Alan Wilder left Depeche Mode back in June 1995. He went on to have a successful solo career under his "Recoil" alias. But why exactly did Alan decide to quit the music industry for good?
He was also involved in the Talk Talk tribute album back in 2012. I think he maybe called it a day as a lot of hard work and effort for very little reward with Recoil financially. And when he started to sell-up I thought the tour might have pushed him financially so decided to cut his loses and enjoy life (and wine). Although I did expect to see him in a producer role more, as a creative outlet and guaranteed pay cheque. I do hope he releases something new, but if he's happy with his life, leave him be.
@@tokyoskyline1752 Problem is that Alan said on numerous occasions that he doesn't like pop music. So we fans are deprived of Depeche Mode because on one hand, the Recoil albums are well produced but stuffed with non-catchy pads whilst, on the other hand and paradoxically enough, the remaining Depeche Mode haven't been able to release a « single » anymore since Alan left. If Recoil's albums sounded more on « The landscape is changing » and « Two minute warning » sides, i would have bought and cherished them as Depeche Mode classics.
I think he has a serious drinking problem. Otherwise he would continue a producer etc but not going totally reclusive which is typical behave of silent alcoholics.
Depeche Mode started and finished with Alan Wilder for me. That being said, Vince Clarke's importance in DM, Yazoo and Erasure amongst others cannot be overstated. Alan Wilder, if he has stopped music creation is a huge loss. I was holding out for him to appear on motion picture soundtracks. His music would work so well in Hollywood. Hollywood, cross his palm with silver and let the world hear his genius, please.
I really see depeche mode and vince clarke years as separate entities for me the sound of Depeche mode is martin gore Towing the line between synth pop and rock exploring dark and sensitive subjects.
At some point all of us who knew DM and Alan realized that Martin and Wilder were the yin yang… a total balance and perfect combination of pop and alternative… together they were perfect.
I met Alan about 8 years ago , I was still working in a restaurant business and he just walked in with his wife and baby for a lunch . I was of course dumbfounded. We had a little chat , as much as it was possible and one of phrases he jokingly said was something along these lines: music comes slow to me these days , I guess I am just a quite a lazy person 😀. He came across as a very nice person and indeed he was drinking red wine 🍷🍷🍷
When Alan joined the guys at the Royal Albert Hall, it was one of the most heartwarming events in music history... Not long ago he did the In Chains remix. We were all hopeful. Then something happens... Alan decided to sell the Depeche Mode relics/stuff because he can't finance anymore the lifestyle he was living. I heard that Martin didn't like that very much... After that, he released the "A Strange Hour In Budapest" (I live in this city, so I was very proud of it :)), and then he completely disappeared... :( I think he realized that he wouldn't be able to earn enough money from Recoil, and in return, the project would take a lot of time took away from his family. I will never forget when I was able to meet him backstage at the first Recoil concert in Budapest 2010. Alan & Paul came to the concert by car(!) from London, because the eruption of the volcano "Eyjafjallajökull" in Iceland caused a logistical nightmare... Anyway, Depeche Mode showed - ironically just after Alan's departure - that they can make an outstanding album even without him, if the production is in good hands (Tim Simenon). Unfortunately, none of the producers felt the potential in Martin's demos since then... Any hope of Alan returning after Andy's death was completely unrealistic. First of all, Andy had nothing to do musically with the production, so why would this have changed after his death? Second, we haven't seen any photos of Alan in over a decade (except for the one Vaughn talked about). Let us note and respect that he has fully retired. Maybe there's a small chance of a repeat of the magic of the Royal Albert Hall, so I can imagine Alan making a guest appearance once again...(?) But nothing more. It would also be amazing at least if you Vaughn could arrange an interview with Alan... :) I know a lot of people have said this before. But if many of us say this... :) By the way, what questions would you ask him?
Well said…but with regard to Alan’s financial situation, he still gets his 25% cut for his work during the Alan Wilder years. I think he is doing what some of us can only dream of. A life without having to work. Being retired and spending time with family. I think it is the touring aspect that is keeping Alan away. Some people are in the financial position to walk away from doing things they hate where creativity becomes a hobby not a job.
I‘ve met Alan two times and was able to speak with him on both occasions. The first time was in 2000 in Cologne when the gold award for the singles tour was presented to him. The second time was also in Cologne, this time during the strange hour live event. He was very kind and seemed to enjoy both events.
@@markhalpin9711 scoring any visual wether commercial or movies needs the upmost concentration, I’m working on one right now as I write to you, The calculations needed for say a 4 second segment can take many days , I believe Alan Wilder would be perfect for that
Alan Wilder has always been someone i really deeply care for and i just don't know why i feel this way. Like… an old friend who you just want to see happy and succeeding because you KNOW how much of a talent he has and how much he deserves to get the praise and respect for what he achieved. This man's deep understanding of Music and also the tech-nerd side of him is what i always loved the most. And especially his calm and down to earth personality. I haven't even met him in RL personally yet and yet i miss him and care for him a lot as if we're close friends :( I know it sounds weird… But that's just how it is. Best wishes from Germany.
He smiled at me once at his Recoil concert and I didn't even appreciate it ugh. Now I'm crazy about him and I regret not getting his autograph or something lol
I miss Alan, he WAS Depeche Mode. He can do whatever he wants to do to make him happy with his family and kids. I just hope he is doing well financially and happy. He deserves it for what he gave to the fans.
I want to thank all of you here who share their stories of encounters they had with Alan. Every single one of them is really lovely to read and makes my heart smile.
Alan was a hardworking artist , he used to stay in the studio late night until 4 AM while Dave was on drugs , Martin was drunk , Fletcher no skills was just walking around battling his manic depression. He wasn’t getting enough credits and some people were power tripping on him . Why he left .
Yeah that part sucks but the video was about why he left the music industry as a whole after Recoil which is very disappointing because it's been 12 years now and he's one of the most talented guys out there in the industry to this day
Yes, that was exactly what the situation was, and recently I watched a video where one of the guys, I think it was Martin, admitted it. This is the truth.I am a huge DM devotee, but I wish they could have kept this amazing talented artist with them!
Bingo. It can be infuriating to consider Fletch's biggest effort was contributing to Alan leaving the band. With all due respect, he was not an artist or a musician -- who was he to even be in the same studio as Alan Wilder? Their subsequent demos speak for themselves.
Alan is a musical genius that’s second to none and we all know this. His attention to detail in sound and production is breathtaking, but no matter how good you are your heart has to be in it to move forward. I know tens of thousands of fans would love to see a new Recoil album and maybe some production credits on a emerging band’s album but I think the dream of him returning to DM is gone. He climbed to the mountain top with them and that’s that, but one could still dream, right? Anyway, these days he would be considered a pioneer and elder statesman of the electronic sound that’s somewhere in the background of life. More power to him. As it stands now, he has a legacy that will live on forever.
@@desiertoscacti5388 It's really sad that some people have spent almost three decades on this. I thought the Royal Albert Hall thing would make them feel better and give them some closure, but it just reopened the wounds for these people. It's a deliberate choice to embrace childishness at this point. THAT was 11 years ago, the amount of time he was in the band, ending 27 years ago. If that's what you are worried about, you're stuck in someone else's past and that's the weirdest parasocial issue I've ever heard of
Thank you Vaughn George. First off, Alan Wilder's departure from Depeche Mode was a musical tragedy. Clearly undervalued and underappreciated....by the other three, NOT the fans. My personal feeling is that, as a solo artist with Recoil, he underachieved. The venue in this media is arguably fairsized, but Alan Wilder has the talent that could still have been filling, or producing for an act that's filling, stadia. I can't say that I'm into Recoil, but I truly wish that I were. Maybe Alan Wilder has had enough of 'relative' success. His legacy will ALWAYS exist, and hopefully/presumably he has a penny or two. There will always be gratitude for his part in Depeche Mode's success. He will NEVER be forgotten.
alan wilder is my hero. straight up he quit because his genius was too great for the masses to grasp. he said about his "successful" music career that it was costing him more money to make music than he made off of it. he was only getting better but LESS appreciated/respected/successful/known.
@@VaughnGeorgeyoutube won't let me post a link in comments. google "alan wilder This is going to sound rather negative I’m afraid - I don’t mean it to be but I am a realist"
That sounds very sad. I remember when he did sell alot of his gear. This must be over ten years ago. I allways thought that it was weird. I mean,he was a member of Depeche for 13 years. And the most succesfull years. You think that money most have been his least problem. Now im starting to think that the guy may have been really underpaid in the band.
@@EtsiJuuret I've always said that Fletch is the reason he left. Martin and Dave he could tolerate (much as he couldn't stand the chaos Dave brought at that time, but at least Dave had a history of delivering), but the hand clapper getting paid as much as him must have really burned him, especially since Fletch was but a proxy vote for Martin. Anyway, he's also said that his 2 divorces rather wiped him out.
One of the biggest missed opportunities was Massive Attack not recruiting Alan. That would have been a WOW historic moment in the music industry. If I remember correctly, he hinted in a number of interviews that he would join them in a heartbeat, but he needed to be asked. Unfortunately, it seems that he never was.
