Basildon’s Depeche Mode have been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Hollywood actress Charlize Theron inducted the Basildon rockers consisting of Dave Gahan, Martin Gore and Andy Fletcher, Vince Clarke, Peter Gordeno and Alan Wilder at the weekend.
Inducting them alongside the likes of Iggy Pop and Nine Inch Nails, she said: “Their music brings people together from all different walks of life and makes them feel like it’s ok to be different.”
The band formed in 1980 in Basildon and were in the vanguard of the synth-pop, new wave movement boasting 17 top 10 records in the UK charts and more than 100million record sales.
Leader of Basildon Council Councillor Gavin Callaghan said: “Since Basildon formed as a new town more than 70 years ago it has become synonymous with a rich and vibrant arts and culture scene. Depeche Mode have been one of the biggest success stories to come out of Basildon taking their music global. To this day their enduring legacy brings fans from all over the world to Basildon to see where it all began. Congratulations to the band on this recognition in the music industry.
“Ensuring that Basildon continues to inspire the next generation of artists and musicians is a key theme in the Youth Zone and the £1bn reimagining of Basildon where we plan to bring arts and culture back into the heart of the town centre.”
