Fact #153644
When:
Short story:
When Depeche Mode and Primal Scream play at Jones Beach Amphitheatre, Wantagh, New York State, USA, vocalist Dave Gahan bites journalist Andy Perry backstage, and threatens to put a curse on him.Full article:
Andy Perry (journalist) : Dave Gahan was in a right state by then, with ropey American rock chicks hanging around him – all ripped fishnets and stilettos – incapable even of putting their lipstick on straight.
Andy Fletcher (Depeche Mode) : The intensity of the partying had reached a new level. It had just been getting steadily worse and worse until, on that tour in particular, it was just one huge party every night.
Andy Perry: They had a roadie who would go out every night and pick out the 15 or 20 most beautiful girls in the crowd and take them backstage, evidently for the Mode's pleasure.
Dave Gahan (Depeche Mode) : There'd be a knock at the door before the show and it's (Andrew) Innes or Throb or Bobby saying, 'Have ye got a wee sniff, Mr G? I just need a wee sniff.' Really funny. And, of course, I'd supply them with what they needed. Bobby balanced it really well. He knew where to stop. I didn't. I didn't realise that nobody actually did play the game that hard. And the Scream proved that.
Andy Perry: Scream always took along boxes of records and had a couple of decks in the dressing room, so there were people dancing, and Dave Gahan sitting in the middle of the room, apparently shovelling coke up his nose. Suddenly, he seemed to realise I was a journalist, and he pointed at me and one of his big flunkies came and got me. I had to kneel down beside the armchair to make it possible for him to talk to me. He started burbling on about how people didn't understand him, but then his mood changed and he said I'm gonna curse you! The next thing I know he's bitten me on the neck. He was shouting and everybody was watching him until he stormed out still yelling about putting a curse on me.
I assumed he was completely out of it but then, on stage, he was totally together and professional. Mind you, the show was weird. Gahan being a rock star for two hours, while the others were twenty feet up on podia tinkling away at synths.
Andy Fletcher: I'd had enough of touring so I went home and I think I was fortunate not to be there for the rest of the dates.
(Source : interviews and research by Johnny Black for Q magazine, 1998)
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Andy Fletcher (Depeche Mode) : The intensity of the partying had reached a new level. It had just been getting steadily worse and worse until, on that tour in particular, it was just one huge party every night.
Andy Perry: They had a roadie who would go out every night and pick out the 15 or 20 most beautiful girls in the crowd and take them backstage, evidently for the Mode's pleasure.
Dave Gahan (Depeche Mode) : There'd be a knock at the door before the show and it's (Andrew) Innes or Throb or Bobby saying, 'Have ye got a wee sniff, Mr G? I just need a wee sniff.' Really funny. And, of course, I'd supply them with what they needed. Bobby balanced it really well. He knew where to stop. I didn't. I didn't realise that nobody actually did play the game that hard. And the Scream proved that.
Andy Perry: Scream always took along boxes of records and had a couple of decks in the dressing room, so there were people dancing, and Dave Gahan sitting in the middle of the room, apparently shovelling coke up his nose. Suddenly, he seemed to realise I was a journalist, and he pointed at me and one of his big flunkies came and got me. I had to kneel down beside the armchair to make it possible for him to talk to me. He started burbling on about how people didn't understand him, but then his mood changed and he said I'm gonna curse you! The next thing I know he's bitten me on the neck. He was shouting and everybody was watching him until he stormed out still yelling about putting a curse on me.
I assumed he was completely out of it but then, on stage, he was totally together and professional. Mind you, the show was weird. Gahan being a rock star for two hours, while the others were twenty feet up on podia tinkling away at synths.
Andy Fletcher: I'd had enough of touring so I went home and I think I was fortunate not to be there for the rest of the dates.
(Source : interviews and research by Johnny Black for Q magazine, 1998)