MEGALOMANIAC...

... I'm not but I did think this was a really great review of WIRED:

How is Northern Kind like an origami flower? Both unfold with exquisite beauty and grace. Like a blossoming flower, Northern Kind's music exhibits an effortlessness and naturalness that evokes feelings of awe. Imagine Vince Clarke's technical wizardry infused with feminine intuition. Northern Kind has an uncanny knack for synths. They bring such an attentive, sensitive touch to their keyboard work that one imagines them wearing velvet gloves in the studio. If you love lush soundscapes coupled with intricate programming, you'll be in shimmering heaven. The vocals are also stunning. Imagine the tonal purity of Annie Lennox, the forcefulness of Sinead O'Connor, and the sultriness of Billie Ray Martin. The big question is whether Northern Kind's new album "Wired:" is a worthy follow-up to "Fifty Three Degrees." Do the new songs compare with the brilliance of such powerhouses as "On & On," "The Other Side," "You Belong," and "Seen the Light"? The answer is simple: just listen to the sublimely baroque melodies of "Automatic," the sumptuous production of "Pop," and the instantly catchy hooks of "Pleasurely That Machine." Northern Kind are still virtuosos. They're an A in my book.

--Craig Conley, author of ONE-LETTER WORDS: A DICTIONARY (HarperCollins)
http://www.OneLetterWords.com

Clearly a man of many words, I think I will ask him to write our future press releases.

Anticipation of DM at the O2.

It would appear that Dave Gahan's condition is more severe than what we are led to believe. Cancer whilst obviously serious is probably not the reason which some of the rumors suggest, Why? Well insurance companies that underwrite tours of such magnitude require very thorough medical examinations to be undertaken. I'm sure the screening process would catch anything as serious as cancer.

What I can piece together from a couple of sources is that it's more likely Dave appears to have slipped back into his old ways. This is something personally I hope is true more than any other rumor that is circulating. Why? because this is something that he can naturally and quickly recover from with help and support.

Whatever the reason I really hope they get it back together again soon.