Dear Vaughn George! I’ve taken an interest in your thought: „Why Alan Wilder decided to leave the music industry.” There is a simple answer for that: Alan had accomplished everything, he wished for. His small tour with his own project had the same meaning symbolically like a putting a dot at the end of a sentence…Alan even joined DM again for a short time for a special concert in London, seemingly reconciling with other members of DM as well as the fans… However, Alan understood that he can’t move up anywhere with Depeche Mode, already reaching the limit of possibilities there ever were with DM. He had lost the excitement and the rest of DM wasn’t helping in any way if anything they were only making the matters worse. Each of them was battling their own demons and Alan must have been asking himself a question whether all this still means anything at all. And after a longer break he finally understood that it doesn’t. He went his own way but even that had worn itself out. His project RECOIL had reached its limits as well. I for one adore his solo works but it is very specific and has its own limitations… So then, after an (un)expected tour with his compilation album “SELECTED”, Alan said to himself that he has had enough… I’ve achieved everything, I paid my debt to the fans of my work… And with that he disappeared from the music industry…In silence, he had abandoned everything he ever loved and left behind an artistic legacy to finally enjoy his well-deserved quiet and tranquillity. In all honesty, where exactly was he supposed to move on? Collaborate with different artists? Become a producer? Or do cinematic music and movie soundtracks? DM would never take him back, let’s take that for a fact (let’s stop dreaming for our own good) and he had no intention to join other bands… Allegedly, after his departure from DM he was approached by Robert Smith… Hmm, I don’t know what to think about that, I don’t know Alan personally (even though I have met him and took a picture with him twice) but in my opinion he was already tired of making compromises within functioning in music groups… He had exhausted himself in DM… Joining yet another band would put him in the same position as the one he had just left. And that’s not very logical, is it? Besides that, Alan was generally disappointed by the musical direction, reportedly not even his publishing house (MUTE RECORDS) treated him the best (Alan himself hinted at this matter on couple of occasions), so after a couple of years he became a little bitter… He weighed the positives and the negatives… And then he just decided to leave. Us fans can constantly dream about him returning, in other words that his famous enthusiasm and passion for music will make a comeback, but as the years go by, I am more at peace with the fact that this won’t happen… Alan is a perfectionist and, in my opinion, he himself felt that he had already told the world everything he ever wanted to tell. Even that is art. Knowing when the right time to leave is. I think there is nothing worse for an artist to make an unsuccessful return to the scene or be received vaguely with doubts and hesitation etc. Isn’t it better to be at peace with his decision? He left behind great works of art that still bring joy to us after all these years, so why bother. I know, fans of bands like Oasis or R.E.M. suffer too, but for what reason? Everything had its charm back then, but now? It wouldn’t be the same. We shall not be sentimental and live in memory optimism… PS: I, as an old DM fan, think that it would be enough if Martin would just pick the phone and called Alan like… “So, what do you say if we just give it a go and see how it works out in the studio?” But also, none of us really knows how Alan is doing physically whether he is healthy and so on. I think that the right time for this conversation has already passed in vain... I stopped even believing... DM without Alan were like a three-legged dog… Now there are only two of them remaining and who knows… Maybe it will work for the two of them like never before… Alan had his specific antics and complicated personality… Andy had his own special position he was in… Now they are facing the truth and probably also thanks to the producer J. Ford, they have talked about all their troubles and old sins and can move on and work like a Swiss watch. Let’s give them a chance. Maybe the first lady of DM (Marta S.) will do a miracle with them…
Thank you so much for taking the time share your thoughts! I really enjoyed your post !! You are a true fan and I am pleased to have you as part of this community. VG :-)
To add... It is quite fitting that the "last" material released under his name was a cover of Talk Talk, considering the similar challenges Mark Hollis faced in his career.
Alert! Alert! Love seeing him pop up here. He's the reason I found your channel and FB group. Yes, there is a hunger for his music. I don't see that ever dying out. The popular opinion of hearing about new music from him would be "Shut up and take my money!" I often wondered about him going the Danny Elfman and Trent Reznor route for film scores. Pick up any Recoil album and listen to all of that ambiance he can create. He has so much talent!
I think Alan answered it in 2014 Q&A for "Alan Wilder back to Depeche Mode!" fb group. Q: When will a new Recoil album be released? AW: This is going to sound rather negative I’m afraid - I don’t mean it to be but I am a realist. As everyone is aware CD & music sales have fallen dramatically over recent years. Recoil is not a financially viable project and hasn’t been for some time. For many years now there has been no income for myself from the sales of my own music. Any income has been used to pay off debts to Mute Records for overspends on the earlier albums (not their fault but a sign of the times as they were). For example, in the '90s it was still normal to spend say £40,000 on a video (as we did for ‘Drifting’ for instance) - a video which hardly got shown I might add. This is not a complaint or sour grapes from me, just a fact. More recently and until now, I have pretty much subsidised the project myself, recorded in my own self-built studios and so on. Mute never have, and never will give me an advance in this current climate and I just cannot afford anymore to sit in a studio for the best part of a year to make a record which very few people will buy. Sadly, most people expect to receive music for free these days, or via file sharing, illegal download and so on. Live work can bring a small amount of income but it is not something I naturally gravitate towards and, if I were to put together a band, that would probably lose money given the number of tickets I could reasonable expect to sell. The truth is I have been pulling in favours left, right & centre (from people willing to help with little or no payment) just to keep things going. I do understand that there are other ways to skin a cat - like self release, fund gathering - and so I am not ruling myself out of the game completely but, for now, I have many other priorities which I need to pursue. Frankly, I am distracted from music by needing sort out ‘life’. Once I get settled into a new home and re-build a small studio (my current one is dismantled and packed up), then maybe I’ll get the urge to pick up where I left off.
The guy is in his mid 60's and has achieved alot. The music industry has changed so much. He probably has plenty of other things in his life that we wants to do. I'd love to see Dave do another solo album and Alan being producer / engineer!
Producing Dave is an interesting idea! Many times I saw them interviewed in the 2nd half of the 80s, there would be Martin with Fletch or Alan with Dave - I prefered the latter and always had the impression that these two teams reflected the relationship between each other
What a huge loss ! I wish those didn't happen. He really deserved more , he put a lot of effort into albums. No need to say anything anymore because he was determined. All i want to say that thank you so much for everthing Alan especially what you've done for your career , you will always remembered with your kindness by all the DM fans 💗 ...
Alan was just as critical to their work as Martin and Dave. It's unfortunate they parted, but that's life. The musical wasteland desperately needs Alan Wilder, however!
each passing year, i'm getting more and more doubtful that his return will ever happen in our lifetime although roger taylor of duran duran returned after 25? years of hiatus (former duranie here 🙋♀), sadly, i don't think something like that will happen to depeche mode after all? i really want to like recoil music but just can't seem to get into it or take time out to really listen to it even it's just not depeche mode you know what i mean the magic happens only when they are together! it was unbelievably sad that he had to sell majority of DM stuff to make money he sold them foremost because he needed to make income, he himself explained hope he doesn't have to make money by giving piano lessons to his neighbor kids his talent is massive we love him dearly and wish him well
Alan was rightfully justified in leaving DM, He was the 'cleanest' out of DM and was actually over used to get song material and live set ups out. I was fortunate to see DM at their Devotional Tour in South Africa in 94, so I got to see all of them together. If Alan wants to quit the music scene completely, he doesn't need to prove anything more. I had a great respect for him.
I think Alan should have somehow transitioned to film scoring. And it’s a pity it didn’t happen. I have a feeling he wanted that but there hadn’t been an opportunity or demand. His music is so cinematic. I think when you grow older as a musician and sound designer like Alan and mature you do stuff like this. Look at Trent Reznor or Lisa Gerrard. Not that he has anything to prove to anyone and certainly not to me (although I’ll confess he’ll always have a special place as one of my heroes).
Yeah definitely. I used to love the Poppies - Pop Will Eat Itself (still do really) and Clint Mansell transitioned into film score work and was very successful.
I don't think Alan is interested in doing soundtracks. Why? I'm sure he has had opportunities, but probably he hasn't been interested. On the other hand, Martin is the one who is probably interested in doing that. Martin himself said that a couple of times.
@@alankey127 here is what I found from an interview: “I’ve often said I would like to write a film score and I do think it is something I’d be suited to, but nothing has been offered to me so far that I’m really interested in. I also have a concern about the way the film business works and I’m not sure how adaptable I would be. Being a perfectionist, I don’t work quickly and I’ve done one or two things before for TV where I encountered producers who expected me to knock something off in a week. Worse than that, I’m not sure I could handle some heavy-handed, film executive slashing my music to bits because they need to make edits here or changes there. I’ve heard this happens to other artists and it fills me with dread.”
Music needs Alan Wilder, i dont mean the industry, i mean us, the ones who actually listen and enjoy Good music! Please Alan, lets make a new Recoil album!!
Sad that Alan didn't have the best relationship with Martin & Fletch and that those two didn't seem to appreciate his talents and input, I love DM but they're truly not the same without Alan.
Thank you for this video and thank you so much for talking straight from your heart. When you talk about Alan you bring across your appreciation and admiration for him and you speak for so many of us.
