I see there are some doubts as to the authenticity of this demo. It was written and recorded by Vince Clarke. Anyone who knows anything about VC knows about this song.
@bodydave And if the words of Clarke and Miller, combined with the simple facts of what equipment they were using to produce certain sounds and the fact that those sounds are on this demo, isn't enough to convince you of the reality of all this, then I suspect nothing I say ever will, so I'll just leave it at that.
@bodydave … and if we move on to synths - both sounds and playing style - it's also clear that this isn't even an early DM recording, it's most likely from after Speak & Spell, probably 1982 or very late 1981 at the earliest, supported by the fact that Vince sings lead. It isn't impossible that DM recorded this demo in a studio before or during S&S, however unlikely it may be, but it is impossible for this to be a CoS recording from like half a year before they started working with Miller.
@bodydave … and by the time the band started recording with Miller at the end of 1980 they'd been DM for months, and since this demo has the DM drum sounds too, it really couldn't have been made before the end of 1980, hence this recording isn't a CoS recording …
@bodydave Don't take my word for it, take Miller's (youtube.com/watch?v=DA_HLtD2oLU). At 03:35 Miller explains that until DM worked with him they hadn't even used a sequencer before, and it was his ARP 2600 that was used for most of the sounds on the Speak & Spell recordings, and that includes the bass drum that sounds nothing like the KR-55 bassdrum (it's a resonant lo-cut filter closing quickly produced with an analogue synth, and not a preset drum sound in a drum machine) …
@bodydave Don't take my word for it, take Vince's (youtube.com/watch?v=DA_HLtD2oLU). At 02:23 Vince shows you DM's own simple drum machine that they used at home and live, and it's not the Korg KR-55 used later on on the official DM recordings as well as this demo. And even if they'd bought/borrowed/rented a KR-55 for the demo session the bass drum isn't the one used on the demo or the official recordings, that's a synced/sequenced analogue synth sound and not a drum machine.
Hmmm, 2:02 doesn't quite make sense. To my understanding, dave was NEVER a part of COS because the first thing he did when joining fletch and martin was to rename it Depeche Mode. But, thanks so much for uploading this rare, beautiful glimpse into pre-depeche music. The song is beautiful, and the pics of the young band members are a nice, rare addition.
This is a pretty decent fake actually. And had it been presented as a Yazoo/Vince Clarke demo from 1982–1983 it would have been quite convincing, but as a CoS/DM demo from 1980–1981 it's definitely a no go – it just doesn't add up, if you truly know their sound and equipment from back then. But at least these guys made an effort to use almost the right sounds/equipment. ;-)
@bodydave CoS was formed in March 1980, and DM performed their first gig in May 1980. CoS only existed for 2–3 months early 1980, and at first they were still using guitars, while this is an all electronic recording. So according to you they dropped their guitars and pretty instantly went on to record this. I doubt that. Why? Read on …
@bodydave Martin has stated in interviews that when he bought his first synth it actually took him a while to understand that he could even change the sounds on it. And programming decent sounds takes most users a while to learn, but this recording has a fairly developed sound with several different synth sounds combined. Therefore I doubt this recording was made like one month (or so) after Martin and (especially) Fletch bought their synths.
@bodydave Supposedly Photographic (Some Bizarre version) was the bands first studio recording, and that came later on in 1980 when they were DM, but sure let's say that maybe this is just a home recording … even though it sure sounds like a multitrack recording. But fine, let's say they had also bought themselves a decent multitrack recording device. …
@bodydave Also the demo features at least one reverb effect so they must have bought a reverb as well then, but what the heck, let's say they did, as well as some sort of mixer of course. They were dirt poor back then, and equipment was expensive, but maybe they just borrowed the money or the equipment, or rented it. Fine. But this recording features drums sounding like the Some Bizarre/Speak & Spell stuff, and synth sounds sounding much more like the Yazoo stuff from 1982 than DM. …
@bodydave The Bridgehouse live is from October 1980 and it sounds nothing like this – neither drums or synth sounds, or arrangements, or the style of music even. So if they (or Vince himself) were able to record, arrange, produce and mix this demo all by themselves back when they were still CoS and seriously wet behind the ears, then what the hell caused them to regress so that they like six months later on sounded a lot worse on the Bridgehouse live? I don't get it. …
@bodydave So, like I said, I have no problem believing that this is a Vince demo from 1981–1982, but it just doesn't add up as a CoS demo from March–May 1980. It doesn't even make a lot of sense as a DM demo from later on in 1980, in my opinion. Unless maybe Vince did this all himself (in some sort of studio though obviously) and the band didn't like it, and then he returned to this sound after leaving DM. Maybe. But not Cos early 1980. Sorry. Not unless I hear it from Vince himself. ;-)
@kellerman1138 If you look up the video titled "Depeche Mode - 20th Century Box - 1981 (Let's get together).avi" and watch the first minute of it, you'll see that Depeche Mode is performing Let's Get Together in a studio. So, maybe this song isn't from 1980 and by Composition of Sound, but it might actually be a Depeche Mode song from 1981...
