Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the band. For their debut album, see Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (album).

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Co-founders Andy McCluskey (left) and Paul Humphreys in 2011
Co-founders Andy McCluskey (left) and Paul Humphreys in 2011
Background information
Also known asOMD
OriginMeols, Wirral, Merseyside, England
Genres
Years active
  • 1978–1996
  • 2006–present
Labels
Associated acts
Websitewww.omd.uk.com
Members
Past members

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) are an English electronic band formed in Wirral, Merseyside in 1978. The group consists of co-founders Andy McCluskey (vocals, bass guitar) and Paul Humphreys (keyboards, vocals), along with Martin Cooper (various instruments) and Stuart Kershaw (drums); McCluskey has been the only constant member. Regarded as pioneers of electronic music, OMD combined an experimental, minimalist ethos with pop sensibilities, becoming central figures in the late 1970s/early 1980s emergence of synth-pop.

McCluskey and Humphreys led precursor group the Id from 1977–1978, and re-recorded their track "Electricity" as OMD's debut single in 1979. Weathering an "uncool" image and a degree of hostility from music critics, the band gained popularity throughout Europe with the 1980 anti-war song "Enola Gay", and achieved broader recognition via Architecture & Morality (1981) and its three hit singles. Although later reappraised, Dazzle Ships (1983) was seen as overly challenging, and eroded European support. The group embraced a more radio-friendly sound on Junk Culture (1984); this change in direction led to greater success in the United States, and yielded the 1986 hit, "If You Leave".

In 1989, creative differences saw Humphreys and other members form the spin-off band the Listening Pool, leaving McCluskey the only remaining member of OMD. The group returned with a new line-up and explored the dance-pop genre: Sugar Tax (1991) and its initial singles were hits in Europe. By the mid-1990s, however, electronic music had been supplanted by alternative rock, and both OMD and the Listening Pool disbanded in 1996. McCluskey later conceived pop girl group Atomic Kitten, for whom he served as a principal songwriter, while Humphreys formed the duo Onetwo alongside Propaganda vocalist Claudia Brücken.

In 2006, the band reformed with Humphreys and McCluskey working on material closer in sound to their early output; The Punishment of Luxury (2017) was the group's seventh top 10 entry on the UK Albums Chart. They have also achieved 12 top 20 hits on the UK Singles Chart, as well as three top 20 hits on the US Billboard Hot 100. An influence on many later artists, OMD have sold over 40 million records worldwide.

History[]

1975–1979: Roots and early years[]

Singer and co-founder Andy McCluskey

Founders Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys met at primary school in Meols in the early 1960s, and in the mid-1970s, as teenagers, they were involved in different local groups but shared a distaste for guitar-driven rock with a macho attitude popular among their friends at the time.[6][7] By 1975 McCluskey had formed Equinox, as bassist and vocalist, alongside schoolmate Malcolm Holmes on drums, while Humphreys was roadie. During that time McCluskey and Humphreys discovered their electronic style, inspired by Kraftwerk.[8] After Equinox, McCluskey joined Pegasus,[9] and, later, the short-lived Hitlerz Underpantz, alongside Humphreys.[10][11] McCluskey would usually sing and play bass guitar; roadie and electronics enthusiast Humphreys, who shared McCluskey's love of electronic music,[12] graduated to keyboards.

In September 1977, McCluskey and Humphreys put together the seven-piece (three singers, two guitarists, bassist, drummer, and keyboard player) Wirral group the Id, whose line-up included drummer Malcolm Holmes and McCluskey's girlfriend Julia Kneale on vocals. The group began to gig regularly in the Merseyside area, performing original material (largely written by McCluskey and Humphreys). They had quite a following on the scene, and one of their tracks ("Julia's Song") was included on a compilation record of local bands called Street to Street.[11][13] Meanwhile, Humphreys and McCluskey collaborated on a side project called VCL XI, whose name was adapted from a diagram on the back cover of Kraftwerk's Radio-Activity album, reading "VCL 11". This project allowed them to pursue their more obscure electronic experiments.[11]

In August 1978, the Id split due to musical differences. The same month, McCluskey joined Wirral electronic outfit Dalek I Love You as lead singer, but quit in September.[13] Later that month, he rejoined Humphreys and their VCL XI project was renamed Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. The name was gleaned from a list of song lyrics and ideas that were written on McCluskey's bedroom wall;[7] and was chosen so they would not be mistaken for a punk band.[14][15] Given that OMD intended to play only one gig, the duo considered their moniker to be inconsequential.[16] McCluskey has since expressed regret over choosing "such a very silly name".[15] The contrasting personalities of Humphreys and McCluskey established the band's dynamic, with the former saying that "two Pauls wouldn't get anything done and two Andys would kill each other."[17] They have further described their creative roles as "The Surgeon" (Humphreys) and "The Butcher" (McCluskey).[18] As working class youngsters OMD had a limited budget, using second-hand "junk-shop" instruments including a left-handed bass guitar (which McCluskey would play upside-down).[19][20] The pair also created their own devices, with Humphreys "making things out of his aunt's radios cannibalised for the circuit boards".[19][21] Eventually they acquired a basic Korg M-500 Micro Preset synthesizer, purchased via McCluskey's mother's mail-order catalogue for £7.76 a week, paid over 36 weeks.[22][23]

OMD began to gig regularly as a duo, performing to backing tracks played from a TEAC 4-track tape-recorder christened "Winston" (after the antihero of George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four). Their debut performance was in October 1978 at Eric's Club in Liverpool.[21] Finding themselves on the cusp of an electronic new wave in British pop-music, they released a one-off single, "Electricity", with independent label Factory Records. The track was supposed to be produced by the Factory Records producer Martin Hannett. However, the A-side was the band's original demo produced by their friend, owner of Winston and soon to be manager, Paul Collister[24] under the pseudonym Chester Valentino (taken from a nightclub called Valentino's in the nearby city of Chester). The single's sleeve was designed by Peter Saville, whose distinctive graphics contributed to OMD's public image into the 1980s.[11][12] The success of "Electricity" led to the band receiving a seven-album record deal with Dindisc, worth over £250,000.[7][21]

In 1979 they were asked to support Gary Numan on his first major British tour. Humphreys noted, "[Numan] gave us our first big break. He saw us opening for Joy Division and he asked us to go on tour with him... we went from the small clubs to playing huge arenas. Gary was very good to us."[25] Numan later supported OMD on a 1993 arena tour.[26]

1980–1988: Classic line-up[]

"Musically, we were pushing boundaries as far as we could. At one Virgin meeting, the head of A&R asked us, 'Come on guys, are you [Karlheinz] Stockhausen or ABBA?' Andy and I said together, 'Can't we be both?'"