Alan, PLEASE!!! COME BACK!!! I really hope he hears you!! Thank you for being our voice!! I recently discovered your channel and can't be more excited! Everything you say could be perfectly said by me 😊 so Thank you! We love him, we adore him, we're eager to see him again!! That would be a dream come true!! I really want to meet him in person but I could never bother him. If he only knew how much he IS loved! I think he doesn't realize the extent of admiration we have for him!! Alan, come back!! 😢❤❤
Alan does whatever Alan feels he should do, of course, but I fully agree with the statement made in this video that there is a hunger and a drought out there for his irreplaceable talent. Some musicians go beyond just making music, they literally save lives by doing so. Alan is such a musician.
Alan retiring from music is natural. It happens in many careers, why it seems weird for people outside music puzzles me. Every person has the right to live the life they want. He left his mark in the music business and lived the dream, deserves all the family and personal time he wants now. Contrary to most contemporaries that end up prisoners of their bad money management, drugs or ego...stopping is a luxury VERY few can. Great video sir! For me he is like Queen's John Deacon or Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones (still plays but he just keeps a low profile overall)
Yeah I've been thinking this over and I've come to the conclusion that he left at a bad time for musicians in general, but especially electronic musicians. Album sales had petered out, their fan-base were among the most technologically savvy and so they were the most pirated, gigging is difficult to draw crowds unless you are a stadium band like DM or a dance-party DJ, and most of all, making a living on social media wasn't a thing yet. Even if his true fans wanted to support him directly, they couldn't. Alan saw the album as the commodity that he would leverage for income, but that's an antiquated system. I don't think people in 2010 realized that the future (now) is that if you keep the music (mostly) free, your fans will support you directly. If he just came back and started a patreon even, his fans will support him. Alan Wilder sample pack (and I don't mean the old emulator samples)? Sign me up. Those kinds of things are also pirated, but way harder for most people to get their hands on. Alan Wilder paid virtual talk? Sign me up. The paradox is that they guy who was on the forefront of musical technological innovation, lost the plot in the bigger picture of technology (yeah, I know he's an in-the-box guy with all the latest innovations in that respect, he just missed out on the revolution of social media). I've pirated his music many times (also paid for it many times, all the recoil stuff) but point me in the right direction and I'll throw him some bones. The guy literally changed my life. Wilder is a hero and he doesn't know it, didn't get to really capitalize on it beyond those promotional tours.
I absolutely love the work Alan Wilder did with DM. Brilliant. I do hope he works with them again. Not holding my breath but never say never. As far as future work, I do hope he releases something or takes on a producer role once again. Alan’s work with Nitzer Ebb’s and the Recoil solo projects are other faves of mine. The man is a genius.
Totally agree with your comments Vaughn, saw Depeche a few times in the 90s, lived for their music, was never the same for me after Alan left and now find it hard to watch what sounds like a cover band to me touring the U.S :(
Wilder has always said he never wanted to be a pop star into old age. Totally understandable but I don’t get why he wouldn’t want to keep working as a producer for artists who wanted his services since there must be many musicians/bands who would love the Wilder stamp of approval on their work.
I do agree with you that the music industry is not what it was before, today you need a lot of new techniques to keep in touch with the fan base. The social media platforms are too many to manage and if you're a solo artist it's just too much to handle. I've been blessed to have worked for 2 major record companies in my lifetime, released my solo album under a major and toured to the Masses. It really takes a toll on your soul and unfortunately you get burned out, tired from all who want to make $ off you. Now in my early 50's, I'm still involved in music but not 100% of my life. After losing 2 family members from covid this Feb, my mother and uncle, I took a break for 5 months from performing live (Depeche Mode tribute band Devotional) I'm back on stage, but still looking at retiring from music and focusing more on my life and spending that quality time with those who are still here with me. Alan Wilder will always be my hero in music, he's the foundation and will always be that important member of Depeche Mode. After watching passed videos from interviews with Dave and Martin, I don't think they really respected his work and let their egos take over, you can still see the ego flow from Dave more than Martin but it's a huge loss for them. I don't expect much from this new album as they are still working with the previous producer from Spirit (boring album) who just hasn't got the chops as Alan Wilder does. I got to meet Alan in Los Angeles during his Recoil tour and what a pleasure it was to talk to him. Very kind man who knows he's missed in DM. Listen to Alan Wilder's remix of Chains, a masterpiece! The chapters are closing for Depeche Mode, let's see what we can expect from this new album and tour. I enjoy your videos and I appreciate the work you put into them. Cheers amigo from Los Angeles. :)
I didn't realise he walked away from it all. I thought he was still within it. Well, there we have it then. It's all over 😲 We will never forget you, all you did with them, and you Alan giving us the distinctive DM sound. It will live with us. 🙏 Thank you 🙏 We hope you keep well 🙏 Kia Ora 👍
I met Alan in 1984 and he told me it was amazing to be part of Depeche Mode. I met him again in 1994 and he told me that he was tired. You know what I deducted at that time from our conversation? "This guy's wife must be bullshitting him all the time with so much travel, girls, promotions, work, and stuff...". In my opinion, and I never believed the press too much, anything that would keep him away from that busy musician's life could be the real strong reason behind it, I'm not saying the only one. As Recoil hurt him financially (his own words on RUclips) and making money (success) requires a lot of promos, concerts, etc, he must have quitted.
Since it's almost impossible to imagine him joining the band again, He should be at least producing Depeche Mode. There you have it, I said it! 😊. Great Video Vaughn!
Alan should start the equivalent of a Kickstarter campaign and we can all buy his album before he releases it thus paying for it upfront. Any friends of Alan reading these comments, please pass the idea along to him.
Alan Wilder is a name that people enjoy fantasizing about, which I find intriguing. The sensation that 'there's more to him that hasn't yet been shown' is profound. Fans harbor a longing for his return and hope that he will eventually come back.
I think Alan was expecting a offer from DM when he has joined for concert in 2010, but probably there was no offer... DM could easly do something with Alan because Fletcher is not there anymore but i am not sure if they want to show fans once more legacy of Alan...
Honestly, I've never read any comment from Martin pr Dave saying "We approached Alan to work on a regular basis but he refused". Apparently, they've never forgave him for leaving and the real reasons under Alan's perspective would hopefully be one day released as his music memoirs. Something definitely went wrong along the way. One fact is: Depeche Mode has DELIBERATELY made their sound very much like the original demos lately, and Alan did totally the opposite. Ever since, they have never chosen a producer that would challenge their creativity in many ways beyond the demos. That's been a choice and Alan must know pretty well why he left. If it weren't for him, there'd be no Enjoy the Silence as we know it. I absolutely disagree with the artistic path Depeche Mode (Martin) took after Alan left, because they could've worked with other producers and collaborators just as talented as Alan. They chose NOT to.
They should have begged him and served him well forever after all he did!! He's simply too good for them and for anybody! He's a genius!! And the fans recognize it!!
It is a great pity that their ways have parted and the biggest pity is that they are not willing to get together again. Alan is missing in DM and you can hear it very much in their sound. Years go by and it seems that their ways will not meet again. Who knows what it would look like if Alan was in DM even now. Anyway, the spark is gone, the passion is gone.. And it's not just because Alan left. I really miss Alan's music, I really like his style and sound. However, I can understand the reasons why he decided to quit the music business after so long time.
Thank you Vaughn George for bringing that up! Obviously DM without Alan sounds simple like lazy jacket potato, he was the one who brought this cinematic and rich top notch quality to the band productions, personally missed him so much and wish him back as an musician and DM co-producer.
The Recoil albums have been awesome! One does not tire of the diversity, and the construction of sound and mood; re-hearing composition, one picks up a difference nuance. AW has given us depth in music! Concerning DM, recent interviews with DG subsequent to the passing away of AF, and the launch of their new album, do not indicate a regrouping.
I remember about 10 years ago he said that Recoil was not financially viable anymore and that he was in debt (financially) Daniel Miller! He also auctioned off a lot of his Depeche stuff which he openly admitted was because of his divorce bill! I get the impression (my own impression) that he would jump at the chance of joining DM again! Hopefully he’ll reappear soon, it would be tragic for his talent to go to waste! Would actually love to see him work with Gary Numan!
I just got this notification a day late ugh...great video Vaughn...omg yes more RECOIL would be a dream come true! I hope he's watching 👀...lots of Recoil fans here!
When it's not fun anymore, you should stop. Sometimes there are phases in our lives where we question what we do and the whole meaningfulness of it. I have a feeling that a lot of external things went onto him a bit too much and he did not longer feel like he wanted to continue making music that would mostly only enrich the type of people he did not want to support. Especially as a whole industry. And as much as the Internet as a tool helped musicians in a lot of ways, it also made it harder and harder to be discovered and being able to make a living of your art. But even if you DID make a good living of it… there is still something that heavily influences your decisions if you should continue or not. I just hope that the decision Alan made actually made him feel good about it. And i also hope that he did not prematurely close the musical curtain because he was completely demoralized but just feels like wanting to approach something else. :( What ever it might be......
Shame Gahan and Gore could not build bridges with Wilder in the wake of Fletch's death... having him rejoin the band would give hope that we might hit the heights of Violator and SOF&D.
Alan W. reminds me of John Deacon, the bassist from Queen. I guess Alan still makes a nice amount of money from his depeche mode royalties, so why should he put any effort into makin' music, when most of the people only want to hear the old stuff anyway?
