156 10 ?S WITH DEPECHE MODE’S MARTIN GORE
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helps that we are an electronic band at our core, and we always try to keep up with current technologies without trying to sound current, if that makes sense. Without wishing to sound like a diva, I think we would have given up years ago if we didn’t feel relevant. We recently returned from a three-and-ahalf-month tour of Europe where we were nicely surprised once again by how young a lot of our fans are. We must be doing something right!
THE NEW ALBUM, SPIRIT , SEEMS TO PUSH THE LIMITS A BIT. HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM YOUR LAST? WHAT ALLOWS YOU GUYS TO REINVENT?
The new album is much more political than our previous albums. There is unfortunately a lot to write about at the moment if you start getting into social commentary. The world is in a mess.
SANTA BARBARA IS AN INTERSECTION OF MANY FACTIONS OF THE ARTS, AND DEPECHE MODE SEEMS TO BE THAT AS WELL. FINE ART, DESIGN, AND STAGING ALL SEEM TO BE AN INTRINSIC PART OF ANY NEW ALBUM. DO YOU TAKE ON EACH NEW ALBUM AS A BIT OF AN EXHIBIT, OR IS THAT JUST SOMETHING THAT COMES AFTER YOU’RE DONE WITH THE MUSIC?
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HAS SANTA BARBARA INSPIRED YOUR SONGWRITING?
This is the age-old question: How much is your art influenced by your surroundings? Without being able to point out any song in particular, I think that apart from Spirit, my songs have generally been more positive and for want of a better word, spiritual since I have lived here. I lived in West Berlin for a couple of years in 1985 and 1986 while I was writing the album Black Celebration. I don’t think t hat was coincidence!
HOW IS PLAYING THE SANTA BARBARA BOWL DIFFERENT FOR YOU? I ALWAYS HEAR ARTISTS SAY THEY LOVE IT. BESIDES THE OBVIOUS INTIMATE BEAUTY, IS THERE ANY REASON WHY FOR YOU?
The Santa Barbara Bowl is just special. As you say, it is beautiful. It sounds great, and I have lived here for 17 years. To me it feels like I am playing to my home crowd. It is also the smallest venue, apart from one casino, that we will play on this tour and that is a nice change.
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We have been working with Anton Corbijn since 1986. His first job with us was the video for “A Question of Time.” He has admitted to us that the only reason he took the project on was because he fancied shooting a video in America! It had nothing to do with the song or the band. Luckily we got on really well so we gradually started to involve Anton in all of our visual output. He is a true artist and we trust him intrinsically to this day. He is involved in our photographs, videos, DVDs, live-screen footage, sleeves, fonts, etc.
“I think that apart from Spirit, my songs have generally been more positive and
spiritual since I have lived here.”
WHAT ARE THE THINGS YOU LOVE TO DO IN SANTA BARBARA THAT WOULD SURPRISE PEOPLE?
I have no idea what surprises people these days! When I am not working, I love to spend time at home with my wife, Kerrilee, our two young daughters, and my son. Kerrilee and I both love Ethiopian food so we love to go for lunch at Petit Valentien on weekends. I am a keen runner, so I love to go running in Santa Barbara. It is the perfect climate for running, usually.
I SAW THE MOVIE ATOMIC BLONDE RECENTLY—A SEXY SPY FILM THAT CHARLIZE THERON CRUSHES AS A DOUBLE AGENT IN 1989 BERLIN. THE SOUNDTRACK SLAYED, AND THEY INCLUDED TWO DEPECHE MODE SONGS—“PERSONAL JESUS” AND “BEHIND THE WHEEL.” WHY DOES ’80S MUSIC ALWAYS MAKE FILMS BETTER?
I think it is a nostalgia thing that only works for people of a certain age. Perhaps a 20 or 30-year-old would not feel that ’80s music makes a film better. Which leads me to a nice way to end this interview. If it were Depeche Mode being played in the film perhaps a 20 or 30-year-old would feel that it was enhancing the film because luckily we still attract a young audience! ●
S A N TA B A R B A R A