Depeche Mode - Ghosts Again

Most of my favorite musicians have had long careers spanning a few decades. It's not just because I'm getting old. Of course, almost everyone prefers the music from their youth, that certainly plays a role. However, not all of my favorite bands from my youth made the cut to be part of my favorite music today.

There are some musicians I was obsessed with 30 years ago who are still active today, but I don't care much about them anymore, despite still loving their music from 30 years ago.

Usually, the musicians who have stayed with me for decades are the ones who have managed to stay relevant and whose music has evolved over time to reflect their aging, changing times, and those sorts of things.

Depeche Mode is one of the best examples. They have maintained their musical identity all these years while their music has matured and evolved alongside them.

Listen to one of their first hits from more than 40 years ago:

Now, listen to one of their most recent songs, "Ghosts Again," which was released in 2023.

Yes, it's the same band, 40 years later. A lot has changed. For one thing, they're 40 years older. Second, they're down to two members: Dave Gahan and Martin Gore. Alan Wilder quit 30 years ago, and Andy Fletcher died unexpectedly in 2022. Fletcher's death and the prospect of everyone dying eventually have been a big inspiration for that album. After all, it's called Memento Mori.

This is what I like about a band: that it knows how to age and that its style changes but its talent and creativity stay the same.

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