cowboy hat! There's Martin and a guitar! Fletch's head! Martin in the sunshine on the screen! A big rear view mirror and Dave clapping. WHAT IS GOING ON? THIS LOOKS LIKE THE BEST LIVE SHOW EVER AND I'M ONLY 16 AND HAVE EXAMS AND DON'T KNOW WHERE BIRMINGHAM IS WHY WON'T THEY COME TO SCOTLAND? Are they drums? DRUMS? Dave's dancing in front of Martin and Martin is wiggling his guitar at him.
The film of Dave and his friends ends and he and his date turn to each other. If you really look, you can see her mouth "Where were the chickens? You said ther would be chickens and a spacehopper. Hang on - are YOU the guy that wore sandals and socks in the Master & Servant video? Let me out of here."
All of a sudden, the Dave from the bed at the start picks up the car. What? Hang on, there's footage of the band leaving the stage to distract us. Dave is now playing with the car. What? This is a deep concept.
Or perhaps it isn't. What it is however is a thrilling glimpse of the World Violation tour and that is fine by me.
The Formats
As I mentioned earlier, BONG20 is a three track release. Side A, pictured above, features the Single Version of World In My Eyes and plays at 45rpm. The four band members feature on the front of different versions of the single, all doing the World In My Eyes hand signal thing. On the 7", it's Fletch's turn.
Above is the 33 1/3 rpm B-side of this mini ep/three track single with Martin in silhouette action on the tour.
Time to head to promo corner. The 7" promo, BONG20R, is different from the 7" in one respect - the A-Side label as you can see.
The B-side, tracklisting and rear sleeve art is identical to BONG20.
There were two promo 12" singles. P12BONG20 features the Mayhem Mode mix of World In My Eyes and, on the B-side, Happiest Girl (The Pulsating Orbital Mix) by The Orb. This is in fact an instrumental of that remix and this 12" is the only place you can find it. The recreation of this 12" in the Violator The 12" Singles boxset was a lovely surprise.
The second promo 12" is, I understand, limited to 500 only. It's called 12BONG20 because it features the same three mixes as you find on that single - World In My Eyes (Oil Tank Mix), Happies Girl (Kiss-A-Mix) and Sea Of Sin (Sensoria).
Each copy is numbered and features a sticker on the front starring Dave - that's mine above.
The promo CD, CDBONG20R is a lovely orange thing and features the same three tracks as BONG20. It comes in a jewel case and has no artwork.
Back in the land of official formats, the cassette single, CBONG20, features Alan as its cover star.
It features the same three tracks as the 7" and has an orange label on the A-side and a white one on the B-side.
12BONG20 stars Martin on the cover. The A-side features World In My Eyes (Oil Tank Mix) which is a glorious track.
The B-side remixes are ok but not really as good as the standard 7" versions. The Kiss-A-Mix of Happiest Girl has a dreadful title, but an interesting breakdown from about 3 minutes 30 in. Sea Of Sin (Sensoria) goes for a more electronic version of the original but loses the original's sense of darkness. It's fine but a bit of a chance missed.
CDBONG20 features Dave on the cover, It is a 4 track, 5" CD with the Single Version of World In My Eyes accompanying the remixes from 12BONG20. Those remixes are in fact shorter than the ones you find on the 12" because the single was originally planned as a 3" CD single. So there you go.
There are of course limited editions too. L12BONG20 is an absolute masterpiece and that's before we get to the music. It is a 12" sealed inside a blue gel pack which you must cut open to access the record. It is sensational. The front has Alan and Andy doing the sign and the quite marvellous explanation of what this is i.e.
