Tag Archives: music

Adventures in Boy Band Land

With O-Town at Knotts Berry Farm 2001

My husband was backing up our computer one night and was talking about how many pictures we had saved on our laptop, which was really taking over some space. I ended up looking at some of those pictures and came across some old pictures from back in 2001…

How many of you out there remember a show called “Making The Band” back when it was on ABC? This is long before the P-Diddy version currently on MTV. If you do, you’ll recall that a boy band called O-Town was born out of that show.

Now, I pondered on how much I would divulge about my adventures in boy band land, especially since I am so very much more a Depeche Mode fan. But I think I should just embrace my time in that world because it was actually a lot of fun.

My sister and I started watching the show because there was much hype about the fact that it was basically a made for TV version of *Nsync. At the time, I know it reminded me of when Beatles fans were upset when the Monkees hit prime time (a whole decade before I was born). The premise was the same as “Real World” and actually was the predecessor to “American Idol”: potential candidates tried out for the band by auditioning and submitting videos. The final 10 actually lived in the house together, went through eliminations until the final five were picked. The final five were as follows: Ashley Parker Angel, Jacob Underwood, Trevor Penick, Eric-Michael Estrada, and Ikaika Kahoana. Due to family issues and differences with the band members, Ikaika was later replaced by Dan Miller.

As with many reality shows, “Making The Band” built a following, and we followed right along with it. We went to appearances and concerts. I created a Yahoo Group dedicated to the guys, which somehow had it’s own following. Soon, the Yahoo Group wasn’t enough to contain my creativity in the way I wanted to present the information I had, so I created a website.

I made sure to create a site that was anything but the typical fan site. A graphic designer friend created all the images for the site after I bought the domain name, and soon the phenomenon that was Destination O-Town came into being (see the flier image). I had a staff that I affectionately named the Destination Crew, later abbreviated as the D-Crew. We were fans from all over the world, including my sister. We really hit the ground running and passed out fliers at concerts and events. Due to a few contacts in the entertainment industry and contact with family members of the band by different D-Crew staff, the guys in O-Town knew us by name and often mentioned our site during their radio and TV appearances, which always increased our traffic by thousands. We were invited backstage often by their families, and at one show Ashley Angel himself saved meet and greet passes for me and my friends.

Whenever we attended a concert or event, we covered it on our site and we became the next best O-Town resource to the official site. Their management and record label recognized us, so we always had exclusive interviews, pictures and news stories because I could guarantee the authenticity. My site appeared in domestic and international pop magazines and I was even interviewed by Ladies Home Journal because I was a fan over 30. Our most prized feature was “D-Crew Radio” which was a radio graphic that you could “play” and hear exclusive interviews with the band, their crew and their families. We even had a mini promotional spots where the band themselves would say “Hi, We’re O-Town and you’re listening to D-Crew Radio on Destinationotown.com!” As our sites’ popularity grew, I personally would receive gifts from fans (both in person and by mail). I even had a difficult time attending concerts and events because fans would recognize me and my crew and bombard us with questions and requests to meet the guys.

Wow, that was a lot of memories that just came flooding through! I have some friendships that remained from the whole experience: one of my crew members remains a good friend today and was a bridesmaid in my wedding; I keep in touch with a great gal who worked on their tour crew; and I even still have contact with one of their mothers. It was an insane time in my life, but through the craziness, I had great fun. It’s amazing the memories a few pictures can trigger.

Coat of the Week: Mad for Plaid

My husband bought me this cute little jacket a couple of years ago. Now that it’s finally a bit colder, I’m starting to layer a bit more. He bought it when I was pregnant, so it’s got a little bit of a swing to it. Because of this and because it’s lighter than it looks, it makes for a great layering piece. I’m going to stock up on more tights and lighter long and short sleeve solid t-shirts to fit snugly under some of my dresses and cardigans.

