Excellent Online - depeche mode

Clearing the May Backlog in June...

theajaysharma — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 23:56:11 +0000

So my life in May was pretty much on hold because I was switching jobs. And as regular readers might be aware, any slight modification in my life results in massive neglect to excellent online (hey, we've been doing this for over ten years, that says something right?). I was contacted by a recruiter for a Seattle-based company back in February and went through several phone interviews. After each one, I'd wait a week then politely ask for the status. Another week would go by then a response saying that I've advanced to the next step. So persistence is their first test. How badly do you want this job? Bad enough for you to keep emailing us?

After four phone interviews (all with their appropriate delays), I get invited for the onsite. I was pretty anxious this whole time but the onsite interview really kicks it into overdrive. Now I'm plagued with thoughts like, "how am I going to find a place to live in Seattle" or "will I adjust to the lack of sunshine." Truely first world problems because obviously I can adjust to anywhere.

While this is happening, I interview with a local company (I'm in southern California, btw) and they offer me the position but I tell them that I cannot accept until I interview in Seattle. I'm not going to bore you with the details of the interview other then to say it was a full day (10:30am-5pm, also interviewed during lunch!) and was the most intense interview I've ever had. They asked if I wanted to stay in Seattle an extra day to check out the city. But I was a big bag of nerves and wanted to get home as soon as possible and get back to my wife and kid. The weekend was more of the same, a nervous wreck. They were going to notify me on Monday evening about the status so I was super pissed that I didn't get a response until Tuesday morning. They declined. Bummer.

So I accepted the position from the other local company and while I'm sad that I'm not moving to Seattle, I think staying down here is good for me for right now. So that's why there hasn't been a post in a while. ;)

Kickin' it Old School: La's, Adam Ant, Beach Boys, Moz updates and my festival rant

theajaysharma — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 22:40:06 +0000

I talked to my friend Brian today and he lives up in the north west so his festival of choice is Sasquatch while mine is Coachella (I live in southern California). And he told me that Sasquatch is only going to sell 4-day passes. Honestly it's kinda sad to see that this is becoming a "thing". Coachella did this years ago and it sucks for the people that really want to enjoy the festival but can't commit to the whole thing. And I gotta admit, a day or two of Coachella is all you really need. Three full days is a little much (I'm an old guy now). I can't even imagine FOUR days of Sasquatch.

I understand that at the end of the day it's just a business, but there's no reason to exclude a minority of fans that can't do it. What I don't understand is the lame excuse, "there's such a high demand for tickets so we'll only sell 4-day passes". It just translates to me as, "We can force people to pay $300+ for tickets, so why would we bother to accommodate the people that can only go one or two days?" This year's Coachella is in such a high demand that they booked two full weekends of identical bands and sold them both out.

So as the demand increases it's just going to push the more casual fan out. I know people really love the festival (I really do), but there are clear benefits of living in a major town with no festival scene. At least then you have a fighting chance of seeing only the bands that you want to see and not have to put up with parking, dickheads, heat just to see Gotye.

More tours, and I miss Failure.

theajaysharma — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:15:20 +0000

Nada Surf do "Enjoy the Silence". All this reminds me of is Failure's version and after that I went on a huge google adventure trying to see what the bands are doing at the moment. It also reminded me of the last versions of the touring Lollapalooza. Tool were headlining and Failure were also on the bill. Do to someone backing out, Failure opened up the main stage and then 4 or 5 hours later they headlined the second stage. First and last time I have ever seen the same band play twice on the same day.

Godspeed, Avalanches, Stone Roses, Chemical Brothers live film, Adam Ant tour dates? So much stuff this last week.

theajaysharma — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 20:21:44 +0000

Lots of stuff this week. I'm using the "predict a coachella appearance" expression a bit too much for my taste. There are just a lot of tour dates announced and they all put bands in Southern California in late April. In any case, lots of good stuff this week, enjoy!

