DM Dictionary

A Mass of abbreviations and other terms that I've picked up over the decades.

If you have more to add...email me!  karen@karendepechemode.com.


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DM- Depeche Mode.  Congrats for understanding this.  You may now continue.

MODE , AKA THE MODE.  See Above.

DEPECHE - See Above. Now let's move on. If you need to revisit "DM" - Stop Now.

DG- Dave Gahan.  Do not call him "David" unless you want be mocked by other DM Fans.

MLG- Martin Lee Gore, aka, Martin Gore, aka Mart.  No one refers to Martin as MG.

FLETCH-Andrew Fletcher, aka Andy. 

AW-Alan Wilder.  Remember two AA's spells ALAN.

DEVOTEE - A long time, loyal Depeche Mode Fan.

HC- A Hard Core DM Fan.  One who has websites and follows the band on tour.  (Cough cough).  I'll use it in a sentence..."Karen is so HC DM!"

RMF- A Random Mode Fan.  One of those fans you see from time to time, but truly aren't considered "HC" and are boderline Devotees.

BLACK SWARM - A group of HC and RMF's and Devotees = THE BLACK SWARM.  Basically, DM fans in a pack.

DEVOTIONAL DAVE - Dave's sexy grunge look from the SOFAD 1993 era.  Every fan has a favorite "Dave" look.  "Violator Dave", "101 Dave"  (aka MFTM Dave), etc.  My favorite is currently "Hourglass Dave".  Loving the natural gray.

FOS - Front of Stage.  The best tickets to have in Europe!  For Americans, FOS = Floor Seats.  In Europe, the floor is GA (see below) which means, camping out.

FOS2 - Tickets in Europe on the floor directly behind FOS.  Be embarrassed if these are in your possession and trade up or switch to a seat.

FOD-  Front of Dave, center stage.  In the USA, you can buy tickets to be FOD, (and expect to pay a hefty price) but in Europe you have to "claim your space" EARLY and this ONLY APPLIES if you hold an FOS ticket.  (Generally speaking, remember to allow for the catwalk, see below).

FOM-  Front of Martin.  See above, yet you are LEFT of the stage.

FOF-  Front of Fletch.  See above, yet you are RIGHT of the stage.

GA- General Admission.   Two definitions- in Europe it's FOS and FOS2 meaning no reserved seating on the floor.  This does not happen in the USA (With the exception of Las Vegas).  In the USA - GA generally means, lawn seats.  (See below)

LAWN SEATS - No DM Fan would ever buy on purpose.  In the USA, this applies to the open air venues only and the "grassy areas" where you can lay a blanket, way back on the grassy knoll. 

CATWALK - The long stage designed for Dave to strut during ETS and NLMDA.  In Europe, the catwalk also breaks apart the FOS (and sometimes FOS2) crowd into 2 sections.  FOS fans love to be near the catwalk because there is a gate surrounding it which means, AIR TO BREATHE.  Seriously.  And access to water depending on the country and/or if the DM crew passes you one. 
(PERSONAL NOTE HERE, THANK YOU ROB!  YOU SAVED ME IN GERMANY!).

BSP - Back Stage Pass.  Do NOT use the abbreviation when spoken.  If you are in possession of a BSP on the current tour, clearly speak it, loudly and repeatedly to cause envy.  Then wear the BSP for the rest of tour.  Please note, if you sport a BSP on the current tour from PAST tours...you are now considered at best an RMF.  The HC DM Fans don't advertise their past tour colors.  LOL - we are a friendly gang, but will laugh at you nonetheless.

PS- only use the  BSP abbreviation in emails, texts and im's only.

101 - The amazing documentary by D.A. Pennebaker from 1988 that includes the live Pasadena show from the Rose Bowl.  
Hint...do NOT say "One Hundred and One".  It's One-Oh-One.  Devotees still to this day giggle when this number pops up in daily life.  Example- On the SOTU tour a HC DM fan got assigned hotel room 101.  We were all so jealous.

FOA - Front of Alex.  Alex from Germany is the best Dave Gahan impersonator ever and does exclusive performances.  (Thanks to Oliver for this suggestion).

DM FAMILY -  A select group of HC DM Fans.  If you need a definition, you are not part of it.  However, we are always open to new members.  See FOTU BELOW.

MUTE - Besides the verb.  Used as a noun or pronoun ....  "Are you going to Mute?"  Meaning - 'Are you going to Mute Records Anniversay in London in May?"

SOTU - Sounds of The Universe

TOTU - Tour of the Universe

FOTU - Fans of the Universe  -  See DM Family above.

ASP - After Show Party

PASP - Post After Show Party

SOFAD - Songs of Faith and Devotion

MFTM - Music For The Masses

ETS - Enjoy The Silence

WIMS - Walking In My Shoes  (not to be confused with.....

WIME- World In My Eyes

NLMDA- Never Let Me Down Again

FOTW - Fly On The Windscreen

POLICY - Policy Of Truth

M & S - Master And Servant

PJ - Personal Jesus (If you haven't figured this out on your own - X out of this site now).

PFTM - Party For The Masses.  Held in Hamburg, Germany since 1992.  The ultimate DM party to attend.  Do NOT classify yourself as a HC DM Fan unless you've been.  Exception to the rule - if you were flying in from anywhere but Germany but could not attend due to illness, work (gasp!), etc, you may STILL classify yourself a HC DM Fan. 

SET LIST - What is being played that particular night.  Usually kept a secret and in the world of DM, you're the shit to get an original touring copy of the set list.  But to HC DM fans - we'd rather not know the changes.  
We love the surprises (CLEAN!!!) played the one time in Germany.

(BTW- I slept off drunken nights in Frankfurt, Germany, while the band rehearsed "Condemnation" and other songs that never made it during TOTU.). 

WE ARE THE DEAD OF NIGHT - What HC DM Fans say when waken up hungover and/or still drunk and have to travel to the next show after 2 hours sleep. 

DAMAGED PEOPLE - Similar to the above phrase, but specifically referring to the lack of sleep between back to back DM parties.

WRONG - What HC DM fans say meaning.. - "That's Fucked Up". 
If you find yourself in an awkward situation and hear someone say..."WRONG!"...they are obviously an HC DM Fan and may be approached without trepidation.  You may then join them in declaring "WRONG" and hence may become a HC FAN if previously classified as RMF.  Same theory applies to the above.  

DEPRESSED MODE - The state every Devotee enters into at the end of the tour.

THE CUPS -  DM logo'd plastic cups distinct from tour to tour and city to city.  Again, I'll use it in a sentence...  "Yes, I have the SOTU Berlin cups from Summer but they stopped selling them in Germany in 2010."  Oh...and as an American they never offered them in the USA, which again, confirms my status as an HC DM Fan.

And +5 points to fans in Mannheim & Stuttgart, Germany where we got DM LOGO PITCHERS.  Danke.