Paul Humphreys[18]

Rather than hire studio time to record their eponymous debut album (1980), McCluskey and Humphreys used their advance payment from Dindisc to build their own Liverpool recording studio, The Gramophone Suite. They predicted that they would be dropped by the label due to disappointing sales, but would at least own a studio.[21] The album showcased the band's live set at the time, and included some guest drums from Id drummer Malcolm Holmes and saxophone from Wirral musician Martin Cooper. It had a raw, poppy, melodic synth-pop sound.[27][28] Dindisc arranged for the song "Messages" to be re-recorded (produced by Gong bassist Mike Howlett) and released as a single – it gave the band their first hit.[29] Dave Hughes, a founder member of Dalek I Love You who joined OMD in 1980,[13] is featured in the "Messages" video. A tour followed: Winston the tape recorder was augmented with live drums from Malcolm Holmes, and Dave Hughes played synths. Hughes left OMD in late 1980.[30]

The second album Organisation (a reference to the band which preceded Kraftwerk,[31] founded by Kraftwerk's original members Florian Schneider-Esleben and Ralf Hütter) followed later that year, recorded as a three-piece with Humphreys, McCluskey and Holmes. It was again produced by Howlett, and had a moodier, dark feel largely inspired by the passing of former Factory label-mate, and Joy Division singer, Ian Curtis.[32] The album included the hit single "Enola Gay", named after the plane that dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima.[29] The song was intended to be included on the debut album, but was left out at the final selection. The tour for this album had a four-piece band line-up, with saxophonist Martin Cooper (another Dalek I Love You alumnus) recruited for keyboard duties and enlisted as an official group member.[12] The McCluskey/Humphreys/Cooper/Holmes unit came to be regarded as the band's classic line-up.[33] In early 1981, Record Mirror named OMD as the fourth-best band of 1980; NME and Sounds named the group as one of the 10 best new acts of the year.[34] Smash Hits readers voted them both the fifth-best band of 1980 and the eighth-hottest new act for 1981.[35]

Howlett then presided over the recording of a further hit single, "Souvenir", co-written by Cooper & Humphreys. It ushered in a lush choral electronic sound. The song also became OMD's biggest UK hit to date.[12][36] In November 1981, their most commercially successful album was released in the UK and Europe – Architecture & Morality. The group went into the studio with Richard Manwaring producing.[12][36] Cooper then temporarily dropped out and was replaced by Mike Douglas, but this change was reversed by the time the album was released and a tour followed. The album's sound saw OMD's original synth-pop sound augmented by the Mellotron,[37] an instrument previously associated with prog rock bands. They used it to add atmospheric swatches of string, choir, and other sounds to their palette. Two more hit singles "Joan of Arc" and "Maid of Orleans" (which became the biggest-selling single of 1982 in Germany[38]) were on the album. "Joan of Arc" and "Maid of Orleans" were originally both titled "Joan of Arc"; the name of the latter single was changed at the insistence of the publishers and to avoid confusion. It became "Joan of Arc (Maid of Orleans)" and later simply "Maid of Orleans".[12] Smash Hits readers voted OMD the seventh-best group of 1981.[39]

Longtime instrumentalist Martin Cooper

In 1983 the band lost commercial momentum somewhat, with the release of their more experimental Dazzle Ships album, produced by Rhett Davies. The record mixed melancholy synth ballads and uptempo synth-pop with musique concrète and short wave radio tape collages. Its relative commercial failure caused a crisis of confidence for Humphreys and McCluskey and brought about a deliberate move towards the mainstream.[38] 1984's Junk Culture was a shift to a more pop-style sound and the band used digital sampling keyboards such as the Fairlight CMI and the E-mu Emulator. The album was a success, reassuring the group about their new direction.[29] The "Locomotion" single returned the group to the top five in the UK and was an indicator of the group's newfound sound, notably the adoption of a classic verse–chorus form, which is something the group had often previously avoided. In 1985, the band expanded to a sextet, adding brothers Graham Weir (guitar, keyboards, trombone) and Neil Weir (trumpet, bass guitar), and released Crush, produced by Stephen Hague in Paris and New York.[40] The success of the single "So in Love" in the US Billboard Hot 100 also led to some success for the LP which entered the American Top 40, establishing the group in the US. During this period, the band also recorded a special version of "So in Love" in duet with the French pop singer Etienne Daho.[41]

Later in 1985 the band were asked to write a song for the John Hughes film Pretty in Pink. They offered "Goddess of Love", although the ending of the film was re-shot due to a negative response from test audiences. OMD then wrote "If You Leave" in less than 24 hours[7] and it became a top 5 hit in the US, Canada, and New Zealand in 1986. At the end of this year, the same six piece line-up also released The Pacific Age, but the band began to see their critical and public popularity wane notably in the UK. The album's first single, "(Forever) Live and Die", was a top 10 hit across Europe[42] and entered the top 20 in both the UK[43] and US. Journalist Hugo Lindgren argued that the success of "If You Leave" has concealed from US audiences the group's history of making innovative music.[7]

During 1988 OMD played a support slot for Depeche Mode's Music for the Masses Tour at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California on 18 June 1988. They also released the top 20 US hit "Dreaming" and a successful greatest hits album, The Best of OMD. Graham and Neil Weir left the band at the end of the 1988 US tour.

1989–1996: McCluskey-led OMD and disbandment[]

Keyboardist and co-founder Paul Humphreys departed in 1989

As OMD appeared poised to consolidate their US success, the group continued to fracture. Humphreys departed in 1989 amid personal and creative dissension with McCluskey.[2] Cooper and Holmes then left OMD to join Humphreys in founding a new band called the Listening Pool.[29][44] McCluskey recalled, "We were all in agreement that something was wrong. How to fix it was where we disagreed."[45]

This left only McCluskey to carry on, essentially becoming a solo artist working under the OMD banner. McCluskey's first album from the new OMD was the dance-pop Sugar Tax album in May 1991, which charted at No. 3 in the UK. McCluskey recruited in 1989 Liverpool musicians Raw Unlimited (Lloyd Massett, Stuart Kershaw, Nathalie Loates) as collaborators for the making of Sugar Tax: writing credits carefully distinguished between songs written by OMD (i.e., McCluskey) and songs written by OMD/Kershaw/Massett.[46] This iteration of the group was initially successful with hits like "Sailing on the Seven Seas" and "Pandora's Box", with lesser success on fellow chart entries, "Call My Name" and "Then You Turn Away". McCluskey's live band was then formed by Nigel Ipinson (keyboards), Phil Coxon (keyboards), and Abe Juckes (drums) from late 1990. Smash Hits readers voted OMD the sixth-best British group of 1991.[47]

The album Liberator, which ventured further into dance territory, was released in 1993.[48] It peaked at No. 14 on the UK Albums Chart. Lead single "Stand Above Me" peaked at no. 21 on the UK Singles Chart, with follow-up "Dream of Me" charting at no. 24. Paul Humphreys, while no longer part of the group, co-wrote the single "Everyday" (a No. 59 UK chart entry). The fifth track from Liberator, "Dream of Me", was built around a sample from "Love's Theme" by Love Unlimited Orchestra, a track which was written and produced by Barry White.[49] To release the "Dream of Me" track as an OMD single, however, McCluskey had to agree that the single release of the track would remove the actual "Love's Theme" sample, but still be officially titled "Dream of Me (Based on Love's Theme)", and furthermore would still give a writing credit to White.[50]

Also in 1993, McCluskey made contributions to the Esperanto album, a project by former Kraftwerk member Karl Bartos (then working under the moniker of Elektric Music).[51]

McCluskey returned with a rotating cast of musicians for the more organic Universal (1996),[21] which featured two songs co-written by Humphreys as well as a holdover from the Esperanto sessions, co-penned by Bartos. The record spawned OMD's first Top 20 hit in five years, "Walking on the Milky Way".

