KMFDM

I think this topic never came up here, but I don't know if any of you guys know what kind of a massive cult Depeche Mode represented in many of the socialist Eastern European countries in the 80s. I don't know what caused this phenomenon but in Hungary, Poland, Yugoslavia, (maybe) Soviet Union, but especially Czechoslovakia, this band was more than just the band. The peers in classrooms were either 'metalheads' into stuff like Iron Maiden or 'Depeche mode fans' (who also tolerated bands like The Cure, etc.). The casettes of their albums got copied so much that they became virtually unlistenable, and whoever got a copy which was 'closer' to the original (like, first or second copy) had a much higher social status than a person with just 3rd or 5th copy.

Nobody had an original, of course, as any records from 'the capitalist West' were banned.
Had someone had one though, this person would have become a demigod.


It was even stranger given the fact that Depeche Mode never toured here until I think, 1988. Because, iron curtain and all that.



My older brother was a big Depeche mode fan, always dressed in black, and wearing a Dave Gahan-like haircut. I (aged 8) also wanted to look like a Depeche Mode fan, so I let my brother do the haircut for me, and of course, he fucked it all up totally. So I needed to go to hairdresser's and get my hair shaven fully.



Those were amazing times.

KMFDM

Thank you for sharing your story, _Slavo_ Did you take time to watch the “fan” documentary: Depeche Mode Is A Hobby

Your social status hinging on the “generation” of dubs of a cassette copy is hard to fathom......but what a way to discover a band! Pretty cool you had an older brother to help bring you along, memories shared and never forgotten.

Must spread more cheese and all that. Great story there though.

yeah. Depeche mode fans were a proper massive subculture. In those grim grey days of socialism, there were few possibilities to escape:


- Punks were the 'wreckage of society' whom everyone loathed and police arrested them because it was a counterpoint to the normality,
- metalheads were laughed at and they had problems with police too because of their long hair
- but Depeche Mode fans had style and they didn't smell. So it was cool to be one.

so true.

when I was a kiddo I identified with metalheads crowd. you would be either DM or Metal fan when young teenager. weird. I remeber that alright. I grew up on Iron Maiden. I never forget, I could be six or something we went to fathers friend for a visit and I pull out Iron Maiden s/t vinyl from the collection he had. I was amazed by its cover and its smell.. good times. Now when I think of it I wonder where did he got that vinyl. maybe it was yougoslavian repress or smth., they were always little bit more eased during socialism. gosh, I would like to know.