Depeche Mode are more than halfway through writing their new album, which is slated for a spring release, and have promised they will hit the road to promote it.
Speaking on a specially recorded video interview on their website, www.depechemode. com, frontman Dave Gahan said: “We are probably about halfway through, maybe a little more, recording our new album – as-yet-untitled, of course. It’s going really well. Martin (Gore)‘s written some great songs, we’re all in good shape. We’ll be mixing it in the last part of this year and hopefully be finished by Christmas, so get ready, because hopefully by spring of next year we should have a new album out, followed by a tour, of course.”
The band are working on around ten tracks at present, and have been using a string quartet and solo cellist, Knox Chandler.
The album’s producer Mark Bell – who has previously worked with Bjvrk – also appeared in the video clip.
In a progress report earlier this month, a spokesperson said that enthusiasm was at “an all-time high” within the Depeche Mode camp, and everyone is “very excited” about the future.
In an interview on former Mode keyboard player and musical director Alan Wilder‘s website, www.recoil.co.uk, Dave Gahan revealed that he has been listening to “the usual – Zep, Sabbath, Purple… anything really heavy”.
Wilder himself, meanwhile, recently released a new single ‘Jezebel’ with his project Recoil through Mute Records in the UK. The enhanced single, which features appearances from gospel choir The Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet and macabre warbler Diamanda Galas, contains the video for the single, directed by Richard Bell. It is taken from the album ‘Liquid’, released earlier this year.
A Depeche Mode fan gathering is being held by the Musings For The Masses unofficial fan club on September 30 at Edward’s Number 8 Nightclub, Birmingham, though it is not anticipated that any of the band will be present.