Though both Liberator and Universal produced minor hits, McCluskey retired the OMD name in late 1996, due to waning public interest. A particular source of frustration was the modest commercial response to "Walking on the Milky Way", over which McCluskey said he "sweated blood", considering it "about as good a song as I could write". BBC Radio 1 refused to playlist the song, which in turn led to high street store Woolworths refusing to stock it. McCluskey said, "I just thought: 'Screw this, I'm not going to bang my head against a brick wall'."[52] A second singles album was released in 1998, along with an EP of remixed material by such acts as Sash! and Moby.

Post-1996, McCluskey decided to focus on songwriting for such Liverpool based acts as Atomic Kitten and the Genie Queen, and trying to develop new Merseyside artists from his Motor Museum recording studio. With McCluskey focusing his talents elsewhere, Humphreys decided to work with his new musical partner Claudia Brücken, of the ZTT bands Propaganda and Act, as Onetwo. He also undertook a US live tour under the banner of "Paul Humphreys from OMD".[53]

2006–2012: Reformation and comeback[]

McCluskey performing the "Trainee Teacher Dance"

An unexpected request to perform from a German Television show and McCluskey's desire to find distraction after his acrimonious divorce led the group to reform.[7] On 1 January 2006, Andy McCluskey announced plans to reform OMD with the McCluskey, Humphreys, Holmes, and Cooper line-up. The original plan was to tour the album Architecture & Morality and other pre-1983 material, then record a new album set for release in 2007. In May 2007, the Architecture & Morality remastered CD was re-released together with a DVD featuring the Drury Lane concert from 1981 that had previously been available on VHS. Through May and June, the band toured with the "classic" line up of McCluskey, Humphreys, Holmes and Cooper. They began their set with a re-ordered but otherwise complete re-staging of the Architecture & Morality album. The second half of each concert featured a selection of their best known hits.[54]

In Spring 2008, a live CD and DVD of the 2007 tour, OMD Live: Architecture & Morality & More, recorded at the London Hammersmith Apollo, was released as was a 25th anniversary re-release of Dazzle Ships, including six bonus tracks. At the same time, a brief October 2008 tour was announced, partly to tie-in with the Dazzle Ships album's 25th anniversary. China Crisis supported OMD on this tour.

In June 2009, an orchestral concert with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic was given in Liverpool. A recording of this concert was released on DVD in December.[55] In November and December, the band returned to arena touring as support for Simple Minds. OMD had performed with Night of the Proms in December 2006 in Germany and renewed the experience again in Belgium and the Netherlands that year. They were the headline act at Britain's first Vintage Computer Festival at The National Museum of Computing, Bletchley Park, in June 2010.[56] On 9 September 2010, Trevor Horn announced that OMD would perform as a special guest at the "first ever gig" of the Buggles.[57] Their 11th studio album, History of Modern, was released in September, reaching No. 28 in the UK Albums Chart. A European tour followed in autumn.[58]

In March 2011, OMD played their first North American tour as the original line up since 1988. In September, the band appeared at the Electric Picnic 2011 festival in Stradbally, Co Laois, Ireland. In November 2011, OMD announced they were getting back to the studio to start work on their latest album, English Electric.[59] On 12 March 2012, the band played a concert at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, Philippines. In August, OMD performed to South African audiences in Cape Town and Johannesburg.

2013–present: Continued acknowledgement[]

"Being in Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark right now is just the most blessed thing... it's like being 19 again. We can do what the hell we want."

Andy McCluskey[60]

On 29 January 2013, Goldenvoice announced OMD for the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California, on 14 and 21 April.[61] On 11 February, OMD announced "Metroland" would be the first single from the forthcoming album English Electric. The single was released on 25 March, and includes the B-side "The Great White Silence."[62] The album English Electric was released in the UK on 8 April and entered the UK album chart at No. 12 and the German chart at No. 10. Reviews for both the album and their concerts have generally been positive.[7] For Record Store Day 2013, on 20 April, a 500-copy limited edition 10-inch picture disc EP "The Future Will Be Silent" from English Electric was made available, which includes a then-exclusive non-album track titled "Time Burns".[63][64] For Record Store Day 2015, on 18 April, a 1000-copy limited edition 10-inch EP "Julia's Song (Dub Version)" from Junk Culture was made available, which includes an exclusive non-album track titled "10 to 1".

OMD performed a one-off concert at The Royal Albert Hall, London on 9 May 2016 to a sell-out crowd, playing both Architecture & Morality and Dazzle Ships in their entirety, along with other songs that were pre-1983. The only song post-1983 played was "History of Modern Part 1". The concert was recorded and made available on double CD right after the show. A triple LP vinyl recording of the concert was also made available.[65] The band collaborated with Gary Barlow, Taron Egerton and Hugh Jackman on the OMD song "Thrill Me", co-written by Barlow and McCluskey for the soundtrack of the film Eddie the Eagle.[66] In October, work was begun on what was to be their 13th studio album The Punishment of Luxury,[67] which was released on 1 September 2017.[68] OMD toured Europe and North America in support of the album, with Stuart Kershaw replacing Holmes as the band's drummer, due to the latter's health issues.[69]

In 2018, OMD published a book entitled "Pretending to See the Future", which is a first-person "autobiography" about the band. It mixed fan-submitted memories with commentary from McCluskey, Humphreys, Cooper, Holmes, and Kershaw. For people who pre-ordered the book on PledgeMusic, they received a limited-edition flexi-disc containing a previously unheard demo of "Messages" from 1978.[70][71]

As part of the group's 40th-anniversary celebrations, a UK and European tour was announced in March 2019.[72] A retrospective deluxe boxset entitled Souvenir was also announced in August 2019.[73] The 40th anniversary collection includes the group's forty singles, including new release "Don't Go". It also contains 22 previously unreleased recordings from the group's archive, selected and mixed by Paul Humphreys. Two audio live shows, one from 2011 and one from 2013, are also included together with two DVDs bringing together two more live concerts – Drury Lane in 1981 and Sheffield City Hall in 1985 – plus Crush – The Movie, and various BBC TV performances from Top of the Pops, The Old Grey Whistle Test and Later... with Jools Holland. The boxset was nominated for "Best Historical Album" at the 2021 Grammy Awards.[74]

Artistry and image[]

