RIP, Andy Fletcher
Posted on May 26, 2022 Posted by John Scalzi 13 Comments
Andy Fletcher of Depeche Mode has died, and it’s a sad day for everyone who went to high school when I did (and at my high school in particular, where Depeche Mode was worshiped as unto gods). Andy Fletcher would not have been my bet to be the first DM member to leave us, and his early departure is existentially disconcerting. As I understand it, he would joke that Martin Gore wrote the songs, Dave Gahan sung them, Alan Wilder was the good musician, and he was along for the ride. But you’re not along for the whole ride if you don’t bring something essential to the journey. He will be missed.
— JS
I haven’t been able to comprehend the Texas school shooting but when I heard about Fletch I could feel shock and sorrow. I wish I attended your high school; at mine Journey and Billy Squier (not Billy Idol) were the rock gods. You can imagine the rest.
It’s also troubling because Fletch is only a few years older and he was the stable one. It’s a loss to many of us, especially Devotees.
:(
I have loved Depeche Mode since I first heard them in 1984. It has been one of the longest and most consistent love affairs of the last 38 years of my life.
My heart breaks for Fletch, his wife, his kids, his whole family, and for the band he saved from breakup.
I don’t know how they move on without him and this breaks my heart even more.
I miss you, Fletch.
My time was a tad before Depeche Mode, but today we also lost Yes drumming legend Alan White. Today kinda sucks. Existentialism aside, I think we could all use a hug today.
Existentially disconcerting? No doubt. I told my ex-punk friend today that I am worried about how both Vince Clarke and Alison Moyet are taking this. Andy Bell, too, for that matter?
All sympathy to Andy Fletcher and Depeche Mode fans. I’m not familiar with him or their music, but it’s always a sad thing to lose one of your musical idols.
As Kim Christiansen already noted, drummer Alan White of Yes, who also played with John Lennon and George Harrison earlier in his career, also passed today. I first saw him perform with Yes 48 years ago, so it’s quite a loss.
Right about the time I was figuring out my taste in music (certainly not what was predominant in my small town high school!), Music for the Masses was released. Then Violator during college… Enjoy the Silence remains a favorite. Shocked me to hear about this death for sure.
Another reminder that I’m now the old guy. Saw them live at the Rose Bowl in ’88. Not the best sounding band live, far from the worst though, but yeah, their early albums were a notable feature of the soundtrack of my high school experience.
Not one of my prime musical enthusiasms (I was more of an Elvis Costello/Robyn Hitchcock kind of guy), but I always take notice when someone of my generation does the big check out early; too bad.
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I’m only a couple of years younger than you, and my high school also basically worshipped Depeche Mode. My wife, though seven years younger than me, grew up with them and owns every album they ever made on vinyl. We’re both very saddened, and I in particular–he died the day I turned 51, and I was already weary of confronting my own mortality.
Also, to be a tiny bit irreverent, it feels wrong. Like, it should have been Dave Gahan to go first, not Andy Fletcher, the one with the least “bad-boy” image.
I’m saddened. DM was part of the soundtrack of my college years. I saw them in concert once (fabulous) and I can’t count the number of times I danced to their music.
I was into Yes by high school, and also got to see them in concert. And always a wonderful band to listen to on headphones…
Hail to the travelers.
if you hit a rock enough times with a hammer it will crack and when those fault lines criss-cross enough there will be one last hit which shatters the rock
we keep getting hit and unlike a rock we have the ability to heal (somewhat) but only if we are granted enough time to do the healing… every time a hero-star-icon-role-model dies that’s a bad hit… Robert Heinlein died 40 years ago and I still remember the number of the subway car I was riding home that afternoon (“7329”)…likewise odd bits for others I respected… and now many of us are at an age where fewer years ahead than behind and resources are thinning along with our hair and skin…
I don’t expect those varied ‘n various enemies will grant us the opportunity to heal enough to endure the coming shitstorm of the 2030s
people are being driven towards the point where they’re going to just… shatter