By late-1989 the Depeche Mode marketing machine had stepped up a gear ahead of the planned release of Violator the following year.
TV, radio and press – all mainstays of the promotion circuit.
One fixture in particular was Peter’s Pop Show, a West German TV programme which aired a massive indoor gig each December to showcase some of the stars of the year.
Not only was Peter’s Pop Show hugely popular in Germany (the old East, as well), but elsewhere around Europe.
Essentially an appearance on the programme was hugely beneficial for any band looking to reach a wide audience (not least with an album due for release in a few months).
The 1989 outing of the show, on December 2 (but recorded a few weeks before), saw Depeche perform Personal Jesus, which had reached number five in the German charts during the summer.
The band also played Enjoy The Silence, which was still two months away from being officially released as the second single from Violator.
Both tracks are included in this clip below.
Perhaps one little interesting thing to note about the clip (apart from the rather awkward looking miming!) is the stark difference in demeanour and mood of the band compared to much of the promotional activity just a few years later for Songs of Faith and Devotion.
NB: Thanks as always to the Depeche Mode Classic Photos and Videos group on Facebook for the images.
