A quartet of fresh-faced English lads forms a band and gets a record deal. They put out their debut and promptly watch their main songwriter make his exit and go on to other very successful musical partnerships, leaving you utterly rudderless.
Do you say, “Well we had a good run but I guess that’s it?” Not if you’re Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Depeche Mode.
In fact, their march to the mainstream accelerated once Vince Clarke left and Martin Gore took over songwriting duties. That trek to a breakthrough would culminate with their 1984 album Some Great Reward, their fourth overall and third since Clarke’s departure.
By then the group had morphed from a New Wave also-ran into something darker. Synth-driven electro-rock with touches of industrial-style percussion had made them a rock band that could still pack a dance floor in even the trendiest clubs, and their sound would soon lift them onto the pop chart the following year.
But the movement started upon the album’s release with songs that were making a splash in their native UK even as they courted controversy.
The album’s third single was critical of the church in England and was nearly banned by the BBC before they reconsidered. According to the website Story of Song, singer Dave Gahan said the meaning of the song wasn’t strictly about religion but was simply about taking ownership of your existence.
“he song only wants to say that no one should let someone force anything upon him,” Gahan said. “Whether it’s politics or something else, that doesn’t matter. You have to choose yourself what you wanna do with your life.”
Decide for yourself. Depeche Mode kicks off our top 40 at #40 with “Blasphemous Rumours.”