As another year ends, and that was possibly the strangest one yet (what an odd and unpredictable time we live in) I find solace in the beautiful friends I have around me, my partner in crime, my family and of course music. Music has been my constant forever, it’s graced me and saved me many times over, and in times of need or escape, its always there to lift me. For me, the biggest reward in writing music is the moment of its creation and then completion. The birth of an idea arrives and leaves all too quickly, yet the feeling can give you an elated high. That is the pay off. The riches are in that moment. Collaborating with some of my favourite artists these past couple of years has made that experience all the richer.
After receiving such warm reactions to the first two Humanist tracks, and a lot love at BBC6, I have new material with Dave Gahan coming in Jan, and my album in February, and I’m very proud of it. I created it from nothing but thoughts in my head and now it’s a completed piece of work. It’s not perfect I’m sure, but it has all the energy and vigour I could muster, and somehow feels collectively just right. I really can’t thank all of my collaborators enough - all the artists who lent their singing talents, and particularly my manager Kate Smith, for believing in me and being a total heavyweight manager in making this come to life. And for everyone that has supported my music over the years; fans and labels and publishers alike - God bless you all.
Love and respect,
Rob x
depe
Dave Gahan in the project "Humanist" 2020
11 Jan 2020, 03:20
Country:
New single 'Shock Collar' (feat. Dave Gahan) coming this Monday 13th January.
1 Intro 2 Kingdom (feat. Mark Lanegan) 3 Beast of the Nation (feat. Mark Lanegan) 4 Shock Collar (feat. Dave Gahan) 4:00 5 Lie Down (feat. Madman Butterfly) 6 Ring of Truth (feat. Carl Hancock Rux) 5:31 7 Skull (feat. Mark Lanegan) 8 English Ghosts (feat. John Robb) [Full Version] 8:43 9 In My Arms (feat. Joel Cadbury) 10 When the Lights Go Out (feat. Mark Gardener) 11 Truly Too Late (feat. Ilse Maria) 12 How're You Holding Up (feat. Ron Sexsmith) 13 Mortal Eyes (feat. Carl Hancock Rux & Joel Cadbury) 14 Shoot Kill (feat. Jim Jones) 15 Gospel (feat. Mark Lanegan)
Humanist - Shock Collar (feat. Dave Gahan) - Official Video
Video credits: Director: Derrick Belcham & Tracy Maurice Art Direction by Derrick Belcham & Tracy Maurice DP: Derrick Belcham Production Manager: Jackie Stoughton Production: Kate Smith AC: Shane Jensen Editor: Derrick Belcham Colorist: Frank Baylosis III Makeup: Meg Rianne Special Thanks to Audrey Louise Reynolds & Daisy Hook Special Thanks to Big Group Marketing Agency, Paul North and Hyundai
Humanist is the Music of Rob Marshall featuring the vocals of Mark Lanegan (Queens Of The Stone Age), Dave Gahan (Depeche Mode), Mark Gardener (Ride), Carl Hancock Rux (David Holmes, Portishead), John Robb (The Membranes), Joel Cadbury (UNKLE), Ilse Maria, Ron Sexsmith and Jim Jones (The Jim Jones Revue, Thee Hypnotics).
'Shock Collar' - Written by Mark Lanegan and Rob Marshall:
Thank you love For all you've done Now I'll go my way Take this salt from off my tongue And try to believe the blood The silent sea will mirror me And begin again Walk beside this crooked line And begin again
I never lied Never never lied I never lied Never never lied The liar the liar the liar the liar I never lied Never never lied It's only a halo It's only a halo
These fallow fields Grew sunflowers dear But they have died The willow tree is skeletal The sky swept clean The drag of time The pantomime Begin again The soldiers wave Parade of flags Begin again
I never lied Never never lied I never lied Never never lied The liar the liar the liar the liar I never lied Never never lied It's only a halo It's only a halo
Depeche Mode’s Dave Gahan on new Humanist collaboration and his 2020 plans
"I’m always looking for someone to take me out of my comfort zone"
Depeche Mode frontman Dave Gahan has teamed up with Humanist for their new single ‘Shock Collar’. Check it out below, along with our exclusive interview with the singer.
Humanist is the brainchild of producer and Exit Calm guitarist Rob Marshall, who next month will drop the self-titled debut album inspired by the film The Living Room – a documentary about the life and death of singer-songwriter Gavin Clarke.
To portray the record’s themes of “life, birth, death, religion, mortality”, Marshall invited his wishlist of guest vocalists to sing – including longtime collaborator Mark Lanegan, Ride‘s Mark Gardner, The Membranes’ John Robb, Ron Sexmith, Carl Hancock Rux, Jim Jones and Gahan.
