DEPECHE OLD
SIR JOE
Depeche Old? What’s that?
Well, during the late 1980s, I had the amazing opportunity to assist Giorgio Minale in managing the official Italian Depeche Mode fan club. This allowed me to meet the band on numerous occasions, whether it was in recording studios, hotels, or backstage areas.
Being able to not only immerse myself in their music but also catch a glimpse of their personal lives was an incredibly influential experience during my youth, and it sparked within me a desire to one day create a tribute album.
Well, that day has finally arrived, and although I will never come close to their level of expertise, I hope that my efforts will be appreciated.
Depeche Old is available on most streaming platforms except Amazon Music and Apple Music, for licencing reasons.
You can read how and why I started to make music on the page Sir Joe Music
DEPECHE OLD - SIR JOE
As I wrote in the description of the single release, I’m fully aware that the original title is “Fly on the Windscreen”, but I decided to change it slightly to reflect what is actually said in the lyrics.
The original track is included in the immortal album ‘Black Celebration’, released in 1986.
It took me some time to fully appreciate this song, but once it clicked, it quickly became one of my favorites by Depeche Mode.
Similar to “Fly on the Windscreen” on ‘Black Celebration’, it holds the second spot on their album ‘Ultra,’ which was released back in 1997.
When I first listened to the original track by ‘Sparks,’ I never imagined that someone would eventually create an even better version of it. However, Martin Gode managed to accomplish just that!
So, my cover isn’t based on the original as a reference, but rather on Martin’s exceptional rendition from his ‘Counterfeit EP’ album, which was released in 1989.
There have been numerous versions of this song that have been released, but you know what? My favorite is Martin Gore’s rendition!
It’s not an easy track to sing because it requires a lot of emotional involvement, but I think I did a decent job.
I must have an obsession for the second track in depeche Mode’s albums, since here we have another example, taken from the album ‘Some Great Reward’ (1984).
I’m quite happy with the singing, but when it comes to the instrumental elements, now I believe I could have made better choices.
The fact that such a great song did not make it into ‘Violator’ but was only released as a B side is proof of the magnificence of that album!
Playing and singing it for Depeche Old was a real joy.
I have to admit that I was really scared to sing it, and even after finishing the song, I wasn’t sure if I should include it in the album. However, when I tested it out with some friends before releasing it, they almost unanimously praised it as my best vocal performance and their favorite song on the album.
This just goes to show (not that I needed any more evidence) that I’m terrible at judging my own work and giving it a rating.