He also contributed lyrics and sang lead vocals on the Soulsavers albums The Light the Dead See (2012), Angels & Ghosts (2015) and Imposter (2021).

'"[13] During his final year of school, Gahan applied for a job as an apprentice fitter with North Thames Gas.

[15] The band was soon renamed Depeche Mode, a name suggested by Gahan after he had come across a fashion magazine called Dépêche-mode.

[17][18] Four of the band's singles have reached number one on Billboard's Alternative Songs chart: "Enjoy the Silence" (1990), "Policy of Truth" (1990), "I Feel You" (1993), and "Walking in My Shoes" (1993).

"[20] This led him, in 2004, to tell his bandmates that he wanted to write half of the songs on their next album, and there was "no way" he could be involved in the band without contributing as a songwriter.

[21] Eventually, there was a compromise, and three of Gahan's songs appeared on 2005's Playing the Angel: "Suffer Well" (nominated for a Grammy award), "I Want It All" and "Nothing's Impossible".

[29] In 2007, Gahan announced he was working on a new album via a video greeting for Depeche Mode's official website recorded at the 2007 MusiCares Charity event on 11 May.

[33][34] In July 2007, Side-Line magazine revealed that Gahan had been working with Thomas Anselmi on a project called Mirror, which was produced by Vincent Jones.

Along with Jones, who played with Gahan's touring band and mixed the live DVD Live Monsters,[35] Mirror featured another Gahan collaborator, Knox Chandler (Siouxsie & the Banshees, the Psychedelic Furs), as well as piano by Bowie favourite Mike Garson, and a monologue by Warhol superstar Joe Dallesandro.

[38] Gahan also contributed vocals to a track called "Visitors", after walking in while producer and ex-Clor guitarist Luke Smith was working on the song in his New York studio.

[40] Gahan sings and plays harmonica on "Low Guns", the first single from the 2014 album The Morning After by English band SixToes.

[43] In 2018, a remix of the Goldfrapp single "Ocean" featuring guest vocals from Gahan was released as a digital download on 21 May 2018.

Regarding the collaboration, the Goldfrapp issued a statement: "Working with Dave Gahan on the new version of 'Ocean' had been a real honor for us as a band.

[47] In 2023, Gahan contributed a cover of "Mother of Earth" by the Gun Club to the fourth installment in the Jeffrey Lee Pierce Sessions Project series of tribute albums, titled The Task Has Overwhelmed Us.

[citation needed] He is married to his third wife, Greek-American actress and filmmaker Jennifer Sklias,[49] with whom he has a daughter, Stella Rose (born in 1999),[50] who is also a singer.

During his roughest years in Los Angeles, he survived four brushes with death and earned the nickname "The Cat" from local paramedics.

[58] In October 1993, Gahan suffered a minor drug-induced heart attack during a performance in New Orleans, leaving the rest of Depeche Mode to improvise an encore without him.

[59] In August 1995, Gahan attempted suicide by cutting his wrists, later explaining it as a "cry for help" and stating that he had "made sure there were people who might find [him]".

[60] In May 1996, Gahan overdosed on a speedball at the Sunset Marquis Hotel in Los Angeles, which resulted in his heart stopping for two minutes until he was revived by paramedics.

[61] In May 2009, shortly before Depeche Mode were due onstage in Athens during their Tour of the Universe, Gahan became ill in his dressing room.

[65] In July 2009, Gahan suffered a torn calf muscle while performing in Bilbao, resulting in two further show cancellations.

[67][68] In May 2011, Gahan was honoured at the seventh annual MusiCares MAP Fund Benefit Concert for more than a decade of sobriety.