I also just recently found my iPod and started listening to it again (it was lost in all of the shuffling of items in our bedroom). I also let my son take a listen, too and I think he may want his own little music listening device! I bought a very cool pair of retro-looking headphones that look a bit like my husband’s that he uses as a professional DJ (except mine are smaller and come in three interchangeable colors). As a tribute to my find, I’ve also included a list of artists of one of my favorite iPod playlists called “Electronic”.

ATB
Bedrock
Blancmange
Blank & Jones
Book of Love
Camouflage
Cruxshadows
Depeche Mode
Einsturzende Neubuten
Erasure
Fad Gadget
Heaven 17
Human League
Kraftwerk
Leather Strip
New Order
Nizer Ebb
OMD
Paul Van Dyk
Pet Shop Boys
The Beloved
Yaz

Standout favorites (that aren’t Depeche Mode):

“Tainted Love (2XS Remix) by Soft Cell – I consider it a drum and bass version of the song, maybe even speed garage. Either way, it’s a fantastic version of the song.

“I Want Candy (Razed in Black Mix)” by Bow Wow Wow – If you like Razed in Black, you will absolutely love this version. It’s got a heavier, driving beat that puts of the otherwise usually poppy version of this song on it’s ear.

“Lie to Me” by Depeche Mode, but re-done by Razed in Black – It’s always interesting to hear how another artist would interpret your favorite artist, and this does not disappoint.

“The Great Commandment” by Camouflage – When I heard this track for the first time, I was surprised at how much it sounded like Depeche Mode. “That Smiling Face” is my all time favorite by Camouflage, but a little too slow for this playlist.

I was obsessed with making playlists when I first got my iPod and iTunes. I know my iPod is a bit old, but it has all of my honeymoon pictures from Europe from our computer that crashed two years ago and quite of bit of music that I ripped from my CD collection. I haven’t figured out how to download them without completely wiping out the iPod and losing them all. Hopefully I can find a good program transfer them. The downside is that I can’t upload anything new either. I may just have to buy a new iPod to keep making the kinds of playlists I want.

(Jacket, Full Tilt; Retro Stereo Headphones with decorative plates in three colors, Auvio)

My Favorite Mode – The Tour Edition

Now that the phone and internet situation has been corrected at home (I bumped into the AT&T guy on the way to work), I feel whole again. This is when I wonder, “What did we ever do before the internet?” But I digress…

I’ve been really thinking about what my favorite Depeche Mode shows have been. Most of my favorites were when they were still four members in the band, and the most recent have been the solo tours. All images of tour programmes are from depmod.com (see the “Listen to This” blogroll), one of the most comprehensive Depeche Mode discography/collectors sites I’ve ever come across. Ever since I’ve been on the internet, they are my source for everything Depeche Mode (other than the official site). If you are anywhere near a Depeche Mode fan, you must check out depmod.com. Your socks will be knocked off. Plus if you’re like me, you will truly realize there is a lot more that you don’t have in your collection. Also, all dates listed are for the concert date I attended in San Diego.

Note: I have the set lists from every concert I’ve seen up until the Devotional Tour because I would religiously write down every song during the concert. This is why I’ve included the set lists for the first three of my favorite concerts. I have since stopped doing that because I can no longer see that well in the dark, and I’m just plain lazy. It’s amazing what you have the tolerance for in your teens to your early 20’s. The only list I am unsure of the order (with the exception of the encore songs) is the Some Great Reward Tour.

Some Great Reward Tour – April 1, 1985

I have mentioned previously that this was the first concert I had seen by Depeche Mode, and have since discovered that it was their first appearance in San Diego. I truly feel blessed to have seen this concert knowing that information. A couple of funny notes about this show: my friend Eileen and I had not purchased any of their albums yet prior to this show, so we thought “See You” was “Sing You” and “Boys Say Go” was “DE-PECHE MODE!”. I’m pretty sure we sounded absolutely silly to all the die-hard fans around us, but hey, we were 15-years-old at the time. Needless to say we each got our parents to purchase all of their previously released albums so that we can catch up. I think Depeche Mode knew there were many of us out there who were in the same boat because the album “Catching Up With Depeche Mode” soon followed.

