January 18, 2016

45 RPMs 9: Depeche Mode ~ Master & Servant

Depeche Mode ~ Master and Servant
12", 45 RPM single, cover detail sleeve design by 
Town & Country Planning UK
detail photo by Styrous®


~ ~ ~

I've started the Vinyl series because I have a collection of over 20,000 vinyl record albums I am selling; each blog entry is about an album from my collection. Inquire for information here.   

~ ~ ~


Depeche Mode ~ Master and Servant
12", 45 RPM single, cover sleeve design by 
Town & Country Planning UK
photo by Styrous®

Master and Servant is the second album cover that utilized BD/SM inspired graphics for the new wave, Synthpop group, Depeche Mode. The first one was for the hit single, Just Can't Get Enough (link below) from their 1981 debut album, Speak and Spell.   

According to Wikipedia, the overtly sexual, BDSM-themed lyrics of Master and Servant, complete with synthesized whip-and-chain sound effects, reportedly meant that the song was banned by many radio stations in the United States (although the song reached the Billboard Hot 100 chart anyway, albeit only at number 87 and for only a three-week chart stay). To be honest, I never found the lyrics to be all that.
   




Depeche Mode ~ Master and Servant
12", 45 RPM single, back cover sleeve design by 
Town & Country Planning UK
photo by Styrous®


  
The lyrics are typically innocuous verses set to the beat of a new wave, synthpop, disco dance song; the beat is good for dancing but the words certainly do not incite lust in me.  


There's a new game
We like to play you see
A game with added reality
You treat me like a dog
Get me down on my knees

We call it master and servant
We call it master and servant

It's a lot like life
This play between the sheets
With you on top and me underneath
Forget all about equality

Let's play master and servant
Let's play master and servant

It's a lot like life
And that's what's appealing
If you despise that throwaway feeling
From disposable fun
Then this is the one

Domination's the name of the game
In bed or in life
They're both just the same
Except in one you're fulfilled
At the end of the day

Let's play master and servant
Let's play master and servant

Let's play master and servant
Come on master and servant



Depeche Mode ~ Master and Servant
12", 45 RPM single, back cover detail 
sleeve design by 
Town & Country Planning UK
detail photo by Styrous®



Master and Servant is the eleventh UK single (released on 20 August 1984) by Depeche Mode and the second single from the Some Great Reward album. Despite the controversy surrounding the song, it reached number 9 in the UK Singles Chart, peaked at number 49 in the American dance chart and number 87 on the Billboard Hot 100.       

The album cover was designed by T&CP Associates (Town & Country Planning UK). The design and art direction studio, mainly associated with Mute releases was originally called Town & Country Planning Design, the studio was renamed T&CP Associates (often credited as T+CP Assoc. on releases) in 1989 when it was bought by Stylorouge.    




Depeche Mode ~ Master and Servant
12", 45 RPM single, side 1
photo by Styrous®




Depeche Mode  is a new wave band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The original line-up was Dave Gahan (lead vocals, occasional songwriter since 2005), Martin Gore (keyboards, guitar, vocals, chief songwriter after 1981), Andy Fletcher (keyboards), and Vince Clarke (keyboards, chief songwriter from 1980 until 1981). Depeche Mode released their debut record in 1981      

Dave Gahan, Martin Gore and Andy Fletcher were born in England; Gahan on May 9, 1962, in London, Gore, on July 23, 1961, in Dagenham, Essex, and Fletcher on July 8, 1961, Nottingham.    

Gahan is credited with the name "Depeche Mode" after seeing the phrase as a title of a French fashion magazine, which later considered taking them to court, but thought it would be good publicity for the magazine to let the band have the name. When explaining the choice for the name, Dépêche mode (from French dépêche that means here "dispatch" (from Old French despesche/despeche) or "news report", and mode that means "fashion"), Gore said, "It means hurried fashion or fashion dispatch. I like the sound of that." But, in French, the real and only meaning of the magazine's name (and hence the band's) is "Fashion News" or "Fashion Update".   





