Published
Thu, May 26, 2022, 20:01
- The keyboardist and DJ was known for bringing a pop sensibility to the group.
Andy Fletcher, AKA Fletch, has passed away at the age of 60.
Depeche Mode's official Twitter account announced the news today, May 26th. No details of his death were provided in the post except for the fact that it was "untimely." Fletcher, who co-founded the iconic synth pop ensemble in 1980 alongside Dave Gahan and Martin Gore, played keyboard as well as handling behind-the-scenes elements such as marketing and promotion.
Born in 1961 in Nottingham, England, Fletcher played bass and guitar before taking up the keys. As a musician, he focused on lightweight pop melodies that helped expand Depeche Mode's signature style of dark, moody compositions. The band released more than a dozen albums with Fletcher, the most recent one being Spirit in 2017.
His involvement with the group's accounts and business also led many fans to see him as the glue keeping the entire operation together. In a 2013 interview with Electronic Beats, Fletcher once described himself as "the tall guy in the background, without whom this international corporation called Depeche Mode would never work."
Outside of Depeche Mode, Fletcher had a successful DJ career with several international tours under his belt. He often played exclusive remixes of Depeche Mode during sets. In addition to his solo career, he ran a label called Toast Hawaii, a sub-label of Mute, that released several records by the band CLIEИT. In 2020, Fletcher was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame alongside Gahan and Gore.
In its statement on Twitter, Depeche Mode described Fletcher as having "a heart of gold." He "was always there when you needed support, a lively conversation, a good laugh or a cold pint," the band said.
Read some other tributes from fans on social media.