taken from Orkus, German music magazine #10, October 1998 by Charles Kinbote

It was almost a miracle that depeche mode was able to produce "Ultra" after their long and unhealthy devotional tour, but even a bigger miracle is, that Martin Gore, Dave Gahan and Andrew Fletcher go on tour again "in their navigable water" of "The Singles 86>98".

There`s no need to repeat it: After their devotional tour depeche mode was almost at their end like it was only possible, "without to burn wings". Their batteries were empty after living in hotels and busses for 14 months. Dave Gahan nearly died on his way to hospital in LA because of heroin. The cool and calculated businessman Andy Fletcher had a nervous breakdown and missed the last gigs of the tour in America. Martin Gore also collapsed two times because of stress and Alan Wilder even left the band. And then they produced "Ultra", what even their greatest fans haven`t had hoped for. The co-operation with Tim Simenon even expanded the musical repertoire with some sounds, so that Alan`s leaving was more seen as an "evolution step". But nobody wondered, that they didn`t want to go on tour again when they released Ultra. There was full comprehension/sympathy, that they didn`t want to expose to all the enticements and seductions which they weren`t able to resist at their last tour. So it`s now more than a surprise, that they are on tour again - first only "for a short trip" from September till Christmas in Europe (wrong!!!) and after that not for a long time in the USA. To explain this change we met Martin Gore and Andy Fletcher in a luxury hotel in London. Latest after their famous USA-orgy with their party friends from Primal Scream in "before program" (??) both of they know, how it is to be pulled as a head waiter of excesses in the "rumours kitchen". This time it`s for sure that every customs officer will have a keen look into their luggage, and not to talk about the paparazzi who will "burrow in their litter". "Ah, it`s only half worse", said Andy Fletcher calmly. "The thing of this talk is, that these stories are true. They aren`t lies", Martin Gore said. "Unfortunately this country is totally obsessed of boulevard-media. And if you are in it, you stay there for a while. The stories will certainly be repeated some times." Andy Fletcher added, "The strange thing is, that we, who think that these incidents are totally horrible now(adays), profit of it at least. As brutal as it may sound, but our career has profit of it enormously I think. I am convinced, that the demand of us, which still exists, has got a lot to do with this wilderness and stories. Have a look at the Rolling Stones! They are still living on, when they can`t show a more ordinary image, of an image, which may have fitted 20 years ago. This deepens a mythos of a band, makes them more exciting." With the pragmatical thesis Andy Fletcher sells his combo and the continuous respect of their "audiance/fans" certainly too cheap. "The Singles 86>98" consists of the chronological succession of, well, their singles of the last 12 years - including the title "little 15" which was only released as 12" in France and "everything counts" (live version taken from 101). Even because of this strict chronological succession on this double-CD it is shown, how the songs of DM have become more and more interesting over the years. The arrangements got tightened and more subtle, Gahan`s singing found a stronger expression, and the actual songs got more efficient on their walking of the narrow path between draught and pop-ear-wig. Corresponding DM is not only mentioned from a lot American "house-artists" as a pregnant influence, but they also convince fans like from Portishead with their strong atmosphere of music. So it almost sounds heretical, if Fletch says, that the fact, that 10 days before they started their tour almost every concert in Europe is sold out, had got something to do with their famous-notorious image. Martin: "It`s really a great feeling, when you return after five years, and the tickets are still bought. Even now, at a time, when the interest in live-acts is reduced everywhere." Fletch: "Of course we are telling nobody, that we bought all tickets by ourselves! In reality we are playing in empty halls. This has the great advantage, that we can save the practice!!"
Nevertheless the release of "the singles..." brought up some rumours. It`s certainly no wonder; these kind of collections usually appear, when a band wants to quit soon and want to make their last profit. So why - is it yet a swan song? "There were just enough single-hits for a double-CD", explains Martin Gore. "And so we thought it`s the right moment to release a single-collection. We could have already done it in 1990 again, but this would have been to close to "101". There was a live-CD after SOFAD, so it didn`t work again. Now everything`s perfect!" There`s a new song on the double-CD, "Only When I Lose Myself". Is this a remainder of your "Ultra-sessions" or anything new? "The song was especially written for the double-CD", Martin explains. "Actually there are three new songs, recorded again with Tim Simenon. You can find them on the single-CD, but we consider them as an EP". The second song "Surrender" is in its lyrics-topic similar to "OWILM". "The songs are similar", nods Gore. "I just write a lot about relations. After all there is something, which is close to me". A lot of times artists feel embarrassing to hear stuff, which they did 12 years ago. But which songs can`t stand Martin Gore nowadays? "None! But this is a matter of luck. The last song of our first single-collection was "it`s called a heart" - this was our last song, which I didn`t like. 'Stripped' is something like a moment, in which we grew up". So you can say, that "singles" won`t be your last album? "Well", replies Gore almost "sickly", "we have already released a singles-collection and continued after it for some years." Okay - but the step back from the studio onto the stage could change a lot again. Indeed it sounds like craziness to go back on tour if you look at their last one. After asking this question Fletch and Martin started to laugh out load. But they also sound a bit unsure. "Yes, we are nervous", explains Fletch. "Very nervous. But in my view it`s good to be nervous. But we did some safety measures. We won`t go on tour so long. For now it`s only till Christmas. Last time it wasn`t the journey we had problems with, but endlessness. We had the feeling, that we have to live in busses for the rest of our lives! And we also live more healthy (food) at the moment. This time we just want to have our fun on tour. And we won´t turn the drive into a whole party. Maybe this time we will even see something of the cities. This change has also got something to do with our fans. We have got a huge responsibility - not only for the people we work with. But also our fans. They bought their tickets a few months ago for expensive money. We guild them to present a great show every evening. It`s not that we didn`t do that last time, only that we nearly killed ourselves about 50 times last time." What will the program include this time? "Especially the singles, and 2-3 old songs", Martin answered. Is there a change in your presentation? Martin: "We have got a keyboarder, who replaces Alan, and a drummer. His name is Christian Eigner and comes from Austria. He`s incredible tough and compact, he also uses a lot of samples. The effect is really interesting. This refreshes the songs." Does Dave feel well? "Fantastic", smiles Fletch. "He has just returned from New York, we went to the practical room and he immediately started to sing, he could do every track, fantastic!". Martin adds:"This time we are also using live-computers, so that we can change the program during a gig, if we want. There`s even the opportunity to expand a song as much as we want. It`s not that we will do that very often, but the opportunity is there". It`s really great to see, that the tribute-album was sold well in Germany and even America. "It`s the greatest compliment, a song writer can get!", says Gore. "This time we really like the results, comparing to some former tribute-CDs. We had got nothing to do with that CD, the idea came up from a friend from LA. He informed us there and then, sent the tapes to us, and he would have stopped several tracks if we hadn`t liked them. But that wasn`t necessary. It`s a great feeling, to recognise, that my songs sound like something not only with a computer. The biggest surprise for me was this lounge-version of "master and servant" by Locust. Great stuff!" And what are your plans after the tour? Martin:"There are no plans for next year. Really nothing. That`s the way we work."