Keyboard Magazine
Date printed: 1997

ALAN WILDER
By Robert Semrow

As a member of Depeche Mode, Alan Wilder helped put synth pop on the map. His musicianship and sound-design skills were integral to the band's success. So why did he leave the band after the enormously successful Songs of Faith and Devotion record and tour? "I have no regrets," he tells us, "or any hard feelings about the group. I just didn't want to be in a pop group all my life. I certainly don't ever want to be in a group again. I think working in a particular format is something I'd done enough of. And there were other things I needed to sort out. Consequently I've come out on the other side much more fulfilled and enthusiastic and happy with my own life, and I'm very enthusiastic about making music."

Wilder's primary outlet for making music today is his side-project-turned-main-project Recoil; the latest CD to hit the stores under that name is Unsound Methods (Mute/Reprise) -- a dark, moody, and very electronic collection. While reviews of the record have been mixed, one sentiment seems to be consistent: Unsound Methods is an album that must be listened to more than a few times to be appreciated. Alan is aware of this, but it doesn't seem to bother him. "I hear something that a lot of people don't seem to hear. I hear something that is quite instantly accessible. But I would say that because I made the music, and so for me it is instant. For everyone else, it takes time. Eventually, after hearing it eight or nine times, they start saying, 'I'm really getting into that album now.' I think it's very dynamic, diverse, and sinister, but not morbid and gloomy."

As with all Recoil records, the writing and recording process "have been simultaneous," he tells us. "I have nothing but a blank sheet of paper when I start. I work instinctively to react to the ideas, and if it gives me a particular kind of feeling, I'm moved from that point onwards. When I get a general theme or idea behind a track or story, the details come quite quickly. From there I get all of the tracks completed to a 70-percent stage, which could take anywhere from six to nine months. At that point, I think about who suits the song, or if it needs vocals at all. In this case the music was suggesting a lot of dialog. Then I go find people that I feel will be appropriate to fit the project."

Alan assembled vocalists Douglas McCarthy, Maggie Estep, Siobahn Lynch, and Hildia Campbell for the Unsound sessions. "They didn't drastically change the direction. They really helped enhance and focus it. Once the vocals were recorded, though, I did make a few adjustments to make sure it all worked together as a uniform piece. Sometimes that meant restructuring the music. Quite often I'd move choruses and verses around. I didn't change the words, but I restructured where they occurred."

Alan's attitude toward gear might surprise you. "I'm not the techno buff that a lot of people seem to think I am. I do have a healthy interest in production, and during my time with Depeche I was the one who was more involved with the shaping of sound, but it doesn't mean I'm that into technology. It means I'm enthusiastic about music and very interested in diversity of sound, but I'm not very technical. So I try to stick with equipment I'm comfortable with, that won't delay me with learning curves." Wilder's rig centers around Steinberg's Cubase running on a Mac. His samplers of choice are an Akai S3000 and S1100, and an E-mu EIII. "The hard disk side of Cubase is what I use mainly for vocals. Some of the synths I use are older Korgs that I inherited from Depeche when we split up the gear. I've got some analog gear, including a Minimoog and a MIDI Moog [presumably, a Studio Electronics Midimini], an Oberheim OB rack, an ARP Odyssey, and an EMS synth. Then I've got some various effects boxes. When I mix, I move all of the equipment to another studio which is more proper for a final mix. Although on the next project I'm determined to do the entire thing at home, which will require me to probably build a room and invest in a bit more equipment."

More on Alan Wilder and Depeche Mode can be found in the July '97, May '93, Oct. '86, and June '82 issues of Keyboard.