Martin Gore
Martin Lee Gore (born 23 July 1961)[1] is an English musician and songwriter. He is one of the founding members of the electronic rock band Depeche Mode and is the band's main songwriter.[2] He is the band's guitarist and keyboardist, and occasionally provides lead vocals.[3] Gore possesses a tenor singing voice which contrasts with lead vocalist Dave Gahan's dramatic baritone. He is also known for his flamboyant and (sometimes) androgynous stage persona. Gore has also released several solo albums and collaborated with former Depeche Mode member Vince Clarke as part of VCMG.[4]
For the cancer researcher, see Martin Gore (oncologist).
Martin Gore
Martin Lee Gore
23 July 1961
London, England
- Musician
- singer
- songwriter
- record producer
- DJ
- Guitar
- vocals
- keyboards
Gore's songs include themes such as sex, religion and politics.[5] He has said he feels lyrical themes that tackle issues related to solitude and loneliness are a better representation of reality, whereas he finds "happy songs" fake and unrealistic.[6] At the same time, he asserts that the band's music contains "an element of hope".[7]
In 1999, he received the Ivor Novello Award from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors for "International Achievement". He was given the Moog Innovation Award "for his many contributions to the exploration of sound in popular music" in 2019, and became a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member in late 2020 with fellow active Depeche Mode members Dave Gahan and Andy Fletcher, as well as past members Clarke and Alan Wilder.[8] Following the death of Fletcher in May 2022, Gore became the longest-serving member of the band.
Early life[edit]
Martin Lee Gore was born in London, England. His biological father was an African-American G.I. stationed in Britain.[9] Gore was raised by his stepfather David Gore and biological mother Pamela, who both worked at the Ford of Britain motor plant in Dagenham.[10] He believed his stepfather was his biological father until the age of 30, when he learned of his biological father.[11] Gore later met his biological father in the American South.[9] Gore has described his upbringing as "normal" and "stable" and has said that although he was a well-behaved child, he was an introvert who preferred to spend time reading alone rather than with school peers. However, he also stated that he enjoyed his time at school and took part in foreign exchange trips.[10] His family briefly lived in Hornchurch during his upbringing before moving to Basildon, where he attended the Nicholas Comprehensive School. During school he was the guitarist in a local band called Norman and the Worms.[9][10]
Gore taught himself to play keyboard from the 1970s, never receiving formal training. He learned to perform chart hits, figuring out their structures via the magazine Disco 45.[12] He shared a class with Andy "Fletch" Fletcher, Alison Moyet and Perry Bamonte.[13] Gore left Nicholas Comprehensive after completing his A-levels in 1979 and took a job as a bank cashier. During evenings, weekends and any other spare time, he remained involved with Norman and the Worms.[14][15] He became interested in electronic music upon hearing acts such as Kraftwerk, the Human League and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD).[12] He borrowed a Korg 700S from a friend, before purchasing a Yamaha CS5, his first synthesizer.[12]
Gore has two younger half-sisters, Karen, born in 1967, and Jacqueline, born in 1968.[10]
Electric Ladyboy studio[edit]
Gore has a personal studio in Santa Monica with a sizeable collection of Euroracks, Moog and Erica synthesizers (among others), where he has recorded solo work and written music for Depeche Mode.[30][39][40][41]
Personal life[edit]
Gore lives in Santa Barbara, California.[45] He started dating lingerie designer and model Suzanne Boisvert after meeting in Paris in 1989. They married in August 1994, had three children and divorced in 2006.[46][47][48][16] In June 2014, he married Kerrilee Kaski, with whom he has two daughters.[49][46][50]
Gore became a vegetarian for health and moral reasons (along with bandmate Alan Wilder) in 1983.[51][52]
He had stress-induced seizures during the band's 1993 Devotional Tour[53] and publicly acknowledged his past alcoholism.[54] During a break on the Devotional Tour in Denver, Colorado, he was arrested by local police and fined $50 for holding a loud party in his hotel room.[55]
In a 2017 interview, Dave Gahan described both himself and Gore as autistic.[56]
He is a supporter of Arsenal Football Club.