http://www.recoil.co.uk/qa_vault/dm_work.html
Having just read your excellent 'Singles 86 - 98' editorials, you confirmed something about DM that has bothered me for a long time - namely the extraordinary amount of time you spent in the studio over the years (particularly when the other band members 'couldn't be bothered' or were away on holiday) and why you never or rarely seemed to get the proper credit for all this work. Was it really the general consensus of the band that production credits should read 'Depeche Mode' and what about the live shows, you did all the programming, so why were you never mentioned?
I've said before that I don't think the credits on Mode albums really reflected the truth about who produced them but to be honest, at the time I just couldn't be bothered about getting into big discussions on the whole subject. I was happy to do the work because it was enjoyable and something I was good at.
In relation to this, I remember reading some comments from Fletch and Martin (around the time of 'Ultra') that were along the lines of "Alan is really boring....during recording periods, he never came out with us and spent too much time in the studio..." etc. The audacity of some people makes my blood boil! What about you, any thoughts on this?
As I've also said before, some of the comments that were made during the promotion for DM's last album were disappointing although not unsurprising and I can understand a bit of why they might have been said. The simple fact is that most people just do not understand or appreciate that 'producing' a record properly requires an enormous amount of energy and concentration. Anyone can go into a studio for a couple of hours a day, take loads of drugs, twiddle a few knobs, whack it all on a CD and call it a finished album but invariably the end result sounds like what it is - lazy and ill-judged. I can't just roll into the studio at 5 o'clock in the afternoon with a raging hangover and expect to be able to work effectively. This doesn't mean that I never take a break during a session but as a rule, I like to keep work time and play time separate so I can give my absolute best to whatever project I'm involved in. If this makes me boring then fine.....I'd rather be boring but have a really good record.
