A MEMENTO: DEPECHE MODE, STADIO OLIMPICO, ROME 12 JULY 2023

 

Matt Cullingworth enjoyed reviewing gigs for the 2017/18 blog project so much that he has come back for more. Here is his excellent review of what sounded like a sweltering Rome gig. Pics are Matt's and Depeche Mode Classic Photos & Videos Facebook Group's so be nice and credit them if/when you nick them. Thanks Matt. 

It seems customary for those of us with long suffering partners that when Mode tour the only way we can get them along to a gig is if there’s some kind of mini break abroad involved.

This was certainly the case for me when my wife saw the tour dates and pin pointed Rome as our European outdoor gig this time around. We weren’t the only ones by the looks of things either. As we toured the sights in the morning and visited the Colloseum we bumped into another couple who were doing the same (albeit on a larger scale around Europe). If you happen to read this, it was lovely meeting you both. We did look out for the Basildon flag but couldn’t see it.

The record for my hottest DM gig ever was previously held by either Prague back on The Delta Machine tour or the penultimate night of the Global Spirit tour in Berlin. This was equally sweltering and limited our beer intake significantly (when did we get so old and sensible ??)

As the dry ice started to swirl just before 9pm it must have still been well over 30 degrees. “There’s no way Dave is going to wear a jacket in this weather” commented my wife. How wrong she was. As the opening samples of My Cosmos Is Mine rang out across the stadium, out our favourite frontman came - in a full 3 piece suit. Fair play Dave, the jacket lasted the full song before it was carefully passed over to one of the road crew and we launched into Wagging Tongue.

I know a few people have been a little non plussed with the Memento Mori songs in the set list. In my opinion they fit pretty seamlessly alongside the classics.

Walking In My Shoes sets off a breathless run of massive songs. We get to Sister Of Night which means we’re getting set list B and a few different tracks to what I heard at Twickenham. Phew. That’s my only criticism. I wish they’d mix the set list up a bit more - Blasphemous Rumours would fit like a glove in here somewhere for example (as would Lie To Me)

As we get to the end of Speak To Me which Dave completely nails (as he does with his vocals all night) thoughts turn to what Martin songs we might get. After all Strangelove made its tour debut a few nights before. However, no changes for us, which sounds very ungrateful when Mart sings both A Question Of Lust and Soul With Me so beautifully.

Pic courtesy of Depeche Mode Classic Photos & Videos Facebook Group

We’re getting into the home stretch of the main set now which kicks off with Ghosts Again. Let’s face it this already feels like a DM classic.

A reinvigorated I Feel You and the quite frankly droppable A Pain That I’m Used to take us to the emotional high point of the evening. World In My Eyes is already one of my favourite DM songs anyway but the backdrop of the sadly departed and much missed Andy Fletcher makes it even more poignant. Having been caught off guard by the gut punch it was going to deliver at Twickenham I was doubly surprised when it hit me hard again.

Having lost 2 friends earlier in the year unexpectedly, just before Memento Mori was released, the massive screens are a very visual reminder of the fragility of life and that we must make the most of our allotted time. I’ll drink to that.

Tears wiped away, it’s back to jumping around like a lunatic. Wrong, Stripped, John The Revelator and the best song ever written, Enjoy The Silence, take us to the end of the main set.

Pic courtesy of Depeche Mode Classic Photos & Videos Facebook Group

Here’s where my only gripe comes in and it isn’t with the band. Having been lucky enough to secure gold circle tickets I was looking forward to a great view of Mart & Dave at the end of the catwalk. What transpired through the entirety of a beautiful Waiting For The Night was a sea of mobile phones obscuring what was a mesmerising and tender moment. The modern malaise of concert going I guess.

We all know the encore by now - Just Can’t Get Enough, Never Let Me Down Again and Personal Jesus bring the curtain down on an absolutely stunning performance. They really do sound like they’re getting better live which over 40 years into a career is quite something.