OMD found commercial success with a style of synth-pop described as "experimental", "minimal" and "edgy".[3][75] The band often eschewed choruses, replacing them with synthesizer lines, and opted for unconventional lyrical subjects such as industrial processes, micronations and telephone boxes;[76][77] the BBC said that "OMD were always more intellectual" than "contemporaries like Duran Duran and Eurythmics".[78] Despite the group's experimentation, they employed pop hooks in their music,[79] attaining what AllMusic's Ned Raggett described as "the enviable position of at once being creative innovators and radio-friendly pop giants".[80] They were influenced by electronic artists such as Kraftwerk, Brian Eno and Neu!,[12][81] as well as more mainstream acts like David Bowie and Roxy Music.[44] OMD drew inspiration from former Factory Records label-mates Joy Division, particularly during the making of Organisation (1980).[21] The band also recorded two Velvet Underground covers.[82]

OMD were indifferent to celebrity status, and avoided the calculated fashion stylings of many of their 1980s peers.[16][83] During live performances, McCluskey developed a spasmodic dancing style that has been dubbed the "Trainee Teacher Dance";[84] he explains that it stemmed "from the perception that [OMD] were making boring robotic intellectual music that you couldn't dance to".[85] Journalist Hugo Lindgren noted that the group were perceived as "oddballs, freaks" on the Liverpool scene;[7] McCluskey has identified himself and Humphreys as "synth punks" and "complete geeks".[86][87] Gareth Ware of DIY called OMD "one of the guiding lights of British synth-pop... albeit one with a disarming naivety and warm characterful nature at odds with the sleek, chic image cultivated by the likes of [the] Human League and Depeche Mode."[76] Critic Andrew Collins said the band represented a wave of "uncool" pop stars who would eventually "become cool" in the public eye.[22]

Mid-1980s style change[]

OMD's mid-1980s reinvention alienated some listeners, but was embraced by others, including Tony Kanal of No Doubt

The experimental Dazzle Ships (1983) was a critical and commercial disappointment upon release. This prompted OMD to move towards a more accessible sound on the black music-influenced Junk Culture (1984); the band also donned more vibrant garments on the album's accompanying tour.[88] The group continued to incorporate sonic experimentation,[79][89] although their sound became increasingly polished on the Stephen Hague-produced records Crush (1985) and The Pacific Age (1986).[90][91]

Some journalists have rejected the group's post-Dazzle Ships reinvention,[92][93] while others have expressed an appreciation for the new direction.[94][95] Sean O'Neal of the A.V. Club said OMD would "give up" creatively,[92] while the Quietus founder John Doran wrote, "It's quite popular to see OMD as nose-diving into the effluence after Dazzle Ships but the truth is there is still much to recommend."[94] Although Junk Culture is seen to represent a shift toward a more pop-oriented style, some critics feel that the group did not relinquish their experimental ethos until 1985, the year in which they released Crush.[96][97] Elements of earlier experimentation have nevertheless been observed on Crush and follow-up The Pacific Age.[98][99][100]

Musicians have commented on OMD's mid-1980s output. Moby said, "Their earlier records were just phenomenal... a few years on they were making music for John Hughes movies, and they were good at it and I'm glad that they had success with it, but it wasn't nearly as creatively inspiring."[101] On the other hand, Tony Kanal of No Doubt said, "[OMD] inspired us to try and do our own John Hughes prom-scene movie moment kind of songs... Junk Culture is great."[102] Angus Andrew of Liars referred to "the complexity and mastery in OMD's later pop material", calling himself "a fan of OMD albums from all of their phases".[103]

Spin journalist Jessica Bendinger wrote in 1988, "[OMD's] music has been colored by continual exploration... which has run the gamut from Gregorian-chant-inspired anthems of love to a union of Orchestral-Motown."[104]

Subsequent reinventions[]

The McCluskey-led OMD explored a dance-oriented approach on Sugar Tax (1991) and Liberator (1993);[48] critic Ian Peel wrote that the band "defied expectations by updating their sound and becoming, if only briefly, relevant in the 90s".[95] The group disbanded shortly after the release of Universal (1996), on which they strained for a more organic and acoustic sound.[21] McCluskey recalled a negative media perception of the band by the mid-1990s, saying, "At the height of indie rock and Britpop, we were totally out of fashion."[16] Since OMD's 2006 reformation, their material has been seen as more akin to their early output.[105][106]

Legacy and influence[]

If Kraftwerk were the Elvis Presley of synth-pop, then Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark were its Beatles."

The Scotsman[85]

OMD have been named as pioneers of electronic music,[1][107][108][109] and one of the more important acts of the late 1970s/early 1980s synth-pop movement.[22][110][111] AllMusic's Andy Kellman emphasised the band's "inventive albums" and status as "one of the earliest, most commercially successful, and enduring synth pop groups".[29] Hugo Lindgren of the New York Times wrote that OMD cultivated a "legacy as musical innovators", adding, "The genre they helped invent — file under 'synth pop' — proved hugely popular."[7] The band have been recognised as playing a prominent role in defining the sound of 1980s and early 1990s popular music.[5][112] In particular, "Electricity" (1979) and "If You Leave" (1986) have been identified as two of the most influential records of their era.[113][114] The group have drawn comparisons to pre-eminent Merseyside act the Beatles,[5][94][85] with McCluskey and Humphreys being labelled the "Lennon–McCartney of synth-pop".[5][115]

OMD often faced hostility from the music press.[116] Record Mirror's Simon Ludgate told how they received a "thorough tarring of the same brush" as then-maligned singer Gary Numan, but were able to weather "this almost certain kiss of death".[117] Ben Walsh of The Independent said that the band "might not attract the kudos of Depeche Mode, Joy Division and New Order, but they were certainly as significant."[118] Despite their difficult relationship with critics, the group have earned a cult following;[48][119] DJ Chris Evans remarked, "There are fans, and then there are OMD fans. [Their] fans may be among the greatest in the world... they are devout."[120] The band also enjoys a large fanbase within the LGBT community, which McCluskey says they cherish.[121] Architecture & Morality (1981), regarded as OMD's seminal album,[122] had sold more than four million copies by early 2007; Sugar Tax (1991), the record that marked a commercial renaissance for the group, had sold more than three million by the same time period.[85] The experimental Dazzle Ships (1983), which met with a degree of critical and commercial hostility, has been retrospectively praised by critics and cited as one of the band's most influential works.[123][124][125] OMD's overall record sales stand in excess of 40 million,[77][126] with sales of more than 15 million albums and 25 million singles.[107]

Impact on other artists[]

OMD influenced several 1980s contemporaries, including Depeche Mode.[127][128] Vince Clarke, who established that group's electronic direction and later founded Yazoo and Erasure,[127][129] cites OMD as his inspiration to become an electronic musician.[129][130] OMD were an important act for Pet Shop Boys, whose singer, Neil Tennant, identified the band as "pioneers of electronic music".[109][118] The group were revered by Frankie Goes to Hollywood,[131] Howard Jones,[132] Alphaville,[133] Book of Love[134] and Ricky Wilde (songwriter/producer for Kim Wilde),[135] and were also influential on New Order[136] and Tears for Fears' exploration of electronic instruments.[137][138] The band have garnered praise from other peers including the Human League's Philip Oakey,[132] Thompson Twins' Tom Bailey,[132] Trevor Horn,[57] and Gary Numan, who credited OMD for "some of the best pop songs ever written".[132] Within the rock genre, the group influenced then-progressive outfit Spoons,[139][140] and inspired ZZ Top to embrace synthesizers and onstage dancing.[141][142]

