Neo-Nazi leader Richard Spencer calls Depeche Mode the "official band of the alt-right"

Alt-right leader Richard Spencer, who rose into the public spotlight as the controversial leader of the "alt-right" movement who was punched while live on television, was asked by an audience member at a conference about whether or not he liked rock music, to which he responded that "Depeche Mode is the official band of the alt-right".

He later clarified on Twitter that the response was meant as a joke, but confirmed that he is a "lifelong Depeche Mode fan".

When the band caught wind of the statements, they were quick to reject the association with both Richard Spencer and the alt-right. "That's ridiculous," a rep said in response. "Depeche Mode has no ties to Richard Spencer or the Alt-Right and does not support the Alt-Right movement."

In fact, the choice to focus on Depeche Mode is quite an ironic one as the band has been publicly vocal about their dissatisfaction with President Trump, whom Spencer openly supports. "As I get older, the things going on in the world affect me more," Dave Gahan said in an interview with Rolling Stone. "I think about my kids and what they're growing up into. My daughter, Rosie, was deeply affected by the election last year. ... She just sobbed, and I was like, 'Wow.'"

In addition, the band's most recent release is a music video and track called 'Where's The Revolution?', a timely statement response to the current political environments both in the UK and the US and a taste of the critical tone of their forthcoming album 'Spirit'.