Influences: Depeche Mode

I think the first ever Depeche Mode song I listened to was 'Everything Counts' from 'Construction Time Again' album 1983. I used to sneak into my brother's room and took his cassette tapes and listen to them. He had some cool British music and I just fell in love with Depeche Mode.

I was already playing the piano and when I listened to these artists making all sorts of incredible sounds using the keyboard, I was amazed. I wanted to make those same sounds but I had no clue how to. Every time I listened to DM, I tried to isolate just one sound and then, another sound and another. There were so many blends of sounds from one instrument, and the keyboard had its own melody, independent of the vocals. I just couldn't understand how they could produce something like that, or write music like that. It was intriguing and a mystery.

From there, I listened to more songs like Shake the Disease, People are People, and I just couldn't get enough of them. In Malaysia, we didn't get a lot of British exposure. On terrestrial TV, it was mostly US influence, there was Solid Gold but no Top of the Pops. I used to listen to BBC World Service just to get a glimpse of British New Wave. When I was old enough to have my own pocket money and able to buy things, I bought every single Depeche Mode Album there was in the music shop. I got 'Black Celebration' (1986), 'Music for the Masses' (1988) and 'Violator' (1991) which was their latest album at the time. I also bought their 'Singles 81 - 85'.

You know, even if you listen to every single possible genre in the world, there is always one genre that just represents you. It is like, it represents your soul, and New Wave does that to me. No matter what I listen to, whether it is Rock, Metal, Blues, Rap, Soul, Pop or Country music; it never quite 'get me' the way New Wave does. When I put on 'Depeche Mode' it just feels like I am at home, almost like it beats the same as my heart.

Some people say DM songs are pretty dark, almost depressive. I don't feel so. Listening to it, doesn't make me depressed. To me, it is mysterious with many layers. Every time I listen to the same song, there is always another layer, another perspective. I feel like the music is rich with tiny sounds and it is captivating. Sometimes, you need to really concentrate on those little noises. The lyrics too are intelligent. Another attribute of the band that attracted me were the many difficult issues addressed within the lyrics such as 'Get the balance right' and 'Walking in my shoes'. I get bored of love songs, I mean it is okay if it is a love theme from a movie, but Pop songs are all about boy meets girl, and girl meets boy, falling in love, falling out of love. I wanted more from lyrics. I wanted songs that meant something, that talks about life or failure of the system, without just using a lot of swear words. I wanted intelligent lyrics.

Shake the Disease (Live 1988)