What more do you need to know? That is just brilliant. There is also a little white feature at the top showing you who is on the cover (if you're the type of moron who writes a 2000 word blog about it 30 years later, that is ideal)
Dave and Martin star on the rear sleeve:
How do you open a blue gel pack 12" anyway you ask. Well, you cut it open and the package even tells you how to do that:
"Violate here." If you're like me (and I'm afraid to tell you that you are), that will tickle you immensely. Obviously, as we have long since learned, I am an arse and I cut mine on the wrong place entirely but what are you going to do? I have two other sealed versions to keep me happy. I am like that. Once you open it, it gets even lovelier:
Just. Look. At. That.
Live shots, a luxury inner sleeve all glossy and gorgeous, a beautiful cover and a record that is stark and mesmerising in its sheer gloriousness.
There is a record too of course, The remix on the A-Side is World In My Eyes (Dub In My Eyes). It's a brilliant remix and features the robot voices that star on the Devotional version.
The rear of the inner sleeve and of the sleeve itself are wonderful.
The two tracks featured here are the rather nice Mode To Joy mix of World In My Eyes by Jon Marsh of The Beloved and it's accompanied by The Pulsating Orbital Mix of Happiest Girl by The Orb.
LCDBONG20 is equally beautiful. It features the live shots we see in the inner sleeve of L12BONG20 but in a different order which is nice.
There are six tracks here, four of which we already know - the Dub In My Eyes and Mode To Joy mixes of World In My Eyes, Happiest Girl (Jack Mix) and Sea Of Sin (Sensoria). The Mayhem Mode mix of World In My Eyes is the 5th track, another Jon Marsh remix, more upbeat than Mode To Joy. The 6th track is Happiest Girl (The Pulsating Orbital Vocal Mix) a longer and a bit more vocally version of the Pulsating Orbital Mix.
The 2004 CD reissue CDBONG20X brought together all the remixes from all the formats. The Oil Tank Mix is freed from its 3" shackles and in fact has a longer intro than you will find anywhere else.
In Germany, this 7" promo was a nice release.
It says it only features two tracks but don't worry Sea Of Sin (Tonal Mix) fans - it's there too
The German standard 12" is the same as 12BONG20 as is the German L12 version. It's not pictured as I don't have it (yet). I can tell you that it doesn't come in a gel pack but it does have a nice shiny inner sleeve.
The German standard CD single features the same four tracks as CDBONG albeit the three remixes are full length and not 3" edits.
The LCDBONG20 equivalent is a shiny CD with the same shiny six tracks.
The French standard 12" is the same as the UK one as is the L12. Again, I don't have that so there is no picture.
The stanard French CD single is the same as the German one in terms of track length
The French LCD is just what you'd expect.
In Spain, a three track promo 7" was released with a sticker on the front that either tells you of a phenomenal score in what must have been an astonishing El Clasico or the dates in November on whihc Depeche Mode played World Violation gigs in Madrid and Barcelona.
The Spanish standard 12" is what you've come to expect by now in terms of tracklisting.
The Spanish L12 doesn't have a gel pack outer sleeve, nor does it have a shiny inner. It is a paper sleeve albeit one that features the same photos as the UK inner sleeve.
In America, there was a four track promo CD featuring the Single Version, Oil Tank Mix, Dub In My Eyes and Mode To Joy mixes. There is also a promo 12" and a one track promo CD. They remain on my wantlist.
The US 12" features 5 tracks. On the A-Side we have the Oil Tank Mix, Dub In My Eyes and Sea Of Sin (Sensoria).
The rear sleeve is lovely. On the B-Side of the record, you will find Mode To Joy and Happiest Girl (Jack Mix).
The 7 track CD single features the 12" tracks with the exception of Dub In My Eyes and adds the Single Version of World In My Eyes, Sea Of Sin (Tonal Mix) and Happiest Girl (The Pulsating Orbital Mix).
We end in Japan with a 10 track CD single featurung all the mixes we've looked at above.
World In My Eyes brought the incredibly successful Violator era to an end and wonderfully so. Depeche Mode would finally take a year off and take a break from each other.
By the time they reconvened, it was clear things were never going to be the same.
