Depeche Mode’s Dave Gahan ‘broke down in tears’ when he heard that David Bowie had died

'I had found somebody in him that I could understand, where I felt I was part of his world, when I felt alienated'

Depeche Mode frontman Dave Gahan has opened up about the influence of David Bowie – revealing that he ‘broke down in tears’ when he first heard news of his death.

In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Gahan spoke of how he “grew up adoring and living vicariously through” Bowie, before getting to know him when their daughters attended the same school. When heard of Bowie’s death, he felt like he lost a “personal connection” – describing as a “a huge loss.”

“I had seen the news but it wasn’t until my wife told me he had died that I just broke down in tears,” Gahan said. “My daughter came out and they were both hugging me. It really affected me. I felt a huge gap. One of the things I was most regrettable about was that I had never really gone up to him at any time I’d seen him in passing and said, ‘You know, David, I bump into you every once in a while, but I’ve never told you how much your music has meant to me and continues to mean to me.'”

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When asked to compare their similarly cult following and admiration for albums such as ‘Violator’ and ‘Songs Of Faith and Devotion’, Gahan replied: “They were like what ‘Diamond Dogs’ and ‘Ziggy Stardust’ were to me, those albums where you sit in your bedroom wondering why you don’t fit in with the rest of the world.

“That’s what I was doing with David Bowie at that age. I had found somebody in him that I could understand, where I felt I was part of his world, when I felt alienated. And I think that’s why Depeche Mode appeals to a lot of people. Somehow it’s comforting, like, ‘You’re not alone.’ You’re not, of course. None of us are. But music is the thing that crosses all boundaries and brings odd people together.”

David Bowie and Dave Gahan
Getty

The band even performed a special David Bowie tribute concert at New York City’s High Line public park, in which they covered ‘Heroes’ and showcased their new album ‘Spirit’ – but are currently debating how to release the material.

“I was so moved, I barely held it together, to be honest,” said Gahan. “Martin listened to ‘Heroes’ once it was mixed and randomly told me, ‘Wow, that was really fucking good.’ And I said, ‘Yeah, it was, wasn’t it?'”

Last week the band confirm that their forthcoming LP ‘Spirit’ will be released on March 17, and was produced by Simian Mobile Disco’s James Ford. They also unveiled launch single ‘Where’s The Revolution’.

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Depeche Mode’s full upcoming 2017 tour dates are below – including a huge show at the London Stadium in the capital.

May 5 Stockholm, Sweden Friends Arena
May 7 Amsterdam, Netherlands Ziggo Dome
May 9 Antwerp, Belgium Sportpaleis
May 12 Nice, France Stade Charles-Ehrmann
May 14 Ljubljana, Slovenia Dvorana Stožice
May 17 Athens, Greece Terra Vibe Park
May 20 Bratislava, Slovakia Štadión Pasienky
May 22 Budapest, Hungary Groupama Aréna
May 24 Prague, Czech Republic Eden Aréna
May 27 Leipzig, Germany Festwiese
May 29 Lille, France Stade Pierre-Mauroy
May 31 Copenhagen, Denmark Telia Parken
June 3 London, United Kingdom London Stadium
June 5 Cologne, Germany RheinEnergieStadion
June 9 Munich, Germany Olympiastadion
June 11 Hannover, Germany HDI Arena
June 18 Zurich, Switzerland Letzigrund Stadion
June 20 Frankfurt, Germany Commerzbank-Arena
June 22 Berlin, Germany Olympiastadion
June 25 Rome, Italy Stadio Olimpico
June 27 Milan, Italy Stadio San Siro
June 29 Bologna, Italy Stadio Rentao Dall’Ara
July 1 Paris, France Stade de France
July 4 Gelsenkirchen, Germany Veltins-Arena
July 6 Bilbao, Spain BBK Live Festival
July 8 Lisbon, Portugal NOS Alive Festival
July 13 St. Petersburg, Russia SKK
July 15 Moscow, Russia Otkritie Arena
July 17 Minsk, Belarus Minsk-Arena
July 19 Kiev, Ukraine Olimpiyskiy National Sports Complex
July 21 Warsaw, Poland PGE Narodowy
July 23 Cluj-Napoca, Romania Cluj Arena

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