@CiCiSariego If it's a DM demo from 1981, why isn't Dave singing? And why does it sound more like a Yazoo demo than a DM demo? I'll place this recording (as opposed to the song itself) in 1982, as a studio recorded Vince Clarke demo after leaving DM at the end of 1981. That makes perfect sense judging by the sounds and style of playing. It's far less likely to be a DM recording from 1981, and a total no-go as a CoS recording from 1980.
@bodydave Martin's demos are crude home recordings, this is a multi-channel studio demo, complete with outboard effects, and there's no way this was recorded at home in 1980, or even 1981. Also, the bass drum is generated with Miller's ARP 2600 like for the entire Speak & Spell album, and it wasn't until they teamed up with Miller that they had that drum sound (The Korg KR-55 disco preset patterns combined with the ARP 2600 bssdrum). And by then they were DM. Again, old song, less old recording.
@bodydave Exactly. It's a multitrack studio recording involving other people and instruments Vince didn't own and know how to operate back then, and if he would have been in the studio like that back then, with help from the record label, it would have been very weird indeed if the rest of the band wasn't involved, and if they are it would have been very weird if Vince did the vocals on that kind of demo (unlike if it was a home recording).
@bodydave Officially the band's first studio recording was Photographic for the Bizarre comp, and that's the first time they worked with Miller and found their (first version of their) Speak & Spell sound (as opposed to the sound they had before that, at least up until the Bridgehouse gig in October 1980, when they had been DM for months), but you are maintaining this recording (as opposed to the song) precedes that and is in fact CoS … and I'm saying all evidence clearly suggests otherwise.
@bodydave I'm really not talking about publication, I'm talking about the first studio session which was Photographic (bizarre) just before Dreaming of Me that was recorded in dec 1980, and also … I can assure that "discs" didn't enter into the equation in 1980.
@CiCiSariego Another rather important detail when listening to the demo … it's featuring polyphonic synth parts and polyphonic synth sounds (played ”monophonically” but with long release time that makes the notes overlap, which isn't possible using monophonic synths), and neither DM nor Vince/Yazoo started using polyphonic synths on their recordings until 1982 (even though certain polyphonic synths were in fact around before that).
@kellerman1138 It is not a fake, even an "old" documentary had a soundbite of that in it. And also there is a video of Dave singing some of it too, and I saw it youtube. So you are a bit wrong with your comment.
@MrWolverineDK The song is written by Vince, and originally predates DM. I'm saying this recording isn't CoS (or even DM) in 1980 as the title says, and that makes it a fake in that respect. Listen to the song on the DM video (youtube.com/watch?v=b0iuADk_w80) and you'll hear it sounds nowhere near as refined as this recording, even in 1981! This is most likely a Vince Clarke demo, from after he left DM – possibly very late 1981, but probably 1982. See also: terra.es/personal/medusa/boot.htm
@bodydave You are welcome, but at the same time. I stand corrected, if it is " fake" (which I doubt). Cause why would a documentary (shown on television too) have the song in it, if it was a fake ? Since then the video with Dave singing the song (on youtube) would be fake too. So I stand on my original post, it is not a fake in the sense, as a fake demo or a fake song. Cause fake DM songs, I know a few off, where some of them were Red Flag songs, and others were Colour Theory.
WOW..From before DM even were formed i never heard this one before..Great it should be released on a Cd or at least be remastered that would be fantastic...THANKX!!
1) I must say, while this sounds like a very early DM trademark, especially concerning 1980 alright, but I truly doubt it's done as Composition of Sound. For years now, "Let's Get Together" has been circling around since Napster as a COS track. DM were the first such incarnation that actually started recording demos with synths, all previous variations - No Romance In China, Norman & the Dwarves and among these, also Composition of Sound - might have had some gigs...
2) ... but apart from writing songs at that point, I don't think any of these early incarnations were actually recorded in any form, before DM actually came to spotlight. "Let's Get Together" does contain a typical 1981-ish "Speak And Spell" era synthdrum in the mix, but altogether sounds far more like someone (Vince? or someone pretending to be Vince?) demoing either for Yazoo (or even Erasure - although the latter's just a guess).