As a series of blacked out vans with a police escort sped passed us. No doubt containing bedressing gowned members of the Mode, it dawned on us that our journey back to the hotel wouldn’t be quite so easy. An hour and a half and a £60 Uber later we were home for the night.

The boys really are on top form this tour. Yes we’d all like to hear some different songs but when they’re smashing it like this it’s hard to argue with the formula. Bring on the winter arenas !!!!

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Thanks Matt!

A MEMENTO: DEPECHE MODE, AT&T CENTER, SAN ANTONIO, 2 APRIL 2023

 

For this review we welcome back Stephanie Crone. Stephanie reviewed gigs for the Global Spirit Tour Project and I was delighted when she signed up for this new adventure. As you will see, she had a wonderful time at the San Antonio show. Thanks very much for this great review Stephanie and thank you for the wonderful videos and photos.

Let me begin by saying I am still on a high and on cloud-freaking-nine, now three days after the show in San Antonio. It was spectacular.

Upon entering the venue we could hear what I thought was a sound check going on – it definitely sounded like they were playing and curtains were closed tight, staff ushering us all away. But a friend told me during a stage tour he was told that sound engineers use recorded tracks to get sound equipment just right.

The evening began in the VIP room, with amazing pieces of DM history on display (apparently they are bringing this to every show, it was in Sacramento where we also had VIP). Many friendly faces in the VIP area! We visited, took photos, had some appetizers and overall just got very excited for what was to come! (Mart looks like he does NOT approve! ha!)

Luckily this was my fourth show this leg, I attended the opener in Sacramento, followed by San Jose and Las Vegas, then rounded my first leg of DM adventures out in San Antonio with a seat in the second row, Martin side, of course.

From the get-go with My Cosmos Is Mine then Wagging Tongue, it was apparent the boys had started to find their flow after getting used to being on stage again. Sacramento, although amazing, was a bit stiff, each show got better but now they are getting back on their game. The energy coming from the crowd was palpable, Texas Devotees are not messing around!

When the lights were cut the crowd rose up and cheered with anticipation as the intro to My Cosmos Is Mine pulsated from the speakers.

The crowd seemed to receive the new songs well, the album being so new many fans had not had much time to properly absorb (I am not part of those many, absorption complete by now). The fact that Mart and Dave (RIP Fletch) were sharing a stage yet again after years of anticipation, wondering if they would ever tour again, seemed to whirl collectively in the minds of the concert-goers that evening. Everyone stood back and appreciated what they were witnessing.

Next up, Walking In My Shoes. Forever a devotee favourite. Naturally, Dave sauntered over to show us his perfectly polished boots. Not much more to add, brilliant. 

It’s No Good – definite evidence that the boys are still on the very start of their tour and getting used to singing for huge crowds on the regular. Some pitch issues from Dave but do I care? Nope. All wrapped up with a bum wiggle.

And now…big sigh…..Sister Of Night. A classic for any proper devotee. I had heard Mart do this in Hollywood for the Global Spirit tour but hearing the full production with Dave’s vocals, bliss. Although, once again, we hear the pitch issues. He is obviously not used to belting out this tune (yet) but it is still breathtaking (although I can hear some idiots chit chatting away in the background, why are you here???)

Up next… In Your Room. Another favourite, although this seemed to be completely 100% resurrected from the Global Spirit tour. Same remix, same everything except the backing video. I do wish the boys would change it up a bit, there are a plethora of amazing and well-known songs to choose from so I do not understand. Nothing remarkable to add regarding this one. 

And now… my personal favourite… Everything Counts. Again, this was pretty much a re-do of the Global Spirit tour’s performance, but this one always gets me going. Mart on the keys is the best. The new backing video seemed to breathe new life (get it?) into the performance. Towards the end of the song, as most of the audience was focused on Dave doing his thing on the catwalk, I sat in front of Mart in row 2, pointing to him while chanting “Everything Counts in Large Amounts!!!” and making heart signs as I danced (okay I was screaming too, what’s a Gore girl to do?). The huge smiles he flashed my way melted my cold heart like nothing ever could again, probably. This might be my most treasured DM concert moment ever, right behind getting to meet the band in 2017 (so lucky I got to meet Fletch!).

