A Chance Meeting With...

May 24, 2024

Back in 1997 I flew back to the east coast after living in Seattle for four years. During that time, it was great to catch up with college friends and share plenty of memories before traveling to Europe for the first time. I missed hanging out in NYC and walking the streets to see my old haunts. It enabled me to realize what a great place New York was because there was always something to see and do.

One afternoon I ended up at Lincoln Center and walked around the front where the fountains were located. Right next door was Tower Records which was like my second home, went inside and browsed the record bins for hours. Across the street was a Barnes & Noble where I ended up going. I proceeded to the Arts and Entertainment section and who comes in but Dave Gahan, the lead singer of Depeche Mode. I vividly recall he was wearing a white tank top shirt, white jeans and a chain wallet. Next to the entertainment shelves was the business and finance section where he was perusing books on law and the music business. Good to know he was educating himself regarding his career since the big picture is actually a business.

I said "hello" and he automatically recoiled back as if I was going to attack him. I stood where I was, smiling and unmoving then he said "hello" back. I went on to say that I really enjoyed Depeche Mode's music through the years and he replied with a simple "thank you". I then asked if DM will be on tour anytime soon and he said not at the moment. This was also the period when Alan Wilder left the group. I finally said, "great, keep up the good work", smiled and walked away. I felt I didn't need to take more of his personal space. The meeting was simple and trivial but it was nice to see him in a normal setting.

My takeaway on this brief encounter is that celebrities are still human. We breathe the same air, are under the same sun and appreciate some alone time. Though he and I are at different levels professionally we probably go through joys and frustrations of everyday life. It's how we deal with things before going to bed at the end of the day.

Depeche Mode, now a duo (with Martin Gore) along with session musicians, are still releasing albums and touring. Oddly enough, I never saw them live, but I've learned to play their songs on the piano ("Somebody", "People Are People", "Enjoy the Silence") and "Personal Jesus" on the guitar. I say keep the music going.

RIP Andrew Fletcher