Alan Wilder

Born: 1959-06-01

Alan Charles Wilder (born 1 June 1959) is an English musician, composer, arranger, record producer and former member of the electronic band Depeche Mode from 1982 to 1995. Since his departure from the band, the musical project called Recoil became his primary musical enterprise, which initially started as a side project to Depeche Mode in 1986. Wilder has also provided production and remixing services to the bands Nitzer Ebb and Curve. Alan Wilder was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020 as a member of Depeche Mode. He is a classically trained musician. Alan Charles Wilder was born the youngest boy born into a middle class family of 3 boys and was raised in Acton, West London. He began piano at the age of eight, through the encouragement of his parents. Later on, he learned the flute at St Clement Danes grammar school and became a leading musician in his school bands. After school, Alan worked as a studio assistant at DJM Studios. This led to him ending up working for bands such as the Dragons and Dafne & the Tenderspots (as Alan Normal). Others include Real to Real (featuring Adrian Chilvers on bass, Pete Fresh on guitar, Wolfgang Marlander on drums and Paul St. James on vocals), the Hitmen, and the Korgis, appearing on the UK No. 13 single "If I Had You" (1979). Following the departure of Vince Clarke, Depeche Mode placed an advertisement in the music magazine Melody Maker: "Keyboard player needed for established band – no timewasters." Even though the ad was looking for someone under 21 (Wilder was 22) he lied about his age to get the job, and got away with it. He joined Depeche Mode in January 1982, initially as a tour keyboardist, and soon thereafter as a full member of the recording band. His first studio contribution was on the single "Get the Balance Right!" in December 1982, released the following month. Wilder wrote a handful of songs for Depeche Mode, including "Two Minute Warning" and "The Landscape Is Changing" (and a B-side, "Fools") from the album Construction Time Again, and "If You Want" (and a B-side, "In Your Memory") from the album Some Great Reward and finally co-wrote "Black Day" (and a B-side, "Christmas Island") from the album Black Celebration. However, Wilder's more notable contributions to Depeche Mode were as a musician, arranger, and producer. In addition to playing synthesizer throughout his time with Depeche Mode, Wilder also played piano on the band's signature ballad "Somebody". In the documentary film 101, Wilder demonstrates how different synthesizer parts of a song are split and arranged across a sampling keyboard for playing them live during the concert, just one small example of Wilder's ongoing contributions to Depeche Mode during his time as a member of the group. For the recording of the album Songs of Faith and Devotion and its corresponding Devotional Tour, Wilder also played live drums. For "Enjoy the Silence" from the album Violator, Wilder took Martin Gore's melancholy ballad-esque demo and re-envisioned the song as a percolating, melodic dance track. The resulting single went on to become one of the most commercially successful songs in Depeche Mode's history. ... Source: Article "Alan Wilder" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.


Placeholder

Depeche Mode 101

as Self
Released: 1989-04-27

A fascinating documentary focusing on backstage realities of art and business during the British...

Movie page

Depeche Mode: Strange Too

as Self
Released: 1990-01-01

Strange Too - Another Violation by Anton Corbijn is the third music video compilation by Depeche...

Movie page

Depeche Mode: The World We Live in and Live in Hamburg

as Self
Released: 1985-01-01

First video release by Depeche Mode, featuring almost an entire concert from their 1984 Some...

Movie page

Depeche Mode: The Videos 86-98

as Self
Released: 1998-09-28

The Videos 86>98 is a music video compilation by Depeche Mode, featuring almost two dozen music...

Movie page

Depeche Mode: Black Celebration Tour 1986

as uncredited
Released: 1986-12-24

Depeche Mode - Live at Wembley Arena, London, 17 April 1986 (Black Celebration Tour) 01. Black...

Movie page

Depeche Mode: Strange

as Self
Released: 1988-01-01

Strange - A Black and White Mode by Anton Corbijn is the second music video compilation by...

Movie page

Depeche Mode: Devotional

as Self
Released: 1993-09-30

This video release by Depeche Mode features almost an entire concert from their 1993-1994...

Movie page

Depeche Mode: 1991–1994 “We Were Going to Live Together, Record Together… and It Was Going to Be Wonderful…”

as Self
Released: 2006-10-03

"We Were Going To Live Together, Record Together… And It Was Going To Be Wonderful…" - As part...

