Total Conversion

Turn it up loud. Edit: I posted this quickly as I had listened to it while driving. Obviously I don't watch the video in the car, but I left the dominatrix channel on. When I got to the shops I had to share. World in my Eyes is a great song with some great remixes. I bought the cd single a fews ago and next to Personal Jesus, it had some really great b-sides (on a cd!). Happiest Girl and Sea of Sin are good competition to Dangerous & Kalleid of of PJ's single. What blew me away (AGAIN) was the video having sync'ed Dave Gahan vocal clips. I love it. Even then bloody font is awesome. If you're a DM fan and have not subscribed to Dominatrix, I think you're missing out. #depechemode #dominatrixrmx DominatrixRMX https://youtu.be/kX57dppsbpo

For women's day today in South Africa. #depechemode #womensday https://youtu.be/6locxQ0jzdc

How the hell am I supposed to go to sleep when this is rattling around my headphones. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMjIf_zEdn8 #depechemode #personaljesus https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMjIf_zEdn8

I hate posting single tracks at a time, so I'm going to take a few minutes and highlight (probably) my favourite track of the album Spirit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZYFy-WiWv4 It's a bonus track on the Deluxe Edition, but most fans have it anyway! The remix is largely instrumental with a few vocal samples, but the percussion and sounds / effects are just killer. I learn to like electronic music with percussion with Prodigy and since Mode now have a permanent drummer, I imagine the mix of machine and human drums is what makes this track stick out for me. I hope I'm not the only one! EDIT: nothing wrong with the regular version of Scum. I just prefer this one. #depechemode #spirit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZYFy-WiWv4

Whenever I start listening to a Mode album, I go through this phase of discovering and getting into the tracks as I develop a feel for each one. My favourite track varies over time and I'll come back to the album and realize a I like most of it and love some of the tracks just a bit more than the rest. Today the Worst Crime just won me over. I think it's a combination of the soft vocal and the minimalist arrangement. I got the sense that the vocal married with the subtle backing was so moving. This extract also just resonated with the world. Every now and then a subtle guitar or synth note will punctuate the vocal. I sit and wonder how the song would be without that note. Jazz fans talk about the space between notes, but a band that makes music for 30 years can do it in rock or electronica and I would imagine its true for really talented musicians in every genre. Mmm. RunDMC & Beastie Boys did that when they were younger so maybe I'm full of crap. This verse g...

This morning I decided to skip the podcasts for the morning commute. Sorry Kevin Smith, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Radiolab and the gang at the Skeptics Guide. Google Play was playing Walkin in my Shoes, but I decided to check out the Spotify Daily Mix as there auto playlists are supposed to be soooo good. First track was the linked Personal Jesus mix. Damn. I was punching the steering wheel and revelling in the punchy bass and malicious synths. Such a good version of the song. When my Spotify trial ends, I won't be subscribing as they don't offer a family plan in ZA, but I might come back if they do. It's the Cape Town Jazz Festival tonight. Screw that crap. Reach out and touch faith... #spotify #depechemode #googleplaymusic #personaljesus https://youtu.be/6PoXgM5zNgc

Love the gentle guitar in the introduction. #depechemode +DominatrixRMX https://youtu.be/kEyHC0hyN4s

You have to start your day right. #depechemode if you love the band find and subscribe to DominatrixRMX. He is awesome. https://youtu.be/oPnLlZtEdsM

Did V1 of this playlist from memory. Will refine as I realise my errors & omissions ;) #depechemode #googleplaymusic https://play.google.com/music/playlist/AMaBXylTTCugVeT6cidRZrTap9erBOn4eHzAcBY3kuxt6W9daNBLaU0OJsZzkfP8Zvv0wCZ7yrZX4l0LRU6oZQQM8gmUugHusA%3D%3D?utm_medium=organic_share&utm_source=googleplus

Probably the only person who gets an automatic pass into a Mode only collection would have to be Alan Wilder. Still my fave band member despite the sterling work of the the rest of them. Never let me down. In your Room Considering he probably has a copy of most of the samples he made during his time with the band, his live sets must be amazing to behold. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgOoz48DDKs About 6 minutes in he moves on his solo Recoil work, which is a bit too industrial for me ;( Interestingly, the beat between 6-7 minutes (Black Box?) is very similar to me to the Track #14 on the mode album Spirit Deluxe Edition. Track name is Scum (Frenetic Mix) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZYFy-WiWv4 #alanwilder #depechemode #recoil https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgOoz48DDKs

After a few listens, I'm really enjoying the new Mode album Spirit. This verse seemed appropriate for now. People Do we call this trying? We're hopeless Forget the denying Our souls are corrupt Our minds are messed up Our consciences bankrupt Oh, we're fucked From Fail. One of the weaker tracks but it has an old school Mode ending that reminds me of the first album so I'll cut it a little slack. #depechemode

So continuing my theme of Live posts for March 2017, I wanted something from the Devotional Tour 1993. Main reason would have to be that its the only concert tour that they brought to Cape Town. I saw them both nights (I had to). I absolutely was blown away. Second reason would be remembering my surprise that Alan played drums and Martin played guitar. Alan is particularly good on this tour and ultimately he left after. I am extremely grateful I got to see him play live. Final reason was Dave was going through his California Rock God phase and I imagine the drugs were crazy on that tour. You cannot fault their performance though. If you compare the performance to the Satellite one of 11 years prior, they're a much more polished and accomplished band in all areas. This track in general is fairly widely remixed compared to some of the others. The Live version is probably my fave. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgTl4wLlMGI The spirtitual guidance remix is particularly epic...