I am forever glad that we went to the SGR tour because we got to hear songs live that I never heard again in concert, as you can see by the set list.

Set list:

Master and Servant (instrumental intro)
Something to Do
Two Minute Warning
Puppets
If You Want
People Are People
Leave in Silence
New Life
Shame
Somebody
Ice Machine
Lie to Me
Blasphemous Rumours
Told You So
Master and Servant
Photographic
Everything Counts
See You
Boys Say Go
The Meaning of Love

Encores:
Shout!
Just Can’t Get Enough

Black Celebration Tour – July 11, 1986

This was the tour where we followed the tour bus from the Sports Arena to the…wait for it…Travelodge across the street. I’m sure they have upgraded their hotel stays since those days, but that’s where they were back in 1986. I have pictures of their tour bus, which was the closest I ever got to any member of Depeche Mode until I got to meet Alan Wilder last week. I also remember the first song and the lasting effect of the dropped curtain. It was “Black Celebration” and if you are familiar with the song, you know that the song starts off very slow. During this slow beginning, the curtains were still up, so we only saw shadows of the band behind it. When the lyrics “I look to you…” were sung with music in full force behind it, the curtain dropped and the band was revealed to a screaming crowd. I still feel the crescendo between the first note to the dropping of the curtain to this day.

I also really enjoyed seeing Book of Love live, who opened for Depeche Mode for the US leg of the tour (I am unsure if they opened up for any other shows). Their self-titled album was a staple in my CD player for months after seeing them live.

Set List:

Christmas Island
Black Celebration
A Question of Time
Fly on the Windscreen
Shake the Disease
Leave in Silence
It’s Called a Heart
Everything Counts
A Question of Lust
Blasphemous Rumors
New Dress
Stripped
Something to Do
Master and Servant
Photographic
People are People

Encores:
Boys Say Go
Just Can’t Get Enough
More Than a Party

World Violation Tour – July 28, 1990

Of the three dates they were here for this tour, I only went to the first show (a friend of mine went to two dates). Another bonus was that I won tickets to the show and sold the tickets that I bought before. I also recall someone saying that they went to the Fashion Valley Mall and saw Martin Gore and Andy Fletcher shopping one of the days they were here. Depeche Mode, shopping? In my city? Where was I when this was happening?

Shocking that I didn’t pick the Music for the Masses as one of my favorite tours, and it’s only because of the sad memories of not going to the Rose Bowl concert (still a very sore spot for me). Truly, I liked this concert because it is one of my all time favorite albums. I also really loved the images of the band dressed as cowboys and that some of those images were actually funny in nature. The highlight of the show was seeing “World in my Eyes” and “Halo” live.

I’ve always regarded Depeche Mode as “my band” because I didn’t follow the crowd when I discovered them (like Duran Duran). I felt for a long time like they were my little discovery, and would share them when I decided to. But after the Wherehouse store incident, there was no escaping that the boys were on the map, and three sold out shows in San Diego just proved to everyone that Depeche Mode were no longer some obscure band. They were on the charts and violating the world, in a city near you.

Set List:

World in My Eyes
Halo
Shake the Disease
Everything Counts
Master and Servant
Never Let Me Down Again
Waiting for the Night
I Want You Now
World Full of Nothing
Clean
Stripped
Policy of Truth
Enjoy the Silence
Strangelove
Personal Jesus

Encores:
Black Celebration
Question of Time
Behind the Wheel
Route 66

The Singles Tour – December 15, 1998

Because I did not go to the Exotic Tour or the Ultra Parties (neither came to San Diego, but I should have gone to the Irvine Meadows show), the first concert I went to where I saw the band as three was the Singles Tour. I went with my friend Angi, and we had a hard time in the beginning of the show with a few guys behind us who just kept chanting like it was a soccer game. They finally stopped a few songs in, which was such a relief.

