The reason why this is a good interview is the humour and the history ... both Jayne, Paul & Andy come from the North (the Grimm North) and can easily relate to how important was at that time. A lousy recession, jobs losses, no redevelopment. I know as I lived through it. Music for me was a way of life ... going to discos, listening to the radio, cassette and most of all going to concerts which costed a fiver then, now £50 upwards. Great interview.
The chaps dealt with those intense questions deftly. OMD were important and did herald and influence change, that is true. Jayne's scientist reference is insightful.
Probably, the best interview ever. The Lads were fascinating, the pretty girl was a genuine fan of OMD, and it showed. To think of their humble beginnings, they believed in themselves and kept going despite the struggles, and no synth. Like so many stars, they were in the right place, at the right time, and were matched as musicians perfectly, Like Mick and Keith, by chance, we would have never have heard their beautiful music.
The view from here …. That song much says it all. A beautiful song and a song asking or even demanding us to be brave, push our boundaries, look outside the box. A friend introduced me to OMD in early 80’s, but it took me eons before I capitulated and let them enter my record collection. And they are are great influencers and even if I am into synths (DIY) and never will play a tune myself still will have OMD as my biggest source of inspiration.
amazing interview. Thank you. I have been loving OMD since I was 7-8. Then I had some "breaks", now it is not the same as before, but I still like to listen to their songs. I really love to see you so full of energy and so happy. So please "Don't go"!!! NEVER !!!
Amazing lads! Humble. Omd is one of my favorites! Just found out they released a new album and absolutely back to their best! So is Depeche Mode latest album!
Oh, yawn. EVERYONE pretends Depress Mode is great on EVERY release, it's just not the case. They've been boring, stagnant and unnecessary for so many decades, it's hard to remember when they ever truly mattered, if ever.
Depeche Mode, along with OMD, are my two favorite musical groups, but while OMD's last four albums are good or very good (since 2009/2010: History...., English...., The Punishment... ...) including Bauhaus Staircase, DM's last four albums (Sounds of ...., Delta ...., Spirit and Memento ......., are simply acceptable and the weakest of his career.
@@Boreas1965 I was never a fan of Depeche Mode as an albums band, always thought them overrated, but at least their 80s stuff held the attention. Their about face in the 90s, turning their back on what made them to merge messily and absurdly into a Cult/Uriah Heap/Nirvana mishmash was unpleasant to say the least, and for the most part, utterly boring. It was all noise at the expense of tunes. Too desperate to be taken seriously in the grunge hell era and to stay there, they destroyed themselves completely. They'd lost it long before the albums you named. At least their 80s singles were fun, though 'See You' is insipid and 'Just Can't Get Enough' and 'Meaning Of Love' rather childish and silly, but they did have a perfect single run that began with 'Shake The Disease' and continued it brilliantly in a hat-rick of 8 singles (9 if you include the cheeky import job of 'Little 15') and could have been a round 10, except they ruined it by releasing the posturing joke 'Personal Jesus' over 'Enjoy the Silence', but it can be 10 if I forget about the former. Their other 2 singles from "Violator" were good too, as is 'Halo' which should have been a single over 'Jesus', the rest of the album pap. The 1993 was even worse, with only 'Walking In My Shoes' being tuneful, and so it went on. OMD have plenty to give, still proving it, Dep Mode not in same ball park and never really were, even in their 80s heyday. They're simply one of a handful of acts that have birthed such absurd devotion that they can fart forever and they'll be loved and worshipped. Hell one of them's dead now and still they go on. But me, I tune out and haven't cared to take notice of anything they've really done since 'Wrong' or 'John The Revelator'. I will say though that 'Precious' is their best single since 'Enjoy The Silence', a song so great it puts a number of their generally better 80s ones in the shade. I still state Dep Mode's debut is still their best album. Sure it's a bit infantile, and 'Boys Say Go!' pathetic, 'Ice Machine' pointless and 'Photographic' better done live than on record, and 'Just Can't Get Enough' a silly dopey song, the rest are quite charming. In fact, their 2nd album is really quite dreadful in comparison. For such a reputation commanded since this weird mushrooming of national love that exploded sometime in the 90s from where and why and how I cannot tell, they really should be so much better. Hell, OMD's weakest albums ("The Pacific Age", "Universal", tiny bits of "History Of Modern" and "Liberator") beat them solid. And for all their intelligent and experimental and progressive grandeur, Andy & Paul are happy to major in making numerous songs on albums get to the point quickly, and don't insist everything needs to be 5 minutes at least!