I am thrilled to have Precious showing up on the set list this tour. It is an amazing song and I think it is really spectacular live. It was followed by Speak To Me, the third song from Memento Mori that was played tonight. Once again, the audience seemed engaged and quietly listened. 

And now, it is all about Martin. Swoon. A Question of Lust did NOT disappoint (I mean, how could it?). It was followed by the fourth song of the evening from Memento Mori, Soul With Me.  An instant classic - that voice though! 

Dave returned to the stage next and the boys performed yet another new song, the first single from Memento Mori, Ghosts Again. The audience all seemed familiar with this new tune and everyone was up and dancing. I did not snap any pictures or video of this one, must have just been taking it all in <3 

Another duplicate from the Global Spirit tour followed - I Feel You. Again, I do wish they would mix things up and play some other songs but this one is always a banger and it rocks my socks off live. 

They moved right along into A Pain That I’m Used To. Another high energy performance that did not disappoint. I rocked out. 

And now for some real emotions. World In My Eyes. Always one of my favorites and now has a deeper meaning. I held my heart as I listened and watched the boys serenade the crowd while honouring our Blesser of Devotees, Andrew Fletcher. The performance was definitely on the solemn side. Dave pausing and looking back at the screen when he would usually be preening along the stage at that point in the song. Tears were shed. Fletch you are sorely missed.

After World In My Eyes came Wrong. I adore this song and once again was taking it all in (no pics or videos of this one). I love that they are doing this one live, it is different and not as popular as some of the other choices. My favorite part is where Mart sings “too lonnnnnnnnnng”. Good stuff.

Now, back to business. Stripped. As anticipated the first notes of this song grabbed everyone’s attention and the masses were singing along. At one point Dave came over and pointed the mic to a girl in the row in front of me, she shook her head “no”! I was laughing. He stayed there anyway and I belted it out as best I could. Next up - John the Revelator. I am not sure if I had ever heard this song played live before this tour. I have always enjoyed this song. I am still trying to decide if I like the live version, but I will forever enjoy watching Mart play his star guitar and Dave’s hootin’ and hollerin’.

And now… we have arrived at Enjoy the Silence. I kind of lost it during this song, so emotional. Knowing that when it plays we are coming near the end of the show and it had just been so many years of anticipation, I did not want it to end. I sang and cried and cheered. Then cried some more and hugged my friends. Told them I was soooo fucking happy. Towards the end when Dave introduces Mart, with his drawn out “Martin…..L…… Gooooooooooooooooore”, he had made his way back over to our area and pointed the mic towards me shouting Gooooooreeee :) I did not get any pictures of this but will remember forever.

Encore time……….

I had seen some shows were getting Condemnation, others Waiting For The Night. All three shows I had seen previously were the latter so I was hoping for Condemnation, but I will take whatever these guys are handing out. Once again, no pics or video (they were behind me so…). You could absolutely hear a pin drop in that arena, such stunning harmonizing. Dave bungled the lyrics at one point but it was just a testament to the fact that Dave is human and forgets shit sometimes haha. Bows and hugs between Mart and Dave at the end and of course roaring applause. I love these guys.

Never ever thought I would hear the boys play this live - Just Can’t Get Enough. At first I was a little disappointed, this is definitely not one of my favorites and I will admittedly skip when this song comes on my playlist rotation. But the crowd went nuts and the boys freaking brought it, it was so much fun.

Now we really know things are coming to an end for the evening, time for Never Let Me Down Again. Words are very unnecessary, if you are reading this you know what’s up.

