OMD Exclusive interview
By Neal McClimon
Photos Concertpix.be
December 1st 2006 saw the hopes and prayers finally answered for the many fans of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark; whose patience had been rewarded with the reformation of the synth pop pioneers. The circumstances, surroundings and accompaniment that first night were not expected by those who had been waiting. Hamburg was the city and the event was the Night of the Proms tour. OMD back together again to perform live, Andy McCluskey, Paul Humphreys, a choir and a full orchestra. Well, with a name like Orchestral Manoeuvres, I suppose it was bound to happen eventually. After seventeen years apart they opened with Maid of Orleans which wowed the entire audience, they were eating out of the palms of Andy’s hands; he worked the crowd like he had never been away. At the end of their thirteen minutes the arena erupted with appreciation. Both Andy and Paul looked taken aback by the reception but enjoyed the adulation. After another seventeen shows it was over. The question was already being asked, what would OMD be doing next?
The reception from the Night of the Proms performances showed both Andy and Paul that OMD were still adored and in demand. This being the case the entire original line up including Martin Cooper and Malcom Holmes did an extensive European tour of their inspired Architecture & Morality album plus their numerous hits. This tour was welcomed by fans and critics alike who welcomed them back like long lost friends.
2008 saw another tour, this time only in the UK with just seven dates to celebrate their thirtieth anniversary. This tour saw OMD performing songs from their back catalogue. The performances were polished and the sound was amazing. Like a fine wine, they had improved with age and matured perfectly.
In between these two tours. OMD found they were once again performing in front of a full orchestra; this time in Brussels for a charity event in aid of UNICEF. This time around both Andy and Paul looked more relaxed with the backing of the orchestra as they played Maid of Orleans and Enola Gay.
The orchestral theme was to continue in 2009. In 2008 Andy McCluskey, together with Peter Saville and Hambi Haralambous produced the Energy Suite. A collaboration which put music and images together of power stations around the UK, which showed off the architectural beauty of these colossus complexes that others see just as blots on the landscape providing power. This was on show at FACT between December 12th 2008 and February 22nd 2009.
As part of Liverpool’s classic summer pops festival OMD got the chance to perform the Energy Suite live with the full backing of the seventy five piece Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. The show on June 20th was a complete sell out and fans travelled from all over Europe to attend this special one off concert. The first half was the orchestra playing the Energy Suite in its entirety. Many there had not seen the installation at the FACT gallery, so it was new to a large proportion of the audience. As it finished the crowd applauded wildly, it had been a hit. The second part of the concert was the orchestra plus Andy and Paul. They performed many of their hits and some of their lesser known tracks. Some of the arrangements were worked so differently from the original albums that it made the concert more special. Watching Andy wildly windmilling in front of a bemused violin section was great to see as he entertained the crowd to his normal exuberant live stage performance. The end of that concert came too soon for all there. The fans loved it, the classical concert goers who happened to be there also joined in the standing ovation. An OMD gig with a full Orchestra was an amazing spectacle to behold. Andy was later quoted in the press with “It was an incredible experience and we really hope to get another opportunity to do it again one day.”
Now Night of the Proms is on us again. This time OMD will be performing in Antwerp, Arnhem and Rotterdam. So again we see the stars of the synth era back in front of an orchestra. Why had OMD taken so long to do these types of event? What can we expect in future? So I put a few questions to Andy to get his opinions on the whys and wherefores.
Following on from Night of the Proms; OMD are joining up with Simple Minds on part of their European tour before an extensive joint tour of the UK. What is next for OMD? A DVD release of the RLPO/OMD concert in Liverpool will be available from 30th November 2009. Next year a new album is being released which has the working title of History of Modern. Then an extensive European tour is being discussed for later on in 2010 and some festival appearances. It looks as though everything is on the up for Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark these days. There is a constant stream of interviews and radio appearances being done.
Questions and Answers with Andy McCluskey
When you and Paul decided to launch the OMD come back at the Night of the Proms in Germany, what was your thinking behind it? Why such a different vehicle for the band and not start with something that would get you surrounded by a large number of OMD fans?
Andy McCluskey: “We had been asked by our friend Dirk Hohmeyer for years to perform on NOTP in Germany but said no because OMD no longer existed, but after we decided to reform it seemed a very logical step to start again by putting a ‘toe in the water” with the orchestra for 15 minutes instead of taking on a whole gig. The Nokia NOTP in Germany was such a great way to get used to performing again that we couldn’t wait to do a tour with our own band.”
You seem to have fallen in love with the idea of working with live full orchestras since the reformation of OMD. Night of the Proms, the UNICEF gig in Brussels, The one off special gig with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra earlier this year, why is this?
AM: “We had never really worked with classical musicians. In fact, because we are self taught; we are a little intimidated. Night of the Proms showed us that we should not be scared; the orchestra were mostly young and not “snobbish” aficionados. The chance to work with the RLPO was wonderful and we chose to do a different approach to the hybrid rock/ classic of Night of the Proms … take the songs apart and make them completely classical. It was scary but also very exciting and it really worked as the DVD will hopefully show in December. I don’t think that we could ever have dared to work with the Liverpool Phil if we had not done Night of the Proms first.”
Do the Night of the Proms gigs give you a different buzz to that of performing with just the four of you on stage? What excites you about these events?
AM: “Night of the Proms is very different from OMD gigs. The huge scale, all the other artists, only playing a few songs; I find that the Night of the Proms performances feel like we were only on stage for 30 seconds.”
With 21 dates in 33 days scheduled for Antwerp, Arnhem and Rotterdam, don’t you find it a bit repetitive playing the same venues night after night; especially as you only appear on stage for roughly 20 minutes?
AM: “We enjoy watching the other artists and it’s great to have time for a sauna and walk around town visiting museums and galleries. I think we will be going to Amsterdam and other cities for visits in the daytime. Total tourists!”
I have witnessed some great OMD songs with orchestral backing; will you be sticking with the known hits such as Maid and Enola? Both of which work well with the backing of a full orchestra; or will there be a surprise this time around?
AM: “I’m not telling. It’s secret to be discovered at the concerts!”
Do you plan to do another gig with a philharmonic orchestra? The one in Liverpool this year was a special event for those who attended and you certainly seemed to enjoy yourself. Would you ever do a tour on that basis? It is nice to know that a live DVD is expected around Christmas of this year of that night, so the many continental fans will be able to see what a great night it was.
AM: “We have already been asked to play with the Phil again and we said yes.. I hope maybe a couple of concerts in summer 2011. There is also a fantastic possibility of playing with them late next year but it’s another secret; Sorry. We will look at asking other orchestras in other countries.”
After the Night of the Proms tour, you immediately go on tour with Simple Minds; it is great to see you in the Benelux countries again in Amsterdam and Brussels. Now with a new CD release planned for 2010. The big question for OMD fans this side of the channel. Would you be returning to perform a tour of the new album sometime in 2010?
AM: “We are really looking forward to playing with Simple Minds.. I think the bands compliment each other well. We are even joining the Minds on stage to do a cover of Neon Lights by Kraftwerk. It’s also good to get back into Germany/Holland and Belgium as a four piece. We definitely hope to do a full OMD tour in autumn 2010 with our new album.”
A final word of note; if you have never seen OMD live on stage, Night of the Proms will delight you and entertain you like no other. (NM)
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