In March 1980, when this song sounded some young homosexuals suffered a strange pneumonia. Who would think that within 15 months would form part of the first report of a rare immunosuppressive.
This is really interesting for Depeche and synthpop fans. Thanks for posting it! Dave looks like Shia LeBeouf, and the rest of the guys look really young!!!
I see there are some doubts as to the authenticity of this demo. It was written and recorded by Vince Clarke. Anyone who knows anything about VC knows about this song.
abstractionmusic 5 days ago
This made cry. Really.
alienada81 1 week ago 2
@bodydave And if the words of Clarke and Miller, combined with the simple facts of what equipment they were using to produce certain sounds and the fact that those sounds are on this demo, isn't enough to convince you of the reality of all this, then I suspect nothing I say ever will, so I'll just leave it at that.
kellerman1138 4 weeks ago
@kellerman1138 say a draw
bodydave 4 weeks ago
@bodydave … and if we move on to synths - both sounds and playing style - it's also clear that this isn't even an early DM recording, it's most likely from after Speak & Spell, probably 1982 or very late 1981 at the earliest, supported by the fact that Vince sings lead. It isn't impossible that DM recorded this demo in a studio before or during S&S, however unlikely it may be, but it is impossible for this to be a CoS recording from like half a year before they started working with Miller.
kellerman1138 4 weeks ago
@bodydave … and by the time the band started recording with Miller at the end of 1980 they'd been DM for months, and since this demo has the DM drum sounds too, it really couldn't have been made before the end of 1980, hence this recording isn't a CoS recording …
kellerman1138 4 weeks ago
@bodydave Don't take my word for it, take Miller's (youtube.com/watch?v=DA_HLtD2oLU). At 03:35 Miller explains that until DM worked with him they hadn't even used a sequencer before, and it was his ARP 2600 that was used for most of the sounds on the Speak & Spell recordings, and that includes the bass drum that sounds nothing like the KR-55 bassdrum (it's a resonant lo-cut filter closing quickly produced with an analogue synth, and not a preset drum sound in a drum machine) …
kellerman1138 4 weeks ago
@bodydave Don't take my word for it, take Vince's (youtube.com/watch?v=DA_HLtD2oLU). At 02:23 Vince shows you DM's own simple drum machine that they used at home and live, and it's not the Korg KR-55 used later on on the official DM recordings as well as this demo. And even if they'd bought/borrowed/rented a KR-55 for the demo session the bass drum isn't the one used on the demo or the official recordings, that's a synced/sequenced analogue synth sound and not a drum machine.
kellerman1138 4 weeks ago
Hmmm, 2:02 doesn't quite make sense. To my understanding, dave was NEVER a part of COS because the first thing he did when joining fletch and martin was to rename it Depeche Mode. But, thanks so much for uploading this rare, beautiful glimpse into pre-depeche music. The song is beautiful, and the pics of the young band members are a nice, rare addition.
ludvanbeethoven1 4 weeks ago
@ludvanbeethoven1 What with you as Dave was not in COS?
and in the biographies they write something else probably wrong.
bodydave 4 weeks ago
@bodydave No, Ive heard martin say it too, that COS was prior to dave joining them.
ludvanbeethoven1 4 weeks ago
This is a pretty decent fake actually. And had it been presented as a Yazoo/Vince Clarke demo from 1982–1983 it would have been quite convincing, but as a CoS/DM demo from 1980–1981 it's definitely a no go – it just doesn't add up, if you truly know their sound and equipment from back then. But at least these guys made an effort to use almost the right sounds/equipment. ;-)
kellerman1138 1 month ago
@kellerman1138 :It is 100% original. You are wrong.
bodydave 1 month ago
@bodydave CoS was formed in March 1980, and DM performed their first gig in May 1980. CoS only existed for 2–3 months early 1980, and at first they were still using guitars, while this is an all electronic recording. So according to you they dropped their guitars and pretty instantly went on to record this. I doubt that. Why? Read on …
kellerman1138 1 month ago
@bodydave Martin has stated in interviews that when he bought his first synth it actually took him a while to understand that he could even change the sounds on it. And programming decent sounds takes most users a while to learn, but this recording has a fairly developed sound with several different synth sounds combined. Therefore I doubt this recording was made like one month (or so) after Martin and (especially) Fletch bought their synths.