“I got involved through Mark Lanegan who had worked with Rob on his last couple of records,” Gahan told NME. “The music was already all together and Mark had already written the words, so really it was just me singing the melody. It was a weird collaboration. Mark would have normally been singing this, so I had it in my mind to be true to what they were doing.”
Speaking of his connection to the track, Gahan told us: “Rob’s stuff is pretty dark. The record is pretty unusual and way more instant. There’s a lot of depth added by Mark as a guitarist too.
“It’s great to work with people like this because they stretch you. Having been lucky enough to make music with other people for the last 40 years, I’m always looking for someone to take me out of my comfort zone. It makes me better at what I do in the long run. I learn so much from people with fresh ideas. Well, I nick so much – to be honest.”
And did he instantly fall for the song’s retro-futuristic post-punk sound?
“It’s funny you say that, because when I initially heard the backing track of what Rob had done first, my initial thought was that it felt like Echo & The Bunnymen,” said Gahan. “I liked a lot of that stuff in the ‘80s, and I think Rob is influenced by a lot of that full-on, wall-of-sound stuff.”
He continued: “I think it’s pretty fresh because it came together pretty quickly. It wasn’t messed around with too much and we just got on with it. It just is what it is, and is certainly a good way to start the new year.”
Gahan went on to explain how his work with Humanist acted as a muse for him to return to creating more music of his own.
“This all came as a surprise because I’m lying dormant at the moment, trying to get my juices flowing with writing and recording,” Gahan told NME. “I didn’t feel like I wanted to do anything, but this came along and got me to hear a lot of stuff that I probably wouldn’t have.”
“When these things come along, it’s always a bit of a nudge into something that I wanted to do anyway. Since then, I’ve been working again with Rich Machin on [side-project] Soulsavers again. It looks like we’ll be doing another thing there which will probably surface towards the end of the year. Before that, I’d just come off the road. For the first six months after you’ve been out there for over a year, it’s always a weird transition. This time more than ever, I just thought ‘I don’t know if I want to make music any more’. Not because I don’t like music, but because I was so drained. Still, music is one of the only things that makes any sense to me in life.”
With all these new experiences taking Gahan out of his comfort zone, does this mean that we can expect an extreme departure in sound for the next Depeche Mode album?
“I don’t know!” he replied. “I can’t honestly answer that question. Depeche have made so many records together and after a tour Martin [Gore, chief songwriter and bandmate] and I are like, ‘See you then!’ There will more than likely will be another record, but we really don’t make plans beyond what we’ve just done. To be honest, it’s always been like that. In the first 10 years we could keep up with the pace of boshing out a record then a tour, record, tour, record, tour. As you get older you start to get a little more selective about what you want to do. I know Martin is taking a bit of a break at the moment. We’ll see.”
Humanist’s self-titled debut album will be released on February 21. Mainman Marshall described his work with Gahan as “something special”.
“He’s achieved so much over the years, an incredible front man, with such a soaring voice and presence, but with no trademark tone of celebrity or ego whatsoever,” said Marshall. “Very humble, gentle and giving. When we shot the video, he worked extremely hard on the day, performing each take with total gusto and energy, which didn’t let up throughout his performances.”
Humanist will also head out on a UK tour in March. Full dates are below, with tickets available here
23 – The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham 24 – The Lexington, London 25 – Sheffield Picture House, Sheffield 26 – Nice N Sleazy, Glasgow 27 – Riverside 2, Newcastle 28 – Soup Kitchen, Manchester 29 – Prince Albert, Brighton
mart
Dave Gahan in the project "Humanist" 2020
13 Jan 2020, 20:53
Прямо таки задорный трек! Гипнотическая гитара и такой родной голос Дэйва обещающий, что все будет хорошо! Слов сходу не понял - такие ощущения ! Песня хороша!
depe
Dave Gahan in the project "Humanist" 2020
14 Jan 2020, 12:40
Country:
Humanist CD Album, Double Heavyweight Vinyl Album & Ltd Edition Print
40,00 £
Double Heavyweight Vinyl Album (Signed) CD Album (Signed) Ltd Edition Album Art Print by Andrew J Millar (Signed) Humanist is the expansive and ambitious project orchestrated by guitarist and producer Rob Marshall - guitarist of Exit Calm and co-writer of Mark Lanegan’s celebrated “Gargoyle” and “Somebody’s Knocking” albums. This debut album features an all-star cast of collaborators including Mark Lanegan (Queens Of The Stone Age), Mark Gardener (Ride), Carl Hancock Rux (David Holmes, Portishead), John Robb (The Membranes), Joel Cadbury (UNKLE), Ilse Maria, Ron Sexsmith and Jim Jones (The Jim Jones Revue, Thee Hypnotics).