As always the show was rounded out with Personal Jesus. When I hear this song it always brings me back to the feeling of “oh no the show is almost over and that is it”. It is a strange feeling haha. Another remarkable performance from our boys. I never wanted it to end, but it did and the smile on my face has not faded yet.

And that’s a wrap. I have told friends I wish I could just permanently live in this experience. My devotee heart is so full and I cannot wait until I get to see them again this Summer and later this Fall. Depeche Mode forever and ever and ever!

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Thanks Stephanie! 

A MEMENTO: DEPECHE MODE - SAP CENTER, SAN JOSE 25 MARCH 2023

 

Picture courtesy of Depeche Mode Classic Photos & Videos Facebook Group

For the second review of the tour, we welcome back Kristin Vogel-Campbell. Kristin reviewed two gigs on the Global Spirit Tour and happily she has agreed to return to reviewing duties. As ever, Kristin's review is a great read and I know you'll all enjoy it. Thanks very much Kristin and I look forward to review number 4 some point later this year. All pictures are Kristin's unless otherwise credited.

David, am I the first official hat trick reviewer for the blog? Previously, I contributed two shows for the Global Spirit Tour: Sacramento 24/5/18 and Hollywood Bowl 12/10/17. I’ve been to quite a few Depeche shows in my life, this show being my forty-sixth. My husband, who I would call a casual fan, was attending his third. I thought it would be nifty to weave both my perspective as well as his into this review, as we are experiencing this on completely different levels.

This review almost didn’t happen. Just as I was set to take the 45 minute drive south from San Francisco to San Jose, my car battery started to go through death throes. Like Frankenstein’s monster, we gave it a jump to squeeze whatever life remained to make it to our destination. As someone who deals with anxiety on a daily basis, this was not the mindset I wanted to be in for the show. Thankfully we managed to make it to the venue with time to spare for a quick bite to eat and an alcoholic beverage to calm my nerves.

A Marquee and beautiful California twilight

In addition to writing this review, my other task for the evening was to nab a t-shirt for a dear friend who had planned on attending the first show in Sacramento but had to cancel due to a family situation. I knew that the merchandise lines would be ridiculously long from my experience in Sacramento, and that the best time to buy something was during the show. As we meandered through the crowds towards our section, we came upon one such line. My husband’s reaction to seeing $55 tees and $100 hoodies was “Jesus Christ those shirts are expensive. Aren't they already rich?” Yes, yes they are, and getting richer with each swipe of a credit card.

One of the most incredible parts of being part of this fandom are the friends I’ve made over the decades. We’ve lost some along the way, but their memories live on at each show. Seeing familiar faces each tour is one of the things I look forward to most. We’re all aging, just as Dave and Martin are. Just as Fletch should be.

Kristin (right) and a dear friend Gigi

Our seats were very high up, and the SAP Center is very steep. To top it off, the folks in our row were the type that expected you to climb over them while they remained seated. We had been in our seats for a few minutes when I noticed Jonathan “The Baron” Kessler pop his head into our section, run over to two women a few rows below us on the aisle, handed them two paper tickets, and quickly left. It shall remain a secret to the end, but it should have been me.

The lights come down, and the band, accompanied by Peter and Christian, alight the stage. Compared to the Global Spirit Tour, this is a very stripped down stage, with a large “M” screen in front of the full length screen. Dave’s feline movements appear to be purposeful and graceful, as opposed to the chaotic prancing and sometimes chicken dancing from a few years ago. He seems prepped, ready, energetic. Granted, it’s the beginning of the tour, but something feels different.

I was appreciative of the inclusion of several songs of the band’s new album, Memento Mori, and honestly would have been ok sacrificing a classic or two for more new songs. The new material sounds fantastic live. Speak to Me was giving off a very Nine Inch Nails The Fragile vibe.

The San Jose setlist is setlist “A”, the same songs that the band played in Sacramento a few nights ago, and was reviewed by Glen. As this is going to be the default set list for the majority of the reviews, I’m not going to do a song by song breakdown, as that will cause a bit of stagnation for later reviews. Instead, I’d like to focus on a few observations throughout the show.