@@kyachdistent1301 Excellent comment, although I disagree in part, it seems perfectly reasoned to me. From my point of view, I would divide the OMD and DM career into four stages. OMD stages: - Initial stage (1979-1983). - “Pop” stage (1984-1988). - Andy's solo stage (1989-1996). - Reunification stage (2006/2007 - until today). DM stages: - Initial (1980-1983). - Wilder Stage (1984-1995) - Post-Wilder I Stage (1996-2006) - Post-Wilder II Stage (2007-until today). The initial stage of OMD is clearly superior to the first stage of DM, the first four albums of OMD are fantastic, while the first three of DM are good, but they are by no means on the same level. OMD's second stage (after Dazzle Ships) and Andy's solo stage, in my opinion, are not as good as DM's “Wilder stage”. There is a substantial difference. Especially if we talk about Black Celebration (fantastic, from my point of view his best album), Music for the Masses (second best) and Violator (third). However, the most recent stage (2007 - until today) of DM is the worst and they really contribute little. Alan Wilder's departure meant a hard setback for them, and since then (1995), their music has progressively gotten worse. As for the albums, comparatively, I would stay with 8 from OMD (the first four: OMD, Organization, Architecture, Dazzle.... And the last four: History, English, The Punishment and Bauhaus) and 8 from DM (those from the Wilder era: Some Great, Black Celebration, Music for…., Violator, SOFAD and three others in which OMD were retired (1997-2006): Ultra, Exciter and PTA. In my opinion, DM at certain times are overrated, especially during the last seventeen years (starting in 2007) and OMD underrated, both in the quality of their work and in their innovative and creative contribution to the world of music.
@@Boreas1965 I like the 4 stages you state that OMD's career trajectory has, it does make sense, though many stated several times in the past their debut was as "poppy" as their mid-80s to late 80s stage. I'd agree with that, mainly because it sounds more spirited and vibey than the following 3 which go more introspective to an extent that, if any lesser band were doing it, like say, DM, always supposing they could, it would border on irritatingly soporific. But the "pop" stage badge does them a disservice, as their post-1983 output still has enough challenging, left-field counter-pop to offset the more accessible charmers like 'So In Love' and 'Secret' but even these songs are not run-of-the-mill, most acts should be so lucky to produce them! Andy's solo stage is clearly the least remarkable part, having said that, I put "Sugar Tax" and most of the 90s B-sides on a quality par with a 3rd division quality album; they and it have a timeless dance-sound and appeal that works alongside them well. Sure, lyrically it's as far as what OMD were (and still are now) about, but it's intelligent, catchy and charming, and works much better than the clogging parts of "The Pacific Age" (an album only improved now I can dump wretched 'Southern' and add 'Cut Me Down' and 'Cajun Moon' to it as they were originally meant, as Andy says), the slowest parts of "History Of Modern" and even the least exciting archaic-sounding songs on "Dazzle Ships" ('Romance Of Telescope', 'Of All Things We Made' and 'Sold Our Souls'-which I had to add, the album has so few songs on it, which too much time wasted on radio announcers, clocks chiming, steamers gassing etc. Granted there's never going to be anything like that album's 2 singles, nor 'Radio Waves' on a 90s solo album, but then again, these songs are so strong, the rest of the album does struggle to match them, and doesn't. Whereas "Sugar Tax", while more samey in its approach and sound, with less variety among the songs, at least it means the quality gap between picked singles and the rest is not too large. I also remain unimpressed that 2 of their comeback albums has no Paul-sung material on them, and no extra B-sides have him on anything vocally either. Thankfully both those albums still work, despite it. HOW I RATE OMD ALBUMS: JUNK CULTURE (1984) + CRUSH (1985) = 20/10 *career best* ARCHITECTURE & MORALITY (1981) + FULL 80s UNALBUMED (1980-1989) + BAUHAUS STAIRCASE (2023) = 15/10 *runner-up trio* OMITD (1980) + ENGLISH ELECTRIC (2013) = 10/10 *3rd division top* ORGANISATION (1980) + SUGAR TAX (1991) + FULL 90s UNALBUMED (1990-1999) + THE PUNISHMENT OF LUXURY (2017) = 9/10 DAZZLE SHIPS (1983) + HISTORY OF MODERN (2010) = 8/10 THE PACIFIC AGE (1986) + LIBERATOR (1993) = 7/10 UNIVERSAL (1996) = 6/10 Paul's THE LISTENING POOL album "STILL LIFE"***1/2 (1994) = 7/10
