Great outs not exactly their "mode"...

[Source: Newsday, by Glenn Gamboa, May 11th, 2006]

It's a mix that Gore said works for the band, who have subtitled the latest album "Pain and Suffering in Various Tempos," though "Playing the Angel" is more uptempo, if not upbeat. "I think the things we write about are more palatable to people when the music is uptempo," Gore said, with a laugh.

The band's live show uses a similar mix, as Gahan tackles the brawnier dance numbers such as "Enjoy the Silence" and "Personal Jesus," while Gore handles the delicate ballads such as "Home" and "Goodnight Lovers."

"It's light and shade," Gore said. "They draw each other out."

The same can be said of Gahan and Gore, who both released solo albums in 2003 leading to speculation that Depeche Mode would call it quits. However, Gore said that scenario was "no more likely than any other time."

"We stay together because we realize we create something that's special," he said. "It's greater than the sum of its parts."