In 1983, Depeche Mode were baby-faced musicians who were developing a taste for the dark, but they were also dabbling with important social issues: The Landscape is Changing focused on environmental concern, while Everything Counts was a jab at capitalism, greed and corruption. Fast forward forty years later where the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees are engaging the crowd in an Everything Counts singalong after the debacle of dynamic pricing left many fans with a sour taste in their mouth. Robert Smith of The Cure proved that the artists DID have a say in how tickets were priced. Depeche Mode and their management choose to engage in these tactics, and some fans will continue to feed into it. Come on people, you’re letting me down.

The other interesting bit about Everything Counts that doesn’t involve a gripe were the visuals of a person in a black body and face suit with white gloves, very Jim Henson-esque, seemingly signing along to the song. I had attended Thursday night’s show with a friend who is fluent in American Sign Language, and he said what he recalled didn’t match up. However, after doing some research into signs for British Sign Language, I believe that some of the signs are from BSL. If there is a fan in Europe who is fluent in BSL, this would be great to look into. I found this to be an interesting correlation between my love for the band and my day job as a Special Education teacher, researcher and writer.

Martin sounded spotless, per the usual. There was a great crowd response for A Question of Lust, and even a few lighters out. Shocking! Soul With Me is one of the greatest Depeche Mode songs in the past twenty-five years. I loved hearing it live, and hope that it’s the second or third single from this album. I’d also like to hear People Are Good on the next leg of the tour in the fall/winter.

Enough will be said about the Fletch tribute during World in My Eyes, I cannot truly do it justice. I managed to get through it this time without crying, unlike in Sacramento. When Dave bowed down to Fletch’s photos at the end of the song, it gripped my heart a bit.

The other highlight of the evening for me was Dave and Martin singing Waiting for the Night. My casual fan date turned to me and exclaimed “look at them, they are having a tender moment”. In actuality, everyone in the arena was having a tender moment. However, the transition from such a beautiful performance to the camp fest that is Just Can’t Get Enough was very jarring, and not well planned. Again, the majority of the fans were just eating it up, and it even got a “goddamn, that was good” from my concert partner.

Such was my 46th Depeche Mode concert, and I am glad I got to share it all with you. May you all have the opportunity to see the band on tour this year.

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Thanks Kristin!

DEPECHE MODE - THE SINGLES 1981 TO 2021 PART 41: ENJOY THE SILENCE 04

 

In 2004, Depeche Mode's role in pioneering the 12" remix was celebrated with the release of Remixes 81-04, a compilation of some of their most iconic remixes, specially commissioned new remixes and and Freelove - DJ Muggs Remix.

To promote the release, a single was needed. Enjoy The Silence was chosen and it was passed to various remixers to allow them to create their own version of the song. Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda's remix was chosen as the single version and he removing all of the song's original beauty and replacing it with lots of Linkin Park sounds. Enjoy The Silence - Reinterpreted is not exactly a high point in the band's singles catalogue.

Happily, the single's formats were stuffed with more interesting remixes. Here's the story of Enjoy The Silence 04.

AND FORGETTABLE - ENJOY THE SILENCE 04

The Single

Enjoy The Silence 04, BONG34, was released on 18th October 2004. It was the first single that the band had released since BONG magazine ended so there was no official announcement that way. From what I recall, (presuming I'm wrong then please send in pics and I'll add them with credits) there was no postcard sent out to mailing list members as there had been with previous singles. As the age of the digital download had dawned, there may well have been emails sent out - I can't go back that far in my inbox so can't confirm that one way or another. There would have been music press announcements of course, however, I can't find any pictures of them either.

I have failed you here, dear reader. All I can tell you for certain is that the single was released on 18th October 2004.

