Rocktrospectiva: The Brilliant "Stripped" Turns 40

Released on 10 February 1986 "Stripped" was a song by the English electronic band Depeche Mode. It was released as the lead single from their fifth studio album Black Celebration. Written by the band's lead songwriter Martin Gore, "Stripped" incorporated various samples into the song; most notably, the sound of an idling car engine. It was the band's sixth consecutive single to enter the UK Top 20, peaking at number 15. Elsewhere, it peaked at No. 4 in Germany and reached the top 10 in Finland, Sweden and Switzerland. 

The recording for "Stripped" began the first week of November 1985 at Westside Studios in London. According to Alan Wilder, it was one of the few songs that was "easy" to record. As with their previous albums, Depeche Mode incorporated samples into their songs, which the band always created in-house. Gore's demo of "Stripped" incorporated the sound of an idling motorcycle; the album version instead sampled singer Dave Gahan's idling Porsche 911. They also included the sound of a bottle rocket in the song, as they were recording "Stripped" on Guy Fawkes Night, 5 November. To get the sound of the fireworks, they launched the rockets horizontally so that several microphones, set up in sequence, could capture the sound of the firework fizzing by. Final mixing for the song took place at Hansa Studios in early 1986.

While making the album, Andy Fletcher said that "the idea of 'Stripped' is to get away from technology and civilisation for a day and get back to basics in the country. It's about two people stripping down to their bare emotions. In the video we're seen demolishing a car and taking a TV apart... it's a bit, er, symbolic." Dave Gahan explained that "it's not about sex. It's to do with having nothing except yourself. The people in the song could strip off if they wanted to though."

For B-sides, the band deliberately wanted to move away from just doing "simple extended version[s]" of their singles, instead opting to include "experimental" tracks "Black Day" and "Breathing in Fumes", which were based off of album tracks "Black Celebration" and "Stripped", respectively. Also included as a B-side was "But Not Tonight", which the band's US label, Sire Records, included on the soundtrack to the movie Modern Girls (1986), in part because it was "the only optimistic and slightly upbeat track from the Black Celebration recording sessions."

In 1987, Gore said that "Stripped" was his favorite Depeche Mode song to date.

The band and label's hopes for the single were high, with Gahan saying that the song "excites me. It feels powerful to sing. The chorus is rousing and mob-like which I can get off on," and they were disappointed when it only made it to number 15 in the UK. In a 1998 interview, Gore said that the single marked a turning point for the band, saying "since the Black Celebration album we've started getting things right, and 'Stripped' is one of the best atmospheres we've ever captured."

In the US, label Sire Records decided that B-side "But Not Tonight" was a better choice for their American audience, and so "Stripped" was not released as a single in that country. Martin Gore expressed his frustration with the American release in the 2007 documentary The Songs Aren't Good Enough, There Aren't Any Singles and It'll Never Get Played on the Radio, saying, "The worst thing, though, about 'Stripped' was the Americans, who somehow decided to not release it at all and to put out the B-side, 'But Not Tonight,' because they got it into some dodgy film. For "Stripped", we took nine days mixing and God knows how long recording, and, you know, 'But Not Tonight' I think we did in about three hours. And the Americans in their wisdom decided to release that instead." Wilder echoed this sentiment, saying "I don't pretend to understand it but whenever we 'deliver' a product, they want something different that 'suits their market'," indicating a strained relationship between the band and their US label.

The music video for "Stripped" was directed by Peter Care and was filmed outside Hansa Studios in Berlin. A music video was also shot for "But Not Tonight", directed by Tamra Davis. The video, in which the band appeared bored while miming playing their instruments in a nameless film studio, was not released until the video collection The Videos 86–98+ (2002) was made available, leading to many fans not even knowing the video existed until 2002.