The album includes the epic new single “Shock Collar”, featuring iconic Depeche Mode singer Dave Gahan.
Pre order now and get "Shock Collar" plus previously released “English Ghosts” and "Ring Of Truth” as downloads straight away.
Humanist Double Heavyweight Vinyl Album (Signed)
25,00 £
Humanist is the expansive and ambitious project orchestrated by guitarist and producer Rob Marshall - guitarist of Exit Calm and co-writer of Mark Lanegan’s celebrated “Gargoyle” and “Somebody’s Knocking” albums.
This debut album features an all-star cast of collaborators including Mark Lanegan (Queens Of The Stone Age), Mark Gardener (Ride), Carl Hancock Rux (David Holmes, Portishead), John Robb (The Membranes), Joel Cadbury (UNKLE), Ilse Maria, Ron Sexsmith and Jim Jones (The Jim Jones Revue, Thee Hypnotics).
The album includes the epic new single “Shock Collar”, featuring iconic Depeche Mode singer Dave Gahan.
Pre order now and get "Shock Collar" plus previously released “English Ghosts” and "Ring Of Truth” as downloads straight away.
Track listing
A1. Introduction A2. Kingdom (feat. Mark Lanegan) A3. Beast Of The Nation (feat. Mark Lanegan) A4. Shock Collar (feat. Dave Gahan) A5. Lie Down (feat. Madman Butterfly)
B1. Ring Of Truth (feat. Carl Hancock Rux) B2. Skull (feat. Mark Lanegan) B3. English Ghosts (feat. John Robb)
C1. In My Arms (feat. Joel Cadbury) C2. When The Lights Go Out (feat. Mark Gardener) C3. Truly Too Late (feat. Ilse Maria) C4. How're You Holding Up (feat. Ron Sexsmith)
D1. Mortal Eyes (feat. Carl Hancock Rux and Joel Cadbury) D2. Shoot Kill (feat. Jim Jones) D3. Gospel (feat. Mark Lanegan)
Humanist CD Album (Signed)
10,00 £
Humanist is the expansive and ambitious project orchestrated by guitarist and producer Rob Marshall - guitarist of Exit Calm and co-writer of Mark Lanegan’s celebrated “Gargoyle” and “Somebody’s Knocking” albums.
This debut album features an all-star cast of collaborators including Mark Lanegan (Queens Of The Stone Age), Mark Gardener (Ride), Carl Hancock Rux (David Holmes, Portishead), John Robb (The Membranes), Joel Cadbury (UNKLE), Ilse Maria, Ron Sexsmith and Jim Jones (The Jim Jones Revue, Thee Hypnotics).
The album includes the epic new single “Shock Collar”, featuring iconic Depeche Mode singer Dave Gahan.
Pre order now and get "Shock Collar" plus previously released “English Ghosts” and "Ring Of Truth” as downloads straight away. Track listing
1. Introduction 2. Kingdom (feat. Mark Lanegan) 3. Beast Of The Nation (feat. Mark Lanegan) 4. Shock Collar (feat. Dave Gahan) 5. Lie Down (feat. Madman Butterfly) 6. Ring Of Truth (feat. Carl Hancock Rux) 7. Skull (feat. Mark Lanegan) 8. English Ghosts (feat. John Robb) 9. In My Arms (feat. Joel Cadbury) 10. When The Lights Go Out (feat. Mark Gardener) 11. Truly Too Late (feat. Ilse Maria) 12. How're You Holding Up (feat. Ron Sexsmith) 13. Mortal Eyes (feat. Carl Hancock Rux and Joel Cadbury) 14. Shoot Kill (feat. Jim Jones) 15. Gospel (feat. Mark Lanegan)
My latest single 'Shock Collar' with the exceptional talent that is Dave Gahan is finally here. His soaring vocals just elevate everything he touches. With music by myself and lyrics by Mark Lanegan. Listen here:
2020 Tour Dates (with live vocals by James Mudriczki)
23 March – The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham 24 March – The Lexington, London 25 March – Sheffield Picture House, Sheffield 26 March – Nice N Sleazy, Glasgow 27 March – Riverside 2, Newcastle 28 March – Soup Kitchen, Manchester 29 March – Prince Albert, Brighton