OMD have been cited as an influence by later artists such as No Doubt,[102] Moby,[143] MGMT,[144] Paul van Dyk,[145] Liars,[146] Red Hot Chili Peppers' John Frusciante,[147] Take That's Gary Barlow,[148] the Killers' Dave Keuning,[149] AFI's Davey Havok,[132] Barenaked Ladies' Kevin Hearn,[150] the Shins' James Mercer,[151] and the Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon.[152] The group's influence also extends to country act Sugarland,[153] physicist Brian Cox,[132] and Steve Lamacq, who became a DJ after hearing "Electricity".[132][154] 1983's "challenging" Dazzle Ships was a key inspiration for Saint Etienne,[76] Death Cab for Cutie[155] and Future Islands,[156] and was lauded by producer Mark Ronson.[157] Elsewhere, the band have received endorsements from musicians such as Sash!,[158] Sharon Van Etten,[159] LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy,[160] Deftones' Chino Moreno,[161] the Charlatans' Tim Burgess,[162] Hot Chip's Al Doyle,[163] and Porcupine Tree's Steven Wilson, who said that OMD's albums "stand up very, very well as experimental pop records with the most enjoyable kind of songwriting."[164]

OMD are the subject of two 2001 tribute albums, which feature interpretations by the likes of White Town, the Faint, Mahogany and Acid House Kings.[165][166] The group's songs have also been covered by acts including Gary Barlow,[167] Howard Jones,[168] MGMT,[169] Boy George,[170] Good Charlotte,[171] Scooter,[172] NOFX,[173] Nada Surf,[174] Angel Olsen,[175] Half Man Half Biscuit,[176] the Bluetones' Mark Morriss[177] and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra,[178] and have been sampled by artists such as Leftfield[179] and rapper Kid Cudi.[84] David Guetta, who contributed a remix to 2003's The OMD Singles, described the opportunity to rework the band's material as "a thrill for any electronic musician".[180] OMD collaborators Vince Clarke, Moby and Kraftwerk's Karl Bartos were among the artists to pen tributes for the book OMD: Pretending to See the Future (2018).[132]

Band members[]

Stuart Kershaw (pictured) replaced longtime drummer Malcolm Holmes in 2015
Current members
  • Andy McCluskey – bass guitar, keyboards, vocals (1978–96; 2006–present)
  • Paul Humphreys – keyboards, vocals (1978–89; 2006–present)
  • Martin Cooper – keyboards, saxophone (1980–89; 2006–present)
  • Stuart Kershaw – drums (1993; 2015–present); piano (2010)
Former members
  • Malcolm Holmes – drums and percussion (1980–89; 2006–2015)
  • Dave Hughes – keyboards (1979–80)
  • Michael Douglas – keyboards (1980–81)
  • Graham Weir – guitar, brass, keyboards, writer (1984–89)
  • Neil Weir – brass, keyboards, bass guitar (1984–89)
  • Phil Coxon – keyboards (1991–93)
  • Nigel Ipinson – keyboards (1991–93)
  • Abe Juckes – drums (1991–92)

Timeline[]

Discography[]

Main article: Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark discography
Studio albums
  • Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (1980)
  • Organisation (1980)
  • Architecture & Morality (1981)
  • Dazzle Ships (1983)
  • Junk Culture (1984)
  • Crush (1985)
  • The Pacific Age (1986)
  • Sugar Tax (1991)
  • Liberator (1993)
  • Universal (1996)
  • History of Modern (2010)
  • English Electric (2013)
  • The Punishment of Luxury (2017)

