Spirits in the Forest

 Dave Gahan:

“It’s amazing to see the very real ways that music has impacted the lives of our fans.”

SPiRiTS IN THE FOREST
Without any knowledge of the content of the film I just watched Spirits in the Forest in Breda, my hometown, together with our youngest son Pim (17). The mix of die hard fan interviews and sneak peaks of their lives combined with the live footage of the last Global Spirit concert, Berlin 2018, make this film an interesting one.

Depeche Mode (DM) was one of the many 80's bands I listened to when in secondary (high) school. I just can't get enough is still a great song, performed live even better, less clean and more raw. Later in life, when studying fine art photography, I listened to 101 Live when working all those hours in the dark room. That cassette tape is completely worn, o man, I love that album still.

DM is a band that keeps surprising you. Where other bands are 'old men get of the stage' like (right, Morrissey ;) DM's music is timeless. Listening to the music, seeing Dave and Martin perform on stage ... fascinating. O yes, they have aged, but haven't we all?

It's great to see Dave having so much fun, and although the fans' stories, as well as their own - tho not really mentioned in this movie - are sometimes bigger than life, they are still here, alive and kicking. 

Our son loves 80's music "real music, mum" and happily tagged along. Next to us we spot another Breda photographer with his daughter. Hmm, are we all setting an example with our teenage kids ;) I recommend to take your teenager with you, they will thank you later. 
It made ours think of how he relates to his favourite musicians and bands. How he got to know their music, as this is something Anton (Corbijn) points out in the fans' stories; how they 'met' DM and braided their music into their lives.

SPOILER ALERT
DMK was sweet, and the Mongolian girl is to die for. I was intrigued by the French lady's story, that she only could remember DM music after a coma and complete loss of memory. Because of my current NLP practitioner training I am wondering about her body and senses, did her cells really not remember?!?

Funniest part was the interview of the Romanian fan, talking about his adventure in the local mountains, taking his brother and a friend dressed up as king, to shoot Enjoy the Silence like photos. My friend Mariska and I re-discovered this timeless song in 2003, at Anton's big solo exhitibion where the video was playing. 

I also love the Berlin connection of DM, seeing the movie made me realise that at the time I wasn't really aware of the importance of The Wall being torn. U2 went to Berlin early 90's - Achtung Baby and Zooropa if I am correct - and so did DM. It really is their favourite Europe town. 
I did not see Berlin with my own eyes until a few years ago, was a late Prague visitor as well. I now know the stories of friends who went there right after the fall of communism, when everything still had that pure, weird communist feeling. I am not jealous though, it just wasn't my time.

Groninger Museum - Barbara, Mariska & Me, 2003

THANK YOU ANTON
Without internet we just didn't know (that) much I reckon. I was studing graphic design and photography, and in 1996 I started my own photography business. Like many artists I was always doubting my qualities, when I watched a documentary on famous Dutch photographer Paul Huf. The documentary had Anton Corbijn and another photographer create a typical portrait of Huf.

Anton made Mr. Huf stand in front of a KLM aeroplane at Schiphol Amsterdam airport, taking his portrait shoulders up from a deep low, knee down position, wide angle and kinda eerie with the nose of the plane hanging over Mr. Huf as a big, dark shape. My kind of portrait! Since that moment I never doubt my quality as professional photographer again, knowing I am as great as he is, creating beautiful compositions and fab 'Eyespiration' portraits.

I saw Anton moving around with his camera on stage at the 2006 Rotterdam concert. Front row, the best live experience ever. Nothing beats seeing DM live. The Spirits in the Forest footage of the band playing are wonderful 'live photos', moving stills with great composition. I like these reflection kind of photos/footage, like the one below. Contemplation. 

www.SpiritsintheForest.com 

Thanks DM, Anton, and you, for reading this story. The film made me think of my personal life end of the '80s, early '90s and made me realise I am always looking to the future, whatever happens.

My mom died 1991, still I am here. Alive & kicking. Let's Focus on the Beauty of Life, only.


Melanie E. Rijkers
www.Eyespiration.com