Depeche Mode ~ Master and Servant
12", 45 RPM single, side 1 label detail
detail photo by Styrous®




In turn, Depeche Mode has been recognised as making a significant impact on the development of various popular music genres, leading to many artists citing them as an inspiration, including: the Pet Shop Boys, Derrick May, Juan Atkins, Brandon Flowers, Chester Bennington and Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park, Televizor, the Crystal Method, God Lives Underwater, Mad at the World, Raymond Herrera of Fear Factory, Funeral for a Friend, La Roux, Gotye, Rammstein, Magne Furuholmen of a-ha, Arcade Fire, Nine Inch Nails, Gary Numan and Chvrches. Depeche Mode have been cited as a major influence on Detroit techno, indie rock and industrial metal.        





Depeche Mode ~ Master and Servant
12", 45 RPM single, side 2
photo by Styrous®





One of the most influential musical groups over the past three decades, Depeche Mode has released a total of 13 studio albums, ten compilation albums, six live albums, eight box sets, 13 video albums, 70 music videos and 53 singles. The band has sold over 100 million records and has played to in excess of 30 million people, making them one of the world's best-selling music artists. The band has had forty-eight songs in the UK Singles Chart, one US and two UK number one albums. The band's album Songs of Faith and Devotion hit No. 1 in the UK and USA simultaneously, making them one of only eleven UK acts to do so, the others being the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Rod Stewart, Pink Floyd, John Lennon, Phil Collins, Radiohead, Coldplay, Susan Boyle and Adele. In addition, all of their studio albums have reached the UK Top 10 and their albums have spent over 210 weeks on the UK Charts.             




Depeche Mode ~ Master and Servant
12", 45 RPM single, side 2 label detail
detail photo by Styrous®




Depeche Mode has had fifty songs in the UK Singles Chart and thirteen top 10 albums in the UK charts, two of which debuted at No. 1. Depeche Mode has sold over 100 million records worldwide. Q magazine calls Depeche Mode "the most popular electronic band the world has ever known" and included the band in the list of the "50 Bands That Changed the World!". Depeche Mode also ranks number 98 on VH1's "100 Greatest Artists Of All Time".     



Depeche Mode ~ Master and Servant
plastic sleeve protector
12", 45 RPM single
photo by Styrous®





Depeche Mode ‎– Master And Servant (Slavery Whip Mix)

Tracklist:   
A Master And Servant (Slavery Whip Mix)
B1 (Set Me Free) Remotivate Me (Release Mix)
B2 Master And Servant (Voxless)
 

Members:     
  • Dave Gahan – lead vocals (1980–present)
  • Martin Gore – keyboards, backing and lead vocals, guitars (1980–present)
  • Andy Fletcher – keyboards, backing vocals, bass guitar (1980–present)

Companies, etc.

 Credits:     

Notes:    

Recorded at Music Works, London.
Mixed at Hansa Mischraum, Berlin.
All songs published by Grabbing Hands/Sonet
℗ + © 1984 Mute Records
Vinyl etching - side B has the word "um" repeated nine times in a pyramid pattern.

Version #1: this release
Version #2: repress with barcode.

Semi-glossy cover.
Generic die-cut inner sleeve with rounded corners.

Barcode and Other Identifiers

  • Matrix / Runout (Side A Runout Groove Etching): 12 . BONG 6 A₁ ⁽ᶻ⁾ YOU DON'T DO THAT DO YOU Rc
  • Matrix / Runout (Side B Runout Groove Etching): 12 · BONG 6 B₁ ⁽ᶻ⁾ UMUMUMᵁᴹᵁᴹᵁᴹUMUMUM Rc


Net links:      
           
Depeche Mode website                
Depeche Mode ~ Just Can't Get Enough            
Master and Servant on YouTube          





Styrous® ~ Monday, January 18, 2016


No comments:

Post a Comment

PLEASE NOTE: comments are moderated BEFORE they are posted so DO NOT appear immediately.

Thank you.