Depeche Mode’s Andy Fletcher Passed Away At 60

Andy Fletcher, co-founder and keyboardist of Depeche Mode, has passed away Thursday at the age of 60. He died from natural causes at his home in the United Kingdom, according to the person close to the band.

The band confirmed the news on their official social media pages. A tweet from Depeche Mode read:

“We are shocked and filled with overwhelming sadness with the untimely passing of our dear friend, family member and bandmate Andy ‘Fletch’ Fletcher.

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

Fletcher was born in Nottingham, England, on July 8, 1961, he founded Depeche Mode with keyboardist and singer Vince Clarke, singer Dave Gahan and guitarist-keyboardist Martin Gore. Fletcher’s role in the band changed from time to time. Sometimes he can be found playing bass, keyboards and synthesizers too.

In 101, D.A. Pennebaker’s 1989 documentary film about the band, Fletcher noted his shifting responsibilities with a memorable quote:

“Martin’s the songwriter, Alan [Wilder]’s the good musician, Dave’s the vocalist and I bum around.”

There was also a time when the band doesn’t have a full-time manager and Fletcher would occasionally handled business and legal matters. He said in a 2009 interview:

“Sometimes it’s frustrating not to be taken seriously. After all, you could also say my job is the most important; without me there would be no band anymore. But it’s the same in big corporations — the people that do a good job in the background don’t get as much attention as the ones who’d get onto the microphone and announce the good quarterly figures.”

Depeche Mode would break out a year later with their debut album Speak and Spell, which included their classic “New Life” and hit single in the U.S. “Just Can’t Get Enough,” that became a breakthrough video during the early days of MTV. Fletcher would lend his keyboards to classic albums, including Music for the Masses, Black Celebration, and Violator.

The band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020. Fletcher told Consequence in 2017:

“We were realistic – we thought we’d have a few hits, and then we’d go away. Really, it’s like a dream come true to be here now, to have done so much, to have so many fans. It’s just a fantastic feeling.”