Alan is pure raw musical genius and undoubtedly he is a master of his art if you hear any of the recoil stuff it’s great but it is most definitely not by any means as good as his DM stuff! I believe DM was his compass As he structured the music around the vocals of David & Martins compositions this made him accommodate funneled his raw pure musical talent into beautifully balanced masterpieces That ultimately ended up becoming some of the most beloved DM songs of all time. Sadly many fans view him like a traitor who was not needed & they do not give him the credit that he is owed! They are completely wrong for doing this! As DM has never been the same musically without Alan & and Alan music has suffered the same fate as he is no longer building Around the masterful exquisite compositions of Martin! If you ask me they we’re each other’s ying & yang! As Alan without Martins compositions and Daves vocals he is lost that element that made his musical arrangements so good & blissfully amazing as I feel they both compliment one another to a perfection! That you just don’t see in any of the newer DM albums! Yet I must give credit where credit is due I do think Martin Has evolved in his compositions & lyrically has stepped up His game in contrast to his older material! Also to note David has vastly improved exponentially since n his vocals! Yet I am left to conclude that currently DM Musically is not on par with any of the classic albums pre Alan’s departure & this is obviously due to the absence of Alan I know many people will hate me for saying this! Yet the truth will always be the truth! Depeche Mode is & always will be the best! Yet with Alan Wilder they were musically better! Salutations!✌️
I think Alan has to understand that the music he made with Recoil was just very .... well not everyone's taste . Now I listen to music that is more avant garde and less commercial than Depeche Mode but even I have difficulty getting into allot of Recoil stuff . I think maybe he was expecting sales you could never achieve with the kind of music he made even before there was downloads and all that .
This is hard to comment on because it's something I feel emotional about (which, yes, I know isn't healthy). Of course Alan has the right to do as he wants, but I'd be lying if I said that I didn't want to see him making music again. I'm not bothered about lyrics or guest singers: Alan even said that he thought singers would help boost the project's commercial appeal but, ironically, it didn't help and made it harder to tour. Personally, I'd love for him to do an album (or EP) of tracks like the early Recoil and Depeche instrumentals. As I said in another video, I'd love for him to do something like John Carpenter's 'Lost Themes'. People have often said that his music is filmic, so I'd love to see that - it doesn't have to be an _actual_ film score (though I think a call from David Lynch would be one of the few things that might make him consider returning to music). Above all, I just want to see and hear from him again. Obviously he can do as he likes and doesn't owe anyone anything. I just miss him 😢 Also, to Vaughn, I appreciate your honest, heartfelt approach in this video.
It's crazy to think that at one time Alan was the MOST accessible (ex)member of DM with the shunt Q&A. So many things have changed since then and I hope he's enjoying retirement.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and feelings. It's very touching how you talk about him, with admiration and respect. I also have a lot of respect for you for avoiding another person's personal life. Thank you. Everything I could say has already been said many times by other people. I understand his decision to leave Depeche Mode, and what about Recoil, maybe he's already done everything he wanted here. He is an amazing musician and I love him very much. I'm just grateful to him for everything he brought to music - Depeche Mode, Recoil. And he brought a lot. I respect his decisions, and I will be satisfied with any scenario, with or without new music. I just want Alan to be happy.
One of the great tragedies of British synth pop! Alan left DM at the height of their music creativity with SOFAD. He brought the complete DM sound to their music which has been missing ever since...
Now is the perfect time for Depeche Mode to get on the horn with Alan Wilder today and pave the way for a new album collaboration. Assemble the dream team: Flood, Dave Bascombe and Gareth Jones to help conjur up some new dark magic. The next lineage of music that would naturally form a branch off SOFAD. The signs are all out there pointing towards the holy Trinity of Dave, Martin and Alan to form this long awaited reunion...to continue the legacy. We're all grown up now so go and make music together as DM for the sake of all of us!
I know the band and Alan I am sure are tired of hearing or being asked about him joining the band again, that is just us fans loving their work together and wishful thinking and hoping on our parts it may happen again. That being said I too would love more Recoil material, I own all his Albums and enjoy his music very much so i am always on board with hearing more..
It is such a talented musician ...iam always feeling Recoil should get more appreciation as it is really something unique. Love to listen to it on the headphones in the dark room ... so many incredible sounds ... melody... colaborators input. It is masterpiece. Iam sad he vanished wish he find some new inspiration, energy on the othere side i know it is not cheap to produce new album. There are a lot of artist who vanish men somewhere they still creating ... wish Alan continue
Agree 100% There's a lot of great music yearning to come forth. Alan is so far ahead of his class he is a class by itself. So many are proteges of, inspired by, or simply are desperate for stand-out music a-la Alan Wilder. Nobody can dispute he is a genius on many levels. Like you, Vaughn, our love for music began with Alan and he will always remain that hope and wonder that comes from music.
I read an article about Alan. He basically was really pissed off someone could take all of the music he made can be downloaded for free and he gets absolutely nothing in return. I think he was tired of fighting that battle. I never thought Alan would ever return to Depeche Mode. What if the same problems that they were having happen again. That wouldn’t be fair to Alan Depeche Mode and the fans. Hopefully one day Alan would do something when it comes to recoil or any kind of music. Thank you Vaughn 😊.
Like many people, I too, dream of Alan releasing something in music, but after so many years of ditching his personal studio and selling all his synthesizers and samplers and all the record material he did with DMs he didn't think he had plus the reasons to re-enter the music market again. I have a current obsession, I wonder 3 or 4 times in a month: "who knows what Alan Wilder is doing right now" people who have reached the top ... have difficulty living with everyday life without going into depression. But this will not be the case with Alan, for this reason sometimes joking with my friends, we ask ourselves: "who knows what Alan is doing right now" and sometimes we think and joke telling us that he is pushing the shopping cart for his wife in the supermarket, trivializing it we feel closer to him. It is true we are idiots and deluded, but Alan has left us nothing but hope. With love. Gianfranco ❤
The Cure would have been a good choice for him. Robert Smith once said he let's the band members come and go if they want to spend time with their families or whatever else they choose. At least Alan could contribute to that long awaited new Cure album that Robert keeps promising. And The Cure are a rare band that doesn't bother me with lineup changes.
I remember an interview from when he was still with Depeche Mode talking about his frustration that someone with a home computer and a cheap sound card (compared to his setup) doing shallow 4onthefloor techno stuff gets more attention and sells way better than his Recoil project he puts so much time and effort in.
Happy 65th A. C. Wilder! 💖 Hope that you're in good health & you have all the happiness your heart truly desires. After all, you deserve the very best. 🌠Make a wish.
Alan Wilder left Depeche Mode back in June 1995. He went on to have a successful solo career under his "Recoil" alias. But why exactly did Alan decide to quit the music industry for good?
He was also involved in the Talk Talk tribute album back in 2012.
I think he maybe called it a day as a lot of hard work and effort for very little reward with Recoil financially. And when he started to sell-up I thought the tour might have pushed him financially so decided to cut his loses and enjoy life (and wine).
Although I did expect to see him in a producer role more, as a creative outlet and guaranteed pay cheque.
I do hope he releases something new, but if he's happy with his life, leave him be.
Didn't know he quit the music for good....sad...
ruclips.net/video/mMr-H76bBKM/видео.html
@@tokyoskyline1752 Problem is that Alan said on numerous occasions that he doesn't like pop music. So we fans are deprived of Depeche Mode because on one hand, the Recoil albums are well produced but stuffed with non-catchy pads whilst, on the other hand and paradoxically enough, the remaining Depeche Mode haven't been able to release a « single » anymore since Alan left. If Recoil's albums sounded more on « The landscape is changing » and « Two minute warning » sides, i would have bought and cherished them as Depeche Mode classics.
I think he has a serious drinking problem. Otherwise he would continue a producer etc but not going totally reclusive which is typical behave of silent alcoholics.
Whatever Alan Wilder is doing with his life now, I just hope he stays healthy, happy and creative. ❤
Depeche Mode started and finished with Alan Wilder for me. That being said, Vince Clarke's importance in DM, Yazoo and Erasure amongst others cannot be overstated. Alan Wilder, if he has stopped music creation is a huge loss. I was holding out for him to appear on motion picture soundtracks. His music would work so well in Hollywood. Hollywood, cross his palm with silver and let the world hear his genius, please.
ULTRA is a beautiful record.
@@parallel23s the last breathe
@@parallel23s the swan's song
I really see depeche mode and vince clarke years as separate entities for me the sound of Depeche mode is martin gore Towing the line between synth pop and rock exploring dark and sensitive subjects.
@@parallel23ssomehow Alan had still influence on Ultra and Exciter. DM died for me after these
At some point all of us who knew DM and Alan realized that Martin and Wilder were the yin yang… a total balance and perfect combination of pop and alternative… together they were perfect.
I met Alan about 8 years ago , I was still working in a restaurant business and he just walked in with his wife and baby for a lunch . I was of course dumbfounded. We had a little chat , as much as it was possible and one of phrases he jokingly said was something along these lines: music comes slow to me these days , I guess I am just a quite a lazy person 😀.
He came across as a very nice person and indeed he was drinking red wine 🍷🍷🍷
What a nice story. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Thank you for sharing! He's such a nice guy, I hope he's okay now and enjoying his life somewhere far far away :)
When Alan joined the guys at the Royal Albert Hall, it was one of the most heartwarming events in music history... Not long ago he did the In Chains remix. We were all hopeful. Then something happens... Alan decided to sell the Depeche Mode relics/stuff because he can't finance anymore the lifestyle he was living. I heard that Martin didn't like that very much...
