Martin Lee Gore (born July 23, 1961 in London, England) has been a member of the band Depeche Mode since its inception in 1980. He's currently the primary song writer, but also does most of the music and guitar.
He is also the backup singer and sometimes even the lead singer.

Martin left St. Nicholas's Comprehensive School in 1977 and took a job as a bank teller. Despite discovering that it was not the most exciting of jobs, and certainly not his vocation, he decided that the banking industry would make for a safe career option. During evenings, weekends and any other spare time, Martin was involved with the local band "Norman and the Worms". Martin Gore In 1980, Martin met Andy "Fletch" Fletcher at the Van Gogh club and was soon recruited into his band, "Composition of Sound". Soon the band recruited David Gahan to be the lead singer after seeing him sing "Heroes" by David Bowie. David is credited with the name "Depeche Mode" after seeing the phrase in a French fashion magazine.

Vince Clarke was chiefly responsible for the material on Depeche Mode's first album, "Speak & Spell" (1981). Gore contributed only two tracks; the instrumental "Big Muff" and "Tora! Tora! Tora!". Also on the album is "Any Second Now (voices)", which has Martin on lead vocals, his first for the band and the only non-cover song he sings which is not written by himself. When Vince Clarke announced his departure from Depeche Mode in 1981, citing the pressures of fame as the reason, Martin took over the main songwriting and composition duties for the band. Gore had been writing material since the age of 14.

The songs that he provided for Depeche Mode's second outing, "A Broken Frame" (1982) were vastly different in sound and lyrical content from Vince Clarke's lyrically lightweight offerings on "Speak & Spell". The predominant themes were unrequited love and naïvety, with a dash of everything from politics to religion. This set a precedent for the darker tones in both the lyrics and the melodies for the group.

Martin Gore When Alan Wilder was finally introduced as a permanent member of the band (c. 1983), Gore let all production and arrangement responsibilities rest with him. This is especially evident when comparing the solo church organ demo of "Enjoy The Silence"with the epic synth pop masterpiece that it eventually became.

Because of their easily felt "real-world" subjects and cynical, almost borderline nihilistic takes on the human race (and prominently, love), Martin's lyrics have appealed to a wide and varied audience, despite (and maybe even because of) their relative simplicity. As a result, Depeche Mode have retained an extremely loyal fan base for more than two decades.

Martin also contributes lead vocals to Depeche Mode songs, usually around two per album. "A Broken Frame" is the only one without him as an official lead singer, however "Shouldn't Have Done That" has him prominently in the track, despite Dave Gahan officially being credited as the singer. Fans mostly enjoy his tracks but the media, especially in 2005, tend to imply that he should leave the singing to Gahan. Fans tend to be disappointed in Martin's "Playing the Angel" and "Exciter" tracks, but "Somebody", "A Question of Lust", and "Home" are favorites live and the only three songs sung by Martin that have made it to be a single (see below for a full list of his vocal songs). Martin tends to sing around three songs during concerts, and is usually a high but sometimes more slow-paced moment of the shows. However, he is more recognized at concerts for his guitar playing, especially during "Enjoy the Silence", where he is formally introduced by Gahan to glorious applause.

Personal
On 08/27/1994 Martin married lingerie designer Suzanne Boisvert, and has two daughters with her: Viva Lee Gore (b. 6 June 1991) and Ava Lee Gore (b. July 1995). He also has a Son Kalo born July 27, 2002 Martin Gore shortly before Martin and his texan girlfriend Suzanne were about to have a child, Martin's mother one night had a few drinks and talked to him. Martin was told that his birth-father was actually an American G.I., and was black. Martin was shocked, because the man he always thought was his father growing up wasn't. Martin's mother thought he should know, so, if Martin's child were to come out black, they would not be shocked. Martin eventually tracked his father down, who, now living in a shotgun shack in the south. His father didnt know who he (Martin) was. Martin introduced himself, and after finding out that his son was a rich and famous musician, his father talked of money problems (etc.) and after a bad experience, Martin never talked to him again.

As of January 2006 Martin is currently getting a divorce from Suzanne Boisvert, and wrote a song called "Precious" about the trauma it is causing for his children.

In 2003, Martin released Counterfeit², a solo cover album follow-up to his 1989 Counterfeit EP. Both of them feature his takes on other people's material, and he has stated publicly before that he considers himself not the most prolific songwriter, and prefers to keep his own material for Depeche Mode albums.

The first Counterfeit featured covers of bands such as The Durutti Column and Sparks. Second one contained an eclectic barrage from David Essex to Lou Reed, John Lennon and even Nick Cave.

Solo discography
  • Counterfeit (EP) (1989)
  • Counterfeit² (2003)

    Depeche Mode songs with Martin on lead vocals
    Depeche Mode's lead vocals are handled by David Gahan, but on occasion Martin will sing lead vocals.
    These are all the songs he sings in chronological order.
  • Any Second Now (voices)
  • Pipeline
  • It Doesn't Matter Martin Gore
  • Somebody
  • Black Day
  • A Question of Lust
  • Sometimes
  • It Doesn't Matter Two
  • World Full of Nothing
  • The Things You Said
  • I Want You Now
  • Route 66 (cover of a song by Nat King Cole)
  • Enjoy the Silence (Harmonium version only)
  • Sweetest Perfection
  • Blue Dress
  • Death's Door
  • Judas
  • One Caress
  • Home
  • The Bottom Line
  • Comatose
  • Breathe
  • Macro
  • Damaged People
  • Jezebel
  • The Sun and the Moon and the Stars

    Duet
    Martin Gore & Dave Gahan These are songs where Dave and Martin have around equal singing time, in chronological order.
  • Shouldn't Have Done That
  • Here is the House
  • Behind the Wheel
  • Waiting for the Night
  • The Sinner In Me


    Live
    These are songs that Martin has sung lead live, although the studio versions are sung by Gahan, in chronological order of the song's first live performance by Martin. Includes his solo concerts in 2003.
  • Little 15 (The World Violation Tour)
  • Here is the House (The World Violation Tour)
  • Condemnation (The Exotic Tour, Summer Tour '94, The Exciter Tour, Solo)
  • Waiting for the Night (The Exotic Tour)
  • Sister of Night (The Singles Tour, The Exciter Tour, Tour Of The Universe)
  • Surrender (The Exciter Tour, Solo)
  • Dressed in Black (The Exciter Tour, Tour Of The Universe)
  • Only When I Lose Myself (solo only)
  • In Your Room (solo only)
  • Walking in My Shoes (solo only)
  • The Love Thieves (solo only)
  • Enjoy the Silence (solo only)
  • Shake the Disease (Solo, Touring the Angel, Tour Of The Universe)
  • Leave in Silence (Touring The Angel)
  • Little Soul (Tour Of The Universe)
  • Freelove (Tour Of The Universe)
  • Clean (Tour Of The Universe)
  • Insight (Tour Of The Universe)


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