kellerman1138 1 month ago
@bodydave Supposedly Photographic (Some Bizarre version) was the bands first studio recording, and that came later on in 1980 when they were DM, but sure let's say that maybe this is just a home recording … even though it sure sounds like a multitrack recording. But fine, let's say they had also bought themselves a decent multitrack recording device. …
kellerman1138 1 month ago
@bodydave Also the demo features at least one reverb effect so they must have bought a reverb as well then, but what the heck, let's say they did, as well as some sort of mixer of course. They were dirt poor back then, and equipment was expensive, but maybe they just borrowed the money or the equipment, or rented it. Fine. But this recording features drums sounding like the Some Bizarre/Speak & Spell stuff, and synth sounds sounding much more like the Yazoo stuff from 1982 than DM. …
kellerman1138 1 month ago
@bodydave The Bridgehouse live is from October 1980 and it sounds nothing like this – neither drums or synth sounds, or arrangements, or the style of music even. So if they (or Vince himself) were able to record, arrange, produce and mix this demo all by themselves back when they were still CoS and seriously wet behind the ears, then what the hell caused them to regress so that they like six months later on sounded a lot worse on the Bridgehouse live? I don't get it. …
kellerman1138 1 month ago
@bodydave So, like I said, I have no problem believing that this is a Vince demo from 1981–1982, but it just doesn't add up as a CoS demo from March–May 1980. It doesn't even make a lot of sense as a DM demo from later on in 1980, in my opinion. Unless maybe Vince did this all himself (in some sort of studio though obviously) and the band didn't like it, and then he returned to this sound after leaving DM. Maybe. But not Cos early 1980. Sorry. Not unless I hear it from Vince himself. ;-)
kellerman1138 1 month ago
@kellerman1138 If you look up the video titled "Depeche Mode - 20th Century Box - 1981 (Let's get together).avi" and watch the first minute of it, you'll see that Depeche Mode is performing Let's Get Together in a studio. So, maybe this song isn't from 1980 and by Composition of Sound, but it might actually be a Depeche Mode song from 1981...
CiCiSariego 1 month ago
@CiCiSariego exactly because COS and DM is the same
bodydave 1 month ago
@bodydave Not really, no.
kellerman1138 1 month ago
@CiCiSariego If it's a DM demo from 1981, why isn't Dave singing? And why does it sound more like a Yazoo demo than a DM demo? I'll place this recording (as opposed to the song itself) in 1982, as a studio recorded Vince Clarke demo after leaving DM at the end of 1981. That makes perfect sense judging by the sounds and style of playing. It's far less likely to be a DM recording from 1981, and a total no-go as a CoS recording from 1980.
kellerman1138 1 month ago
@kellerman1138 99% DM demo Gore always performed
and as we know Clark was the author of most of the songs so we have the answer
bodydave 4 weeks ago
@bodydave Martin's demos are crude home recordings, this is a multi-channel studio demo, complete with outboard effects, and there's no way this was recorded at home in 1980, or even 1981. Also, the bass drum is generated with Miller's ARP 2600 like for the entire Speak & Spell album, and it wasn't until they teamed up with Miller that they had that drum sound (The Korg KR-55 disco preset patterns combined with the ARP 2600 bssdrum). And by then they were DM. Again, old song, less old recording.
kellerman1138 4 weeks ago
@kellerman1138 but this is not a home demo of Martin
bodydave 4 weeks ago
@bodydave Exactly. It's a multitrack studio recording involving other people and instruments Vince didn't own and know how to operate back then, and if he would have been in the studio like that back then, with help from the record label, it would have been very weird indeed if the rest of the band wasn't involved, and if they are it would have been very weird if Vince did the vocals on that kind of demo (unlike if it was a home recording).
kellerman1138 4 weeks ago
@bodydave Officially the band's first studio recording was Photographic for the Bizarre comp, and that's the first time they worked with Miller and found their (first version of their) Speak & Spell sound (as opposed to the sound they had before that, at least up until the Bridgehouse gig in October 1980, when they had been DM for months), but you are maintaining this recording (as opposed to the song) precedes that and is in fact CoS … and I'm saying all evidence clearly suggests otherwise.
kellerman1138 4 weeks ago
@kellerman1138 u talking about the official publication,
and that the disc you send to the record label which is called "demo tape"
bodydave 4 weeks ago
@bodydave I'm really not talking about publication, I'm talking about the first studio session which was Photographic (bizarre) just before Dreaming of Me that was recorded in dec 1980, and also … I can assure that "discs" didn't enter into the equation in 1980.
kellerman1138 4 weeks ago
@kellerman1138 these recordings are some of the vocals Vince and Dave
bodydave 4 weeks ago
@CiCiSariego Another rather important detail when listening to the demo … it's featuring polyphonic synth parts and polyphonic synth sounds (played ”monophonically” but with long release time that makes the notes overlap, which isn't possible using monophonic synths), and neither DM nor Vince/Yazoo started using polyphonic synths on their recordings until 1982 (even though certain polyphonic synths were in fact around before that).
kellerman1138 1 month ago
@CiCiSariego Wow! That century box video is amazing by the way! Big thanks for that link.:-)
kellerman1138 1 month ago
@kellerman1138 It is not a fake, even an "old" documentary had a soundbite of that in it. And also there is a video of Dave singing some of it too, and I saw it youtube. So you are a bit wrong with your comment.