Long time...

theajaysharma — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 19:55:21 +0000

Well, it's been a LONG time. The last update to this site was back in February but we're still very much alive. Mainly we've been keeping the twitter/facebook pages updated with news and getting that information back into the site has been a little tedious. So I'm going to start keeping our site updated as well with the stuff that gets posted in the previous week. More after the jump:

Alan Wilder (ex-Depeche Mode) is Touring America

theajaysharma — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 19:19:31 +0000

Alan Wilder is taking Recoil on the road in support of his best-of complication, "Selected". He will be hitting North America throughout October and South America in November. He's teaming up with Paul Kendall who says the shows are, "a presentation of Recoil, not a concert".

Rogue Wave Perform an Amazing Version of "Shake The Disease" on KCRW

theajaysharma — Sat, 01 May 2010 00:26:14 +0000

Absolutely one of my favorite Depeche Mode songs is "Shake The Disease" and the Rogue Wave cover on KCRW was nothing short of stellar. Watch it below.

Alan Wilder Joins Depeche Mode on Stage, First Time in Sixteen Years

theajaysharma — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 23:20:19 +0000

Jason writes in with the news that Alan Wilder joined Depeche Mode onstage last week for their benefit gig supporting the Teenage Cancer Trust. As a kid I remember joking about Depeche Mode with my friends that Dave Gahan was the singer, Martin Gore was the song writer, Andrew Fletcher was the "hand clapping expert" and the only real musician was Alan Wilder. So I was a little annoyed when he left after the 1994 "Devotional Tour" to persue his side project, Recoil.

You can watch the video below or check out Slicing Up Eyeballs who has the video from four (!!) different angles.

Depeche Mode Man Has Surgery For Cancer

theajaysharma — Fri, 29 May 2009 19:18:14 +0000

The band cancel more shows as Dave Gahan is ordered to rest... - Source

Lollapalooza 2009 Lineup: Now With 100% More Animal Collective

theajaysharma — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 07:18:21 +0000

It seems like Coachella was only yesterday. Since this year's Lolla headliners (and then some) leaked long ago, we already knew about Beastie Boys, Depeche Mode, Jane's Addiction, Tool, Kings Of Leon, the Killers, Lou Reed, Decemberists, Neko Case, and Andrew Bird. Not too shabby. But almost too shabby. If that assortment of talent didn't convince you to attend, maybe this will: Animal Collective, Fleet Foxes, Deerhunter, Bat For Lashes, TV On The Radio, and Vampire Weekend. And an Animal Collective DJ set. Here's the whole lineup, in poster and video form because festival reveals come with videos these days.Continue reading Lollapalooza 2009 Lineup: Now With 100% More Animal Collective... - Source

Depeche Mode plot US summer tour

theajaysharma — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:18:02 +0000

Depeche Mode have announced the dates of an extensive North American tour this summer. - Source

Depeche Mode Announce New Album Details

theajaysharma — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 18:42:32 +0000

'Sounds Of The Universe' will be released by the veteran synth-pop band in April... - Source

Depeche Mode Heads Back Into Studio

theajaysharma — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 02:42:10 +0000

The band will begin recording their new LP in March.They've set a tentative release date: November 2008.A world tour is scheduled for January of 2009.For further updates, head to DM's official site.MP3: Depeche Mode - In Your Room (Portishead Remix) Source

Coachella 2006 Rumors

theajaysharma — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 07:53:45 +0000

COACHELLA is right around the corner and it's that time of the year where the rumors start flying before the official line-up is announced. DEPECHE MODE has already confirmed their appearance and a SMASHING PUMPKINS reunion is also possible. Recently I received an image of a fake lineup that people are passing around as the real thing. While that looks like a good list, I prefer the line up with Creed and Boyz II Men headlining. :)

Depeche Mode to Headline Coachella 2006

shane — Tue, 13 Dec 2005 01:12:29 +0000

Sources are confirming today that DEPECHE MODE have been confirmed to headline the first night of the 2006 Coachella Music & Arts Festival, to be held as always in Indio, CA this spring. More artists are expected to be announced as the festival draws closer.