Kevin: Tour manager Andy Franks told us about how confident the Los Angeles Police Dept were with regards to crowd control ahead of the event at Wherehouse Records. After the infamous event unfolded, Andy said the same officer was “a broken man”. I thought that was a pretty funny anecdote. Reflections of Darkness [RoD]: This album is still an etalon and is considered essential in the band discography. For this very reason, my interest was immediately piqued when I read the first news about the making of this book. In less than a month this exciting read will be released and I got in touch with the authors so you can learn a bit more about this project. If you dedicate an entire book to a particular DEPECHE MODE album, is it evident that ‘Violator’ is still at the top of your list? Why did you choose this particular album for an in-depth study? The first in-depth look at the making of Depeche Mode’s ‘Violator’ and its enduring legacy, by Kevin May and David McElroy. Published on 29 September 2022 by Grosvenor House Publishing. Recorded in England, Denmark and Italy between May and September 1989, Depeche Mode’s seventh studio album ‘Violator’ was a landmark record beloved by fans and universally regarded as the band’s creative highpoint.

There is a third aspect that is often overlooked. Over the years, records have been covered with various legends. The perception of a work of art that is a piece of music changes over the years, sometimes to such an extent that we lose the original understanding of a recorded piece or other artistic work. The initial thought is lost in the darkness of the ages. 1990.06.13 Filadelfia The book features detailed interviews with central figures involved with the band as they transitioned their sound and image to a stadium-friendly aesthetic, as well as those whose trusted contributions, while occasionally understated, were essential for the creation of Violator, its enduring mystique, sound and success. Depeche Mode performing at Wembley Arena on the World Violation Tour, November 1990 (photo credit: Michael Rose)I was never a Christian but I did go to church regularly for about two years and it’s certainly rubbed off on me. I’m almost obsessed with the idea of good and evil. I suppose my songs do seem to advocate immorality but if you listen there’s always a sense of guilt. On “Halo”, I’m saying ‘let’s give in to this’ but there’s also a real feeling of wrongfulness. These types of books are written for at least two reasons – to discover the undiscovered… yet and to describe unknown facts for the first time. The book itself is secondary to the discoveries. The second reason, equally important, is to collect all the diffused pieces of information, sometimes trifles, so that they are finally in one place. Such books are very necessary because allow the gathering of known knowledge in a specific moment. Then subsequent authors, who come after, can deepen their knowledge and move studies further. The touring and media schedule had worked, pushing the band towards the edges of its then cult status, as many of those in the mainstream media woke up and realised that another group of four young lads from Britain were causing a hell of a stir on college campuses. Halo’ is about Depeche Mode and their 1990 album ‘Violator’ – a landmark record and is beloved by fans. With Halo, authors Kevin May and David McElroy have produced an essential guide for Depeche Mode fans and anyone inquisitive about the making of a classic, genre-defining album.

David: ‘Violator’ was the first DEPECHE MODE album I bought and I consider it not only to be their best work, but the best album that has ever been released. The music is perfect, the songs too and the leap forward the band made from ‘Music For The Masses’ to ‘Violator’ is remarkable. The album still sounds fresh today which is incredibly impressive for something that is now over thirty years old. Kevin: For the reasons noted in my last answer, I just felt that there was a really interesting story based on the narrative of an era for a band covering the creativity required to produce such a masterpiece, recording, marketing, design, visual output, and lots more. David: Kevin explains the circumstances surrounding the book and Andy’s passing below. We wanted to be very careful about how we dealt with events as the last thing we wanted to do was intrude in any way on the grief being felt by his family and those close to DEPECHE MODE. We have dedicated the book to Andy. We all miss him and I think all DEPECHE MODE fans are still coming to terms with what happened. We felt dedicating the book to him was the least we could do. Written and published by Kevin May and David McElroy in association with UK-based Grosvenor House Publishing, Halo features interviews with those who had key roles during the making of Violator and the subsequent tour.RoD: It is unfortunate that we recently lost one of our founding members, Andy Fletcher, forever. Will there be a dedication to him in your book? How did you deal with this tragedy? This oral history is for fans and general music lovers who are curious about how a masterpiece was created. It’s an opportunity to learn first-hand from many of those involved in the making of Violator , in their own words, how this seminal album was made, marketed, toured and the impact it had on music and fans. The first in-depth look at the making of Depeche Mode’s ‘Violator’ and its enduring legacy, by Kevin May and David McElroy The book features detailed interviews with central figures involved with the band as they transitioned their sound and image to a stadium-friendly aesthetic, as well as those whose trusted contributions were essential for the creation of 'Violator'.