Career
Gore was born at Dagenham, Essex, England. He left Nicholas School, Basildon, in 1977 and took a job as a bank cashier. During evenings, weekends and any other spare time, he was involved with the local band Norman and the Worms with school friend Phil Burdett who later went on to become a singer/songwriter himself.
In 1980, Gore met Andy "Fletch" Fletcher at the Van Gogh club. Fletcher recruited Gore into his band Composition of Sound along with Vince Clarke. Soon the band drafted Dave Gahan to be the lead singer after hearing him sing "Heroes" by David Bowie. Gahan is credited with the name "Depeche Mode" after seeing the phrase as a title of a French fashion magazine, which later considered taking them to court, but thought it would be good publicity for the magazine to let the band have the name.
Clarke left Depeche Mode in late-1981 shortly after the release of the debut album Speak & Spell. Gore sings lead vocals on several of the band's songs, notably ballads, his tenor voice providing a contrast to David Gahan's dramatic baritone. Clarke wrote most of Depeche Mode's first album, Speak & Spell. Gore contributed two tracks, "Tora! Tora! Tora!" and the instrumental "Big Muff". "Any Second Now (voices)" features Gore's first lead vocals for the band. When Clarke announced his departure from Depeche Mode in 1981, citing the pressures of fame and creative differences, Gore took over songwriting. Gore had been writing material since the age of twelve.
Songs Gore wrote for Depeche Mode's second album, A Broken Frame (1982) differed musically and lyrically from Clarke's. Gore's writing became gradually darker and more political on subsequent Depeche Mode albums.
Gore sometimes uses guitar, typically his Gretsch White Falcon or Gretsch Double Anniversary on Depeche Mode songs. The first time guitar was used as the main instrument was on "Personal Jesus", although he used small guitar parts on previous songs, such as "Behind the Wheel". Gore's guitar playing developed even more on Songs of Faith and Devotion. However in live performances, he switches his keyboards for his guitar on some older Depeche Mode songs, such as "Never Let Me Down Again" and "A Question of Time". In mid 1990 Gore stated –
| “ | I think in a way we've been at the forefront of new music; sort of chipping away at the standard rock format stations. | ” |
NME – July 1990
On 27 May 1999 Gore was presented with an award for "International Achievement", by the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors, at the 44th Ivor Novello Awards, at The Grosvenor House Hotel in Park Lane. Gore was presented with his award by Daniel Miller, whose speech commended Gore's work as Depeche Mode's songwriter, and the fact that for nearly twenty years the band have managed to connect, through their music, with people all over the world. Other attendees at the music industry-only event included Rod Stewart and Robbie Williams.
Gore remains the primary songwriter for Depeche Mode.
Read more about this topic: Martin Gore
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