Andy Fletcher, one of the founding members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Depeche Mode, has died. The “premature moment” was announced through the band’s social media accounts, and the group claimed to be “surprised and full of overwhelming sadness” at the death of their bandmate. He was 60 years old.
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Fletcher, often known within the band and by fans as “Fletch”, was one of the three regular members of the synthesized rock band that led the charts since their formation in 1980. Although the creative core of Depeche Mode for most of his career he has been lead composer Martin Gore and leader Dave Gahan, Fletcher has been more of a useful player for the group over the years, filling the bass and synthesizer tasks as needed (especially live). ).
Fletcher also took on much of the band’s commercial and legal responsibilities, as the band had no official director until Jonathan Kessler officially signed with them in 1994. Following the departure of guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Alan Wilder in 1995. reduced Depeche Mode to a trio, Fletcher also gained greater importance as an intermediate and tiebreaker vote in effect between Gore and Gahan.
However, without an official instrumental designation within the band, and no songwriting credits on any of his albums, there was often speculation about the actual role of Fletcher in Depeche Mode (a half-hour YouTube video called “Just what exactly does Fletch do?” More than 143,000 views) and occasionally teased. Fletch himself took part in the joke over the years, saying in the 1989 documentary 101 that “Martin is the composer, Alan the good musician, Dave the vocalist … and I’m in charge.”
Fletcher, Gore, Gahan and original songwriter and keyboardist Vince Clarke formed Depeche Mode in Basildon, England in 1980, with Clarke leaving after the first album and being replaced by Wilder. The group quickly became one of the defining acts of the synth-pop era, with the effervescent hits of the UK “Just Can’t Get Enough”, “See You” and “Dreaming of Me”, before taking a darker twist after Clarke’s departure and finally conquering the American underground with tougher, more provocative-themed singles like “People Are People,” “Blasphemous Rumors,” and “Strangelove.”
The 1990 box office hit of Violator, and the accompanying crossovers around the world, “Personal Jesus” and “Enjoy the Silence” (the latter, the only hit of the Billboard Hot 100 group, reaching number 8), confirmed Depeche Mode as one of the largest in the world. acts of the pre-grunge alternative rock era. Their 1993 track, Songs of Faith and Devotion, debuted on both the Billboard 200 album charts and the UK official charts, and the group has reached the top 10 of both charts with each of their six releases. of LP since, most recently, Spirit of 2017. To this day they have remained one of the best live, playing in arenas and stadiums around the world, and an influence often cited in genre bands that go from high-pop to industrial and nu-metal. In 2020, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
In addition to his work at Depeche Mode, Fletcher briefly directed a British indie label Mute Records called Toast Hawaii, signing the electro-pop duo Client. He also spent time as a restaurateur, opening the Gascogne restaurant in the district of St. John’s Wood from London in the 90’s, and did some DJing, touring briefly in the mid 10’s.
“Fletch had a real heart of gold and was always there when you needed support, a lively conversation, a good laugh or a cold pint,” the band’s statement continues announcing his death. “Our hearts are with your family, and we ask that you keep them in your thoughts and respect their privacy at this difficult time.” See the full statement below.
pic.twitter.com/RlB7QM6ckW
– Depeche Mode (@depechemode) May 26, 2022