Knockouts from the past…

21 May 2019

Today 40 years ago, on 21 May 1979, duo ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK (later better known as OMD) released their swirling debut single ELECTRICITY. One of
the very first milestones of synth pop. It would appear, a year later, on their first album. Inspired by Kraftwerk‘s music-changer ‘Radioactivity‘ the song also criticised humankind’s wasteful usage of energy sources. The pair of ANDY McCLUSKEY and PAUL HUMPHREYS sang the lead vocals in unison. B-side: ‘Almost’

The single was released by Manchester‘s legendary record label Factory Records that pressed only 5000, sold-out, copies. But its success earned the electro tandem a recording contract with DinDisc, a then Virgin Records imprint and the 7″ was re-issued several times afterward.

Electricity had a major impact on other (famous) people too. Vince Clarke, former songwriter of big bands such as Depeche Mode, Yazoo and Erasure cited ‘Electricity‘
as his primary inspiration to pursue a musical career while ex-NME writer and BBC Radio’s presenter Steve Lamacq has named it as the track that made him want to become a DJ.

Now, let’s get electrical…

OMD: Facebook