“He really had a heart of gold and was always there when you needed support, a chat, laughter or a chilled pint,” the band said in a statement.
Andrew Fletcher, one of the founders of the band Depeche Mode, died Thursday at the age of 60. The news was announced by the group itself through its social networks. At this time, the exact causes of death of the musician, who worked as a keyboardist, bassist and made up the group’s choirs, have not been released. “We are shocked and filled with overwhelming sadness at the untimely passing of our dear friend and bandmate, Andy ‘Fletch’ Fletcher,” the band announced.
The eldest of four children, his family moved to Nottingham when he was two years old. There he met Vince Clarke, a future member of the band. They first formed the group No Romance in China, where Fletcher played bass. In 1980, they met Martin Gore and formed the band Composition of Sound, until the arrival of Dave Gahan, who proposed changing the name to Depeche Mode, to become one of the most influential electronic music groups in history. Clarke left the band in 1981 after the release of the first album, ‘Speak & Spell’. In 1982 Alan Wilder joined the band and they remained a quartet until 1995. From that year on, Gahan, Gore and Fletcher continued as a trio.
“He had a real heart of gold and was always there if you needed support, a lively conversation, a good laugh or a cold pint. Our hearts go out to his family,” the statement from Depeche Mode concludes. The causes of his death are still unknown as neither the band nor its members or his family or Fletcher’s representative have shared this information.
In addition to being the group’s second voice, Fletcher was also the band’s bassist and synthesizer, participating in all of their record productions since the group’s inception.
Fletcher’s role in the band has always been a matter of debate among his fans. He is the only one who has not received any songwriting credit for a song from Depeche Mode. Even in times when the band had no manager, Fletcher handled their legal, accounting and monetary affairs. He repeatedly showed his interest in the more administrative side of the music business. In recent years, he became the spokesperson for Depeche Mode.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