I have to say I was quite apprehensive seeing the band live without Alan Wilder. For years he was my favorite, and after five concerts, you get used to looking forward to seeing him with the rest of the guys. But I was surprised at how much I enjoyed myself and was looking forward to more Depeche Mode albums and tours with the three left. Alan kept putting out Recoil music, so at least he was still around, even if he wasn’t with them. I really missed not seeing Depeche Mode live. It had been five years since the Devotional Tour, so this was a welcome sight.

Paper Monsters Tour, David Gahan – August 21, 2003

My sister and I went to this concert not knowing exactly what to expect. I think it’s because it was Depeche Mode’s front man, the voice of the band, on tour without anyone else that we recognize. How could Dave be up there withtout Martin or Fletch? No matter how we felt about a tour without his band mates, we would not miss this for the world.

I liked the single “Dirty Sticky Floors” and thought the rest of the album was pretty good. I knew that Dave would definitely infuse Depeche Mode songs in there, so we were not surprised when he closed with a song or two. I just remember my jaw dropping when he sang a bit from a song that I have always thought he would be great at because his voice is so similar to Ian McCulloch, which is “Lips Like Sugar” by Echo and the Bunnymen. When the words came out of Dave’s mouth, my sister and I looked at each other in disbelief. Easily the highlight of the show for me.

A Strange Hour, Recoil – October 23, 2010

Of course I would pick this as a favorite show, simply because it had been 17 years since I have seen Alan Wilder live with Depeche Mode, or live at all. If you’ve seen my “Strange Hours” post, you will know exactly how I felt about the concert and the whole experience of meeting him, so I won’t repeat it all here again (just click the link for my post on Anthology’s blog). Suffice it to say that sitting in a club with my sister watching Alan Wilder in a very intimate setting has made up for the fact that the Tour of the Universe concert date was canceled last year in San Diego. Hands down.

I hope you enjoyed this portion of “My Favorite Mode”. After this weekend, I will post my favorite B-Sides and rarities, then a list of my all time favorite Depeche Mode songs. I just haven’t decided how long the list will be yet!

My Favorite Mode

Our internet is still very intermittent at home (due to flooded phone lines causing our DSL to act up), so my post about cape jackets will have to wait until the repairs to our lines happen later this week. I’m on my little Nokia Booklet 3G with an LG wireless modem, and it doesn’t have any kind of photo editing program, so my ability to post a nifty pictorial is very limited. What I will do is stay on my Depeche Mode/Alan Wilder high and post my all time favorite albums, songs, tours and rarities.

Favorite album: Some Great Reward

For all the reasons I’ve stated before, this is still by far my absolute favorite album. This album solidified me as a fan, and provided the soundtrack that justified all my reasons for feeling different at an age when conformity was forefront. It also marked the first time I had seen the band live.

No other album juxtaposes the angst of personal religious struggle with sadomasochism like “Some Great Reward”. The lyrics have some of the sexiest lines, and some of the most ironic. The album also showcases the beginnings of how they started mastering their industrial yet fluid sound, which really was very metallic on “Construction Time Again” but became more organic with “Some Great Reward”. I have an interview were they said that they would just walk around outside the studio recording sounds and manipulating them before running them through their synthesizers.

