Depeche Mode [ a ] are an English electronic music band formed in Basildon , Essex in Clarke left the band at the end of , going on to form the groups Yazoo and later Erasure. The remaining trio recorded their second album, A Broken Frame , with Martin Gore as chief songwriter. The band then recruited Alan Wilder , establishing a lineup that continued until , beginning with the albums Construction Time Again and Some Great Reward The albums Black Celebration and Music for the Masses cemented them as a dominant force within the electronic and alternative music scenes, and their June concert at the Pasadena Rose Bowl drew a crowd of over 60, people.
In , they released their seventh album, Violator , which reached number seven on the Billboard and was certified triple platinum by the RIAA. The following album Songs of Faith and Devotion was also a success, though the band's internal struggles during recording and touring resulted in Wilder's departure in The band returned to the lineup of Gahan, Gore, and Fletcher, and released the album Ultra in The band continued touring and recorded five more albums as a trioβ Exciter , Playing the Angel , Sounds of the Universe , Delta Machine and Spirit βuntil Fletcher's death in Gahan and Gore have since continued as a duo.
Their latest album, Memento Mori , was released in Fletcher would later recall, "Why am I in the band? It was accidental right from the beginning. I was actually forced to be in the band. I played the guitar and I had a bass; it was a question of them roping me in. With the advent of affordable synthesisers and the increasing popularity of electronic music, the group began pursuing a synth-pop direction.
Composition of Sound would become embarrassed about their band name and started thinking of changing it. There were several potential variants, including the name "Musical Moments" that was suggested by Vince Clarke as both a band name and the name of their first album.
I like the sound of that. The band made a demo tape but, instead of mailing the tape to record labels, they would go in and personally deliver it.