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Sexton, Paul (10 September 2017). "The Script Land Fourth U.K. No. 1 Album". Billboard. Archived from the original on 25 April 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Majewski, Lori; Bernstein, Jonathan (15 May 2014). "Mad World: An Oral History of New Wave Artists and Songs That Defined the 1980s". PopMatters. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b Shand, Max (8 November 2019). "OMD at 40: Making Sense of a Synthpop Legacy". PopMatters. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
  4. ^ Chalcraft, Emilie (31 January 2013). "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark artwork by Peter Saville and Tom Skipp". Dezeen. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h O'Neal, Sean (29 July 2008). "Paul Humphreys of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  6. ^ Taylor, Paul. Popular Music Since 1955. Mansell Pub., 1985. ISBN 0-7201-1727-5, ISBN 978-0-7201-1727-1
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i Lindgren, Hugo (10 May 2013). "The Plot Against Rock". The New York Times Magazine. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
  8. ^ "Liverpool: E". Link2wales.co.uk. 7 February 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2009.
  9. ^ "Liverpool: P Q". Link2wales.co.uk. 7 February 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2009.
  10. ^ "Liverpool: H". link2wales.co.uk. Retrieved 28 April 2009.
  11. ^ Jump up to: a b c d "OMD | Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark | home". Omd.uk.com. Archived from the original on 11 February 2001. Retrieved 14 November 2010.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  12. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g Lindores, Mark (1 August 2019). "Classic Album: Architecture & Morality". Classic Pop. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b c Pete Frame's Rock Family Trees, 1993
  14. ^ Rock Formations: Categorical Answers to How Band Names Were Formed, Dave Wilson, 2004, p. 58
  15. ^ Jump up to: a b Rexroat, Dee Ann (13 May 1988). "OMD maneuvering its way to American success". The Gazette. p. 36 (Weekend!, p. 2C).
  16. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark". BBC Breakfast. 13 September 2010. BBC One. British Broadcasting Corporation. We were trying to have no image.
  17. ^ Bray, Elisa (5 April 2013). "Our friends electric: Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark". The Independent. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  18. ^ Jump up to: a b Earls, John (February 2020). "OMD Interview: 'Stockhausen or ABBA? Can't we be both?'". Classic Pop. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  19. ^ Jump up to: a b "Paul Humphreys". Neil McCormick's Needle Time. 21 February 2017. Vintage TV.
  20. ^ Seaman, Duncan (17 October 2019). "OMD: 'Our whole raison d'etre is to try to ask musical questions'". The Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  21. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g Wilson, Lois (30 September 2019). "OMD". Record Collector. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  22. ^ Jump up to: a b c "1981". Britain's Favourite 80s Songs. Season 2. Episode 2. 5 March 2021. 6–9 minutes in. Channel 5.
  23. ^ Wright, Jade (10 October 2014). "Why 80s music group OMD are no museum pieces". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  24. ^ Browne, Paul (15 November 2011). "Electricity". Messages. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  25. ^ Smyers, Darryl (18 March 2011). "Q&A: OMD's Paul Humphreys Talks Reformation, The Return of Intelligent Music and Being in Hitler's Underpants". Dallas Observer. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  26. ^ Houghton, Richard (2019). OMD: Pretending to See the Future (expanded paperback ed.). This Day in Music Books. pp. 81–82. ISBN 978-1916115620. [Gary Numan:] It was late '93... OMD were about to go out on another arena tour and wondered if I wanted to go along. It was perfect timing, on many levels.
  27. ^ Browne, Paul. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (2003 remaster). Sleeve notes. Virgin Records.
  28. ^ Browne, Paul (22 February 2020). "Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark: Strange Directions". Messages. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  29. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Kellman, Andy. "Biography: Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  30. ^ Browne, Paul (26 June 2019). "The New Recruit". Messages. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  31. ^ Porter, Christopher (28 September 2010). "Synthesized Past: 'History of Modern,' OMD". The Washington Post. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  32. ^ "Organisation". OMD. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  33. ^ Mansfield, Brian (4 April 2013). "On the Road Again: Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark". USA Today. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  34. ^ West, p. 26
  35. ^ "The Smash Hits Readers' Poll Results". Smash Hits. Vol. 3 no. 5. 5–18 March 1981. p. 20.
  36. ^ Jump up to: a b "Architecture & Morality". OMD. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  37. ^ "Paul Humphreys Archives - Page 4 of 5". Electricityclub.co.uk. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  38. ^ Jump up to: a b Stanley, Bob. How to lose 3 million fans in one easy step. The Guardian. 7 March 2008. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
  39. ^ "Smash Hits 1981 Poll Winners: Best Group". Smash Hits. Vol. 3 no. 26. 24 December 1982 – 6 January 1982. p. 15.
  40. ^ Righi, Len (14 December 1985). "OMD: British Synth Band Maneuvers Its Way Onto American Radio". The Morning Call. Archived from the original on 27 April 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  41. ^ "OMD & Etienne Daho - So in love". Etienne Daho at YouTube.
  42. ^ "OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark) - (Forever) Live And Die". Hitparade.ch.
  43. ^ "(forever) live and die | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com.
  44. ^ Jump up to: a b Fisher, Kyle (8 April 2013). "OMD, English Electric". PRS for Music. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  45. ^ Pendras, Peter (4 October 1991). "Former Blasters' guitarist finds his own success". North County Blade-Citizen. p. 64 (13A).
  46. ^ Sugar Tax liner notes. 1991. Virgin Records.
  47. ^ "The Smash Hits Readers Poll 1991". Smash Hits. Vol. 13 no. 21. 30 October 1991 – 12 November 1991. p. 12.
  48. ^ Jump up to: a b c Evans, Paul (2004). "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 607. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  49. ^ "Liberator". Omd.uk.com. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
  50. ^ Liberator liner notes. 1993. Virgin Records.
  51. ^ Henderson, Alex. "Esperanto > Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  52. ^ Alexis Petridis. "The power behind pop". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
  53. ^ "Electropop (no. 5: Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark)". Top Ten. 7 April 2001. Channel 4.
  54. ^ OMD Live: Architecture & Morality & More. 2008. Eagle Records.
  55. ^ "OMD News: December 2009". Archived from the original on 9 December 2009. Retrieved 9 December 2009.
  56. ^ "Vintage computers inspire next generation of scientists". BBC News. 21 June 2010.
  57. ^ Jump up to: a b "OMD to support The Buggles on 28.09.10". TrevorHorn.com. 8 September 2010. Retrieved 13 December 2010.
  58. ^ Michaels, Sean (21 May 2010). "OMD announce first studio album in 14 years". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  59. ^ "OMD Blog: Next Album". Archived from the original on 6 December 2011. Retrieved 25 April 2012.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  60. ^ "Pete Price chats to Andy McCluskey". Radio City Talk. 19 September 2019. 19–20; 30 minutes in. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  61. ^ "Coachella Lineup". Archived from the original on 1 May 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2013.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  62. ^ "Metroland Pre-Order". Official OMD website. 11 February 2013. Archived from the original on 26 March 2014. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
  63. ^ "OMD News – Record Store Day". Archived from the original on 18 April 2013. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
  64. ^ "OMD debuts new track "Night Café", announces 10-inch EP for Record Store Day". Slicing Up Eyeballs. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
  65. ^ "OMD: Live at Royal Albert Hall on PledgeMusic". Pledgemusic.com. Archived from the original on 3 April 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  66. ^ Fly: Songs Inspired by the Film Eddie the Eagle. AllMusic. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
  67. ^ "Exploring OMD's Next Studio Album The Punishment Of Luxury". OMD-Messages.co.uk. 22 January 2017. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