One of the songs that sort of hit me was the beautiful ballad “Somebody”. The haunting acoustic piano with the street background noise only enhance the irony of the words. The lyrics are quite sentimental and lovely, until the very end of the song:

But when I’m asleep
I want somebody
Who will put their arms around me
And kiss me tenderly
Though things like this
Make me sick
In a case like this
I’ll get away with it

As I got older, the words of all of their songs started to really take on new meanings, only because I really started to understand exactly what they meant (I was a very naive 14-year-old). Here are my favorite lines from various songs:

It’s a lot like life
This play between the sheets
With you on top and me underneath
Forget all about equality
Let’s play master and servant

So lie to me
But do it with sincerity
Make me listen
Just for a minute
Make me think
There’s some truth in it

I don’t want to start
Any blasphemous rumours
But I think that God’s
Got a sick sense of humour
And when I die
I expect to find Him laughing

Of course a line from “If You Want”, the only song on the album penned by Alan Wilder, became the quote that I would use time and time again:

Let tomorrow and today
Bring a life of ecstasy

Funny how that at the age of 14 this album became a defining musical moment in my life. Was I really that complex at that time? I’d like to think so.

Favorite Song: World In My Eyes

I have many favorite songs from my favorite band, all of which would require its own top 20 list. But when someone asks me to define what I think the “Depeche Mode” sound is, I don’t ask them to listen to “Enjoy the Silence” or “Personal Jesus”. I don’t even ask them to listen to anything from “Some Great Reward” because that was just the beginning of their ever evolving sound. I think the song that is quintessentially Depeche Mode is the song “World in my Eyes”. Another very sultry song, it comes from their most popular album to date, “Violator”. All of the songs on the album again juxtaposition religious overtones next to very sexual undertones. The reason I think it’s the most “Depeche Mode” sounding song of their repertoire is because of the overall production, the rhythmic beat and the layering of sounds along with very seductive lyrics. It’s upbeat yet dark, all at the same time. Dave Gahan had truly honed his soothing voice by this album, so this song is just dripping with pure sensuality. The best part is that you can dance to it.

As it is time that I tend to my son who is having trouble sleeping, I will tackle some of my other favorites in the next few posts. Good night!

Next: Favorite B Sides, Rarities, and tours

Never Let Me Down Again

I’m going to be on this Alan Wilder high for a little while longer. I’m sorry if my blogs posts have become so Depeche Mode/Alan Wilder centric, but I guess I have to confess about how the fandom started in order for anyone to understand why this weekend was so important to me.

I remember when I first heard Depeche Mode. I was in CCD class when I first heard about the station 91X back in 1983. Someone had told me about this station because of my taste in music, so I started listening to it. The first song I ever heard by Depeche Mode was “Everything Counts” and I thought it was a great song. I saw the video and I really enjoyed their music. When “People are People” came out the following year, I started to pay attention more and more. I found out that they were an all synth band, and as a classically trained pianist, it was a band I could relate to because they played the same instrument that I did. A whole band, all on keyboards? Could it be true?

The fandom really didn’t kick in until the next album “Some Great Reward”. It’s ironic that I had heard about 91X and Depeche Mode in CCD class because I really was trying to figure out what role religion was supposed to play in my life. At the tender age of 13 going on 14, I had started to struggle with my relationship with God and Catholicism. Then I heard “Blasphemous Rumours” and for whatever reason it spoke to me. It let me know that I wasn’t the only one wondering about what it all meant. There in lyrical and musical form was my struggle. From then on, I had found my band.

Luckily the following year, Depeche Mode toured to support “Some Great Reward”. By some miracle, my friend Eileen and I were able to snag these incredibly hard to come by tickets. They only opened up about a third of the San Diego Sports Arena because they were unsure of how well the tickets would sell. We already purchased our tickets when they opened up a few hundred more seats, then those sold out almost instantly. I didn’t realize then that this was the first time Depeche Mode had ever played in San Diego (April 1, 1985). I still have the ticket stub that says the tickets were a mere $13.75. My how times have changed!

I went on to see Depeche Mode eight more times, only missing “Tour of the Universe” last year because it was cancelled here in San Diego. The only other member I had seen solo prior to seeing Alan Wilder this weekend was Dave Gahan for his “Paper Monsters” tour. My biggest regret was missing the 1988 Rose Bowl concert that turned into the “101” movie. I did see a show for the “Music For the Masses” tour, but the Rose Bowl concert was the one that almost any fan who was in the Southern California area was in attendance, except for me (it seemed at the time).

