Way back when Gahan, Gore, Fletcher, Wilder and Clarke popped out of the womb I was Depeche Mode's first and foremost biggest fan. I had eaten a lot and people didn't really care if you had a few extra pounds then. But I could see that glimmer in their baby eyes that they would go on to produce music I would take to my grave and would take a mountain of Bruce Lee's to pry my own powerful magic tiger death grip from. So much for the beginning.
So here we are now. The band split, at least that's how I felt when Wilder left, and things have changed a lot. We have quite a bit of catalogue or so it seems depending on your perspective. If you're one of those guys who like things strictly by the album version then you are really only looking at what, 8 records tops? If you're one of those freaks who think one more added beat to one slight phrase in any of their songs constitutes a new song then stop what you're doing and start working on the largest music catalogue known to man. I'm not that former guy. I LOVE the originals. I'm not saying the remixes are bad in any way. I'm particularly fond of the 'Enya' mix of 'Sea of Sin', but I'll take a live version of any of their songs over some lengthy remix any day. I don't like 100 extra repetitions of a chord, verse, chorus or any overdubbing by the latest 'hip' whoever that isn't one of the original band members. Maybe if Vince Clarke did a remix I'd give it a listen, otherwise keep YOUR GRUBBY REMIXING PAWS OFF MY MODE!!!!!
So why am I here? One reason alone: 'Enjoy the Silence'. Like any longtime fan I have all this stuff aside from new remixes but what I don't have and have always wanted was a slim version of Enjoy the Silence. Yeah, I get the 'crucified' bit is artsy and whatnot, but when it gets to that point the real song is over (in my opinion) and we're just hearing transition. Good for full album listening but when I've got a single in a mix on my iPod I don't want the extra 1:20 seconds or so eating my time. I can get to the grocery store, drop off the dry cleaning, get the car washed, get in a quick workout and have time for lunch with that extra minute plus. Well, maybe not, but you get the idea. I've lived with the 6+ minute version for half a life time but the future is here today. A car flew by my window! Mind you, I live near a race track and things get hairy. Anyway, got the track, I'm a happy boy, thanks DM's record company (because anyone with brains knows DM had little or nothing to do with this milking of DM fan dollars).
So, to the complainers here's a clue, blue. Get your tail to the local library, pick up a copy of any Depeche Mode you can grab, burn it to your system and you'll have all this stuff for free. "Catching up with" "Black Celebration" "Music for the Masses" and "Violator" will get you quite a bit of mileage. The singles sets aren't bad either. You won't get EVERYTHING that way but you'll have plenty enough. After you rip them off wholesale do the band a favor and spend a buck for a single here and there on iTunes. They've definitely earned it.