After that, he released the "A Strange Hour In Budapest" (I live in this city, so I was very proud of it :)), and then he completely disappeared... :( I think he realized that he wouldn't be able to earn enough money from Recoil, and in return, the project would take a lot of time took away from his family.
I will never forget when I was able to meet him backstage at the first Recoil concert in Budapest 2010. Alan & Paul came to the concert by car(!) from London, because the eruption of the volcano "Eyjafjallajökull" in Iceland caused a logistical nightmare...
Anyway, Depeche Mode showed - ironically just after Alan's departure - that they can make an outstanding album even without him, if the production is in good hands (Tim Simenon). Unfortunately, none of the producers felt the potential in Martin's demos since then...
Any hope of Alan returning after Andy's death was completely unrealistic. First of all, Andy had nothing to do musically with the production, so why would this have changed after his death? Second, we haven't seen any photos of Alan in over a decade (except for the one Vaughn talked about). Let us note and respect that he has fully retired.
Maybe there's a small chance of a repeat of the magic of the Royal Albert Hall, so I can imagine Alan making a guest appearance once again...(?) But nothing more.
It would also be amazing at least if you Vaughn could arrange an interview with Alan... :) I know a lot of people have said this before. But if many of us say this... :)
By the way, what questions would you ask him?
Well said…but with regard to Alan’s financial situation, he still gets his 25% cut for his work during the Alan Wilder years. I think he is doing what some of us can only dream of. A life without having to work. Being retired and spending time with family. I think it is the touring aspect that is keeping Alan away. Some people are in the financial position to walk away from doing things they hate where creativity becomes a hobby not a job.
I‘ve met Alan two times and was able to speak with him on both occasions. The first time was in 2000 in Cologne when the gold award for the singles tour was presented to him. The second time was also in Cologne, this time during the strange hour live event. He was very kind and seemed to enjoy both events.
Thanks Dany !! Everyone who has met his says the same !! VG :-)
Couldn't agree more. Met him during the Strange Hour tour. Just a great guy. What a musical genius.
I've had the same experience the few times I met Alan as well. Thoroughly enjoyed every conversation.
I've said this once and I will say it again...I would love to see him score a film. I think it would be brilliant.
Indeed it would Jeff!! VG :-)
Fantastic idea, that could be something Mega Huge
YES! 👏🏻
@@markhalpin9711 scoring any visual wether commercial or movies needs the upmost concentration, I’m working on one right now as I write to you, The calculations needed for say a 4 second segment can take many days , I believe Alan Wilder would be perfect for that
Alan Wilder has always been someone i really deeply care for and i just don't know why i feel this way. Like… an old friend who you just want to see happy and succeeding because you KNOW how much of a talent he has and how much he deserves to get the praise and respect for what he achieved. This man's deep understanding of Music and also the tech-nerd side of him is what i always loved the most. And especially his calm and down to earth personality. I haven't even met him in RL personally yet and yet i miss him and care for him a lot as if we're close friends :( I know it sounds weird… But that's just how it is. Best wishes from Germany.
To me it doesn't sound weird. Not at all. Alan has a special something about him that makes a lot of people feel that way I think.
doesn't sound weird at all. i feel exactly the same.
Alan was always an amazing inspiration to me and when he left DM never sounds that great since.
I too feel like this. I understand you 😔
He smiled at me once at his Recoil concert and I didn't even appreciate it ugh. Now I'm crazy about him and I regret not getting his autograph or something lol
I miss Alan, he WAS Depeche Mode. He can do whatever he wants to do to make him happy with his family and kids. I just hope he is doing well financially and happy. He deserves it for what he gave to the fans.
I want to thank all of you here who share their stories of encounters they had with Alan. Every single one of them is really lovely to read and makes my heart smile.
Alan was a hardworking artist , he used to stay in the studio late night until 4 AM while Dave was on drugs , Martin was drunk , Fletcher no skills was just walking around battling his manic depression. He wasn’t getting enough credits and some people were power tripping on him . Why he left .
Yeah that part sucks but the video was about why he left the music industry as a whole after Recoil which is very disappointing because it's been 12 years now and he's one of the most talented guys out there in the industry to this day
That makes sens sadly
Yes, that was exactly what the situation was, and recently I watched a video where one of the guys, I think it was Martin, admitted it. This is the truth.I am a huge DM devotee, but I wish they could have kept this amazing talented artist with them!
Bingo. It can be infuriating to consider Fletch's biggest effort was contributing to Alan leaving the band. With all due respect, he was not an artist or a musician -- who was he to even be in the same studio as Alan Wilder? Their subsequent demos speak for themselves.
Dave was on drugs
Martin was drunk and
Fletcher "no skills" was depressed...nicely articulated.
I’ve seen DM with Alan and without him and it just wasn’t the same. He brought an energy to the music that hasn’t been there since.
🤝
Alan is a musical genius that’s second to none and we all know this. His attention to detail in sound and production is breathtaking, but no matter how good you are your heart has to be in it to move forward. I know tens of thousands of fans would love to see a new Recoil album and maybe some production credits on a emerging band’s album but I think the dream of him returning to DM is gone. He climbed to the mountain top with them and that’s that, but one could still dream, right? Anyway, these days he would be considered a pioneer and elder statesman of the electronic sound that’s somewhere in the background of life. More power to him. As it stands now, he has a legacy that will live on forever.
He's second to Martin Gore
He won't return, of course, what's done is done, I can't believe people still think he would return.
@@desiertoscacti5388 It's really sad that some people have spent almost three decades on this. I thought the Royal Albert Hall thing would make them feel better and give them some closure, but it just reopened the wounds for these people. It's a deliberate choice to embrace childishness at this point. THAT was 11 years ago, the amount of time he was in the band, ending 27 years ago. If that's what you are worried about, you're stuck in someone else's past and that's the weirdest parasocial issue I've ever heard of
Thank you Vaughn George. First off, Alan Wilder's departure from Depeche Mode was a musical tragedy. Clearly undervalued and underappreciated....by the other three, NOT the fans. My personal feeling is that, as a solo artist with Recoil, he underachieved. The venue in this media is arguably fairsized, but Alan Wilder has the talent that could still have been filling, or producing for an act that's filling, stadia. I can't say that I'm into Recoil, but I truly wish that I were. Maybe Alan Wilder has had enough of 'relative' success. His legacy will ALWAYS exist, and hopefully/presumably he has a penny or two. There will always be gratitude for his part in Depeche Mode's success. He will NEVER be forgotten.
Well said sir, I share your exact thoughts
alan wilder is my hero. straight up he quit because his genius was too great for the masses to grasp. he said about his "successful" music career that it was costing him more money to make music than he made off of it. he was only getting better but LESS appreciated/respected/successful/known.
Perfectly said Alex!! VG :-)
@@VaughnGeorgeyoutube won't let me post a link in comments. google "alan wilder This is going to sound rather negative I’m afraid - I don’t mean it to be but I am a realist"
That sounds very sad. I remember when he did sell alot of his gear. This must be over ten years ago. I allways thought that it was weird. I mean,he was a member of Depeche for 13 years. And the most succesfull years. You think that money most have been his least problem. Now im starting to think that the guy may have been really underpaid in the band.
@@grimlund he yearned as much as Fletch, who did nothing musically in the band.
@@EtsiJuuret I've always said that Fletch is the reason he left. Martin and Dave he could tolerate (much as he couldn't stand the chaos Dave brought at that time, but at least Dave had a history of delivering), but the hand clapper getting paid as much as him must have really burned him, especially since Fletch was but a proxy vote for Martin. Anyway, he's also said that his 2 divorces rather wiped him out.
You have to find him and talk to him. We need this
We can all dream my friend!! Never say Never !! VG :-)
Now THAT would be something i would love to see happen.
One of the biggest missed opportunities was Massive Attack not recruiting Alan. That would have been a WOW historic moment in the music industry. If I remember correctly, he hinted in a number of interviews that he would join them in a heartbeat, but he needed to be asked. Unfortunately, it seems that he never was.
I’d say the same re Nitzer Ebb
Holy cow. Can you imagine LOL
Alan if you’re reading this .. we love and miss you dearly. Please come out of retirement.
Dear Vaughn George!
I’ve taken an interest in your thought: „Why Alan Wilder decided to leave the music industry.”
There is a simple answer for that:
Alan had accomplished everything, he wished for. His small tour with his own project had the same meaning symbolically like a putting a dot at the end of a sentence…Alan even joined DM again for a short time for a special concert in London, seemingly reconciling with other members of DM as well as the fans…
However, Alan understood that he can’t move up anywhere with Depeche Mode, already reaching the limit of possibilities there ever were with DM. He had lost the excitement and the rest of DM wasn’t helping in any way if anything they were only making the matters worse. Each of them was battling their own demons and Alan must have been asking himself a question whether all this still means anything at all. And after a longer break he finally understood that it doesn’t.