Through it all, my favorite member had always been Alan Charles Wilder. The oldest of the group, he is the only classically trained musician, so I related instantly with him. I taught myself how to play “Somebody” on piano, among a number of other Depeche Mode songs. I bought myself a drum machine and a Korg keyboard to write songs. Much like people followed the Beatles, I followed Depeche Mode. And much like people liked Paul McCartney or John Lennon, I liked Alan Wilder. I had followed his career from all the way through Depeche Mode, and now to Recoil.

As you can see, this weekend was very important to me because it marked such a milestone in my fandom. I had never tried too hard to try to meet Alan or any member of Depeche Mode because it was always an elusive idea. When the opportunity presented itself the way it had this past weekend, it felt like fate. This weekend was meant to happen, exactly the way it was supposed to, and it did not disappoint.

So please pardon the interruption while I let this weekend’s experience sink in.

Photos 1, 2, and 3 are courtesy of the official Recoil Facebook page

Strange Hours: The Alan Wilder Experience

Sometimes one doesn’t have to plan for a spectacular event to happen. Sometimes it just happens because of synergy or karma. Sometimes it’s just pure luck, and sometimes it’s all about timing and opportunity. Sometimes, it’s all of the above.

I had an unbeliveable day with my sister in meeting Alan Wilder and seeing his show “A Strange Hour” with Recoil and friends. It started off with being the very first person in line at the M-Theory Music store signing (we got there and met up with my friend Rob and his friend, Todd at 2:30pm), winning the “dance-off” judged by Alan Wilder himself (music by DJ Edgartronic), then chatting with him briefly while getting many of my Depeche Mode and Recoil rarities signed. The dance-off was quite funny because five people signed up, but I was the only who danced. Alan remarked that I won not only because of the dancing, but because I was the only brave one to go up there and actually do it!

Winning the contest afforded me two tickets to the show, so I took my sister. While still at the signing, Alan said that I need to be there because Anthology is such an intimate venue that he wanted to make sure I got up and danced to get the crowd going. I said that since I won the contest that I had tickets, I would definitely be there. After waiting for my sister, Rob and Todd and their signings, we exited M-Theory.

Later that night, my sister and I went to the show at Anthology. Because I won the contest, our seats were just five feet from the stage. I’d never been to Anthology before, and it’s a very beautiful venue. The night started with Conjure One, who did a pretty good set (this was my first time seeing them). Then Alan Wilder himself came out to check out the crowd. He scanned the front to see if there was any one he recognized, and pointed me out and said “I remember you from earlier!” I got a couple of high-fives for the “shout out” from Alan, which just brought out the 16-year old in me all over again. He then introduced Daniel Myer of Architect. Alan encouraged people to please come down to the floor, as this set up was just too “sophisticated” and wanted to see people dance. He also mentioned that the Architect set was cut short at the show the night before, so we would get the privilege of enjoying Daniel’s entire set (a little over 30 minutes long). The Architect set mixed in some Depeche Mode samples which really got the crowd going. It was a very strong proggy/industrial set, which I enjoyed.

Of course, last but not least was Paul Kendall and Alan Wilder, who did a magnificent set from their new “Selected” album, which is a selection of classic Recoil songs that are remastered. What surprised me the most about the set was just how much Depeche Mode was mixed in. Songs that I remember the snippets of were “Never Let Me Down Again”, “Behind The Wheel”, “Walking in my Shoes” and the encore song that included “Personal Jesus”. I guess I expected it to be strictly Recoil music, but one can never forget where Alan spent a big part of his musical career.