Track listings

7": Mute / 7Bong10 (UK)

    1. Stripped 

    2. But Not Tonight 

12": Mute / 12Bong10 (UK)

    1. Stripped (Highland Mix)

    2. But Not Tonight (Extended Remix)

    3. Breathing in Fumes

    4. Fly on the Windscreen (Quiet Mix)

    5. Black Day

CD: Mute / CDBong10 (UK)

    1. Stripped

    2. But Not Tonight

    3. Stripped (Highland Mix)

    4. But Not Tonight (Extended Remix)

    5. Breathing in Fumes

    6. Fly on the Windscreen (Quiet Mix)

    7. Black Day

The CD single was released in 1991 as part of the singles box set compilations.

7": Sire / 7-28564 (US)

    1. But Not Tonight

    2. Stripped 

12": Sire / 0-20578 (US)

    1. But Not Tonight (Extended Mix)

    2. Breathing in Fumes

    3. Stripped (Highland Mix)

    4. Black Day

New Music: God's Lonely Man

            

Anna Calvi is releasing a new EP, Is This All There Is?, on March 20 via Domino. The record features collaborations with Laurie Anderson, Iggy Pop, and Matt Berninger. The first single for the project is "God's Lonely Man" alongside the legend Iggy Pop and a video directed by Luigi Calabrese. Is This All There Is? is the first in a trilogy of records exploring identity and romance. The EP was inspired by Calvi’s transformed outlook after becoming a parent. “Having a child was so transformative it made me consider the possibility that everything in life could potentially shift, and that is scary but incredibly freeing,” she said in a press release. “I didn’t want to take anything for granted any more. I want to exist in the best way for my child. I wanted to ask the most basic human question—is this all there is?”

 

In Memoriam: 3 Doors Down's Singer "Brad Arnold" Dies Aged 47

The lead singer and songwriter of 3 Doors Down, Brad Arnold, has died after a battle with cancer, the rock band announced on X. He was 47. "He will be deeply missed and forever remembered," the band said in a statement on Saturday.

The band is best known for 2000s rock hits like Kryptonite, Here Without You, When I'm Gone, and Loser.

In May 2025, Arnold announced that he was ill, and had received a diagnosis of stage 4 clear cell renal carcinoma, a type of kidney cancer, which had metastasised into his lung. I have no fear, I really sincerely am not scared of it at all," the frontman said, adding that he was disappointed that the band would have to cancel an upcoming tour. "I'd love for you to lift me up in prayer every chance you get," he said.

In its statement, 3 Doors Down said that, as a founding member, vocalist, and original drummer, "Brad helped redefine mainstream rock music, blending post-grunge accessibility with emotionally direct song writing and lyrical themes that resonated with everyday listeners".

The original band was formed in Mississippi in the mid-1990s. Another founding member of the original trio, Matt Roberts, died in 2016 at the age of 38. Arnold wrote Kryptonite, the band's breakout 2000 hit, "in his math class when he was just 15 years old", the statement continued.

Those closest to Arnold will "remember not only his talent, but his warmth, humility, faith, and deep love for his family and friends", it said. He is survived by his wife, Jennifer.

The band was regularly heard on rock and pop radio throughout the 2000s and 2010s. They have won three Billboard Music Awards. Their debut album The Better Life was the 11th biggest-selling album of the year in their home country.

Arnold had spoken openly about hit battle with alcoholism and his recovery, having been sober since 2016. "I used to think it was a way to calm myself prior to a show or to chase loneliness," he told Charleston.com in 2023.

New Music: Waiting On You

            

Rick Astley celebrates 60th birthday with new single "Waiting On You" A landmark birthday is the perfect time for reflection. And as Rick Astley turns 60, he can look back on some enviable achievements – from his iconic global breakthrough with Never Gonna Give You Up to an unexpected career resurgence as he returned to No.1 with 50. But it’s also a time to look ahead towards what comes next, and that starts with intent as Rick shares his new single Waiting On You. This track underlines Rick’s ability to evoke timeless 60s soul influences and infuse them with a contemporary touch that is completely in tune with the present day. Emotive strings and Rick’s inimitable baritone provide the perfect sonic touchpoints for a song which not only looks back to the first flush of love, but also celebrates how it endures deep into a life together. Waiting On You was written, produced and almost entirely solely performed by Rick Astley at his studio, The Spud Farm.

