From the moment he joined until the moment he left he was pitch perfect, a true musical genius denied by a song writing genius.

Alan - was the brain, Martin - was the soul, Dave - was the heart, Andy - You know... he was putting everything together.

I wish there were more people like Alan Wilder. Kind-hearted, humble, and a music genius.

It is NO DEPECHE MODE without Alan Wilder. He was the true Depeche and he always will be!

Alan is such a beautiful man, i had the pleasure of meeting him at a record store signing,I had nothing for him to sign so i just wanted to say hello to him and take a polaroid, such a lovely and gentle soul.

Poor Alan. The looks on his face Everytime he hears a different DM song. It's sad. They should bring him back man.

One of the greatest musicians in history.

He is a real man, honest, genuine, humble and precious, never stop being the intellegent, gracious and talented man you are. Love you Alan x

See he knows just what DM needs...can you imagine how powerful Ultra would have sounded with Alan?

Not to throw the shade on Dave, Martin and Andy for their respective roles, but as far as I'm concerned, Al was (and still is) the backbone of Depeche Mode. He busted his ass working to capture that right sound and feel for the group and he never really got enough credit for it.

Martin Gore didn’t want to share royalties and writing credits for the songs Alan helped crafting so well and with Dave, without whom they would never sounded so good. Alan and Dave felt they were being used. It pushed Alan away and pushed Dave in doing two solo albums. The song « I need you » on Paper Monster is clearly directed at Martin (« you always need me much more than I need you »). Healed from his solo work, Dave had the nerve to confront Martin and let him know that if he would not let him contribute in songwriting, there would be no Depeche Mode anymore. This gave us songs like « Nothing’s Impossible », among others. So strangely, Martin shapes the face of DM with his amazing songwriting but almost destroyed DM with his greed and ego trip at the time. I believe he has evolved now. Unfortunately, these events cost us Alan and probably very good music we will never hear along with it.

This man is pure class. It is a shame he never got connected with another group with commercial aspirations. I never really got into his post Depeche material. He deserves to be happy though, so I hope he is.

"Get The Balance Right" was the beginning of the reign of Depeche Mode's best years. Alan brought something that DM lacked, and since his departure the vacuum he left is blatantly obvious. The three remaining members really screwed up by not giving Alan the credit and adulation he deserved. His sound shaped and made DM identifiable.

A very intelligent and adorable person. We miss you in DM

what beautiful eyes he has.

