In 1986, during the Black Celebration tour, Depeche Mode was often asked about the distinctiveness of their live performances. Two of the band’s members, Alan Wilder and Andy Fletcher, reflected on their commitment to electronic music in a time when many bands were moving toward a more mainstream sound.
Alan Wilder explained their philosophy:
“When we’re on stage, we prefer to keep it to just keyboards and drum machines because there aren’t too many bands around that do that anymore. Even some of the electronic bands that started around the same time as us have moved away from that. I suppose, in that respect, we like to stick to the look of electronics and keyboards, simply because it makes us a bit different.”
Andy Fletcher echoed this sentiment, recognizing the unique stance they took by staying true to their electronic roots:
“We kept on playing electronic music, and by the mid-Eighties, with U2, rock music was very much in. Electronic music was considered a dirty word. All these so-called electronic bands, like The Human League, became more traditional, but we stuck to our electronic roots.”
Today, of course, Depeche Mode’s stage setup has evolved to include live drums and guitars, blending elements of both the electronic and rock worlds. But during the Black Celebration era, their dedication to a purely electronic setup set them apart—and defined a legacy that fans still celebrate today.
