My friend Ray recently pointed me in the direction of a major event for Depeche Mode fans. Not a concert tour or a new album - but an auction. Alan Wilder - who was in the band through the Devotional period - is putting up for auction around 300 lots including many of the synthesizers he used to create the albums / play the tours as well as jackets, clothing and memorabilia. The official auction site can be seen here.
There are a few bands that defined my teenage experience and Depeche Mode was one of them. New Order, The Smiths and R.E.M are probably the three others. Because of this, the albums those bands released or that were in our collective consciousness from about 1987 until 1990 are particularly dear to me. They feel - as do the bands themselves - as part of my formative years as any other experiences I had.
Depeche Mode has always had a certain knack for marketing and graphic design. They are probably responsible in some ways for my interest and eventual study and love of design. The bands album covers - particularly Music For The Masses - haunt me till this day. And their tour shirts are second to none.
I have spent quite a bit of time (and money) hunting down some of the old shirts from those tours, so to see the entire shirt collections from each tour on offer is rather mind blowing. If for no other reason, to now have a true record of exactly what was on sale the day of the show.
I do wish Alan had not signed the shirts but that's besides the point - these collections will fetch thousands and I have no intention of bidding. The shirts I own in the MFTM collection above (the ultimate) are the top center with the band's faces on black , and the top right with Music For The Masses on black. I've passed up the lower right white shirt as the graphic on that was is huge and doesn't wear well. I would kill for any of the Rose Bowl specific shirts which I believe are the top and bottom 4th in from the left. The white version of the faces shirt I own (bottom, middle) is impossible to find and worth a fortune. As is the DM black polo on the upper left. You're looking at history, here.
The Violator shirts are also pretty great and I just found the black rose shirt (third in from the left) on ebay. I used to own that one, along with the white one 2nd in from the left which was one of those XXL shirts so common in the 80's. It kills me that I got rid of these shirts but we're stupid when young.
The auction is to take place on September 3rd in Manchester but is also open to the online community. It will be an unprecedented opportunity for the grabbing hands to grab all they can. For a steep price, I imagine.
How much is the block rose shirt going for?? I still have mine. Meadowlands 1990!
Posted by: Jon | July 13, 2011 at 06:43 PM
On ebay, I snagged one for $60. But often in vintage shops a shirt such as yours can fetch as much as $150. Oddly enough, I was at the Meadowlands 1990 show as well!
Posted by: Tony | July 14, 2011 at 09:00 AM
That show was 21 years ago?!?! Nitzer Ebb, Jesus & Mary Chain, then Depeche Mode. Hahaha! We went with Jen and Dana, right?
Posted by: Ros | July 14, 2011 at 11:54 AM
Tony -- It's not oddly enough... EVERYONE was at that show. I am continually meeting people who were there, and imagine I will for the rest of my life. We're all drawn to each other!
My shirt still has the name tag that my mother sewed in it when I went to summer camp that summer.
Posted by: Jon | July 14, 2011 at 12:29 PM