Editing Depeche Mode (section)

===''A Broken Frame'' and Wilder joining (1981–1982)===
{{See also|A Broken Frame}}
[[File:Depeche Mode 1982.jpg|thumb|Depeche Mode in 1982]]

In late 1981, the band placed an anonymous ad in ''Melody Maker'' looking for another musician: "Name band, synthesise, must be under twenty-one."<ref name="D93"/> [[Alan Wilder]], a classically trained keyboardist from West London, responded and, after two auditions and despite being 22 years old, was hired in early 1982, initially on a trial basis as a touring member.{{sfn|Miller|2004|p=121}} Wilder would later be called the "Musical Director" of the band, responsible for the band's sound until his departure in 1995.<ref name="P93"/> As producer [[Flood (music producer)|Flood]] would say, "[Alan] is sort of the craftsman, Martin's the idea man and [Dave] is the attitude."<ref name="P93"/>

In January 1982, the band released "[[See You (Depeche Mode song)|See You]]", their first single without Clarke, which managed to beat all three Clarke-penned singles in the UK charts, reaching number six.{{sfn|Miller|2004|p=113}} The following tour saw the band playing their first shows in North America. Two more singles, "[[The Meaning of Love]]" and "[[Leave in Silence]]", were released ahead of the band's second studio album, on which they began work in July 1982. Daniel Miller informed Wilder that he wasn't needed for the recording of the album, as the core trio wanted to prove they could succeed without Vince Clarke.{{sfn|Miller|2004|p=134}} ''[[A Broken Frame]]'' was released that September, and the following month the band began their 1982 tour.