At least I'll be able to share the usual reviews with you right/? Well, no, I can't actually. I have looked into every corner of the internet and have come up with nothing. The album reviews did have a few things to say about it however. Here is Pitchfork's view, taken from its review of Remixes 81-04:

"The massive record concludes with "Enjoy the Silence" as "reinterpreted" by Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda. Appearing on the band's 1990 masterwork Violator, the original single was an elegant, expressive take on an old theme, one familiar even to Gloria Estefan: "Words Get in the Way". But I'd take Miami Sound Machine over Shinoda's thuggish faux-rebellious thrash and his penchant for using Pro Tools-perfect guitar distortion that's as frigid as your ex-girlfriend. "Words are meaningless and regrettable," Gahan sings, and so is this remix-- in all of its antiseptic glory."

Typically "edgy" Pitchfork language there but setting that aside, I do agree with the view that the remix does nothing for the song. Nice to see Gloria Estefan there too. Perhaps she and the Miami Sound Machine might have made a better fist of the remix. Ok, maybe not.

There was no promotion by the band so chart performance relied on the video which, I am sorry to say, we will come onto. The single entered the UK charts in the Top Ten, landing at an impressive number 7. It stayed in the charts for a further four weeks at 15, 24, 41 and finally 67. 

As I have repeated to the point that even I get bored hearing it, Enjoy The Silence was where it all started for me with Depeche Mode and, as a result, I love the song dearly. I also love all the 1990 remixes of the song and so when this single was released, I was keen to hear what Mike Shinoda made of it as I hadn't minded one or two Linkin Park songs. I didn't enjoy when I heard it and having listened to it again this week after what I imagine is a gap of nearly 17 years, I still don't like it now. He's made an arse of it basically, giving the song a sort of Nu-Metal makeover, ending in something that sounds like it took him three minutes to knock up. When a remix offers a fresh take on a song while still retaining the elements that made the song great in the first place, it can be wonderful. When a remix butchers the original, it's a mess. This is in the latter category.

This version of the song has never been played live thank God.

The Video

Oh, bloody hell.

This video is a disaster on every single level so I'm not going to waste your time by attempting to make you read a full description of it. Instead, here is in bullet point form:

• Cartoon workers all watching One Night In Paris at their desks
• Why is One Night In Paris not showing them playing Enjoy The Silence at least 
• The Reinterpreted version suddenly blares out of the speakers in the office no doubt as a punishment
• Look, there's a bit of Devotional too
• Men in hats
• Everyone runs away
• Flowers start growing around the office, sprouting out of every possible place
• Ah, the Violator rose
• Bollocks

Not quite a match for the original 1990 video basically

The Formats

There were nearly as many promos as there were official releases in the UK for this single, There were akso a frankly baffling number of digital only releases.

The promo CD, RCDBONG34, features three tracks, each a remix of Enjoy The Silence - Reinterpreted, Richard X Mix (reasonable) and Ewan Pearson Remix (Radio Edit) (hmmm).

The first of three promo 12" singles was a double 12". P12BONG34 features four remixes of Enjoy The Silence. On Side A, there is the Timo Maas Extended Remix which is very boring. Side B contains Ewan Pearson Extended Remix which is longer than the Radio Edit version and much worse for that.

On Side C we have Richard X Extended Mix which is the best of the bunch here and that is only because it's polite enough not to be any of the others. Side D features Ewan Pearson Extended Instrumental.

PL12BONG34 is the star of the show here. 

It features the same tracks as L12BONG34 so we'll come to that shortly.

Finally, there is PXL12BONG34.

The three tracks featured here also feature on XL12BONG34.

The first official release is the 12" single 12BONG34. On the A-side, we have the Timo Maas Extended Remix which really does nothing at all of any interest.

The B-side contains the equally uninteresting Ewan Pearson Extended Remix.

