[EdipisReks]

Violator has always been one of my favorite albums, but the more i listen to it on my now pretty adequete rig, the more i realize how perfect it is. the vocals, the lyrics, the song order, the instrumentation, the production values, they are all amazing. i know that there are a lot of Violator fans on this forum, but does anyone else think that it is beyond good and into the realm of the fantastic?

 

[EdipisReks]

come on, Depeche Mode people, where are you?

 

[Jahn]

I'll never forget the Violator Tour when it came to Philly. It was the day of my HS graduation. I graduated, piled in a car with my buds, drove to the Spectrum to see DM do their evil electro-mojo, then drove to the grad after-party and jammed till dawn. I'll always have fond memories of that album. That was a good year - Violator and Disintegration set the tone for my lush angsty teen years.

 

[pframe]

Remember clearly my thoughts during first listen of Violator: "Holy cow! They've surpassed Music for the Masses." (A DM record I listened to all the time.) Got even better with repeated spins.

I just played this a couple of weeks ago. For a 15 (?) year old disk, it still sounds fresh. Every song is at least very good, and some are truly great, but what stays with me is the overall mood -- dark, dark dark.

 

[Masonjar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jahn I'll never forget the Violator Tour when it came to Philly. It was the day of my HS graduation. I graduated, piled in a car with my buds, drove to the Spectrum to see DM do their evil electro-mojo, then drove to the grad after-party and jammed till dawn. I'll always have fond memories of that album. That was a good year - Violator and Disintegration set the tone for my lush angsty teen years.

That was a great concert. did Nitzer Ebb open for yours? I had almost forgot that I saw them.. summer of 1990 I believe. It was an outdoor theater.. Blossom Music Center near Cleveland. Same place I saw the first two Lollapaloozas. It was definately a magical time for music back then.
Though there were a very large number of "newbie" DM fans there. But, that's what happens when you have #1 hits.. you just couldn't get away from "Enjoy the Silence" and "Love Song" that summer..

-JAR

 

[Jahn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Masonjar That was a great concert. did Nitzer Ebb open for yours? I had almost forgot that I saw them.. summer of 1990 I believe. It was an outdoor theater.. Blossom Music Center near Cleveland. Same place I saw the first two Lollapaloozas. It was definately a magical time for music back then. Though there were a very large number of "newbie" DM fans there. But, that's what happens when you have #1 hits.. you just couldn't get away from "Enjoy the Silence" and "Love Song" that summer.. -JAR

Yep deadly combo of DM/The Cure that summer! And yes Nitzer Ebb opened for DM in Philly too, not too shabby.

 

[CRESCENDOPOWER]

Quote:

Is Violator the most beautiful album ever made?

One of the greatest albums I have ever heard.

 

[Masonjar]

VIOLATOR is definately a beautiful album. Though I was always a little more slanted towards BLACK CELEBRATION and MUSIC FOR THE MASSES. VIOLATOR is warm and nice and fits like a glove.

For *Most* beautiful album ever? .. I'd probably give it to either HEAVEN OR LAS VEGAS or SOUVLAKI.

 

[asmox]

violator is great.

~

 

[Twombly]

I preferred Songs of Faith and Devotion, if only for "One Caress." But hey, "Enjoy the Silence" got me into DM.

 

[Doc Sarvis]

Definitely great. The first great pop album of the 90s and still one of the best that the decade produced.

 

[bong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Masonjar VIOLATOR is definately a beautiful album. Though I was always a little more slanted towards BLACK CELEBRATION and MUSIC FOR THE MASSES. VIOLATOR is warm and nice and fits like a glove. For *Most* beautiful album ever? .. I'd probably give it to either HEAVEN OR LAS VEGAS or SOUVLAKI.

ooh... Souvlaki! yeah... Slowdive was amazing... lush and beautiful.

anyway, Violator was my first DM album; Personal Jesus and Enjoy the Silence was what get me into Depeche Mode. same goes for Lovesong and Just Like Heaven got me into The Cure. 1989 was definitely a great year.

i agree with Masonjar though, to me Black Celebration is still the pinnacle of Depeche Mode's career.

did anything off Violator really take the #1 spot? IIRC i don't think so. even The Cure's Lovesong never made it to Billboard's #1 single. i'll forever curse the song that blocked it, Janet Jackson's Miss You Much.

 

[Oski]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bong Just Like Heaven got me into The Cure. 1989 was definitely a great year. i agree with Masonjar though, to me Black Celebration is still the pinnacle of Depeche Mode's career.

Ditto to both points above. Just like Heaven was what got me into the Cure and is still one of my favorite song from them. A Question of Lust is what got me into DM and the entire Black Celebration album is brilliant.

Honestly I haven't liked any of the albums since High for the Cure and Music For the Masses for DM. Both bands were at their peak in 87/88 with Kiss Me^3 and Black Celebration.

I still regret selling my ticket to the 101 concert at the Rose Bowl (yes the one that ended up being the live 101 album). Thomas Dolby and OMD opened for DM and when DM sang Blasphemous Rumours it started to rain.

By the way if anyone is in the NYC area Martin Gore will be spinning at Hiro next Wednesday.

 

[virometal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oski By the way if anyone is in the NYC area Martin Gore will be spinning at Hiro next Wednesday.

Damn it, always wanted to hear one of his sets. Hey, Oski, bootleg it and send me the tape.

Thanks in advance!

I am in the Violator is the bestest DM ever camp. To me, it is the perfect synth pop album.

From the kinky Blue Dress to the finger wagging Policy of Truth or Personal Jesus, every base is covered. Not to mention, the recording is of MJ quality.

IMO DM has been a singles kind of group, but Violator is the one work where they put it all together.

 

[Masonjar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bong anyway, Violator was my first DM album; Personal Jesus and Enjoy the Silence was what get me into Depeche Mode. same goes for Lovesong and Just Like Heaven got me into The Cure. 1989 was definitely a great year.

I'm pretty sure the first Cure that I really listended to was SEVENTEEN SECONDS. Followed shortly by the early singles. My friend had a bunch of 120 Minutes videos and we used to watch them in the dorm. "Love Cats" and all that stuff. Within a year, DISINTEGRATION came out, so I kind of got into all of their stuff at about the same time. I think if it wasn't for the music I wouldn't remember much else about 1989. Lost a lot of brain cells that year.. hehe.

As far as DM goes, I can't exactly recall what the *first* song was, probably something off of MUSIC FOR THE MASSES. Though it might have been one of their earlier songs like "Just Can't Get Enough" or "Everything Counts."

My main obsession at the time though was discovering the world of Joy Division and New Order. My first New Order was, for some odd reason, the 2nd cd of SUBSTANCE. My friend didn't like the poppy stuff on disc 1. That stuff was heavily addictive. He also had JD's SUBSTANCE. I had never heard music like that before, even at the time it was almost 10 years old.. If the Cure and DM were like alcohol and cigarettes, New Order and Joy Division were coke and heroin. Had to have it.

-jar