In 1995, Alan Wilder stated the following:

Whilst I believe that the calibre of our musical output has improved, the quality of our association has deteriorated to the point where I no longer feel that the end justifies the means. I have no wish to cast aspersions on any individual; suffice to say that relations have become seriously strained, increasingly frustrating and, ultimately, in certain situations, intolerable.

In 2010:

Dave contacted me a few weeks back and asked if I’d be willing to join them on-stage. He assured me that everyone in the band was into the idea. I was very happy to accept, especially as it was all in a good cause and we were long overdue some kind of reunion of this sort. It was great to see everyone again and catch up a bit, and it was also the first time I have actually ‘seen’ Depeche Mode perform!

Now I am by no means going out on a limb with this because for all we know, Alan Wilder’s appearance last night at the Royal Albert Hall benefit gig was just a one-off and something fans might never see again.

But regardless of what may or may not come of it, thanks to the phone-cams, digital cameras and the Intartubes, Depeche Mode fans around the whole wide world can see and enjoy this tremendously, stupendously, goose bump-inducing moment.

Welcome back, Slik, if only for one song