This project dedicated to Depeche Mode cover versions was launched the first time already in 1995 by Stefan Moernaut from Belgium (the founder of the famous ColRef sites) as a simple text file with less than 30 entries. Quite soon I realised that my own collection of Depeche Mode cover versions contained much more than these, so I started contributing my findings to Stefan on a more and more regular.
Soon he changed the website completely, because he felt that a real data base would be necessary to maintain the growing number of cover versions, and shortly after that he gave me admin access to maintain my contributions on my own. With the growing need for space, we jumped from one free space provider to the next, which made it sometimes a bit confusing for our followers to find us.
Unfortunately, around the release of “Playing The Angel”, he lost his further interest in Depeche Mode and asked me to continue his cover project, which I happily did. For this I launched depechemodecovers.com, to finally give this project its deserved name.
Although I was very ambitious with this project for many, many years, Thomas noticed that this project could need a new, more modern touch, so he offered me to do a complete relaunch of the site. What should i say? Here it is! Enjoy it, at least as much as I do!
If you have been a fan of this site for a while, then you probably feel the same way I do: Over the years, Michael has built up a real treasure chest of Depeche Mode cover versions here that have brought me back here again and again. I couldn’t wait for the latest updates, and the passion with which Michael ran the site was contagious.
Unfortunately, it has been a bit quieter here in the last few years – to be precise, for 11 years. Michael has retreated more into his private life, which I absolutely understand and respect, but I thought it was a pity that there were no new updates. Every now and then we exchanged e-mails about Depeche Mode and the site, but unfortunately I never managed to get him to continue.
Then, in 2024, a crazy idea occurred to me: Why not relaunch the site? I was looking for a cool reference project for my business website Ultraschwarz, and when I suggested to Michael that the site could do with a technical and visual refresh, things took a turn: Michael offered to take over the site completely! I was initially stunned – I know how much you grow emotionally attached to a project close to your heart, and Michael has put so much energy into the site over the years.
After a bit of thought and with a lot of ideas in my head, I finally accepted the offer. In about 2.5 months, I worked on the website in every free minute: new design, new features, fresh content – and yes, the logo also got a complete makeover. The old website technology was outdated, and there was a lot to do: no SSL encryption, no mobile version, and there was also plenty of room for improvement in terms of SEO.
Of course, there were also one or two points (for example: the topic of clearing out) where Michael and I had to coordinate. His vision for the site and my ideas didn’t always immediately match, but in the end we were able to agree. I’m sure Michael knows that the site is in good hands with me – and above all, I’m happy that it is now being actively maintained again.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do, and I look forward to many more great cover versions and tribute compilations in the years to come!