Why Were Depeche Mode So Big in Russia?

Depeche Mode’s fanbase in Russia has reached mythical levels of obsession, but why so? Music for the Masses is an exploration of Soviet Union-era censorship, 90s VHS home videos, the creation of Basildon New Town and one 2006 documentary film that captures this pop-culture phenomenon.
I make video essays about pop culture phenomena: / elevenyearz
My links: linktr.ee/elev...
Chapters:
0:17 Intro
1:43 Composition of Sound
4:48 Dave Day
9:21 Our Hobby is Depeche Mode
11:46 Basildon New Town
14:46 The Radiant City
18:15 Music for the Masses
19:44 Thank You
VHS Dave Day footage courtesy of: ‪@alexabscoverdave1613‬
Our Hobby is Depeche Mode (aka The Posters Came From The Walls) by Jeremy Deller and Nicholas Abrahams: • Our Hobby is Depeche Mode
Dave Day photos courtesy of depeche.ru
Biblio:
London Orbital - Ian Sinclair (2002)
Basildon: Depeche Mode in jibe at town - Essex County Standard (Apr. 2001)
Tracing Eastern Europe’s Obsession With Depeche Mode - Natasha Wynarczyk (2017)
101 - Depeche Mode (1989)
Basildon Bond: Depeche Mode & The Essex New Town - Sophia Deboick (2011)
The Athens Charter - Eli Rubin (2009)
Thank you for watching and supporting the channel.
#ElevenYearz #DepecheMode #Basildon

[@ElevenYearz]

“A lot of people listened to Depeche Mode then. It wasn’t 10,000 or 100,000 people, it was the entire country listening to them. At night when I went to bed I would hear someone listening to them on their car radio, other times I would hear passers by humming Depeche Mode tunes…” - interview with a DM fan in the amazing 2006 documentary film 'Our Hobby is Depeche Mode' which I strongly recommend watching!

[@sovarine]

Thank you for making this video. Depeche Mode is my favorite band in the world. Their music changed me in a way i can't describe. I've never related to a band so much.

[@ElevenYearz]

🖤

[@KuroMicra]

I know I’m a die hard devotee as well they have such an impact on my life and they’re just the best band ever to walk the planet

[@sovarine]

@@KuroMicra Agreed! I even got one of their album symbols tattooed. #devoteeforever

[@AngryPenguin22]

I was wondering why I would see so many Russian comments on Depeche videos on youtube. Now I know. Thanks man!

[@ElevenYearz]

😏

[@wiesnioczkaTV]

Poland had a huge fanbase too, almost everyone's dad was a "depesz" - a subculture known only here. And it wasn't only in the 90's, after their first show in the 80's (1985) everyone went MAD about them. Metalheads and punks hated them for some reason. They were so popular, that some guys had "Gahan hairstyle" and Depeche Mode themed parties are still a thing lol. The thing died a lil bit in the mid-late 1990's, but the fanbase is still very much alive.

[@user-bu7qo2nr2q]

In Italy also we still have DM parties twice a year in my town

[@ElevenYearz]

Great to hear that there’s still a fanbase

[@AlexanderSaranchuk]

I think all former USSR was looks like Basildon slightly expanded on big territory. )

[@joanzensillystuff2285]

You did an excellent job.👌 So Depeche is my favorite band and I'm a devotee, I enjoyed the video to the fullest❤ Thanks s lot, well done👌

[@ElevenYearz]

Thank you

[@m8discovery]

Among so many video essays nowadays, this one felt so sincere and profound. I am glad I found it. The way you described how Russian fans treat DM as a spiritual thing rings so true. I think it applies to all of the eastern block. I am Ukrainian born in the 90s and became a devotee in late 2000s, but still I feel that sacred feeling for the band. By the way, one of the modern Ukrainian writers Serhiy Zhadan has a novel called Depeche Mode. The content is totally unrelated to the band, yet the band is an emblematic symbol of the mindset of young people during the 90s and 00s, hence the name.

[@ElevenYearz]

Thank you for the feedback. The Serhiy Zhadan book sounds great, I’ll look into it, cheers for the heads up!

[@deydododontdedoh.5672]

Nicely done 👌 thank you 🙂

[@flybeep1661]

You're back, the long wait paid off. Well done again.

[@ElevenYearz]

Much appreciated 🙌

[@deydododontdedoh.5672]

Nice to see Runcorn shopping centre. another new town. 🙂

[@ElevenYearz]

There’s some beautiful old footage of Runcorn here on KZbin.

[@jamesskinnercouk]

What a fascinating and thoughtful mini documentary you have put together here, thank you.

[@ElevenYearz]

I'm a long time Depeche fan 🖤 Thanks for watching!

[@jamesskinnercouk]

@@ElevenYearz I’ve only heard them the odd time here and there back in the 90s but your video has given me curiosity towards them (I actually really like electronic music any way so that’s good) especially the fact they are so popular in Russia as we need ways of building bridges with nations instead of burning them.

[@ElevenYearz]

@@jamesskinnercouk 1981-1990 era Depeche is really what this video was focused on, and where I would start as a new listener. Speak & Spell all the way through to Violator is their strongest output. What’s fascinating is that the Depeche fans in this video were emulating an already decade old period of the band, as by the early to mid 90s their sound and aesthetic had changed dramatically.

[@flybeep1661]

It's kinda weird to see those Russian DM fans. They are clearly emulating 1980s Depeche Mode while in the 1990s DM was a completely different band compared to the 1980s. In the early 1990s the band went through a complete metamorphosis turning from a synthpop band to seriously alt rock band with Dave Gahan looking and acting nothing like he did in the 1980s.

[@ElevenYearz]

Yes, 2 very different era’s of DM. The look the fans emulate is very much 80s era DM, their best era imo…

[@sergeymanakov6267]

We dont need post-Alan's DM, SOFAD is also not necessary.

[@grimmorrageart]

while being from Russia myself (however, a bit younger than people shown here, a child of those who were Dave Days participants), I feel this link to DM music on a somewhat spiritual level and I can only agree on all the conclusions that were made in this video thank you for it and best of luck in growing your channel a little feedback: text sometimes cannot be seen clearly due to being white on a white-ish background, but overall quality work

[@ElevenYearz]

Glad you enjoyed. Thank you for the feedback!

[@tontorn6384]

I love the video, thanks a lost for all work ane enerdy you waisted to it ✨🙏🖤🤝

[@ElevenYearz]

Thank you for the kind comment, I can assure you that although time was lost - it was not wasted. Cheers!

[@tontorn6384]

@@ElevenYearz Im sorry, I was tired. More Depeche Mode videos please! 🙏✨

[@inthebarbican]

Depeche, my top guys 😎

[@weisnikolai]

Love your videos ❤u need more views

[@ElevenYearz]

Thank you 🖤

[@otrovato_musica]

Ahhh, this video explains why there are so many Russian DM memes and posts.

[@ElevenYearz]

Yes!