New single from OMD – Sister Marie Says
Out on November 15th is OMD’s newest single “Sister Marie Says” taken from the album “History of Modern”. But the band has now released the video for said single. The single will also be released as a limited edition 7″ coloured vinyl. This limited edition 7″ coloured vinyl includes “Sister Marie Says (Radio Edit)” and the exclusive B-side “History of Modern (part III & IV)”.
Sister Marie Says
OMD | Myspace Music Videos
A free download demo of the track was released on 25 November 2009. Elements of the song were originally composed in 1981 and a reworked version of the track was due to appear on the 1996 album “Universal” but got shelved because it sounded too much like early OMD and was out of step with the more reflective tone of Universal.
OMD’s 11th studio album, “History of Modern, was released on 20th September 2010”. It is their first album since 1996, and the first album featuring the classic 4-piece line-up since 1986’s “The Pacific Age”. A tour to promote the album will follow in November 2010.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark Interviewed
OMD are returning to their avant pop roots, Andy McClusky and Paul Humphreys tells The Quietus‘ Julian Marszalek. I really nice and in deep interview.
If You Want It released (OMD)
OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) has released the first single from their forthcoming album “History of Modern” (which you can now pre-order here on iTunes), their first since the 1996 album “Universal”. You can now download the “If You Want It” single bundle from iTunes which includes the exclusive b-side “Alone” and “If You Want It (Album version)” and “If You Want It (Villa Nah remix)”.
The full remix bundle is available here including 6 mixes. A very limited amount of yellow 7″ vinyls with the exclusive B-side “Idea 1”.
The new OMD single is out
No mistake it is OMD 
The first album after the OMD reunion, “The History of Modern”
The sleeve is designed by Peter Saville, the inhouse designer from old Factory Records.
The first album after the OMD reunion, “The History of Modern”, is scheduled for a September 20 release on 100% Records.
– The title felt appropriate, says Andy McCluskey When we started we were very conscious of trying to be modern in the future. But that was over thirty years ago. You were trying to do something that was modern and then the world changes and what you did use to do somehow has become historical.
Its seems to be a metaphor for the band, Andy thinks.
– Also, currently electronic music is very much in fashion. But again, a huge percentage of it to me is really a pastiche of something from thirty years ago. They are not really doing anything new. They’ve just bought a lot of old records and copied them. So it is just this idea of perception of what is modern and what the future is.
The first single and video pick will be “If You Want It” (September 6), released in a limited edition yellow 7″ vinyl with the B-side “Idea 1” and as digital download with another B-side, “Alone”.
There will be an album listening and launch party at Club 24 in London on the day of the single release (September 6), featuring a 30 minute performance by Paul Humphreys and Andy McCluskey. London is where Paul lives with his partner Claudia Brücken (ex-Propaganda). Andy has remained in Merseyside near Liverpool.
The new tour starts in Liverpool on October 2 where OMD will perform with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. UK, Germany, BeNeLux and France are the countries in question for the tour so far. Mirrors is the support act.
OMDs take on electronic bands
This is a clip from Synth Britannia, a 2009 BBC special about the rise of electronic music in Britain. Andy McCluskey of OMD pointedly says what he thinks about some of the people who have criticised electronic bands.
Via ST
Exclusive interview with Swedish synth-maestro Eddie Bengtsson
Page is currently celebrating 30 years as performing artsist on the Swedish synthpop stage and are currently planning summer gigs after the release of their first new album in 10 years. Stereoklang got an one on one interview with the synth pioneer Eddie Bengtsson, who’s electronic music really kick started the Swedish synth-pop scene in the 80’s, active in Page, Sista Mannen På Jorden (Last man on earth) and This Fish Needs a Bike. Page really became the Swedish answer to Yazoo/Erasure, OMD, and Depeche Mode, and made ground for popular acts like Elegant Machinery, S.P.O.C.K and many others. In this interview we have invaded Eddie’s home studio to take a closer look at the synthesizers and music production gear he uses and what it really takes to make a great synth-pop song.
Neatly mounted in a corner of a 10sq/m room, sharing the space with Star Trek memorabilia and a huge vinyl record collection, several of the classic hardware synthesizers are hooked up and ready to bleep. Although Eddie tells me he have had to sell of several synthesizers from a logistical point of view I enjoy finding vintage gear like the Moog Rouge, a Korg DW 6000 and the personal favorite of Eddie’s the Yamaha CS15 (used on every album), coupled with recently acquired gems like the Moog Little Phatty, the Moog Voyager and then some modern virtual analogs like microKORG and Yamaha CX1x.
