the autograph collection of
Brian Borup
Paul Humphreys (Orchestral Manoeuvers in the Dark)
Rocky Mountain Raceway - Aug 24th 2000
I saw Paul Humphreys of OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvers in the Dark) August 24th 2000 with my friend, Brad.
Brad had won tickets to Synthstock 2000 at the Rocky Mountain Raceway. Since his wife could not go, he invited me to tag along.
Synthstock 2000 included 80's bands: Real Life, Anything Box, Cosmic Moscow, Berlin, and Paul Humphreys of OMD. We got there in time to see Real Life, Berlin, and OMD. Real Life was pretty good but I only recognized two of their songs. I think the two songs must have been their only hits. Berlin on the other hand was hit after hit. It made me realize that I needed to purchase a CD of theirs. Terri Nunn was in great condition and was in no means a 'has been.'
Following Berlin was the headliner, OMD. To tell the truth I was a little skeptical since only half of OMD was going to be there. And initially I was afraid that I was right. The first song or two were not really enjoyable as they were having problems with the microphones. But once they fixed those problems, the band began to perform great. Paul had asked Claudia Brucken of Propaganda to join him for the show. Claudia helped make the concert a hit. Once again I was convinced of my need for a Progaganda CD.
Apparently Claudia and Paul had been doing a bit of collaboration. They performed a song that they had written together as well as a cover of David Bowie's 'This is Not America.' (Which is supposed to be on a David Bowie tribute CD.)
At some of my favorite concerts that I have been to, I have been amazed at some of the artist's humility. Paul Humphreys was no exception. He seemed overwhelmed that the crowd was so excited to see them. His face muscles must have hurt the next day from smiling so much.
Brad and I hung around following the show and got his autograph. (I had him sign my CD liner - shown here.) We also got to chat with him for a little while.
About OMD
Featuring the core members Paul Humphreys and Andy McCluskey, the Liverpudlian synth-pop group Orchestral Manoeuvers in the Dark formed in the late '70s. Humphreys and McCluskey began performing together in school, playing in the bands VCL XI, Hitlerz Underpantz, and the Id. After the Id split in 1978, McCluskey was with Dalek I Love You for a brief time. Once he left Dalek, he joined with Humphreys and Paul Collister to form Orchestral Manoeuvers In The Dark. The group released their first single "Electricity" on Factory Records; the record led to a contract with the Virgin's subsidiary DinDisc. Using their record advance, McCluskey and Humphreys built a studio, which allowed them to replace their 4-track recorded with drummer Malcolm Holmes (formerly of the Id) and Dave Hughes (formerly of Dalek I Love You).In 1980, the group released their self-titled debut album. Organisation appeared the same year, which featured the U.K. Top Ten single "Enola Gay."; Hughes was replaced by Martin Cooper after its release. The band's next few albums -- Architecture and Morality (1981), Dazzle Ships (1983), Junk Culture (1984) -- found the band experimenting with their sound, resulting in several U.K. hit singles. Recorded with two new members, Graham and Neil Weir, Crush, their most pop-oriented album, found more success in America than in Britain, as the single "So in Love" hit number 26 on the charts. "If You Leave," taken from the Pretty in Pink, soundtrack was their biggest American hit, climbing to number four in 1986. The Pacific Age was released the same year, yet America was the only country where it was popular. Shortly after its release, the Weir brothers left the band, followed by Holmes, Cooper, and Humphreys. McCluskey continued with the band, releasing Sugar Tax in 1991; in the meantime, Humphreys formed the Listening Pool.
After Sugar Tax failed to gain an audience, Orchestral Manoevres in the Dark returned with Liberator in 1993, which also was ignored. It was followed three years later with Universal. The OMD Remixes appeared in 1998.
-- Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All-Music Guide
Other OMD CDs
