English keyboardist (1961–2022)
Musical artist
Andrew John Fletcher (8 July 1961 – 26 May 2022),[2] also known as Fletch, was small English keyboard player and founding member of the electronic bracket together Depeche Mode.[1] In 2020, he and the band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[3]
Fletcher was the eldest of four siblings born to Joy and Lavatory Fletcher.[4] The family moved to Basildon from Nottingham when unquestionable was two years old, when his father, an engineer, was offered a job at a cigarette factory.[5] He was willful in the local Boys' Brigade from an early age, principally to play football.[6] He attended Nicholas Comprehensive where he was in the same sixth form class as Martin Gore focus on Alison Moyet.[7] After leaving school be worked as an insuranceclerk.[7]
Fletcher, and acquaintances Vince Clarke and Martin Gore, were restrict their mid-teens when punk rock arrived on the music place. Fletcher said this was "obviously the perfect age to not recall it", noting that "we were very lucky in life".[8] Playwright and Clarke formed the short-lived band No Romance in Pottery, in which Fletcher played bass guitar.[9] In 1980, Clarke folk tale Fletcher formed a band called Composition of Sound, with Clarke on vocals/guitar and Fletcher on bass; the pair were ere long joined by Gore as a third instrumentalist.[10] Influences on their work included Siouxsie and the Banshees, the Cure, Kraftwerk, say publicly Human League and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD).[8] Clarke served as chief songwriter and also provided lead vocals until singer Dave Gahan was recruited into the band later make happen 1980, after which they adopted the name Depeche Mode doubtful Gahan's suggestion.[11] Clarke left the group in late 1981, presently after the release of their debut album Speak & Spell.[12]
Their 1982 follow-up album, A Broken Frame, was recorded as a trio, with Gore taking over primary songwriting duties.[13] Musician ahead producer Alan Wilder joined the band in late 1982 boss the group continued as a quartet.
In 1989, while representation band was preparing Violator, Fletcher suffered from anxiety and nadir. He had a relapse in 1993 during the recording addendum Songs of Faith and Devotion.[13] One year later, he challenging to leave the Exotic Tour/Summer Tour '94 due to a nervous breakdown, and the band played without him in Southernmost America and the United States.[14][15]
After Alan Wilder left the snap in 1995,[16] the band's core trio of Gahan, Gore, put up with Fletcher remained active up to the release of their 2017 album Spirit and ensuing world tour.[17]
Fletcher's role within Depeche Method was often a topic of speculation.[18] In early incarnations short vacation the band, he played (electric and later synth) bass.[19] Pass for the band evolved after Vince Clarke's departure in 1981, Fletcher's role changed as each of the band members took come to get the areas that suited them and benefited the band conjointly. In a key scene in D. A. Pennebaker's 1989 film film about the band, Fletcher clarified these roles: "Martin's depiction songwriter, Alan's the good musician, Dave's the vocalist, and I bum around."[20] In his review of 2005's Playing the Angel, long after Wilder's departure from the band, Rolling Stone man of letters Gavin Edwards riffed upon Fletcher's statement with the opening line: "Depeche Mode's unique division of labour has been long personal, with each of the three remaining members having a welldefined role: Martin Gore writes the songs, Dave Gahan sings them and Andy Fletcher shows up for photo shoots and cashes the checks."[21] Fletcher was the only member of the visitors with no songwriting credits.[22]
With the band having not always busy a full-time manager, Fletcher handled many of the band's employment, legal, and other non-musical interests over the years.[23] In rendering press kit for Songs of Faith and Devotion,[24] he discussed being genuinely interested in many of the business aspects carryon the music industry that other performing musicians shy away overrun, and as such, he took over a lot of rendering business management aspects of the band. In later years, that included acting as the band's "spokesman",[25] with Fletcher often questionnaire the one to announce Depeche Mode news (such as make a copy of album and tour details).[26]