What is used use for what
The CX1 is used as the mother keyboard and the DW 6000 mainly for strings. ”Sound 11 is a personal favorite” Eddie says☺. You can for example find it also on all S.P.O.C.K songs. If Eddie on the other hand only were to take one synthesizer with him to a deserted island it would be the CS15. In fact Eddie tells me that due to the flexible routing and filters; he’s able clone the bass sounds of all other synthesizers with it, if you treat it nicely. Perhaps the only drawback is the useless noise generator, which is too weak, although a weakness that many synthesizers has as he puts it.
Neatly tucked under racks of synthesizers a well hidden Roland S760 sampler can be found. Curious about the fact that this particular device hasn’t been replaced by software versions already, Eddie admits that years of collecting disketts has made him somewhat lazy, somewhere among all those hundreds of disketts there is always that one with the right sound. But I wouldn’t be surprised if that device will be left out from future productions in favor of software alternatives.
The lazy side of Eddie shines through on several occasions during the interview and for the last two records other people have contributed in replacing sounds with updated versions. However, the new Page album actually came as a turning point for him and a lot of hard work has gotten into it, resulting in more focus on sound search and music production then before.
Moving on to the next rack of synthesizers Eddie tells me that the microKORG is actually a very capable machine used primarily for strings and pads. The Rouge on the other hand is the real stage machine and a trade mark for Page in live sets. It’s compact and easy to bring, cool looking and splendid for single oscillator sounds. (Indecently the Rouge uses the same circuitry as the Taurus II Bass Pedals). (Listen to this song, all sounds by the Rouge by Hannes Rasmus. http://www.vintagesynth.com/audio/moogtheroguedemo.mp3 ) Other old gems like the Roland SH02 and Moog Prodigy have been replaced with new bass and sequencer gear; the Moog Little Phatty, as you can easily spot on the new Page album.
Why all the Moogs?
Easy answer would be that everyone is talking about them, prestigious and expensive stuff that is. And although proud to have them, some drawbacks can be found also here; the sound is a bit chilly and there is no noise generator to be found at all, as with the Prophet 8, it takes forever to heat up and sometimes the oscillators are not really in sync. The Voyager is really a beast and lit up it looks really impressive. Currently it’s mainly used to discover cool sounds in the studio it might end up on the stage some day. “But why on earth did they implement this totally useless performance pad on it, when turning the knobs is the way to do it and it is not even multi-touch, which might have given it some extra advantages”. I asked what’s next and Eddie kind of suggests that a DSI Mopho might end up on the rack within short.
Where do you start making a song?
“Never, or very seldom, I have an idea or the song in my head. When I feel like making new songs I always start off with a bass, then adding drums, melody and finally the vocals. I really need to get the beat going first.” >>>>>
Read the rest of the article here >>
New album from OMD
OMD’s original line-up are to release their first new album together in 24 years. To be called “History of Modern”, the album sees Paul Humphreys, Andy McCluskey, Martin Cooper and Malcolm Holmes reunited in the studio.
The album is due for release later this year. In a reaction to Electricity-club.co.uk Paul Humphreys says: “It’s coming along really well actually. I spent a few weeks up at Andy’s studio in Liverpool and I’ve been bringing stuff down here and working on it. We’re sending files using YouSendIt to each other. I have a play on it, he has a play on it! We just go back and forth but the album will be slightly more weighted with some of Andy’s songs because he did a lot of writing while I did the ONETWO album.”
The album’s sound is said to be… very electronic.
Too old to tour? Simple Minds and OMD
Following their upcoming album “Graffiti Soul”, Simple Minds will play seven dates in the UK this December. Adding to the value, OMD will be special guests during the tour.
– Particularly in these times it is vitally important for us to give as much value to our audience as possible, says Jim Kerr of Simple Minds.
He even hints that the bands may play something together.
Simple Minds plan to add more dates and extending it to a world tour, but nothing is official yet. It’s also uncertain if OMD will be a part of the world tour.
“Graffiti Soul” will be released on May 25.
I guess it is too much to hope for that some of their really great ancient stuff will be on the playlist, such as:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLwm3djyTwY]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hd6riYfLPXk]
Cheers
DATAMASKIN