  68. ^ Slingerland, Calum (15 May 2017). "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark Return with 'The Punishment of Luxury'". Exclaim!. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  69. ^ The Punishment of Luxury (liner notes). Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. 100% Records. 2017. 100CD66.CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  70. ^ "Pretending To See The Future – 40th Anniversary Book". OMD. 14 June 2018. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  71. ^ "OMD to release 40th anniversary book 'Pretending to see the future'". Side-line. 14 June 2018. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  72. ^ "UK & Europe 40th Anniversary Tour – Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark". Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  73. ^ "Souvenir – New Greatest Hits & Deluxe Boxset Announced – Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark". Retrieved 18 September 2019.
  74. ^ "Grammy Nominations 2021: See the Full List of Nominees Here". Pitchfork. 24 November 2020. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  75. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Liberator review". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
  76. ^ Jump up to: a b c Ware, Gareth (4 March 2013). "OMD: Of All The Thing We've Made: 'Dazzle Ships' At 30". DIY. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  77. ^ Jump up to: a b Awbi, Anita (19 March 2013). "Andy McCluskey, OMD". PRS for Music. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
  78. ^ "OMG its OMD!". BBC News. 20 September 2010. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  79. ^ Jump up to: a b Bergstrom, John (17 April 2008). "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark: Dazzle Ships Review". PopMatters. Retrieved 28 January 2016. Starting with 1984's Junk Culture, OMD morphed from a risk-taking art-pop band to the still-inventive but commercially calculating act that found American success.
  80. ^ Raggett, Ned. "Organisation". AllMusic. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
  81. ^ Wilson, Lois (26 November 2019). "My Favourite Record". Record Collector. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  82. ^ "The Pop of Lou Reed". Classic Pop. October 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  83. ^ McCluskey, Andy (24 November 2010). "The Future, the Past and Forever After". Athens Voice. We weren't trying to be pop stars and weren't terribly interested in presenting ourselves as sexy or colourful... we were just about the music.
  84. ^ Jump up to: a b Ryan, Gary (14 October 2019). "Does Rock 'N' Roll Kill Braincells?! – Andy McCluskey". NME. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  85. ^ Jump up to: a b c d "Orchestral leap in the dark". The Scotsman. 3 February 2007. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  86. ^ Watkins, Jack (21 April 2013). "Mute Record". Record Collector. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  87. ^ Morgan, David (10 July 2015). "Andy McCluskey on Enola Gay, making a comeback and why pop music goes around in circles". Wirral Globe. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  88. ^ Waller; Humphreys, pp. 132–133
  89. ^ Mark, Elliott (25 March 2015). "Junk Culture – OMD". Record Collector. Retrieved 30 May 2021. Experimentation with the new music technologies [is] still at the heart of the duo's creative process.
  90. ^ Waller; Humphreys, p. 149
  91. ^ Muretich, James (4 October 1986). "Pop Develops the Blahs When Teamed with Bowie". Calgary Herald. p. 71 (F7). [OMD's] once bold musical strokes are now merely pretty colors.
  92. ^ Jump up to: a b O'Neal, Sean (26 December 2006). "Permanent Records: Albums From The A.V. Club's Hall Of Fame". Wayback Machine. The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on 13 May 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  93. ^ Marszalek, Julian (7 October 2010). "OMG It's OMD! Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark Interviewed". The Quietus. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  94. ^ Jump up to: a b c Doran, John (25 September 2008). "Messages – Greatest Hits". The Quietus. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  95. ^ Jump up to: a b Peel, Ian. "Messages: Greatest Hits". Record Collector. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  96. ^ "If You Leave " review at AllMusic.
  97. ^ Porter, Christopher (28 September 2010). "Synthesized Past: 'History of Modern,' OMD". The Washington Post. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  98. ^ Bennett, Paul (14 December 1985). "On Track: Crush – Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark". Times Colonist. p. 33 (C7). ...a few daring flirtations of the kind that [OMD] put out on earlier works.
  99. ^ Fitzgerald, Helen (22 June 1985). "A Fine Crush". Melody Maker. p. 27. With the title track they're back to their weirdness.
  100. ^ Righi, Len (15 November 1986). "Records: The Pacific Age – Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark". The Morning Call. p. A71. ...there are a couple of those 'experimental' tracks.
  101. ^ Turner, Luke (24 September 2013). "Corrupting Sonic DNA: Moby's Favourite Albums". The Quietus. p. 12. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  102. ^ Jump up to: a b Marchese, David (24 September 2012). "No Doubt Explain OMD, EDM, and Peter Hook Basslines on 'Push and Shove'". Spin. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
  103. ^ Turner, Luke (16 April 2014). "No Barrier Fun: Angus Andrew of Liars' Favourite LPs". The Quietus. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
  104. ^ Bendinger, Jessica (July 1988). "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark". Spin. Vol. 4 no. 4. p. 14.
  105. ^ Kot, Greg (15 March 2018). "OMD: Dystopian electro-pop and the Chicago connection". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  106. ^ Lindgren, Hugo (10 March 2013). "The 'OMG, Who Is O.M.D.?' Playlist". The New York Times Magazine. Archived from the original on 12 June 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  107. ^ Jump up to: a b Hanley, James (24 October 2019). "'It's been a remarkable journey': OMD toast their 40th anniversary". Music Week. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  108. ^ "Radcliffe and Maconie: OMD". BBC Radio 6 Music. 2 November 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  109. ^ Jump up to: a b Lucas, Dan (19 April 2013). "Pet Shop Boys: Always Fascinating". Under the Radar. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
  110. ^ Shand, Max (15 January 2021). "Popular Culture Is Eating Its History and OMD Are Not Complaining". PopMatters. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  111. ^ O'Brien, Jon. "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark: Live in Berlin". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
  112. ^ Sullivan, Caroline (18 June 1993). "Dark's Dancing Melodies". The Guardian. p. 31 (Music, 6/7).
  113. ^ Trendell, Andrew (27 September 2019). "Listen to Vince Clarke of Erasure's remix of OMD's 'Almost'". NME. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  114. ^ "They Touched You Once, They'll Touch You Twice: A Renaissance for OMD". Interview. 30 March 2011. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  115. ^ "Music review: OMD, Kelvingrove Bandstand, Glasgow". The Scotsman. 6 August 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  116. ^ Waller; Humphreys, p. 173
  117. ^ Ludgate, Simon (1 March 1980). "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark: OMD". Record Mirror. p. 15.
  118. ^ Jump up to: a b Walsh, Ben (7 May 2013). "Music review: Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Roundhouse, London". The Independent. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  119. ^ Hoong, Yong Shu (3 March 2012). "Duran Duran and OMD revive disco fever". AsiaOne. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  120. ^ "OMD". The Chris Evans Breakfast Show with Sky. Virgin Radio UK. 2 October 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  121. ^ Pratt, Paul E (22 September 2011). "OMD Plays The Warfield October 3". San Francisco Bay Times. p. 10.
  122. ^ Patel, Amar (20 April 2007). "Review of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark – Architecture and Morality". BBC Music. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  123. ^ Hughes, Tim (25 August 2015). "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark make a comeback to Rewind festival". The Oxford Times. Archived from the original on 21 September 2016. Retrieved 22 July 2016.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  124. ^ "OMD back from the dead with a History Of Modern". Fact. 24 May 2010. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  125. ^ Wade, Ian (8 April 2013). "Souvenirs: Andy McCluskey Of OMD's Favourite Albums". The Quietus. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
  126. ^ Sherwin, Adam (16 October 2020). "OMD forced to postpone benefit gig for roadies after Andy McCluskey tests positive for Covid-19". i. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  127. ^ Jump up to: a b Masley, Ed (4 October 2013). "10/8: Depeche Mode interview: 'Delta Machine'". The Arizona Republic. Archived from the original on 28 July 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  128. ^ "Interview: Andrew Fletcher". Modefan.com. 1 February 2011. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  129. ^ Jump up to: a b Shand, Max (12 October 2020). "Synthpop King Vince Clarke on Erasure's 18th Studio Album, 'The Neon'". PopMatters. Retrieved 21 February 2021. [OMD] were such a huge influence on me. The reason I got into electronic music was because I heard the track 'Almost'. That's when I thought to myself, oh my God, electronic music actually has some emotion, and I wanted to do that, be a part of that.