I felt that Alan was also so much more relaxed and grooved the entire concert, something I don’t recall seeing when he was with Depeche Mode (who I’ve seen at least eight times in concert since 1985). Maybe it was the dynamics of the group at the time he was there, but Alan was in his element last night, enjoying every single moment of this musical journey he started well before he left Depeche Mode. Additionally, Alan is just such a nice person. He was so gracious judging the dance-off and so very sweet during the signing. One always hopes for a great experience with someone they have admired and followed for so long, so the moment is even better when that person is as wonderful a person as Alan Wilder is.

All in all, it was a spectacular day. I was so pleasantly surprised throughout the day by all the events that it made the day even better than I hoped it would be. My inner-teenager was so thrilled to have had this opportunity to fulfill what seemed to be a lifelong dream. I want to thank my sister, my friends Rob and Todd, M-Theory Music, Anthology, DJ Edgartronic and most of all, Alan Wilder for making this an experience I will not soon forget.

To Recoil in Shock: Alan Wilder to Appear at M-Theory Music

Words cannot describe when I read on Facebook that Alan Wilder (formerly of Depeche Mode, currently of Recoil) will be appearing at a local music store on October 23, 2010 called M-Theory Music. My husband wondered why I was staring at my computer slack-jawed in a stunned silence. I called my sister. I invited friends on Facebook. Out of the dozens of Depeche Mode items I own (which includes some Recoil, vinyl, CDs, tour programmes and rarities), I don’t even know what to bring for him to sign.

This will be one of the biggest musical moments of my life.

Divisional Leader

When I was on maternity leave last year, I spent many a night up late after Dominic’s feedings. When my husband went back to work after being home for about 2 weeks, I took over all late night feedings for the duration of my leave so that he would be able to function at work.

Those late nights afforded me time to watch some interesting television. It was at that time that my “obsession” with Joy Division began.

I saw “Control” at around 2am one late night/early morning, which is a film directed and produced by Anton Corbjin about the band Joy Division. If that name sounds familiar to you, it’s because he directed quite a few Depeche Mode videos. When I saw the film, I recognized the style and was not surprised at all that Corbjin directed it. It stars Sam Riley as Joy Division’s singer, Ian Curtis. What a find Sam Riley was because he is a singer as well as actor (he was in a band), which allowed the use of Riley’s actual singing voice in the movie (and the actors who played the band really played their instruments). I really thought his vocals were remarkably similar to Ian Curtis, and gave another dimension of authenticity to the film.

I knew that New Order was born out of Joy Division, but I didn’t know all of the history behind what happened. I only knew that they had a different lead singer that died somehow before Bernard Sumner, but again, I didn’t know the circumstances. I didn’t realize that Ian Curtis committed suicide until I saw the movie.

I’m always drawn to music based biopics, but I think this one really grabbed my attention because it happened right at beginning of my musical discovery back in the 80’s. Depeche Mode paved the way for my dark and gothic electronic path, and New Order infused a little alternative light to that darkness.

But Joy Division was something else. There was an energy that was tinged with sadness in their music. I only knew “Love Will Tear Us Apart”, but I set out to discover all of their music quickly after the movie. Since Dominic spent most of his days of those first 4 months sleeping, I took that time to really delve into all things Joy Division. I bought a “Best of” Joy Division CD, the “Control” DVD and CD. I spent hours on the internet reading about them and bought 3 t-shirts (which I talk about in my “Net-A-Poseur” entry). I also read the book “Touching From a Distance” by Deborah Curtis, Ian’s wife. That definitely put things into perspective about what was happening in and around Ian during the rise of Joy Division.

Like those around him, I didn’t realize how self deprecating Ian Curtis’ lyrics were (from “Isolation”):

Mother I tried please believe me

I’m doing the best that I can

I’m ashamed of the things I’ve been put through

I’m ashamed of the person I am

Isolation, isolation, isolation

Sad, right? Members of the band themselves didn’t even realize that Ian was going down such a dark path. His epilepsy exacerbated the situation, along with making his marriage work, his affair with Annik Honore, and the birth of his daughter. All of this while trying to become a successful band. He was only 23 at the time, which was just enough to put a young man into a tail spin.

