In August 1978, the Id split due to musical differences. This project allowed them to pursue their more obscure electronic experiments. 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". 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. The group began to gig regularly in the Merseyside area, performing original material (largely written by McCluskey and Humphreys). 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. McCluskey would usually sing and play bass guitar roadie and electronics enthusiast Humphreys, who shared McCluskey's love of electronic music, graduated to keyboards. After Equinox, McCluskey joined Pegasus, and, later, the short-lived Hitlerz Underpantz, alongside Humphreys. During that time McCluskey and Humphreys discovered their electronic style, inspired by Kraftwerk. By 1975 McCluskey had formed Equinox, as bassist and vocalist, alongside schoolmate Malcolm Holmes on drums, while Humphreys was roadie. An influence on many later artists, OMD have sold over 40 million records worldwide.įounders 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. 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. 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. McCluskey later conceived girl group Atomic Kitten, for whom he served as a principal songwriter, while Humphreys formed the duo Onetwo alongside Propaganda vocalist Claudia Brücken. OMD then began to flounder amid the guitar-oriented grunge and Britpop movements, eventually disbanding in 1996. 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.
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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 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". Although later reappraised, Dazzle Ships (1983) was seen as overly challenging, and eroded European support. Weathering an "uncool" image and a degree of hostility from music critics, the band achieved popularity throughout Europe with the 1980 anti-war song " Enola Gay", and gained further recognition via Architecture & Morality (1981) and its three hit singles. McCluskey and Humphreys led precursor group the Id from 1977–1978, and re-recorded their track " Electricity" as OMD's debut single in 1979.
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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. 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. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark ( OMD) are an English electronic band formed in Wirral, Merseyside, in 1978.