L12BONG34 is where things get interesting. Note that the cover says "depeche remixes 04" rather than "depeche enjoy the silence 04." That is because Enjoy The Silence doesn't feature here. On Side A we have the glorious Something To Do (Black Strobe Remix). This is a perfect example of a remix by a fan of the band that takes the original, puts the remixer's stamp on it thus producing something quite wonderful. It is an epic remix.

Side B contains two superb remixes too. World In My Eyes (Cicada Remix) is utterly splendid and Photographic (Rex The Dog Dubb Mix) up there with the Something To Do remix on Side A for me.

Finally in the vinyl section, we got an XL12. XL12BONG34 has three more new remixes on it. On Side A, we get Halo (Goldfrapp Remix), a lovely take on the song and the version used on the Delta Machine tour.

Side B isn't quite as interesting as Side A. Clean (Colder Version) does nothing to improve the original version at all and Little 15 (Ulrich Schnauss Remix) is fairly nondescript. That said, it's nice to see three songs feature here that aren't obvious candidates for remixing.

There were CD singles too of course. CBGONG34 features Enjoy The Silence (Reinterpreted) and Halo (Goldfrapp Remix).

LCDBONG34 contains the Timo Maas Extended Remix and Ewan Pearson Remix (Radio Edit) versions of Enjoy The Silence and is saved from mediocrity with track 3 - Something To Do (Black Strobe Remix). Phew.

XLCDBONG34 is an interesting one, at least once you get past the first two tracks - the Richard X Extended Mix and Ewan Pearson Extended Remix versions of Enjoy The Silence.

Track 3 is the excellent World In My Eyes (Cicada Remix) and itr's followed by Mercy In You (The BRAT Mix), a superb old fashioned 12" remix by the band's webmaster Daniel Barassi. 

Other than the records and CDs above. there were six different CD-Rs kicking about in Britain.  There were also digital releases of all the tracks on the formats above in addition to which you could get the digital only tracks Something To Do (Black Strobe Alternative Mix) and Photographic (Rex The Dog Faithful Mix). Both are excellent and would have been better candidates for actual format release than a few of the remixes featured on vinyl and CD.

Elsewhere, France released a version of CDBONG34 that for reasons best known to the label added the video of Enjoy The Silence Reinterpreted too. 

In the US, a double 12" promo was released. On Side A we get Enjoy The Silence (Reinterpreted) and the Ewan Pearson Extended Remix. Side B features the Richard X Extended Remix

Side C contains the Timo Maas Extended Remix and Side D thankfully has World In My Eyes (Cicada Remix) and Something To Do (Black Strobe Remix). There is another US 12 " promo that has the Halo remix, the Mike Shinoda remix and Nothing (Headcleanr Rock Mix), a disasterous take on the much-more-popular-than-I-thought-it-was Music For The Masses track. There is a promo CD with those three tracks on it too, plus another four CD-Rs.

The US 12" has the Extended Remix versions of Enjoy The Silence by Timo Maas and Ewan Pearson on Side A.

On Side B, we have Enjoy The Silence (Richard X Extended Mix) and World In My Eyes (Cicada Remix).

The US CD single is a 6 track affair. It starts with four remixes of Enjoy The Silence - Reinterpreted, Timo Maas Extended, Ewan Pearson Extended and Richard X Extended.

It ends with World In My Eyes (Cicada Remix) and Something To Do (Black Strobe Remix).

It was of course entirely right that Depeche Mode's contribution to the 12" remix was celebrated with Remixes 81-04 and it was fascinating to see new takes on some classic songs. The difficulty with remixing a song like Enjoy The Silence however is that you are taking on a classic and it is very easy to get that wrong. I suppose that the single released to promote the campaign needed to be one most people would know and using Mike Shinoda to remix it tapped into a music scene that was very popular at that point so, as an idea, it wasn't a bad one. It's a pity that in reality it just didn't work.

We would have to wait another year or so before we heard from Depeche Mode again and when we did, we were presented with a classic Depeche song, Precious. We will look at that and its bafflingly bad video next time.