RSSDepeche Mode Collects the Videos
Nov 15
Music Depeche Mode, music videos Comments Off
There is nothing particularly significant about another Depeche Mode greatest hits album. The band has periodically released compilation albums; hits and remixes and b-sides and live albums during their entire career.
But a greatest hits video album is another story altogether. This week, Depeche Mode released a two disc greatest hits album The Best of Depeche Mode Volume 1 (which goes right up to their most recent single Suffer Well, so I’m supposing volume 2 is on hold for another 20 years.) Disc 1 is a career-spanning cd with the new song, Martyr. Disc 2 is 23 of the band’s videos. I don’t expect the release of The Best Of to make a dent in the U.S. sales charts. In fact, I just figure most of you have never heard of Depeche Mode before you started to reading this article.
I cannot recall having ever seen a Depeche Mode video in my entire life, so this collection got me excited. Like a lot of British bands that came of age during the 1980′s, Depeche Mode is still a big tour draw in the states, but their audience has aged right along with them. In other countries, though, their new material still regularly makes popular radio and they top the sales charts.
Depeche Mode has never varied their signature sound much, and that is a good thing. There sound has always been a little dark, a little glam and a little dance. It is amazing, though, how quickly they go from innocent teen pop idols to oversexed frat boys in the span of a couple of singles. The highlights of the video collection:
Just Can’t Get Enough
Dave Gahan is ridiculously young in this video. A young Vince Clarke on the keyboards with spiked hair! Vince leaves the band after this album and forms Erasure with Andy Bell. Vague storyline: The boys out celebrating their first hit single or maybe someone’s birthday. The first handful of videos suffer from the same production values that most early eighties videos did.
People Are People
The biggest hit of their career. The video is a little boring, a war montage. The lyrics go like this, “People are people so why should it be that you and I should get along so awfully?” I already notice that their voices don’t seem to fit the baby face appearances and it is just as weird watching them sing about sex as it is to hear your baby brother talk about losing his virginity.
Master and Servant
Black leather dominates the video. The video is an homage to MILF, eighties moms mixed with bondage and leather. Baby Gahan is singing “This play between the sheets, with you on top and me underneath.” This video makes me think of teachers who think having sex with their thirteen year old students is okay. I’ll never listen to the song in the same way…
A Question of Time
The first concert footage in the video. Interspersed with a man driving down a dirt road who comes across a baby in front of a barn. I can’t really follow the storyline, but the band mates take turns holding the baby. The next few videos are all black and white montages. But at least the band is starting to age a bit. I’m about to turn the corner on the 1980′s, and frankly, I am more excited about the videos coming up.
Personal Jesus
Personal Jesus was released on August 29, 1989. The video has the band in cowboy gear at a whorehouse. Sadly, I have nothing else to say about it. Great song, but the video sucks.
I Feel You
Just like that, they’re old, they’re modern rock. It is definitely the nineties, and still with the prostitute theme. The videos look slicker, for what it’s worth, though I can’t really say they are any more interesting.
Barrel of a Gun
They borrowed the house from Fight Club and filmed a video there that could have been outtakes from the movie. Dave Gahan looks completely trashed. Martin Gore has had the same haircut since People Are People.
It’s No Good
One of their best songs in the post-Violator era. The video? Depeche Mode as a sleazy night club act. Dave Gahan looks completely trashed.
Dream On
Dave Gahan after rehab. (Incidentally, I’m not completely kidding but my observations are sticking strictly to the videos.)
Enjoy the Silence 04
Mike Shinoda (think Linkin Park) reinterprets a classic song that did not need to be touched. I could go my whole life without having seen the video, and given the fact that this collection is pretty unexciting, I think that is saying something.
Suffer Well
Man they look old in this video. It is hard to tell what the message is here, something about Heaven and Hell. “I just hang on, and suffer well.” Martin Gore in a dress is frightening. I feel really bad for Andy Fletcher. The guy finally gets some face time and he looks like had too many whiskey sours last night and spent the whole evening in the bathroom deciding whether he had to throw up or take a shit. It’s not pretty when you’re 20, and it ain’t pretty when you’re no longer 20.
Verdict: Having been a hardcore fan for two decades without seeing a video of theirs, yeah, I’m still a fan but I didn’t miss much. If you want to pick up The Best Of , there is a single disc version available.