 

New Music Notre Dame

            

Morrissey has shared his new single "Notre-Dame", which omits a controversial lyric about “terrorism” that he previously sang during live performances. This is the second single to be released from Morrissey’s upcoming album, Make Up Is A Lie, set for release on March 6th, after he previously shared the title track for the record last month The new track sees Morrissey team up again with his longtime collaborator and former guitarist Alain Whyte, who is credited as co-writing and performing on ‘Notre Dame’. Notably, Morrissey had previously played ‘Notre Dame’ on several occasions during his tour in 2023, which later emerged online. In the live performances that surfaced on YouTube, Morrissey sings,  "Before investigations, They said, "It's not terrorism'."However, in the new single version, he instead sings, “Before investigations, They said, 'There's nothing to see here'." The single "Notre-Dame"  is inspired by the tragic fire of the historical Parisian cathedral, which took place on April 15th, 2019. Following a five-year renovation process, which cost over $700 million, it finally opened its doors to the public again in 2024.

New Music: A Death In London

           

Liverpool-formed electro-pop band Ladytron are releasing a new album, Paradises, on March 20 on Nettwerk. Today they shared another song from it, the atmospheric “A Death in London,” via a black & white music video directed by Daniel Hunt Tones. In a press release the band claim the song was written on “Leonard Cohen’s Casio.” Whether they mean that literally or figuratively is up for interpretation, but we’re guessing the latter.

New Music: Homewrecker

           

Sombr is back with a brand new single "Homewrecker" an upbeat pop song in which Sombr addresses a love interest who is emotionally unavailable. In the song, he expresses that, despite not wanting to insult the partner of the love interest or interfere in their relationship, that he would be a better match. The accompanying music video was released alongside the song on February 5, 2026, and was directed by Gus Black. Visually inspired by Western films, the video reflects the song's themes and depicts the singer caught in a "love triangle" with characters portrayed by media personality and model Quenlin Blackwell and actor Milo Manheim

New Music: Wormslayer

           

Kula Shaker have shared an epic new music video for the title track from their new "Wormslayer" album, after releasing the album last Friday January 30, the band have shared an epic short film to accompany title track, which features family members and draws inspiration from their love of fantasy table-top gaming. Starring Mills' teenage children and their friends, the video sees them shift to another dimension when their Dungeon Master sends them into the tabletop game to slay the mythical worm. The video adds to the growing number of film projects helmed by Mills.

New Music: Indigo Park

           

Bruce Hornsby has released a new song titled Indigo Park, marking his first major new music release of 2026 and offering a deeply personal look back at his formative years. The song arrives as the lead single from Hornsby’s upcoming album Indigo Park, which is scheduled for release later this year. Built around Hornsby’s signature piano work and understated storytelling, the track reflects on a teenage memory from his hometown of Williamsburg, Virginia, centered on a party at the Indigo Park Pool during his high school years. Lyrically, “Indigo Park” blends nostalgia with self awareness, capturing the awkwardness, freedom, and emotional intensity of adolescence. Hornsby delivers the story in a conversational tone, allowing small details and reflections to carry the weight rather than leaning on grand gestures. The result is a song that feels intimate and quietly powerful. The videographers are Matt Clery & Jorge Lazzari

New Music: Not Around Anymore

           

Broken Social Scene are back with a new album called "Remember The Humans". and also shared their single "Not Around Anymore." The forthcoming record will mark the first from the Canadian group in nearly a decade, and reunites the Toronto collective with producer David Newfeld. For this record, the band share that the timing feels uncannily right, as it touches on themes of feeling overstimulated and overwhelmed by modern life, and yet also having a profound sense of dislocation at the same time. The new single takes on a subtly nuanced, yet comforting feeling throughout, with lyrics that centre around the need to take a step back from external pressures, and embrace simple pleasures in life. Video directed by Jordan D Allen, Rachel McLean and Kevin Drew.