He went his own way but even that had worn itself out. His project RECOIL had reached its limits as well. I for one adore his solo works but it is very specific and has its own limitations… So then, after an (un)expected tour with his compilation album “SELECTED”, Alan said to himself that he has had enough… I’ve achieved everything, I paid my debt to the fans of my work… And with that he disappeared from the music industry…In silence, he had abandoned everything he ever loved and left behind an artistic legacy to finally enjoy his well-deserved quiet and tranquillity. In all honesty, where exactly was he supposed to move on? Collaborate with different artists? Become a producer? Or do cinematic music and movie soundtracks? DM would never take him back, let’s take that for a fact (let’s stop dreaming for our own good) and he had no intention to join other bands… Allegedly, after his departure from DM he was approached by Robert Smith… Hmm, I don’t know what to think about that, I don’t know Alan personally (even though I have met him and took a picture with him twice) but in my opinion he was already tired of making compromises within functioning in music groups… He had exhausted himself in DM… Joining yet another band would put him in the same position as the one he had just left. And that’s not very logical, is it?
Besides that, Alan was generally disappointed by the musical direction, reportedly not even his publishing house (MUTE RECORDS) treated him the best (Alan himself hinted at this matter on couple of occasions), so after a couple of years he became a little bitter… He weighed the positives and the negatives… And then he just decided to leave.
Us fans can constantly dream about him returning, in other words that his famous enthusiasm and passion for music will make a comeback, but as the years go by, I am more at peace with the fact that this won’t happen… Alan is a perfectionist and, in my opinion, he himself felt that he had already told the world everything he ever wanted to tell. Even that is art. Knowing when the right time to leave is. I think there is nothing worse for an artist to make an unsuccessful return to the scene or be received vaguely with doubts and hesitation etc. Isn’t it better to be at peace with his decision? He left behind great works of art that still bring joy to us after all these years, so why bother.
I know, fans of bands like Oasis or R.E.M. suffer too, but for what reason? Everything had its charm back then, but now? It wouldn’t be the same. We shall not be sentimental and live in memory optimism…
PS: I, as an old DM fan, think that it would be enough if Martin would just pick the phone and called Alan like… “So, what do you say if we just give it a go and see how it works out in the studio?” But also, none of us really knows how Alan is doing physically whether he is healthy and so on. I think that the right time for this conversation has already passed in vain... I stopped even believing... DM without Alan were like a three-legged dog… Now there are only two of them remaining and who knows… Maybe it will work for the two of them like never before… Alan had his specific antics and complicated personality… Andy had his own special position he was in… Now they are facing the truth and probably also thanks to the producer J. Ford, they have talked about all their troubles and old sins and can move on and work like a Swiss watch. Let’s give them a chance. Maybe the first lady of DM (Marta S.) will do a miracle with them…
Thank you so much for taking the time share your thoughts! I really enjoyed your post !! You are a true fan and I am pleased to have you as part of this community. VG :-)
To add... It is quite fitting that the "last" material released under his name was a cover of Talk Talk, considering the similar challenges Mark Hollis faced in his career.
I miss him like hell 😢 the music industry is nothing without him. I'll save a glass of my best red wine for him ❤
Alan gave Depeche Mode a great Sound with his Sound Programming an Arrangements. We should never forget this
Alan's one of the most talented people in the industry and it'd be a shame if we never saw anything from him ever again.
Alert! Alert! Love seeing him pop up here. He's the reason I found your channel and FB group. Yes, there is a hunger for his music. I don't see that ever dying out. The popular opinion of hearing about new music from him would be "Shut up and take my money!" I often wondered about him going the Danny Elfman and Trent Reznor route for film scores. Pick up any Recoil album and listen to all of that ambiance he can create. He has so much talent!
Hello you and good to hear from you again !! VG 🎹😎👍
I think Alan answered it in 2014 Q&A for "Alan Wilder back to Depeche Mode!" fb group.
Q: When will a new Recoil album be released?
AW: This is going to sound rather negative I’m afraid - I don’t mean it to be but I am a realist.
As everyone is aware CD & music sales have fallen dramatically over recent years. Recoil is not a financially viable project and hasn’t been for some time. For many years now there has been no income for myself from the sales of my own music. Any income has been used to pay off debts to Mute Records for overspends on the earlier albums (not their fault but a sign of the times as they were). For example, in the '90s it was still normal to spend say £40,000 on a video (as we did for ‘Drifting’ for instance) - a video which hardly got shown I might add. This is not a complaint or sour grapes from me, just a fact.
More recently and until now, I have pretty much subsidised the project myself, recorded in my own self-built studios and so on. Mute never have, and never will give me an advance in this current climate and I just cannot afford anymore to sit in a studio for the best part of a year to make a record which very few people will buy. Sadly, most people expect to receive music for free these days, or via file sharing, illegal download and so on. Live work can bring a small amount of income but it is not something I naturally gravitate towards and, if I were to put together a band, that would probably lose money given the number of tickets I could reasonable expect to sell.
The truth is I have been pulling in favours left, right & centre (from people willing to help with little or no payment) just to keep things going. I do understand that there are other ways to skin a cat - like self release, fund gathering - and so I am not ruling myself out of the game completely but, for now, I have many other priorities which I need to pursue. Frankly, I am distracted from music by needing sort out ‘life’. Once I get settled into a new home and re-build a small studio (my current one is dismantled and packed up), then maybe I’ll get the urge to pick up where I left off.
The guy is in his mid 60's and has achieved alot. The music industry has changed so much. He probably has plenty of other things in his life that we wants to do. I'd love to see Dave do another solo album and Alan being producer / engineer!
Producing Dave is an interesting idea! Many times I saw them interviewed in the 2nd half of the 80s, there would be Martin with Fletch or Alan with Dave - I prefered the latter and always had the impression that these two teams reflected the relationship between each other
If that were the case Daniel Miller would be in rocking chair
What a huge loss ! I wish those didn't happen. He really deserved more , he put a lot of effort into albums. No need to say anything anymore because he was determined. All i want to say that thank you so much for everthing Alan especially what you've done for your career , you will always remembered with your kindness by all the DM fans 💗 ...
One day he has to grace us with the pleasure of an interview on this channel. That would be beyond phenomenal.
Alan was just as critical to their work as Martin and Dave. It's unfortunate they parted, but that's life. The musical wasteland desperately needs Alan Wilder, however!
each passing year, i'm getting more and more doubtful that his return will ever happen in our lifetime
although roger taylor of duran duran returned after 25? years of hiatus (former duranie here 🙋♀), sadly, i don't think something like that will happen to depeche mode after all?
i really want to like recoil music but just can't seem to get into it or take time out to really listen to it even
it's just not depeche mode you know what i mean
the magic happens only when they are together!
it was unbelievably sad that he had to sell majority of DM stuff to make money
he sold them foremost because he needed to make income, he himself explained
hope he doesn't have to make money by giving piano lessons to his neighbor kids
his talent is massive
we love him dearly and wish him well
Alan was rightfully justified in leaving DM, He was the 'cleanest' out of DM and was actually over used to get song material and live set ups out.
I was fortunate to see DM at their Devotional Tour in South Africa in 94, so I got to see all of them together.
If Alan wants to quit the music scene completely, he doesn't need to prove anything more.
I had a great respect for him.
ALAN WAS THE GLUE THAT TOOK THE SONGS BY GORE TO A DIFFRENT LEVEL. BY HIS VIRTUOSO PLAY AND HIS TALENT AS A MUSICAL PRODUCER.
I think Alan should have somehow transitioned to film scoring. And it’s a pity it didn’t happen. I have a feeling he wanted that but there hadn’t been an opportunity or demand. His music is so cinematic. I think when you grow older as a musician and sound designer like Alan and mature you do stuff like this. Look at Trent Reznor or Lisa Gerrard.
Not that he has anything to prove to anyone and certainly not to me (although I’ll confess he’ll always have a special place as one of my heroes).
FIlm Scoring for sure!! Many have suggested just that!! VG :-)
Yeah definitely. I used to love the Poppies - Pop Will Eat Itself (still do really) and Clint Mansell transitioned into film score work and was very successful.
I totaly agree on that.
I don't think Alan is interested in doing soundtracks. Why? I'm sure he has had opportunities, but probably he hasn't been interested.
On the other hand, Martin is the one who is probably interested in doing that. Martin himself said that a couple of times.
@@alankey127 here is what I found from an interview:
“I’ve often said I would like to write a film score and I do think it is something I’d be suited to, but nothing has been offered to me so far that I’m really interested in. I also have a concern about the way the film business works and I’m not sure how adaptable I would be. Being a perfectionist, I don’t work quickly and I’ve done one or two things before for TV where I encountered producers who expected me to knock something off in a week. Worse than that, I’m not sure I could handle some heavy-handed, film executive slashing my music to bits because they need to make edits here or changes there. I’ve heard this happens to other artists and it fills me with dread.”
Music needs Alan Wilder, i dont mean the industry, i mean us, the ones who actually listen and enjoy Good music! Please Alan, lets make a new Recoil album!!
Sad that Alan didn't have the best relationship with Martin & Fletch and that those two didn't seem to appreciate his talents and input, I love DM but they're truly not the same without Alan.
I'm 22 years old and I'm from Argentina, if Alan made a new album, that would make me very happy. ❤️
I’ve always had the biggest crush on Alan!!
Happy 64th Wilder! 💖 Hoping this finds you truly happy & in good health. After all, you deserve the very best. Make a wish. 🌠
I met Alan in Prague in 2012. Really nice and funny guy ☺️. I’d love to see him back in the game.
Thank you for this video and thank you so much for talking straight from your heart. When you talk about Alan you bring across your appreciation and admiration for him and you speak for so many of us.
