Thursday, May 26, 2022

RIP ROCK-ON IN POWER
Depeche Mode founding member Andy Fletcher dies aged 60
Cydney Yeates 
METRO.UK
© Provided by Metro Andy Fletcher has died aged 60 (Picture: Getty)

Depeche Mode’s Andy Fletcher has died aged 60, his bandmates have confirmed.

The keyboard player and DJ, who founded the electronic group in 1980, was described as having a ‘true heart of gold’.

‘We are shocked and filled with overwhelming sadness with the untimely passing of our dear friend, family member, and bandmate Andy “Fletch” Fletcher,’ a statement posted on Depeche Mode’s Instagram read.

‘Our hearts are with his family, and we ask that you keep them in your thoughts and respect their privacy in this difficult time,’ it added.

Depeche Mode was born in 1980 after Fletcher and his schoolmate Vince Clarke joined forces with Martin Gore and scouted Dave Gahan.

© Provided by Metro Fletcher founded Depeche Mode in 1980 (Picture: Getty)

Although Clarke left the band after the release of their debut album Speak And Spell in 1981, Fletcher continued as an active member and played the keyboard throughout their entire career.

The musician, along with Martin and Gore, released 17 albums with Depeche Mode. Their most recent album Spirit was released in 2017.

© Provided by Metro Depeche Mode’s Martin Gore (left), Dave Gahan (middle) and Andrew Fletcher (right) (Picture: AP)
© Provided by Metro The band described Fletcher as having a ‘heart of gold’ (Picture: Getty)

Fletcher was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2020.

In a 2017 interview with The Skinny, the founder mused it was the ‘electricity’ between him and the rest of the band that made their work great.

He told the publication: ‘Martin and Dave live in the US and I live here, but it doesn’t really affect our relationships. Me and Martin are very close. Dave is more like a brother to me – if that makes sense.

© Provided by Metro Depeche Mode pictured in 1984 studio, with Dave (top left), Alan Wilder (top right), Andrew Fletcher (bottom right) and Martin Gore (bottom left) (Picture: Getty)

‘But what makes bands better than solo artists is the electricity that’s generated. Sometimes a band can’t stand each other but that electricity makes for great music.

‘It’s the same with Depeche Mode; we have moments where we don’t like each other, and moments when we love each other. It’s the electricity that’s generated between us all that produces the good music.’



Tributes have been flooding in for Fletcher, with The Cure drummer Lol Tolhurst writing: ‘Very sad news today. Andy Fletcher of Depeche Mode has passed.

‘I knew Andy and considered him a friend. We crossed many of the same pathways as younger men.

‘My heart goes out to his family, bandmates, and DM fans. RIP Fletch.’

Fletcher was born on July 8, 1961, in Nottingham. The eldest of four siblings, he became an active in the local Boys’ Brigade from an early age, primarily to play football.

It was in this Christian youth organisation that he met future Depeche Mode member Vince Clarke, and the two have both recollected in interviews the local missionary work they attempted on behalf of the group.

Fletcher is survived by his wife Grainne Mullan and their two children, Meghan and Joe.

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