Music Rest In Peace Fletch

Gandalf

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I didn't see another thread for this and thought it was worth posting. Andy Fletcher of Depeche Mode has passed away and another musician from my youth is now gone. I was lucky enough to see Depeche Mode live on a few occasions and Fletch was always entertaining with his unashamedly 1 finger playing style and enthusiastic hand clapping. He wasn't the singer, he did not write the songs but the rest of the band were always pretty emphatic on the point that without him the band would never have existed and certainly never endured for more than a couple of years. Off to wallow in Nostalgia with my Live in Hamburg DVD.

Depeche Mode’s Andrew Fletcher dies aged 60 | Music | The Guardian
 
Gandalf said:
I didn't see another thread for this and thought it was worth posting. Andy Fletcher of Depeche Mode has passed away and another musician from my youth is now gone. I was lucky enough to see Depeche Mode live on a few occasions and Fletch was always entertaining with his unashamedly 1 finger playing style and enthusiastic hand clapping. He wasn't the singer, he did not write the songs but the rest of the band were always pretty emphatic on the point that without him the band would never have existed and certainly never endured for more than a couple of years. Off to wallow in Nostalgia with my Live in Hamburg DVD.

Depeche Mode’s Andrew Fletcher dies aged 60 | Music | The Guardian
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All of this ⬆️ Posted in the celebrity pool thread earlier.

Seen them lots of times since 86. Seeing them in Berlin was the dream.

Hopefully still tour next year. Wonder if Alan Wilder would consider a short return.

As you say, his influence was nowhere near Gore or Gahan and since the band has ‘rocked up’ its sound over recent years, even less so. Still…. might never have had a Depeche Mode without him.

RIP. Enjoy the silence.
 
BeforeKeanetherewasRobson said:
All of this ⬆️ Posted in the celebrity pool thread earlier.

Seen them lots of times since 86. Seeing them in Berlin was the dream.

Hopefully still tour next year. Wonder if Alan Wilder would consider a short return.

As you say, his influence was nowhere near Gore or Gahan and since the band has ‘rocked up’ its sound over recent years, even less so. Still…. might never have had a Depeche Mode without him.

RIP. Enjoy the silence.
Click to expand...

I’ve always viewed Wilder as the guy behind DM. It was a soon as he arrived following Clarke’s departure that they hit stride with a less poppy, more refined sound that evolved into what most today remember them for. Likewise, it was around the time of his departure in the mid 90s that they began to rapidly fade from prominence.
 
Raoul said:
I’ve always viewed Wilder as the guy behind DM. It was a soon as he arrived following Clarke’s departure that they hit stride with a less poppy, more refined sound that evolved into what most today remember them for. Likewise, it was around the time of his departure in the mid 90s that they began to rapidly fade from prominence.
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he definitely had an impact and was probably a binding influence given the personal issues each of the other three had, but I’d still place him behind Gore (wrote most after Vince left) and Gahan (one of the best front men I’ve seen). He was involved in the style/evolution of the sound (as were each albums producers) but both Gore/Gahan have said they wanted to change their sound as they left the 80s/entered the 90s. I think they naturally matured with age and life experience and as the record company allowed them room.

As for fading, you mean in a chart sense/album sales? In terms of popularity and how many go to their concerts, they’re still huge … Global Spirit Tour was 2.5m tickets. Helped by lots of middle aged people like me following them around and a new generation - my daughter grew up listening to me play their songs, has been to a few concerts and loves them. What’s not to like?

Hoping they tour in 23, I’d definitely go see them in other countries.
 
RIP Fletch. Seemed a very decent guy and he seemed to be the ordinary bloke who held everything together.

The first three Depeche Mode albums were, to put it politely, not my thing despite the odd good tune here and there. Some Great Reward was something of a turning point but then they really hit their stride after that with a superb run of albums and became one of my favourite bands. SOFAD is easily one of my all time favourite albums.
 
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