If you paid VERY close attention, you will see that there is a deep motive when the host selected the songs he played to Alan Wilder in this interview. Let's break it down: 1. "Back In The USSR - Personally myself, I've said this many times and I'm sure you will agree: if it weren't for The Beatles, there probably would be no Depeche Mode. Throughout music history the Beatles have always represented the pinnacle of British rock music, allowing for many inspirations and the forming of countless bands, DM included in some strange and bizarre way. 2. "Sugar Baby Love" - A simple recounting of the very first recorded studio work of Wilder, providing tape operation and keyboard playing duties, an early demonstration of this man's musical genius and talent. 3. "TVOD" - Of course...the first release on which would become Wilder's recording home base for some time, Mute Records. The success of this independent UK label is eternally indebted to DM's success without a question of a doubt. 4. "Relax" - A one-hit wonder with a massive sound, leaning on the studio wizardry of the legendary Trevor Horn, could possibly be one of Alan's early inspirations for perfecting the art of studio production and arrangements. 5. "I Give To You" - Alan's first shot at producing an entire album all by himself, and in particular this one since it involves one of Alan's favorite bands (and personally MY favorite industrial/EBM band), Nitzer Ebb, who went on to tour with DM for the World Violation tour. The band's lead singer, Douglas McCarthy, was later invited by Alan to perform several vocals on Wilder's solo project, Recoil, started around the time of MFTM. 6. "Queens Park Rangers" - Apparently it seems that this is a theme song for a footbal team Alan backs for or is probably a super fan of. Not a lot of info on this bit, I'm afraid....sorry. 7. "Get The Balance Right" - The day that DM finally shed its chewing-gum plastic pop phase and commenced growing up. The beginning of the AW input takeover in DM's history....from this point on, things would certainly NEVER be the same again. 8. "The Landscape Is Changing" - Signalling the introduction of Alan's brief foray into songwriting. And all b.s. aside, but ALL of DM's tracks composed by Alan are ALL killers, this one is MY personal favorite from CTA. You can make a mini-LP with all of Alan's DM compositions and it would be an awesome sell. 9. "Never Let Me Down Again" - One of THE anthems. The direct punch. The evoked mental images of the hands swaying back and forth in what was one of the most successful tours in DM history. Loved it when he mentions 3rd Bass on their use of the guitar riff sample for a remix of "Wordz Of Wisdom" (listen to it here: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/b9JyZM2a256XgWQ.html ) 10. "Stripped" - How the power of DM's music transcends even upon other artists of many different musical genres, even to the point of rendering tributes, such as this case in particular. (BTW, i NEVER liked this cover version...the Ramm guys destroyed one of my all-time favorites, grrr!) 11. "Walking In My Shoes" - The most bittersweet moment in all of this interview...when the most introspective and breathtaking music, not to mention the corresponding tour, was conceived in what has been considered the most chaotic and most self-imploding point in terms of internal and personal tensions concerned, eventually provoking the biggest low blow in DM's carrer upon this gentleman's painful but necessary departure from the band in 1995. 12. "Barrel Of A Gun" - The "outsider looking in", kinda like "so what have you been doing without me?". Very poignant of him to view on his former band's work after his leaving, pointing out his like for this song (i LOVE this record myself). But, as harsh as you might perceive this, but his critical view on DM's music from that point on is no damn surprise to ANYONE, and here's history repeating itself once again in that once Alan Wilder left DM things would NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN. 13. The intro to Alan's invitation to play "Somebody" with Martin Gore at Royal Albert Hall 2010.- Most surely EVERYONE'S wet-dream-gone-mental come true for a brief moment. This goes on record as maybe the longest and most heartfelt hangover in ALL of music history: the fact that YET EVEN TODAY, 23 years after he departed with even a message to his fans explaining the heartbreaking decision, people are STILL flooding the waves for this gentleman to return back to the world's most favorite pop band. My personal view is that DM should consider this once they are inducted into the Hall Of Fame and decide to end their career with one MAJOR BANG. Enlist Alan, create the most bombstic album of their career, go on a massive tour, and call it a day and go out of the game like TRUE CHAMPS. Hope this observation helped all of you, Cheers! DM Foreva...

Nada es igual sin Alan. Depeche Mode se perdió un gran maestro y cuando estuvo en la banda no supieron apreciar el gran trabajo que hizo allí. Alan es un gran maestro de la música!!!!! Hasta el día hoy me dan lástima que Alan dejó Depeche xq no valoraron nada de lo que hizo. Gracias a él, Depeche Mode es conocido en el mundo. Pd: saludos desde Argentina. Muy buen video

Alan is great...fantastic artist, very innovative and a true English gentleman

Alan Wilder the soul of Depeche Mode!!! Without him DM is not the same :(

It still gets to me when he raises his left eyebrow

25:16 - 26:12 Alan is saying exactly what every Depeche Mode fan has said since his departure. Yes, he still thinks their music is good (as do we), BUT there’s still some element missing in it.

Wonderful man! For me he is still "Mr.Depeche Mode"

he almost looks like hes going to cry when he hears walking in my shoes

The first time I put on the Never Let Me Down single and the intro poured out of the speakers is one of only a few memorable and jaw dropping musical experiences I've ever had.

I think Alan would rejoin DM in a heartbeat if asked by the other members.

The missing piece ist still Alan.

When “Walking In My Shoes” started playing, Alan somehow was feeling like so nostalgic and melancholic, even his face turned out to look more sadder. Perhaps he remember the tension, the fights between each other, back in 1993. He even looked somehow with a sad smile. Too many memories came to him… ☹️ He sounded so serious but so sad. Even the interviewer didn’t dare to ask him anything about that time. He just let Alan to speak…

What a pity that this man left Depeche Mode. So sad.