MrWolverineDK 1 month ago
@MrWolverineDK The song is written by Vince, and originally predates DM. I'm saying this recording isn't CoS (or even DM) in 1980 as the title says, and that makes it a fake in that respect. Listen to the song on the DM video (youtube.com/watch?v=b0iuADk_w80) and you'll hear it sounds nowhere near as refined as this recording, even in 1981! This is most likely a Vince Clarke demo, from after he left DM – possibly very late 1981, but probably 1982. See also: terra.es/personal/medusa/boot.htm
kellerman1138 1 month ago
@MrWolverineDK thanks man
bodydave 4 weeks ago
@bodydave You are welcome, but at the same time. I stand corrected, if it is " fake" (which I doubt). Cause why would a documentary (shown on television too) have the song in it, if it was a fake ? Since then the video with Dave singing the song (on youtube) would be fake too. So I stand on my original post, it is not a fake in the sense, as a fake demo or a fake song. Cause fake DM songs, I know a few off, where some of them were Red Flag songs, and others were Colour Theory.
MrWolverineDK 4 weeks ago
@MrWolverineDK exactly
bodydave 4 weeks ago
WOW..From before DM even were formed i never heard this one before..Great it should be released on a Cd or at least be remastered that would be fantastic...THANKX!!
Killerdillerboy 1 month ago
I love DM but I have to admit it.....this sounds awful
khyron62 1 month ago
ok i have to say depeche mode was a brilliant change name from the 80's composition of sound!
casablanca4381 2 months ago
Сразу понятно,музыка Винса Кларка))))
dimaoliver1 2 months ago
O_O my god! great photos, great pictures, nice song n_n♫
PabloAcostaDM 2 months ago in playlist Liked videos
1) I must say, while this sounds like a very early DM trademark, especially concerning 1980 alright, but I truly doubt it's done as Composition of Sound. For years now, "Let's Get Together" has been circling around since Napster as a COS track. DM were the first such incarnation that actually started recording demos with synths, all previous variations - No Romance In China, Norman & the Dwarves and among these, also Composition of Sound - might have had some gigs...
antunivanovic 3 months ago
2) ... but apart from writing songs at that point, I don't think any of these early incarnations were actually recorded in any form, before DM actually came to spotlight. "Let's Get Together" does contain a typical 1981-ish "Speak And Spell" era synthdrum in the mix, but altogether sounds far more like someone (Vince? or someone pretending to be Vince?) demoing either for Yazoo (or even Erasure - although the latter's just a guess).
antunivanovic 3 months ago
Comment removed
antunivanovic 3 months ago
I think that it's the first time than a hear Vince signing.
russolo 3 months ago
@russolo Vince sang on "Happy People" of his Yazoo project. Thankfully that was the only time on a commercial release ;)...
Lofote 3 months ago
In March 1980, when this song sounded some young homosexuals suffered a strange pneumonia. Who would think that within 15 months would form part of the first report of a rare immunosuppressive.
MIGUELSAGITTA 4 months ago
Depeche mode is the best band ever
julianchan 4 months ago
DM is still going strong!!
kevystead 5 months ago
awesome collection of images-- thanks for sharing this vintage gem!
chrometoaster 6 months ago
Dave the punk is awesome!!
bertuzzoshi 6 months ago
this is a classic!!
anysecondnow81 8 months ago 5
The old photos are awesome !!!!! phenomenal, what happened to the guys, the best band of all time !!!!! I love DEPECHE MODE :-)))) Enjoy Holger
Devotee84 8 months ago 6
@Devotee84 tillmaking the best music ever!!!DM forever!!:)
casablanca4381 2 months ago
@Devotee84 STILL GOING STRONG!!!:) MY FRIEND
casablanca4381 1 month ago
@casablanca4381 LOOK AT YOU! YOUR EVERYWHERE ;-P AND SO TRUE ON WHAT YOU SAID "STILL GOING STRONG" NOW THIS GIRL KNOWS WHAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT ;-)
NITZERMODE13 1 month ago
@NITZERMODE13 HEY THANKS !!!:)
casablanca4381 1 month ago
This is really interesting for Depeche and synthpop fans. Thanks for posting it! Dave looks like Shia LeBeouf, and the rest of the guys look really young!!!
JackOfferlott 10 months ago 2