Depeche-Mode
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Rock Band Weekly: Depeche Mode, Death Cab For Cutie
Find your "Personal Jesus" in next week's Rock Band DLC, featuring three tracks from iconic electronic music band Depeche Mode. If you're not in the mood to declare your "Policy of Truth," there will also be a single number from Death Cab For Cutie available. Check out the full DLC details after the break. [Pictured: Screencap of "Personal Jesus" music video; source: YouTube / WMG]
Upcoming Alan Wake DLC features a song by a band you know
We find ourselves in a bit of a precarious situation -- we've always thought the songs that play at the end of Alan Wake's episodes are delightful little treats, so we don't want to forecast the ending track of the game's upcoming DLC chapter, "The Writer." We do know what said track is, though, and we desperately want to tell you. If you don't mind the minor spoiler, continue reading past the jump.
Left 4 Dead 2 getting Avatar rewards
Over on the Steam forums, there was some hullabaloo earlier about potential Avatar awards for the Xbox 360 version of L4D2, all stemming from uncompressed files found on a dedicated server for the PC demo. Well, we're glad to inform you that Valve has confirmed Avatar awards will be included with the game (via G4) and that there will be a total of nine different Avatar rewards, six of which we currently know about. These awards will run the gamut from a med kit backpack to a frying pan prop right down to Rochelle's Depeche Mode shirt you see above. And, unlike some other Avatar awards, you won't need to max out Gamerscore to get 'em; L4D2 Avatar awards unlock after you've completed more manageable tasks, such as winning ten games of Versus or killing 10,000 infected. If you want to see some of the items in the flesh, head past the break for a virtual tour courtesy of G4.
Depeche Mode is all over Left 4 Dead 2
What's the first thing you think of, musically, when you think of Left 4 Dead 2? The most obvious answer, of course, is Depeche Mode. At Comic-Con, Valve's Chet Falizsek revealed to Kotaku that the company approached many record labels and music groups seeking their music for the game, with Depeche Mode apparently being one of the most enthusiastic. The band is allowing Valve to use its music, likeness and merchandise, like the T-shirt sported by Rochelle in the image above. Just how much Depeche Mode is featured in the game beyond T-shirts, Faliszek didn't say.Frankly, if we get anything less than a music video maker that lets you set your zombie-slaying to the tune of "Personal Jesus," we'll be disappointed.
EMI & Depeche Mode offer first iTunes Pass
I don't want to start any blasphemous rumors... but 'groundbreaking electro legends' isn't the first phrase I'd use to describe Depeche Mode. (In case you were wondering, that first phrase would be 'New Wave, eminently danceable Brit synth veterans,' but right there you have ample reason why I write about computers and not bands.) In any case, Dave Gahan, Martin L. Gore & co. will be the first band to offer an iTunes Pass. Customers can pay $19 to pre-order the band's next album, Sounds of the Universe, and get 'Wrong' (the first single) and a dub remix immediately. Over the next 3+ months, they'll automatically get the new album along with additional tracks and video exclusives. From the EMI release:"The relationship between Depeche Mode and their fans has always been our top priority," said the band's manager, Jonathan Kessler. "We are thrilled to be the first to participate with Apple in giving fans the kind of deep musical experience they expect from Depeche Mode."Truth is, I don't see much difference between the iTunes Pass approach and a "special edition" iTunes expanded album with videos + singles added on, except that this has the same effect as a television show's Season Pass of frontloading the revenue and dribbling the content out over several weeks. Granted, for DM fans this is a nice way of jumping into the new stuff and getting extra goodies, but it's not a dramatically different way of delivering music. If you want to find out more about iTunes Pass provisions (yes, all the music will be DRM-free iTunes Plus tracks), check out the details page within iTunes.[via Macrumors]
Apple experiments with iTunes Pass: it's not what you think, and it's lame
If it seems like Ma and Pops over at the iTunes store are toying with the idea of subscription music, look again. The iTunes Pass is more akin to buying a season of Celebrity Rehab: long-time Depeche Mode fans can put down $18.99 to get everything the band releases between now and the seemingly arbitrary date of June 16, 2009, including the new single, various promotional bits (remixes, videos, etc.) and the Sounds of the Universe album when it's eventually released. The audio comes in iTunes Plus (256kbps / AAC / no DRM) format, and while Apple doesn't say exactly what you'll be getting, the company promises that you won't wind up paying more for the pass than the value of everything you receive. Of course, what we'd really like to see is this sort of a deal for a band that didn't peak twenty years ago. In the meantime, we'll be catching up with Depeche Mode the way nature intended -- during the weekly spin of Personal Jesus at 80's Night.[Via Tech Digest]
Cinemassively: Virtual Tribute Band - Depeche Mode
What do you do when your favorite band isn't touring fast enough? You create a virtual tribute band and mimic their show! Nimrodax filmed this Machinima concert of virtual Depeche Mode in Second Life.The show has all the elements of real life. There's the cheesy outfits, the lights, the musical instruments, and the silly dance moves. I'm not sure why they credit Depeche Mode, though, when they used a Marilyn Manson cover of the song.