Thanks for your sincere words !! VG
Seeing Alan come on stage to join DM at The Royal Albert Hall is my fav ever DM moment
Alan, PLEASE!!! COME BACK!!! I really hope he hears you!! Thank you for being our voice!! I recently discovered your channel and can't be more excited! Everything you say could be perfectly said by me 😊 so Thank you!
We love him, we adore him, we're eager to see him again!! That would be a dream come true!! I really want to meet him in person but I could never bother him. If he only knew how much he IS loved! I think he doesn't realize the extent of admiration we have for him!! Alan, come back!! 😢❤❤
Glad you found me and welcome to the community !! Kind regards, VG :-)
Alan does whatever Alan feels he should do, of course, but I fully agree with the statement made in this video that there is a hunger and a drought out there for his irreplaceable talent. Some musicians go beyond just making music, they literally save lives by doing so. Alan is such a musician.
God, I bought all the Recoil albums, and I would buy them twice, just to have the opportunity to hear a new album from Recoil. I love his work.
Thank you for your video. A good topic! I'm a huge Alan Wilder fan and eagerly await for new material.
Alan retiring from music is natural. It happens in many careers, why it seems weird for people outside music puzzles me. Every person has the right to live the life they want. He left his mark in the music business and lived the dream, deserves all the family and personal time he wants now. Contrary to most contemporaries that end up prisoners of their bad money management, drugs or ego...stopping is a luxury VERY few can. Great video sir! For me he is like Queen's John Deacon or Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones (still plays but he just keeps a low profile overall)
Robert Smith tried to get Wilder to join The Cure. Imagine that!
Yeah I've been thinking this over and I've come to the conclusion that he left at a bad time for musicians in general, but especially electronic musicians. Album sales had petered out, their fan-base were among the most technologically savvy and so they were the most pirated, gigging is difficult to draw crowds unless you are a stadium band like DM or a dance-party DJ, and most of all, making a living on social media wasn't a thing yet. Even if his true fans wanted to support him directly, they couldn't. Alan saw the album as the commodity that he would leverage for income, but that's an antiquated system. I don't think people in 2010 realized that the future (now) is that if you keep the music (mostly) free, your fans will support you directly. If he just came back and started a patreon even, his fans will support him. Alan Wilder sample pack (and I don't mean the old emulator samples)? Sign me up. Those kinds of things are also pirated, but way harder for most people to get their hands on. Alan Wilder paid virtual talk? Sign me up. The paradox is that they guy who was on the forefront of musical technological innovation, lost the plot in the bigger picture of technology (yeah, I know he's an in-the-box guy with all the latest innovations in that respect, he just missed out on the revolution of social media). I've pirated his music many times (also paid for it many times, all the recoil stuff) but point me in the right direction and I'll throw him some bones. The guy literally changed my life. Wilder is a hero and he doesn't know it, didn't get to really capitalize on it beyond those promotional tours.
I absolutely love the work Alan Wilder did with DM. Brilliant. I do hope he works with them again. Not holding my breath but never say never. As far as future work, I do hope he releases something or takes on a producer role once again. Alan’s work with Nitzer Ebb’s and the Recoil solo projects are other faves of mine. The man is a genius.
Totally agree with your comments Vaughn, saw Depeche a few times in the 90s, lived for their music, was never the same for me after Alan left and now find it hard to watch what sounds like a cover band to me touring the U.S :(
Wilder has always said he never wanted to be a pop star into old age. Totally understandable but I don’t get why he wouldn’t want to keep working as a producer for artists who wanted his services since there must be many musicians/bands who would love the Wilder stamp of approval on their work.
In an interview he said he didn't want to become a producer, as he prefers working alone
Very true !! We could quite easily be a producer or do film scores!! VG :-)
@@Lawtasaj Fair enough. He could always turn his hand purely to the mixing process though as most mixing engineers work alone.
@@Lawtasaj the most of time he never worked alone
Funny thing is he calls DM a pop band like he doesn't realize how ground breaking they were.
I do agree with you that the music industry is not what it was before, today you need a lot of new techniques to keep in touch with the fan base. The social media platforms are too many to manage and if you're a solo artist it's just too much to handle. I've been blessed to have worked for 2 major record companies in my lifetime, released my solo album under a major and toured to the Masses. It really takes a toll on your soul and unfortunately you get burned out, tired from all who want to make $ off you. Now in my early 50's, I'm still involved in music but not 100% of my life. After losing 2 family members from covid this Feb, my mother and uncle, I took a break for 5 months from performing live (Depeche Mode tribute band Devotional) I'm back on stage, but still looking at retiring from music and focusing more on my life and spending that quality time with those who are still here with me. Alan Wilder will always be my hero in music, he's the foundation and will always be that important member of Depeche Mode. After watching passed videos from interviews with Dave and Martin, I don't think they really respected his work and let their egos take over, you can still see the ego flow from Dave more than Martin but it's a huge loss for them. I don't expect much from this new album as they are still working with the previous producer from Spirit (boring album) who just hasn't got the chops as Alan Wilder does. I got to meet Alan in Los Angeles during his Recoil tour and what a pleasure it was to talk to him. Very kind man who knows he's missed in DM. Listen to Alan Wilder's remix of Chains, a masterpiece! The chapters are closing for Depeche Mode, let's see what we can expect from this new album and tour. I enjoy your videos and I appreciate the work you put into them. Cheers amigo from Los Angeles. :)
I didn't realise he walked away from it all. I thought he was still within it. Well, there we have it then. It's all over 😲 We will never forget you, all you did with them, and you Alan giving us the distinctive DM sound. It will live with us. 🙏 Thank you 🙏 We hope you keep well 🙏 Kia Ora 👍
The same situation is with John Deacon from Queen, he left music industry completely after Freddie's death
I met Alan in 1984 and he told me it was amazing to be part of Depeche Mode. I met him again in 1994 and he told me that he was tired. You know what I deducted at that time from our conversation? "This guy's wife must be bullshitting him all the time with so much travel, girls, promotions, work, and stuff...".
In my opinion, and I never believed the press too much, anything that would keep him away from that busy musician's life could be the real strong reason behind it, I'm not saying the only one. As Recoil hurt him financially (his own words on RUclips) and making money (success) requires a lot of promos, concerts, etc, he must have quitted.
WE ALL LOVE ALAN !! COME BACK ! ! !😢
Since it's almost impossible to imagine him joining the band again, He should be at least producing Depeche Mode. There you have it, I said it! 😊.
Great Video Vaughn!
If we get to see his face again I will literally cry and die happy right there.
Alan should start the equivalent of a Kickstarter campaign and we can all buy his album before he releases it thus paying for it upfront. Any friends of Alan reading these comments, please pass the idea along to him.
Alan Wilder is a name that people enjoy fantasizing about, which I find intriguing. The sensation that 'there's more to him that hasn't yet been shown' is profound. Fans harbor a longing for his return and hope that he will eventually come back.
We might have heard it all. He’s resigned on his retirement, let the man rest and enjoy his legacy.
I think Alan was expecting a offer from DM when he has joined for concert in 2010, but probably there was no offer...
DM could easly do something with Alan because Fletcher is not there anymore but i am not sure if they want to show fans once more legacy of Alan...
Yay! Alan Wilder! Just started your video and had to post my enthusiasm!
I FEEL YOU BROTHER!! VG :-)
Honestly, I've never read any comment from Martin pr Dave saying "We approached Alan to work on a regular basis but he refused". Apparently, they've never forgave him for leaving and the real reasons under Alan's perspective would hopefully be one day released as his music memoirs. Something definitely went wrong along the way. One fact is: Depeche Mode has DELIBERATELY made their sound very much like the original demos lately, and Alan did totally the opposite. Ever since, they have never chosen a producer that would challenge their creativity in many ways beyond the demos. That's been a choice and Alan must know pretty well why he left. If it weren't for him, there'd be no Enjoy the Silence as we know it. I absolutely disagree with the artistic path Depeche Mode (Martin) took after Alan left, because they could've worked with other producers and collaborators just as talented as Alan. They chose NOT to.
They should have begged him and served him well forever after all he did!! He's simply too good for them and for anybody! He's a genius!! And the fans recognize it!!
It is a great pity that their ways have parted and the biggest pity is that they are not willing to get together again. Alan is missing in DM and you can hear it very much in their sound. Years go by and it seems that their ways will not meet again. Who knows what it would look like if Alan was in DM even now. Anyway, the spark is gone, the passion is gone.. And it's not just because Alan left. I really miss Alan's music, I really like his style and sound. However, I can understand the reasons why he decided to quit the music business after so long time.
Thank you Vaughn George for bringing that up! Obviously DM without Alan sounds simple like lazy jacket potato, he was the one who brought this cinematic and rich top notch quality to the band productions, personally missed him so much and wish him back as an musician and DM co-producer.
The Recoil albums have been awesome! One does not tire of the diversity, and the construction of sound and mood; re-hearing composition, one picks up a difference nuance. AW has given us depth in music! Concerning DM, recent interviews with DG subsequent to the passing away of AF, and the launch of their new album, do not indicate a regrouping.
I remember about 10 years ago he said that Recoil was not financially viable anymore and that he was in debt (financially) Daniel Miller! He also auctioned off a lot of his Depeche stuff which he openly admitted was because of his divorce bill! I get the impression (my own impression) that he would jump at the chance of joining DM again!
Hopefully he’ll reappear soon, it would be tragic for his talent to go to waste! Would actually love to see him work with Gary Numan!
#BringBackAlan
I think we need to start a support group. HOW TO LET GO OF ALAN WILDER. if that's ever possible, the letting go part. 😎
I just got this notification a day late ugh...great video Vaughn...omg yes more RECOIL would be a dream come true! I hope he's watching 👀...lots of Recoil fans here!
When it's not fun anymore, you should stop. Sometimes there are phases in our lives where we question what we do and the whole meaningfulness of it. I have a feeling that a lot of external things went onto him a bit too much and he did not longer feel like he wanted to continue making music that would mostly only enrich the type of people he did not want to support. Especially as a whole industry. And as much as the Internet as a tool helped musicians in a lot of ways, it also made it harder and harder to be discovered and being able to make a living of your art. But even if you DID make a good living of it… there is still something that heavily influences your decisions if you should continue or not. I just hope that the decision Alan made actually made him feel good about it. And i also hope that he did not prematurely close the musical curtain because he was completely demoralized but just feels like wanting to approach something else. :( What ever it might be......
Shame Gahan and Gore could not build bridges with Wilder in the wake of Fletch's death... having him rejoin the band would give hope that we might hit the heights of Violator and SOF&D.
Alan W. reminds me of John Deacon, the bassist from Queen. I guess Alan still makes a nice amount of money from his depeche mode royalties, so why should he put any effort into makin' music, when most of the people only want to hear the old stuff anyway?
I will love Alan forever just for Luscious Apparatus alone
I saw that last known photo, he looks great!
Alan is pure raw musical genius and undoubtedly he is a master of his art if you hear any of the recoil stuff it’s great but it is most definitely not by any means as good as his DM stuff!
I believe DM was his compass
As he structured the music around the vocals of David & Martins compositions this made him accommodate funneled his raw pure musical talent into beautifully balanced masterpieces
That ultimately ended up becoming some of the most beloved DM songs of all time.
Sadly many fans view him like a traitor who was not needed & they do not give him the credit that he is owed!
They are completely wrong for doing this!
As DM has never been the same musically without Alan & and Alan music has suffered the same fate as he is no longer building
Around the masterful exquisite compositions of Martin!
If you ask me they we’re each other’s ying & yang!
As Alan without Martins compositions and Daves vocals he is lost that element that made his musical arrangements so good & blissfully amazing as I feel they both compliment one another to a perfection!
That you just don’t see in any of the newer DM albums!
Yet I must give credit where credit is due I do think Martin
Has evolved in his compositions
& lyrically has stepped up
His game in contrast to his older material!
Also to note David has vastly improved exponentially since n his vocals!
Yet I am left to conclude that currently DM
Musically is not on par with any of the classic albums pre Alan’s departure
& this is obviously due to the absence of Alan I know many people will hate me for saying this!
Yet the truth will always be the truth!
Depeche Mode is & always will be the best!
Yet with Alan Wilder they were musically better!
Salutations!✌️
The last music activity of Alan was in 2016. See Dede feat. Alan Wilder
I think Alan has to understand that the music he made with Recoil was just very .... well not everyone's taste . Now I listen to music that is more avant garde and less commercial than Depeche Mode but even I have difficulty getting into allot of Recoil stuff . I think maybe he was expecting sales you could never achieve with the kind of music he made even before there was downloads and all that .
This is hard to comment on because it's something I feel emotional about (which, yes, I know isn't healthy). Of course Alan has the right to do as he wants, but I'd be lying if I said that I didn't want to see him making music again. I'm not bothered about lyrics or guest singers: Alan even said that he thought singers would help boost the project's commercial appeal but, ironically, it didn't help and made it harder to tour. Personally, I'd love for him to do an album (or EP) of tracks like the early Recoil and Depeche instrumentals. As I said in another video, I'd love for him to do something like John Carpenter's 'Lost Themes'. People have often said that his music is filmic, so I'd love to see that - it doesn't have to be an _actual_ film score (though I think a call from David Lynch would be one of the few things that might make him consider returning to music). Above all, I just want to see and hear from him again. Obviously he can do as he likes and doesn't owe anyone anything. I just miss him 😢 Also, to Vaughn, I appreciate your honest, heartfelt approach in this video.
Thank you, Sir. No matter what happens we will always have the Depeche mode albums, Alan did with them. They are the best ones. -Andy Ry Denmark.
he's the reason all early albums were fantastic. Fav Some Great Reward.
It's crazy to think that at one time Alan was the MOST accessible (ex)member of DM with the shunt Q&A. So many things have changed since then and I hope he's enjoying retirement.
I have been a DM fan since the early 80’s and never got to see them live. I see them live this year. Ir sucks Andy and Alan won’t be there.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and feelings.
It's very touching how you talk about him, with admiration and respect. I also have a lot of respect for you for avoiding another person's personal life. Thank you.
Everything I could say has already been said many times by other people. I understand his decision to leave Depeche Mode, and what about Recoil, maybe he's already done everything he wanted here. He is an amazing musician and I love him very much. I'm just grateful to him for everything he brought to music - Depeche Mode, Recoil. And he brought a lot. I respect his decisions, and I will be satisfied with any scenario, with or without new music. I just want Alan to be happy.
One of the great tragedies of British synth pop! Alan left DM at the height of their music creativity with SOFAD. He brought the complete DM sound to their music which has been missing ever since...
Now is the perfect time for Depeche Mode to get on the horn with Alan Wilder today and pave the way for a new album collaboration. Assemble the dream team: Flood, Dave Bascombe and Gareth Jones to help conjur up some new dark magic. The next lineage of music that would naturally form a branch off SOFAD. The signs are all out there pointing towards the holy Trinity of Dave, Martin and Alan to form this long awaited reunion...to continue the legacy. We're all grown up now so go and make music together as DM for the sake of all of us!
I know the band and Alan I am sure are tired of hearing or being asked about him joining the band again, that is just us fans loving their work together and wishful thinking and hoping on our parts it may happen again. That being said I too would love more Recoil material, I own all his Albums and enjoy his music very much so i am always on board with hearing more..
Hey Tim!! Fully agree with you !! Would love to hear new recoil material. VG :-)
It is such a talented musician ...iam always feeling Recoil should get more appreciation as it is really something unique. Love to listen to it on the headphones in the dark room ... so many incredible sounds ... melody... colaborators input. It is masterpiece. Iam sad he vanished wish he find some new inspiration, energy on the othere side i know it is not cheap to produce new album. There are a lot of artist who vanish men somewhere they still creating ... wish Alan continue
Agree 100% There's a lot of great music yearning to come forth. Alan is so far ahead of his class he is a class by itself. So many are proteges of, inspired by, or simply are desperate for stand-out music a-la Alan Wilder. Nobody can dispute he is a genius on many levels. Like you, Vaughn, our love for music began with Alan and he will always remain that hope and wonder that comes from music.
My vinyl copy of Unsound Methods arrived today. Great pressing. Sounds incredible!
I read an article about Alan. He basically was really pissed off someone could take all of the music he made can be downloaded for free and he gets absolutely nothing in return. I think he was tired of fighting that battle. I never thought Alan would ever return to Depeche Mode. What if the same problems that they were having happen again. That wouldn’t be fair to Alan Depeche Mode and the fans. Hopefully one day Alan would do something when it comes to recoil or any kind of music. Thank you Vaughn 😊.
Like many people, I too, dream of Alan releasing something in music, but after so many years of ditching his personal studio and selling all his synthesizers and samplers and all the record material he did with DMs he didn't think he had plus the reasons to re-enter the music market again. I have a current obsession, I wonder 3 or 4 times in a month: "who knows what Alan Wilder is doing right now" people who have reached the top ... have difficulty living with everyday life without going into depression. But this will not be the case with Alan, for this reason sometimes joking with my friends, we ask ourselves: "who knows what Alan is doing right now" and sometimes we think and joke telling us that he is pushing the shopping cart for his wife in the supermarket, trivializing it we feel closer to him. It is true we are idiots and deluded, but Alan has left us nothing but hope. With love. Gianfranco ❤
Martin Gore has made a lot of different collaborations in recent years. Imagine if he and Alan Wilder would make one or a few songs together...
It could be great! I am sure!
Alan Charles Wilder is never coming back to Depeche Mode. Even if Martin paid him a billion dollars. 🎶
Alan, please don't give up
The Cure would have been a good choice for him. Robert Smith once said he let's the band members come and go if they want to spend time with their families or whatever else they choose. At least Alan could contribute to that long awaited new Cure album that Robert keeps promising. And The Cure are a rare band that doesn't bother me with lineup changes.
Alan Wilder is FANTASTIC!!! SPECTACULAR!!! ALAN WILDER FOREVER!!!]💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯❤️🌹🌹❤️❤️❤️❤️
I remember an interview from when he was still with Depeche Mode talking about his frustration that someone with a home computer and a cheap sound card (compared to his setup) doing shallow 4onthefloor techno stuff gets more attention and sells way better than his Recoil project he puts so much time and effort in.
After many years of listening DM my favourite albums are Violator and Black Celebration.
Happy 65th A. C. Wilder! 💖 Hope that you're in good health & you have all the happiness your heart truly desires. After all, you deserve the very best. 🌠Make a wish.