Very sad news to pass along on this Thursday (May 26), as Andy Fletcher, keyboardist and founding member of legendary electronic-pop group Depeche Mode, has died. He was 60.
The news was confirmed by the band’s official Twitter account, though no cause of death was made public.
Depeche Mode’s statement reads: “We are shocked and filled with overwhelming sadness with the untimely passing of our dear friend, family member, and bandmate Andy ‘Fletch’ Fletcher. Fletch had a true heart of gold and was always there when you needed support, a lively conversation, a good laugh, or a cold pint. Our hearts are with his family, and we ask that you keep them in your thoughts and respect their privacy in this difficult time.”
Fletcher helped form Depeche Mode out of England in the early ’80s, and with Martin Gore and David Gahan — as well as former members Alan Wilder and Vince Clarke — would go on to become one of the most iconic and influential electronic music bands in history, selling more than 100 million records around the world.
Their 1990 LP Violator is considered one of the greatest albums of all time, and through decades of music Depeche Mode helped shape what is now considered modern synth-pop, influencing countless bands and artists. In 2020, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
“No, he wasn’t as flashy or flamboyant as Dave Gahan reveling in the frontman spotlight, nor did he have the distinction of being the primary songwriter of timeless compositions like Martin Gore, but make no mistake, Andy Fletcher’s role in Depeche Mode was just as essential; in fact, if it wasn’t for him, the band would have disintegrated long ago,” says Vanyaland Senior Writer Michael Christopher, who in December 2020 published Depeche Mode FAQ: All That’s Left to Know About the World’s Finest Synth-Pop Band. “The battles between Gore and Gahan needed an intermediary who was there from the beginning and it was Andy Fletcher who provided the voice of reason, the one that stressed the importance of the music above all the squabbling that was pointless at the end of the day. Cliché as it may sound, he really was the glue that held Depeche Mode together.”
RIP.
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Revisit Depeche Mode on Spotify below, as well as some of our favorite tracks from this immeasurable artist.
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