What a wonderful interview . Alan got much better at interviews through the years. He became more vulnerable with age. I like how you present him with music and it leaves us trying to read his face for his immediate reactions. I wonder what Alan and DM might do after Fletch’s passing. I think he still keeps in touch with Dave. I still Like Depeche Mode, but Alan did give them a “cinema” sound if you will. I wish Alan had produced or engineered other bands. It would have been interesting to pair him with a great songwriter, even if it wasn’t Depeche.

The heartbeat of DM, we miss you Alan💖💖💖💖💖💖

I still love Depeche Mode, but it’s hard not to be curious about what they would sound like now if Alan had stayed. He is definitely missed, but DM has survived their second high profile departure better than most people would have guessed.

What a beautiful, brilliant man!!! ❤❤❤

Alan Wilder. What else need to be said..

Lol the love the expressions on his face when he hears a song.

jesus he just has a computer for a brain i dont know how they manage to get songs so fast its crazy huge respect

Total genius

Alan is the best!!!

Dearly missed

I think he misses DM. So many memories . . . It´s exciting to see, how much knowledge he has in music. You can learn sooo much from him. I wish, I could speak to him! :´( I think I could never get bored of him. Fascinating!

Alan was so important for the depeche mode success. It s a pity he has gone away. DM were destined to be legends but i am sure that with Alan some other masterpieces would have been recorded.

How does this not have 10 Million views? This is so informative and entertaining and emotional at the same time. And then he starts out right off the bat saying "McCartney wasn't the same after the Beatles", which definetely applies to himself more to anyone else. Thank you, KZfaq algorithm, for dragging me here in 2021!

I want to meet him so badly >_

The Master.

Although Alan leaving DM did affect in my opinion the the feel of the music, DM did manage to maintain their essence. One does wonder how DM would be if he did not leave the band.

Wish he would return. Their voices are enough to carry a song, but his instrumentals add another dimension. One last collaboration.

He's the man

Alan and Martin are like Lennon and McCartney in that story, combination of them were the best.

I miss him in Depeche...

ALAN WILDER ! Thank you soo much !!!

What an amazing man he is. Intelligent, charming and humble and even though everybody knows that he made Depeche Mode what they are (or were...), he wouldn't ever take credit or say that himself.

Fantastic to see this new extended version. The man is still a proper role model to me all these years later.

I like your music, Alan! You are a very talented musician! Your creativity and passion to experiment with sounds. DM definitely was better with him.

Alan wrote some great album tracks back then, he shouldn't be so worried that it doesn't come naturally !"

"Sounds quite good through the little speakers, actually!" Love him

Without Alan the DM sound suffered enough !! :(

I love him so much, his music is fantastic!!

I love you so much Alan, you will always be my hero ❤

What an interesting and admirable person/musician.

Walking in my shoes has a lot of epic elements. Bass line is one of em

Always thought he was such an amazing guy. Hanging out with him would be such a download of info.

All things evolve. I liked DM before Wilder, with Wilder and without Wilder. And I like Wilder as a solo artist. Loved Recoil.

24:53 his smile there is so genuine it lifts my spirits a bit after seeing the pain on his face while talking about walking in my shoes

Hes such a good dude. He is missed greatly with them. I hope he is getting the fulfillment he needs from other work. Artists are such unique people, the need to get "it" out of them is so great that it can cause serious issues for them mentally if they can't express the way they need to. Be well Alan.

12:12 you do notice he's getting emotional, right? because I'm getting chocked up just by looking at his facial expressions not to mention hearing his explanation

The missing puzzle to DM.

I love Alan Wilder. I missed him at the Depeche Mode show we just saw on Monday. That cactus, though...

The expression on his face when WIMS comes on speaks volumes. He looks like a haunted man.

I love how on the Rammstein cover he's basically like "Well it's not good but it's the thought that counts, right?"

he looks a lot like james purefoy. one of my favorite actors. alan a true musical genius.

Awesome interview, I really hope Alan Wilder will join Depeche Mode on stage once they get inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! Hopefully will be inducted in 2019.

