Dave Gahan (Depeche Mode): sins and purification

The book by Trevor Baker which the publisher Il Castello publishes in an Italian edition for the Chinaski Edizioni series (312 pages, 19 euros) is simply titled “Dave Gahan” (with the subtitle “Depeche Mode and beyond”). The author – who already has books on Thom Yorke and Richard Ashcroft to his credit – recounts the life of the Depeche Mode frontman from childhood until 2009, the year in which the original edition of this book was released, which for Italian edition has been updated to the present by Federico Francesco Falco. We asked him for a profile of Gahan which we publish below, exclusively for Rockol.

Dave Gahan and that train traveling to the tombstone that barely reached its destination

Dave Gahan’s existence is a path made of sins and purification, of microphones turned off and then suddenly turned back on, of inevitable arguments that have sacrificed bonds in order to keep the creative flame of Depeche Mode alive. A fire that, in over four decades, has illuminated – and sometimes burned – not only professionals, but also Dave himself. After reinventing the style of synth pop until the early ’90s, it was Gahan who fell under the weight of excess during the “Devotional Tour”.

That show, of a lustful and almost mystical nature, transformed Dave into a medium capable of absorbing the influences and dramas of alternative rock frontmen, processing them into ritual dances compatible with his shamanic style. His stage presence drew as much from David Bowie as Jim Morrison, but drew even deeper from his subconscious. In just a few years, Gahan transformed from an introverted figure, from a glossy boyband magazine, to a wild and mystical entity, embodying a magnetic sensuality on stage.

An overdose of speedball was about to hook him to the heart, with the speed of a scythe on a train driven by the black lady. However, the stop had not yet come for “The Cat” – as the paramedics who saved his life nicknamed him. And the journey continued.

There are those who see in him “only” the charismatic megaphone of Depeche Mode, the perfect interpreter of Martin Gore’s sound scripts – almost a Mastroianni for Fellini. But others admired him in his solo career, in which he looked for blues and soul coordinates that fit him like a glove, just like his proverbial stage vest. In recent decades, Gahan has claimed more space as a songwriter in Depeche Mode, facing an existential journey towards narrative territories close to those of Nick Cave, while exploring the stormy and murky ballads of Mark Lanegan, his recent mentor.

Writing songs is just one of the challenges that have involved him in the present.

Gahan has rebuilt the complex relationships with the other members of the band several times, in a communication that was sometimes voiceless and made even more difficult by abandonments and deaths. It’s a “matter of time”: we get older, roles transform. Today Dave also takes on the role of family man and collaborates artistically with his children. He writes poems that combine with ambient carpets created by some collaborators, he has participated in soundtracks and told his life story in interviews full of fascinating details. In one of these, he revealed his shy admiration for Bowie, who he met outside the school their daughters attended, without ever finding the courage to speak to him.

It is no coincidence that it was his interpretation of “Heroes”, an iconic song by the White Duke, that introduced Dave to Martin Gore. That song, years later, closed (symbolically) the successful “Spirit” tour, tracing a perfect circle.

Sixty-two years lived intensely, almost half a century of career that deserve multiple narratives. For example, Trevor Baker’s volume represents an alternative angle on Gahan’s events, delicately placing itself on the frontman’s shoulders to recount his steps. I edited the Italian version of the work, adding an exclusive final chapter that narrates the last fifteen years of activity of what is, without a doubt, one of the best frontmen still active.

His journey continues: although the train continues to whistle, Gahan is still ahead of the scoreboards at every station.

Federico Francesco Falco