Movie page

Recoil A Strange Hour In Budapest

as Self
Released: 2012-08-12

The band fronted by former Depeche Mode member Alan Wilder captured live in performance in...

Movie page

Depeche Mode: 1989–90 “If You Wanna Use Guitars, Use Guitars…”

as Self
Released: 2006-06-06

"If You Wanna Use Guitars, Use Guitars…" - A 32-minute short film, entitled Depeche Mode...

Movie page

Depeche Mode: 1982 “The Beginning of Their So-Called Dark Phase…”

as Self
Released: 2006-10-03

"The Beginning Of Their So-Called Dark Phase…" - A documentary about the making of the album A...

Movie page

Depeche Mode: Live at Hammersmith Odeon

as Self
Released: 1982-10-25

Tracklist: Oberkorn (It's A Small Town) , My Secret Garden , See You , Satellite , New Life , ...

Movie page

Depeche Mode: 1985–86 “The Songs Aren't Good Enough, There Aren't Any Singles and It'll Never Get Played on the Radio”

as Self
Released: 2007-03-20

"The Songs Aren't Good Enough, There Aren't Any Singles And It'll Never Get Played On The Radio"...

Movie page

Depeche Mode - Strange & Strange Too

as uncredited
Released: 2023-12-08

Freshly Restored from Original Super 8 Sources, the Compilation of Groundbreaking Depeche Mode...

Movie page

Depeche Mode: Video Singles Collection

as Self
Released: 2016-11-11

The complete collection of Depeche Modes videos.

Movie page

Depeche Mode: 1987–88 “Sometimes You Do Need Some New Jokes…”

as Self
Released: 2006-06-06

"Sometimes You Do Need Some New Jokes…" - In both musical and commercial terms, Depeche Mode had...

Movie page

Depeche Mode: Live at the Pasadena Rose Bowl

as Self
Released: 1989-03-13

Depeche Mode's famous 101st and final concert of the 1987-1988 Music For The Masses Tour at the...

Movie page

Depeche Mode: 1984 “You Can Get Away with Anything as Long as You Give It a Good Tune…”

as Self
Released: 2006-10-03

"You Can Get Away With Anything As Long As You Give It A Good Tune…" - Short documentary of...

Movie page

Depeche Mode - Black Celebration

as uncredited
Released: 1986-03-17

Depeche Mode’s Black Celebration in 5.1 surround brings a fresh, immersive layer to the band's...

Movie page

Depeche Mode: 1983 “Teenagers Growing Up, Bad Government… and All That Stuff.”

as Self
Released: 2007-03-26

"Teenagers Growing Up, Bad Government… And All That Stuff" - While Alan Wilder becomes a full...

Movie page

Depeche Mode - Delta Machine

as Self
Released: 2014-11-17

1. Welcome To My World 2. Angel 3. Heaven 4. Secret To The End 5. My Little Universe 6....

Movie page

Depeche Mode: New Dress · Hamburg

as Self
Released: 1986-05-16

Depeche Mode: Black Celebration Tour May 16,1986: Alsterdorfer Sporthalle, Hamburg 01....

Movie page

Depeche Mode - Music for the Masses

as uncredited
Released: 1987-09-28

Depeche Mode's *Music for the Masses* in 5.1 surround sound elevates the 1987 album to a new...

Movie page

Depeche Mode - Violator

as uncredited
Released: 1990-03-19

Depeche Mode's *Violator* in 5.1 surround sound invites listeners into an immersive, atmospheric...

Movie page

Depeche Mode - Songs of Faith and Devotion

as uncredited
Released: 1993-03-22

Depeche Mode's *Songs of Faith and Devotion* in 5.1 surround sound elevates the raw, soulful...

Movie page

Depeche Mode - Construction Time Again

as uncredited
Released: 1983-08-22

Depeche Mode's *Construction Time Again* in 5.1 surround sound transforms this industrial,...

Movie page

Depeche Mode - Speak & Spell

as uncredited
Released: 1981-10-05

Depeche Mode’s Speak & Spell, their 1981 debut album, introduced the world to a fresh,...

Movie page

MTV Video Music Awards

as Self
First aired: 1984-09-14

An annual award ceremony presented by MTV to honor the best in the music video medium.

TV Show page

Champs-Elysées

as Self - Depeche Mode
First aired: 1982-01-16

TV Show page