Rockbandreviews.com had the pleasure of speaking with Brent Meyer of the Depeche Mode Tribute Band Strangelove. The band is playing right here in Fort Lauderdale at Revolution Live this Saturday night.
Meyer talks about how the band came together, meeting the band members of Depeche Mode, a day in the life of a traveling musician, and what is next on the horizon.
To hear the interview in it;s entirety, Click on the video box at the bottom of this page.
Meanwhile... here is a bit of history about Strangelove.
LEO LUGANSKIY as “ULTRA Dave”– lead vocals
Brent Meyer as “Counterfeit Martin”– music director, keyboards, vocals, guitar, melodica, sequencing, percussion
Julian Shah-Tayler as “Oscar Wilder” - keyboards, sequencing, percussion, backing vocals, visuals
James Evans as “ InTheFletch” - keyboards, percussion, backing vocals
Los Angeles based STRANGELOVE-The Depeche Mode Experience delivers a career spanning, pitch perfect “best of” concert that transports the listener through time and touches on several key points in Depeche Mode’s illustrious career. Songs from throughout the Depeche canon are lovingly recreated; from favorites on DM’s debut Speak and Spell to the newest fare from ‘Mode’s latest- 2017’s “Spirit”. No detail of STRANGELOVE’s presentation has been overlooked. The visual presentation with stage set pieces and in-show costume changes reflect different eras of Depeche Mode’s story; which spans almost four decades!
Truly evocative of a Depeche Mode arena/stadium stage show; the scale of STRANGELOVE’s theatrical stage production is unparalleled, save for the real article. Custom-produced multimedia projection visuals delight the concertgoer’s senses and enhance the illusion that they’re witnessing an actual Depeche Mode concert.
These accomplished musicians have a reverence and devotion to Depeche Mode’s body of work that has driven them to recreate every possible detail and bring the “Music To The Masses” in a concert setting that transcends a mere tribute production and feels more like a shared communal fan club celebration of halcyon days of new wave and emerging electronica. Accuracy and authenticity is a hallmark of the project, with the band employing as many authentic vintage synthesizers and samplers as possible in recreating the classic and widely varied sounds of Depeche Mode’s discography.
With over 120 million records sold and a rabid international fan base, Depeche Mode’s status as elder statesmen of electronica is cemented. Their enormous fan base encompasses all ages and crosses every demographic. They just won a Grammy this year. Their Global Spirit tour, continuing into 2018, has set world box office records. STRANGELOVE –The Depeche Mode Experience brings a thoroughly enjoyable and staggeringly authentic DM concert to concertgoers, and connects with international audiences, wherever the group performs.
Leo Luganskiy “Ultra-Dave”
Leo has lived in New York for twelve years after moving to the United States from Volgograd, Russia. Since immigrating, he’s worked there as a musician, actor and model. Leo is a welcome and recent addition into the Strangelove family. Having just turned 30, he brings a fresh perspective and youthful vitality to Dave Gahan’s legendary stage performances. He’s truly a vocal “ringer” and delivers a passionate and uncanny emulation of David Gahan’s velvet baritone. Many have noted he also bears more than a passing resemblance to the charismatic Depeche Mode frontman! Also, being an actor (having appeared in national AT&T campaigns and even portraying a teen Marilyn Manson on a Biography Channel program), he fully inhabits the role of DG live on stage; from the Essex accent to the smallest hand gestures. While being genetically gifted and seemingly made for this role, it’s his enduring passion for Depeche Mode’s body of work that really shines through. Leo has been working consistently as a professional vocalist, and is also an accomplished multi-instrumentalist and producer with many original music projects in various musical genres released. More info at:
Brent Meyer- “Counterfeit Martin”
When not inhabiting the persona of DM mastermind Martin L. Gore onstage, Brent plays an even more pivotal role for the project behind the scenes. A wearer of multiple-hats, Brent has operated in almost every role within the music industry; including working as a record label VP, artist, festival organizer, artist management for platinum acts, music director, studio owner, arranger/orchestrator, and record producer/engineer (for such artists as Henry Rollins, Bowie collaborator Reeves Gabrels, Chic/Bowie/Power Station’s Tony Thompson, and several musicians in the Beck/Sting sphere). He’s recently worked with Depeche Mode’s drummer Christian Eigner, who contributed drums for two original projects. As booking agent, he helms the largest tribute focused talent agency in the world- Music Zirconia. He has the occasional dalliance, employing his operatic baritone fronting another passion project: Fears For Tears. All of his varied skillsets are utilized in the service of bringing STRANGELOVE to audiences worldwide.
Julian Shah-Tayler as “Oscar Wilder”
Julian's devotion to Depeche Mode's music and his subsequent love of synthesizers, programming, and the creative process as a whole is evidenced in his authentic portrayal of Alan Wilder. Originally hailing from Leeds, U.K., Julian has been working closely with Depeche Mode’s “But Not Tonight” producer Robert Margouleff for his own project “The Singularity”, on a new album to be released in 2018. He’s also contributed vocals to projects for the likes of Johnny Marr and Ringo Starr, and won international awards for his arrangement work with Lana Del Rey and songwriting/performance for ASCAP. He’s even had songs featured in “Breaking Bad” and “The Sopranos”. On top of his international reputation as a DJ and producer/singer/songwriter, he has appeared on the cover of “LA weekly”, and has been named In their “Top 10 Tribute bands” list for his David Bowie tribute “The Band That Fell To Earth” as frontman “Electric Duke”.
James Evans- "In The Fletch"
James is the group’s rock. His association with the band started years ago as the group's stage manager, before stepping into the role of Andy Fletcher! He's an invaluable asset in helping to recreate the live keyboard parts and vocals performed during Depeche Mode's concerts with passion, intensity and showmanship. Much like Fletch’s role with in DM, he also helps the trains run on time!
For more information about Strangelove, log on to their website at
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