OMG..HE'S HOOOT AND SOOOOOOOOOOO INTELLIGENT!

alan sigue siendo hermoso para mi ♥♥😍😍😍

he should return without a doubt, totally buy his views on the current sound, it lacks some organic and raw touch, some human power, besides the electronic. DM will always be DM but he has a unique vibration and sensibility. just forget about the minor holes and mistakes, and fucking reunite. its the right thing, Alan knows it, the band knows it, we all know it. there's such few time in this life and instead of making the best possible out of it people waste it with ridiculous things as pride and differences that are nothing compared to what you can put in the world by producing A level art and celebrating friendship.

I have my eyes wet with this interview. Damn, thank you.

My loveeeee!!!

We are a lot of people who still in 2024 cry every time we hear the “Somebody”-re-union, so imagine what the reaction would be if he joined the DM live line-up today. People would faint!

Genius!! The Boss Missing you!!!

To all who wish that he returned to depeche (myself included), I think it's just simply too late. Twenty years have passed. Remember when he said "there's something very sad about being in a group when one hits middle age"? And he said that about 15 years ago!

Depeche mode was all I ever really listened to, and after Wilder left I just stopped. Just wasn't the same vibe. Not to dismiss the contributions of the others. Gore's song writing, and Dave's vocals are both great, and Fletch, well ya, there was Fletch lol, but Wilder was the dude that gave Depeche Mode their edge, and once that was gone, so was I. There have been a few really great songs since he has left, but I have not spent a penny on them, and I just moved on. Honestly, it was Wilder that set them apart from anything else I had ever heard. I just remember in the late 80's sitting in the back seat of a chevy corsica and my friend put in a tape and pressed play, and Never let me down again played, and i was blown away, and for the next 13-14 years i loved their music. Violator was a masterpiece.

12:14 -This part kills me. Alan’s thousand yard stare. You can see how much he misses DM. He’s about to start breaking down..

El es tan hermoso es un ser humano con un gran corazón eres único e inigualable contigo se fue la escencia de dm tu eras esa magia de la cual me hace vibrar de emoción y del me enamoré de ti, gracias por tu sencillez y gran corazón, por siempre Alan mi amor imposible 😍😍💋💋❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️te llevo en mi corazón como un tatuaje 😍😍😍😍

I wish more people would do this format of an interview where they listen and react to things..

Alan se miss you

Un maestro de maestros en dM....lastima que renunciara al grupo....!! el sonido de dM no volvió hacer el mismo...!!!

Alan, come back

Alan. Seriously. I will give my soul to see you with the rest of Depeche Mode. Have you seen new order without Peter Hook? Have you seen Fleetwood Mac without Lindsey Buckingham? That's not even the magnitude of the gap that's left without you being there. They've put out mediocre albums since SOFAD and hearing your "In Chains" remix was like being in a parallel universe where that incarnation if DM still exists.

Tan guapo como siempre ... El hombre más guapo y talentoso de este siglo !

Love him!

Alan

He should come back to DM... I think he kinda wants it... especially at the very end of the interview...

16:29 When he asks Alan what the difficulty of writing pop songs is, Alan replies that "I don't feel the words...and when I do try and write words I just look at them and it just looks stupid to me..." Perfect response opportunity missed: "That's okay Alan. Words are very unnecessary. They can only do harm."

such a great interview - well prepared, such a great way to get Alan talking :) Thank you!!!

he is a nice man, maybe I can read a bit of sadness in his eyes when speaking about DM, he certainly had an interesting life with them

Alan era molto importante per DM..... Mi spiace non faccia piu' parte dei DM.. Ma avra' avuto i suoi precisi motivi... ❤

I doubt he would come back to depeche mode, but it would be great if they would hire him as a producer. I know it's a pipe dream though.

Amazing what he said about FGTH .. haha, made my day .. our Master and Servant against their Relax, jealous about their massive sound and we failed miserable .. wonderful :) ..

Lennon and McCartney sound good together like Gore and Wilder sound good together.

I love listening to this. I put it on loop.

I don’t think you can get much cooler than Allen. I doubt we will ever see him involved with the band again sadly, but I hope he is happy. You can see he got the feels with the intro on Walking in my shoes.

The sound of Depeche Mode! OG!!