Martin Gore (Depeche Mode) has a new solo album Mg, out on Mute records.
In this interview video, via Mute, Gore reveals his inspirations behind the new album. Also – check out his modular!
Mg is available now in iTunes, Amazon and other online retailers.
After reviewing the footage, I was disappointed that I did not spot a Metasonix D-2000 in one of those racks… 🙂
Was hoping to see the Firstman SQ1 he bought off me on EBay a few years ago but I guess maybe it’s a little limited compared to that Star Trek Enterprise of modular gear he has now!
Like any good drugs, you have to have lots of money and time to really enjoy them…especially EuroCrack.
Personal cracks will get your post removed.
I love the sound of these new tracks, and, not being one of the modular faithful, I don’t really care what (hardware) he used to get there. I like synth-spotting as much as anyone else, but it doesn’t seem to matter this time around. These tracks are a nice departure from Depeche Mode’s heavy-(depressing)-lyric-laden songs. I’m glad he kept his voice out of it because the music speaks for itself.
Martin, you’ve been a major insiration to me for my music making dreams…can’t say the same for my lyric writing ability though…you can influence the hell out of me with that and I’ll still suck
Only listening to the previews on iTunes but there are some great sounds on here. Some are somehow classically depeche mode sounding. Guess you like what you like.
Can he actually play, or is everything sequenced?
That is the problem with these young upstarts, they put fame over talent all day long.
Young upstart? He looks like he’s about 60 and has had some work done.
When has Depeche Mode ever played any synth parts live without relying on pre-recorded backing tracks?
You’re joking right? For a large part of their career they played absolutely everything live except for having their drums running from a tape. They now have a very sophisticated set up for the drums to all be done live and they still play much of the synth stuff live, as well as Martin playing guitar. Martin is an extremely talented musician/producer/songwriter/vocalist, of whom there exist few parallels.
LOL. They fooled you. They have used pre-recorded tracks for decades (as do many bands nowadays that can’t pull off an all live show).
yeah. he’s a good keyboardist and guitar player.
He can ‘actually’ play, but does it matter? I’m sure he will sequence stuff. Songwriting is one thing, performing is another. The question in this day and age should be “Can he actually write”. He can.
I can’t understand how people are still focused on performance in this media age? It holds no real value, 100 years after you are dead that work needs to stand up all on its own – if it can’t then it is worthless, it is a pointless endeavour that will die with you. This guy doesn’t look like a seal to me, and shouldn’t be encouraged to balance a ball on his nose for our entertainment. It this age performance is just the marketing of media, tours are for profit and not pleasure. So focus on results and not on some meaningless process of selling stuff.
You’re talking about the guy who composed “Somebody,” the song every pianist I knew in high school wanted to cover. Yeah I think he can play an instrument.
Nice to see L-1 Vactrol Filter and Tube VCA there. great modules.
Martin plays keys well enough along with guitar. I’ve seen him live over the years play more than well enough to be a key (or more) part of a band that’s sold 100 million records globally – – I think that qualifies. As for playing live, again, yes he plays both keys and guitars live, and yes they use backing sequences / recordings / multisamples just like most big acts with intricate arrangements do live. I don’t consider this important — they’d have a nightmare of parts to wade through for ever set list change and require extra players. There is an elegance in a band that plays everything live in terms of the ability to explore — but I’m not that big on Jazz:)
It’s good to hear this new album, I’ve always paid attention to all the instrumental B sides over the years (and have stacks of their music) and this material fits that bill. I do with there was more development though, it seems that the tracks are sometimes shorter than they ‘want’ to be.
I also agree that I don’t really care what hardware (or software) was used to create the tracks, it’s the result that counts. Clearly Mr Gore has a ‘synth problem,’ but I for one am glad he has this ‘problem’ and welcome our new eurorack overlords.
I like this album, and I like Mr Gore’s catalog. Should I ever have the opportunity to meet him, I’ll shake his hand and thank him for a lifetime of listening enjoyment.
–WotP–
Gema has blocked this video……so Germans cannot see this interview…
yeah, its silly we can’t see the ad for copyright reasons, lol
I was listening to his interview on BBC 6 Music, and I really enjoyed the sounds from this album. He should be very proud of a good job done, a brilliant job done considering he made musicality on some Euroracks – a very rare thing to hear. At one point of the interview they talked about how Queen had the words “No Synthesizers” on their album covers prior to 1980, until that year The Human League album ‘Travelogue’ proclaimed the words “synthesizers and vocals only” on that cover – hehe.
How can anyone question the talent of a man who has written so much great music? Oh wait, I get it – jealousy.
Anyway, I love to see that Martin is doing this solo instrumental. Can’t believe he hasn’t done one sooner.
Martin has always seemed like such a likeable fellow.
there is no science fiction no more, welcome to present tense.
i still like martin. one of the best songwriters alive on terra !
this album feels pretty much retro. like syd meads visions feel retro 🙂
i like.
Seems a very sweet guy , good luck x
He did play some nice guitar parts when I saw DM last year, but what I remember most was his surprisingly beautiful singing. He didn’t seem to be lip-syncing either.