  130. ^ "Erasure". The O-Zone. 29 November 1995. 8 minutes in. BBC 2. British Broadcasting Corporation. When I was 18 or 19 I heard a single called 'Electricity' by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. It sounded so different from anything I'd heard; that really made me want to make electronic music, 'cause it was so unique.
  131. ^ Upchuck, Matt (19 June 2017). "Brian Nash Interview". Brighton Source. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  132. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h "OMD's 'Pretending to See the Future'". Mersey FM. 17 May 2020. Archived from the original on 17 May 2020. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  133. ^ McPherson, Douglas (September 2019). "Godfathers of Pop: Marian Gold". Classic Pop. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  134. ^ PF Wilson (21 April 2013). "PF's Tape Recorder Podcast Episode 092 – Ted Ottaviano". PodBean (Podcast). 19–20 minutes in. Retrieved 1 April 2021. I basically bow down. [OMD] were one of the most influential bands to us.
  135. ^ @Wildericky (19 August 2018). "Ahh.. just had a lovely chat with @OfficialOMD Andy McCluskey" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  136. ^ Dax, Max (2 September 2012). "Max Dax interviews Bernard Sumner". Electronic Beats. Retrieved 21 February 2021. There's an element of Kraftwerk... Cabaret Voltaire as well. The early Human League and OMD's first steps must not be forgotten either... Once I had understood that you could make music without guitars, I felt like there were no longer any borders.
  137. ^ "Tears for Fears". Rock. 25 September 1995. MCM. [Interviewer:] Was your early sound influenced by new wave? [Roland Orzabal:] It was more a question of the new synthesizer bands, people like Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Depeche Mode, [the] Human League – all those guys, really.
  138. ^ "Tears for Fears: Songs from the Big Chair". Classic Albums. 14 February 2020. 15 minutes in. BBC Four. British Broadcasting Corporation. [Roland Orzabal:] We found ourselves right at the beginning of the electronic explosion, and I found myself, although I'm a guitarist, absolutely loving the synthesizer... Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, bands like Depeche Mode, bands that didn't have a drummer, bands that used to work mainly in the studio... became the thing.
  139. ^ Boivin, John (10–16 December 1981). "Early X-Mass For Spoons". Ottawa Revue.
  140. ^ Draper, Deb (21 September 2016). "Interview: Spoons". The Wire Megazine. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  141. ^ Waller; Humphreys, p. 70
  142. ^ Breihan, Tom (28 July 2021). "ZZ Top's Dusty Hill Dead At 72". Stereogum. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  143. ^ Turner, Luke (24 September 2013). "Corrupting Sonic DNA: Moby's Favourite Albums". The Quietus. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  144. ^ Fitzmaurice, Larry (18 February 2018). "MGMT Are Still Perfectly Strange". Vice. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  145. ^ Moayeri, Lily (21 April 2020). "20 Questions With Paul van Dyk". Billboard. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  146. ^ Hamel II, John B (10 September 2007). "Liars' latest speaks new truth". The Badger Herald. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  147. ^ Apter, Jeff (2010). Fornication: The Red Hot Chili Peppers Story (updated ed.). Omnibus Press. p. 320. ISBN 1-84449-829-8.
  148. ^ Mettler, Mike (17 June 2016). "Gary Barlow didn't just meet his '80s heroes, he made a retro album with them". Digital Trends. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  149. ^ Argyrakis, Andy (25 June 2021). "The Killers' Dave Keuning drops 'A Mild Case of Everything', looks on the 'Mr. Brightside'". Chicago Concert Reviews. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  150. ^ "Kevin Hearn of Barenaked Ladies". Cryptic Rock. 12 April 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  151. ^ Walters, Barry (6 September 2017). "OMD on the Dawn of Synth Pop". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 6 March 2021. Jason [sic] Mercer, the Honolulu-born singer-songwriter...
  152. ^ Cummings, Damien (18 October 2019). "'Being an oddball is part of it': The Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon". Exberliner. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  153. ^ Wood, Mikael (9 October 2010). "In a Big Country". Billboard: 18, 20.
  154. ^ Lamacq, Steve (1 March 2014). "Soundtrack of My Life". NME. p. 25.
  155. ^ Harward, Randy (18 August 2011). "Death Cab for Cutie: The concepts behind Codes & Keys". Salt Lake City Weekly. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  156. ^ Stamp, Tony (6 April 2017). "The past and present of Future Islands". Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  157. ^ Ryzik, Melena (1 October 2010). "An Admirer of Tight Production, But of Sludge, Too". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  158. ^ Browne, Paul (7 August 2015). "Sash! Q&A". Messages. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  159. ^ Jones, Mia (29 November 2010). "An interview with Sharon Van Etten". AfterEllen. Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  160. ^ Wilks, Jon (27 May 2010). "Murphy's roar". Time Out. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  161. ^ Madden, Emma (11 December 2020). "Deftones Talk 'Ohms' Album of the Year Nod, 'Black Stallion,' Fave Music of 2020". Revolver. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  162. ^ @Tim_Burgess (2 August 2020). "Hard to think of The Punishment of Luxury as a 'comeback album'" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  163. ^ "27 New Songs Out Today". BrooklynVegan. 25 September 2020. Retrieved 21 February 2021. ['Enola Gay' is] a perfect song, so this is just a tribute and an homage... OMD forever.
  164. ^ Bosso, Joe (17 September 2012). "Steven Wilson: my top 5 not-so-guilty pleasures of all time". MusicRadar. Archived from the original on 10 October 2012. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  165. ^ Messages: Modern Synthpop Artists Cover OMD. AllMusic. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
  166. ^ Raggett, Ned. Pretending to See the Future: A Tribute to OMD review. AllMusic. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  167. ^ "Eddie the Eagle Crew Soar in London". uDiscoverMusic. 23 March 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2021. Barlow opened with his upbeat rendition of 'Thrill Me', the OMD song.
  168. ^ Murphy, Tom (12 October 2011). "Howard Jones on performing Human Lib and Dream Into Action in their entirety on this tour". Westword. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  169. ^ Hogan, Marc (2 April 2012). "See MGMT Play 'Alien' New Song, Cover OMD Live in Bogota". Spin. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  170. ^ Browne, Paul (28 December 2020). "The Year in Review – 2020". Messages. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  171. ^ "'Not Another' Alt Rock Covers Soundtrack". Billboard. 5 November 2001. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  172. ^ Youngs, Ian (12 May 2008). "How techno band toppled Madonna". BBC News. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  173. ^ Greene, Jo-Ann. "NOFX – 45 or 46 Songs That Weren't Good Enough to Go on Our Other Records". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
  174. ^ Bell, Gabriel (19 January 2018). "15 damn-near perfect covers of radio anthems you may have missed". Salon.com. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  175. ^ Cummings, Bill (9 July 2021). "Angel Olsen announces 'Aisles' EP feat covers of OMD, Billy Idol, Laura Branigan and more". God Is in the TV. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  176. ^ "Look Mum, It's Half Man, Mun!". The Shonk. 25 March 2019. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  177. ^ Lay, Sarah (16 August 2015). "Mark Morriss (The Bluetones) – interview". Louder Than War. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  178. ^ Mitchell, Frank (30 June 1997). "Staples (supplement)". Liverpool Daily Post. ...a stirring rendition [of 'Maid of Orleans'] by London's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra [on 1996's Rock Dreams: Purple Rain].
  179. ^ "One half of Leftfield, Neil Barnes, tells why he can't wait to give Rockness a blast of the coolest sounds down memory lane". The Scotsman. 25 May 2010. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  180. ^ "120 Seconds with... David Guetta". Rip It Up. Hark Entertainment Ltd (254). October 1998. I recently got to rework OMD, which is a thrill for any electronic musician.

Bibliography[]

  • Houghton, Richard. OMD: Pretending to See the Future (expanded paperback). This Day in Music Books. 2019. ISBN 1916115624
  • Houghton, Richard. OMD: Pretending to See the Future (hardcover). This Day in Music Books. 2018. ISBN 1999592727
  • Waller, Johnny; Humphreys, Mike. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark: Messages. Sidgwick & Jackson. 1987. ISBN 0-283-99234-4
  • West, Mike. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. Omnibus Press. 1982. ISBN 0-7119-0149-X

External links[]

Retrieved from ""