On the death of Depeche Mode keyboardist Andy Fletcher

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Andy “Fletch” Fletcher was a founding member of the British cult band that wrote music history with hits like “Just Can't Get Enough” or “People are People”. The keyboard player only lived to be 60 years old.

Depeche Mode keyboardist Andrew Fletcher passed away on May 26th, 2022 at the age of 60

“We are shocked and saddened by the untimely passing of our dear friend, family member and bandmate Andy 'Fletch' Fletcher,” British band Depeche Mode posted on Twitter late Thursday. 

“Fletch had a true heart of gold and was always there when you needed support, a lively conversation, a good laugh or a cold beer.”

According to AP sources, Fletcher died of natural causes died at home in the UK.

Influence on electro-pop music

Fletcher, who was born in Nottingham, England in 1961, founded together with Vince Clarke, Martin Gore and Dave Gahan 1980 Depeche Mode. The band developed into a pioneer of British electropop.

Depeche Mode's debut studio album Speak & Spell, released in 1981, catapulted them into the spotlight of the British New Wave scene. It included the hits “New Life” and “Just Can't Get Enough”.

Andrew Fletcher is survived by a wife and two children

To date, Depeche Mode has sold more than 100 million albums and continues to delight audiences around the world with songs like “Personal Jesus”, “People Are People” and “Enjoy The Silence”.

The last studio album by the Band, “Spirit”, was released in 2017.

Fletcher, who, unlike his bandmates, tended to stay out of the spotlight throughout his life, was a supporter of London football club Chelsea FC and had a fondness for playing chess. He did not sing or write any songs himself. 

Together with his bandmates he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020.

He toured with his group until his death. Only in 1994 did he sit out a tour due to mental health problems.

  • Three decades of Depeche Mode

    “Just Can't Get Enough”

    The influence of their synthesizer sounds on electronic music is undeniable. With more than 100 million records sold worldwide, Depeche Mode is one of the most successful bands of all time. Their last album “Spirit” was released in 2017. It remains to be seen how the band will continue after the death of Andy Fletcher.

  • Three decades of Depeche Mode

    Former school band from Basildon , United Kingdom

    Depeche Mode emerged from a school band. The founding members Dave Gahan, Martin Gore, Andy Fletcher and Vince Clark come from the working-class London suburb of Basildon and were initially mainly successful in England and Europe in the 1980s. Alan Wilder (left) replaced Vince Clark in 1982. However, due to disputes, he left the band in 1995.

  • Three decades Depeche Mode

    Electronic meets rock

    Inspired by the minimalist electro sounds of Kraftwerk, but also by punk rock bands like The Clash, Depeche Mode developed their own style early on and are known for their dark lyrics. Because songwriter Martin Gore doesn't like songs that are too happy, as he once explained: “For me, the feeling of loneliness and abandonment is closer to real life.”

  • Three decades of Depeche Mode

    Breakthrough in the US

    With their album “Violator” the band managed to climb into the top ten of the US charts in 1990. When they gave an autograph session in a record store in Los Angeles in March 1990, more than 10,000 people came. The fans get into an uproar, a tumult breaks out that only the police can stop.

  • Three decades of Depeche Mode

    “Dave, you were dead this time!”

    As is so often the case in the pop business, Depeche Mode's enormous success has left its mark. Frontman Dave Gahan hit rock bottom when he almost died of a drug overdose in 1996: He was said to have been clinically dead for two minutes, but doctors were able to bring him back. For a year, the singer must be in drug rehab.

  • Three decades Depeche Mode

    “Dream On”

    In the new millennium, the band members begin to work on solo projects. But that doesn't mean the end of the band. The Brits released five albums together between 2001 and 2017 and toured the world. More than 30 million fans worldwide have attended her concerts to date.

  • Three decades of Depeche Mode

    Studio album “Spirit”

    For Dave Gahan, the album “Spirit” from 2017 was the “creative highlight” of the band. According to the singer, the record is provocative, a bit political and should make the listener think.

    Author: Melinda Reitz


In 2002 Fletcher even founded his own record label “Toast Hawaii”. He also DJed at concerts with the band CLIENT.

Fletcher leaves behind a wife and two children. After his death, Gahan and Gore are now the only remaining members of Depeche Mode. Vince Clarke left the band back in 1981.

Condolences on social media

The music world is deeply saddened by Fletcher's death. On social media, many of his fans and fellow musicians expressed dismay and paid tribute to the keyboardist. 

The Pet Shop Boys wrote on Twitter that he was “a warm, friendly and fun person, who loved electronic music”.

The pop band Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark tweeted that he was a “wonderful person in an amazing band”.

Fletcher's childhood friend, singer Alison Moyet, wrote: “We've known each other since we were ten. We lived on the same property. We were classmates, then label mates. He kept the old one Gang's loyalty and they him. It just doesn't make sense. Fletch, I'm at a loss for words.”

Moyet formed the band Yazoo (in the Known as Yaz in USA).

Carol Decker, the lead singer of the band T'Pau, tweeted: “Oh no!!! Fletch was a lovely guy, Depeche Mode one of my absolute favorite bands, sending all my love to his family, friends and the band members.”

For Lol Tolhurst, drummer of The Cure, Fletcher's death is “very sad news”.

“I knew Andy and considered him a friend. Many paths crossed for us when we were young men. My heart goes out to his family,” according to Tolhurst on Twitter.

mm/rs/kt/ash (AFP, AP, Reuters)