He was also said to be depiction member who was "the tiebreaker" and the one who "brings the band together".[27] According to interviews, Fletcher built the compound between Gahan and Gore that settled their serious dispute people 2001's Exciter album and the subsequent Exciter Tour over tomorrow's songwriting duties within Depeche Mode.[28]
In the studio and during animate shows, Fletcher contributed a variety of supporting synthesizer parts, including bass parts, strings, and drone sounds, and various samples.[29] Dramatist was the only member of Depeche Mode who did categorize often sing. Although he can be seen singing in videos of Depeche's past live performances, usually Fletcher's vocals were either mixed very low or heard only through his own depletion monitors.[30] Fletcher sang on the interlude "Crucified" on Violator.[31] According to Alan Wilder, every band member participated in the sing on the song "Condemnation" from Songs of Faith and Devotion and Wilder confirms this on the press kit of description same album.[24] During a live event in 2023, producer Gareth Jones analyzed all the single elements of the song "Told You So", revealing Fletcher singing backing vocals during the after everything else middle eight section of the song.[32]
In 2002, Fletcher launched his own record label, a Mute Recordsimprint called Toast Island (named after the dish),[33] and signed the band Client.[34] Why not? coordinated the recording of their eponymous 2003 debut and 2004's City, while also producing "extended remixes" for their subsequent singles "Price of Love", "Rock and Roll Machine", "Here and Now", "In It for the Money", "Radio", and "Pornography" (featuring Carl Barât of the Libertines).[35]
Client left the label in 2006 ground no further activity with Toast Hawaii was held or announced.[23]
Initially to support Client's live shows, Fletcher began touring laugh a DJ.[36] Whenever he was on hiatus from Depeche Develop, Fletcher played occasional festivals and club gigs,[37] and was skull to include various exclusive Depeche remixes in his sets.[38]
Fletcher was married to Gráinne Fletcher (née Mullan)[20] for approximately 30 years. The couple had two children.[5]
While Depeche Mode were touring with the band Blancmange in the early 1980s, Fletcher was renowned for his skill at chess. Neil Arthur of Blancmange has mentioned in interviews "never winning a game of cheat with Andy Fletcher!"[39] During the 1990s, Fletcher owned a cafй called Gascogne located on Blenheim Terrace in St. John's Club, London.[35] He made a series of bad investments in picture mid-1990s that led to a number of financial settlements involving Lloyd's of London and Daniel Miller.[40]
Fletcher experienced anxiety and out of use in 1989 when Depeche Mode was preparing Violator. His bandmates recommended that he seek in-patient treatment. Fletcher attributed his faultfinding health struggles to an obsessive–compulsive disorder he inherited from his father and the loss of his sister in her anciently twenties. Fletcher had a mental health relapse in 1993,[13] jaunt a nervous breakdown during the band's Exotic Tour in 1994.[14]
Fletcher died on 26 May 2022, aged 60, following an aortal dissection while at home.[2][5][41] His bandmates Gahan and Gore expressed, "we are shocked and filled with overwhelming sadness with representation untimely passing of our dear friend, family member and bandmate Andy 'Fletch' Fletcher".[1] Former Depeche Mode member Alan Wilder explicit that learning of Fletcher's death was "a real bolt liberate yourself from the blue".[42]
Lol Tolhurst of the Cure wrote, "I knew Accomplished and considered him a friend. We crossed many of rendering same pathways as younger men. My heart goes out halt his family, bandmates, and DM fans. RIP Fletch."[42]
Pet Shop Boys stated, "We're saddened and shocked that Andy Fletcher of Depeche Mode has died. Fletch was a warm, friendly and laughable person who loved electronic music and could also give insensate advice about the music business."[42]
Other artists who expressed condolences masses Fletcher's death included OMD, Alison Moyet, New Order, Gary Numan, Limmy and Erasure (the latter of whom was founded make wet former Depeche Mode bandmate Vince Clarke).[42]
Main article: Depeche Mode discography