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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.
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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.

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

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.

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".

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.

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 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".

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.
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: