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Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) are an English new wave/synthpop group formed in 1978, whose founding members, Andy McCluskey (vocals, bass guitar) and Paul Humphreys (keyboards, vocals), are originally from the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England. While steadily eschewing pop star status,〔 the band cultivated a fanbase in the United Kingdom from 1978–1980. They gained popularity throughout Europe with the 1980 single "Enola Gay", and achieved broader recognition via album ''Architecture & Morality'' (1981) and its singles. OMD also garnered acclaim for their experimental recordings. Although retrospectively lauded, their album ''Dazzle Ships'' (1983) eroded European consumer interest during the mid 1980s; ''Junk Culture'' (1984) marked a shift toward more pop-oriented songwriting.〔 Concurrently, OMD reached their peak in the United States and had a major hit with 1986's "If You Leave", written for the film ''Pretty in Pink''. Humphreys departed in 1989 with Martin Cooper (various instruments) and Malcolm Holmes (drums) to form The Listening Pool, leaving McCluskey to lead the outfit; ''Sugar Tax'' (1991) and its initial singles were sizeable hits in Europe. By the mid 1990s, however, synthpop had become unfashionable amid the guitar oriented musical climate, and McCluskey dissolved the band in 1996, months after their last successful single, "Walking on the Milky Way". He founded pop group Atomic Kitten in 1998. The band reformed in 2006 and began releasing new material in 2009. Their European fanbase remained steadfast: ''History of Modern'' (2010) became the group's biggest hit on the German chart; ''English Electric'' (2013) their largest in the UK since ''Sugar Tax''. The group have sold over 40 million records.〔''Johnnie Walker's Sounds of the 70s''. BBC Radio 2. 1 May 2011. "'Electricity'...the debut single from Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, who...sold more than 40 million records."〕 ''The Quietus'' magazine editor John Doran once remarked: "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark are not one of the best synth bands ever: they are one of the best bands ever." ==Formation== The group was founded in 1978 by Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys who remain, and were perceived as, the core members. Adding sidemen Malcolm Holmes and Martin Cooper by the end of 1980, this quartet (with occasional line-up fluctuations) was the live concert line-up until 1989, when Humphreys, Cooper and Holmes all left OMD to found The Listening Pool. McCluskey then retained the OMD name and continued to record and tour as OMD with new line-ups until 1996. The name was taken from the title of a song idea thought up by McCluskey while still at school. The name was chosen so as not to be mistaken for a punk band.〔''Rock Formations: Categorical Answers to How Band Names Were Formed'', Dave Wilson, 2004, p. 58〕 Although McCluskey essentially retired the OMD name in 1996, shortly thereafter Humphreys began playing live shows as OMD with other musicians on an as-needed basis, but without McCluskey. Then in late December 2005, OMD's official website announced a forthcoming reformation of the "classic" 1980s line-up (Humphreys/McCluskey/Cooper/Holmes), both for live performances and for a new studio album. This reformed quartet began touring in 2007, and further successful sold-out tours took place in 2008 and 2009. OMD's most recent studio album ''English Electric'' was released on 8 April 2013. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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