Depeche Mode has dismissed speculation that Alan Wilder is set to join the band in place of the now deceased Andy Fletcher.
The ‘Walking in My Shoes’ writers were left stunned last May when the keyboardist died suddenly at the age of 60. Ever since, fans have been wondering if the former member, who left the band in 1995, will return to play alongside Dave Gahan and Martin Gore.
Martin told The Sun newspaper: “I try to put it all out of the way – it’s just fan stories. The fans love us, but we can never win. We haven’t told Alan regarding it and I don’t think Alan wants to join the band. We didn’t even consider it. »
The duo admitted their friend and teammate’s death was still unfelt.
Dave said: “I still don’t feel like it’s real. Every time we do something, I expect Fletch to walk into the room. Doing a TV show, having your photo taken or making a music video with Anton Corbijn, all of this is now very different. »
Martin added: “Andy was my best friend, I had known him for so long. We went to school together before the band, so I had known him for 50 years. His death came quite unexpectedly – no one was aware of his health issues. It is difficult for those who remain to face it. »