So when I really listened again to “Love Will Tear Us Apart”, I hear the anxiousness and regret in not being able to make things work. I felt like Ian was saying, “Look I’m trying, ok?” Yet, there was this energy in the actual music, and maybe that masked the lyrics a bit. It was expressed physically in Ian’s spastic, epileptic-like dancing, but also in songs like “Transmission” and “Digital”. It wasn’t always dark I guess, but it was definitely out of control.

Take a listen. You may not become the fan that I did, but it’s worth going back to rediscover and revisit what was there before New Order.

Photos courtesy of Google Images

Net-A-Poseur

Never Mind The Bollocks skirt from Idil Vice

Ever since my teens throughout the eighties, I have made sure that I could never be considered a poseur. Even now, I would hate for someone to think that I was trying to be something that I’m not, just to fit in. I’ve always prided myself on the fact that I am unique and that my tastes are that of my own and the influence was directly from the source and not because I was needing acceptance into a group or by an individual.

I had a discussion with my husband about concerts and bands that we’ve seen throughout the years. I really like tour shirts, and my inner punk rocker enjoys mixing in these shirts with my regular wardrobe. There is a designer named Idil Vice who does a great job of giving an alternative to the musical t-shirt by making dresses, skirts and jackets of bands and artists that I love. I have my eye on a Depeche Mode dress, Joy Division and Sex Pistols skirt.

In my discussion with my husband, I mentioned that I just can’t wear a shirt of a band or artist I haven’t actually seen in concert. He says that it shouldn’t matter, that if you like a band then you should be able to wear their shirt. But when someone says “Cool shirt, have you seen them in concert?” I would feel like a complete poseur if I said “No, but the shirt is cool…”

As justification, I’ve come up with “work-arounds” for the shirts I have of artists and bands that I’ve seen in some incarnation (solo or group). Here is a list so far:

1. Joy Division – I have 3 shirts that I wear proudly. Although I was too young, not living in England during their initial rise, and had no way to see them because of Ian Curtis’ suicide, I wear them because I have seen New Order in concert. New Order is essentially Joy Division with Bernard Sumner as the singer, right? Yes.

2. Sex Pistols – I have seen PiL in concert, for which Johnny Rotten is the singer. He was in Sex Pistols, so I can wear their shirt should I choose to do so. I don’t have one yet, but now that I have made that justification, I will now wear one.

3. Bjork – I saw The Sugarcubes in concert, for which she was the singer for before venturing into her solo career. Enough said.

I make these mental justifications so that I can escape being a poseur. Now if I can just come up with a work-around for The Beatles shirt I have…

My life according to Depeche Mode

I posted this on my Facebook “Notes” last year. I liked it so much, I thought I’d share it here. The first paragraph includes instructions, but I think it’s pretty obvious what you need to do. Feel free to grab it and share it, for a little silly fun.

My favorite band is Depeche Mode, as you can tell by my blog name, so I chose the same for this “exercise”. Enjoy!

Using only song names from ONE ARTIST, cleverly answer these questions. Pass it on to people you like and include me. You can’t use the band I used. Try not to repeat a song title. It’s a lot harder than you think! Repost as “my life according to (band name)”

Pick Your Artist:
Depeche Mode

Are you Male or Female?
Happiest Girl

Describe yourself:
Precious

How do you feel:
I Feel Loved

Describe where you currently live:
Home (that’s really a DM song!)

If you could go anywhere where would you go:
In Your Room

Your favorite form of transportation is:
Behind The Wheel

Your best friend is:
Personal Jesus (lol!)

You and your best friends are:
Dreaming of Me (haha)

What’s the Weather Like?
The Sun and The Rainfall

What is your favorite time?
It Doesn’t Matter

If your life was a TV show what would it be called?
Get The Balance Right