First one of 2017 and it's March. Will try and do 3 in this session. Let's pick a theme and I'm tempted to go with Depeche Mode Live. First one is satellite from 1982. The synth melody in this track is so timeless for me. I have listened to it so many times its scary. Funnily enough, I don't really listen to the album much anymore (A Broken Frame), but I do play the live version now and then especially as I love the version of My Secret Garden they played the same night (previously posted here). It's a slow song, but it has aged well. Nice to see Alan coming into his own. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noxsPI-Ip30 #depechemode https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noxsPI-Ip30

The big problem with Depeche Mode releases these days. This is from the Amazon UK website. "a film by Anton Corbijn". WTF? A standard def embarrassment in this age. I can't wait for this guy to let his ego go and let the music and artist shine instead of polluting the world further with his version of how concerts should be appreciated. Is it too much to ask to have the name of the band on the box instead of the visual director? #depechemode #wheresthebluray #wheresthe4K

Some lyrics that are resonating with me today. You can't change the world But you can change the facts And when you change the facts You change points of view If you change points of view You may change a vote And when you change a vote You may change the world #depechemode #newdress #scepticism

I like to do more than one of these when I post.  This next one is also a Peter Gordeno one.  I'm not sure if he or Martin Gore did the arangement, but this one of my favourite B-Sides ever.  This is off Black Celebration and this song can bring me to tears or send shivers down my spine if I let it. ;) Don't ask me why.  Martin is so good on this track and the accompaniment is so understated and swells at the right moments.  I guess that's the instinct of a great band.  There are better audio recordings of this track., but I'm posting one with video.  If you don't know this track, I hope you enjoy it as much as I have for so long. On a separate note, if you see any comments from Karl N, he is the guy that expanded my knowledge of music 10 fold.  I was previously only familiar with what was played on the radio and my limited budget, but he introduced me to countless other bands.  Everyone should have one of those friends in his life. Of course, he is frustrated that ...

My mini tribute to Peter Gordeno ( Keyboard / vocals ) I love what he brings to the Depeche Mode live performances,  feel free to enjoy the whole video, but I love his improvisation when the crowd refuses to let go of Home.  Bear in mind, this is a video / concert that needs to be enjoyed in full.  not only for the excellent performance, but for the cameo by Alan Wilder! #depechemode   Sometimes when a band replaces a long standing lineup, they hit solid gold. Mark Hart for Crowded House, Warren Cuccurullo for Duran Duran and most definitely Peter Gordeno and Chritian Eigner for Mode. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntRdKCVBBRw

Well, I guess this collection is going to grow in spurts. Listening to CD Bong 2 for this post got me listening to Get the Balance Right (Combination Mix) for the umpteenth time.  I've always loved the way it builds from 4 minute mark onwards.  The groove around the 5min mark building in each layer just hammered it into my head what I loved about Mode.  Each synth layer coming and going and the drum machine just being the foundation to an instrumental solo that makes this track my favourite.  So many later tracks are more engineered and polished and technically superior, but this one holds up. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ikiOWAToSg Discog link same as My Secret Garden Much credits to the Youtube poster Gabriel Marcelo for the turntable in the video.  Loved it. #depechemode   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ikiOWAToSg

This is a selfish post.  Since I first heard My Secret Garden on a bootleg tape many years ago, I have loved this song.  These were the days when certainly all I could lay my hands on were original vinyls.  Finding out about the wealth of b-sides and live versions that DM was putting out on singles was a revelation.  I've always loved this version of My Secret Garden as it evokes so many memories of that time.  It's a slow build which I always imagined involved Alan Wilder, but I could never be sure.  I was delighted to find this live footage so many years later.  Watching it tonight I remember how much I loved imagining what it must have been like to be present. When you finally see DG walk on stage and utter the words "Good evening, everybody"  it's probably very underwhelming for you all, but for me it was the best intro to a concert ever.  From this era, I would have to say the version of Nothing to Fear that they did live also has a special place in my memory...

My final post for this initial collection strays from the path in that its a cover of the tribute album.  For the Masses.  I was drawn to this album while flipping through the shelves in a store when it came out.  The artwork immediately screamed depeche mode ;) https://www.discogs.com/Various-For-The-Masses/release/37284 I'm not a Rammstein fan, but I love this treatment of the song.  I can heartily recommend this tribute cd as the bands are mostly bigger bands.  I won't name them all, but really you can't go wrong with bands like Smashing Pumpkins, The Cure, Gus Gus and Monster Magnet.   If there is a better tribute album, please enlighten me! I love that they took the time to break down the track and play with the melody after the 2 minute mark.   I honestly don't care for anything else Rammstein has ever done, but their live versions of Stripped are mostly pretty good too.   I don't mean to disrespect Rammstein and their fans, its just not for me.  Same thing go...