I have seen OMD twice on stage (St.David's Hall, Cardiff and Wembley Arena) and also had the good fortune of reaching out to Andy McCluskey's hands in the middle of their song.... during Electricity or Messages. I have also been to Liverpool around 9 years ago. I loved it. I think now the place is lot like how it perhaps was in the 1970s. I found it be very optimistic and the people were lovely there. Oh, and I have played an open mic night at the Cavern! Greetings and love from India.
I saw OMD with friends at Sheffield City Hall and Leeds many times. They have been around and their music has never floundered. The time to see Andy McCluskey doing his edgy dances, was in the 80s. where he got his stamina I do not know. I believe Bauhuas is very similar to Kraftwerk, who they admired.
Very informative; I had them pegged as posh boys from Charterhouse. Oh yes, it really was very grim up north back at end of 70’s and 80’s, but it toughened us up.
What a fantastic interview; well done Jayne Middlemiss and the band, really enjoyed this.
Very well done - I think my favorite interview. ❤
she looks exactly the same as she did about 20 years ago
Top top band never in the media for the wrong reasons. Roll models to these new lot, proper music never goes away .
One of the best interviews of OMD - great band, best of the 80's imo; The Smiths and China Crisis not far behind.
My love for OMD is locked in, but I find myself falling in love with Jayne Middlemiss all over again. *Swoon*
Brilliant interview, brilliant guys and a brilliant new album!
The reason why this is a good interview is the humour and the history ... both Jayne, Paul & Andy come from the North (the Grimm North) and can easily relate to how important was at that time. A lousy recession, jobs losses, no redevelopment. I know as I lived through it. Music for me was a way of life ... going to discos, listening to the radio, cassette and most of all going to concerts which costed a fiver then, now £50 upwards. Great interview.
The chaps dealt with those intense questions deftly. OMD were important and did herald and influence change, that is true. Jayne's scientist reference is insightful.
Probably, the best interview ever. The Lads were fascinating, the pretty girl was a genuine fan of OMD, and it showed. To think of their humble beginnings, they believed in themselves and kept going despite the struggles, and no synth. Like so many stars, they were in the right place, at the right time, and were matched as musicians perfectly, Like Mick and Keith, by chance, we would have never have heard their beautiful music.
The view from here …. That song much says it all. A beautiful song and a song asking or even demanding us to be brave, push our boundaries, look outside the box.
A friend introduced me to OMD in early 80’s, but it took me eons before I capitulated and let them enter my record collection. And they are are great influencers and even if I am into synths (DIY) and never will play a tune myself still will have OMD as my biggest source of inspiration.
Great interview❤️
amazing interview. Thank you. I have been loving OMD since I was 7-8. Then I had some "breaks", now it is not the same as before, but I still like to listen to their songs. I really love to see you so full of energy and so happy. So please "Don't go"!!! NEVER !!!
Fab interview esp the reminder, it really was grim up North then, though the people were warm hearted, I remember 😊
A brilliant band keep it up guys
Great interview. OMD are the best!
Superb interview….Thankyou 👍🇮🇲👌
Great Times guys
Amazing lads! Humble. Omd is one of my favorites! Just found out they released a new album and absolutely back to their best! So is Depeche Mode latest album!
Oh, yawn. EVERYONE pretends Depress Mode is great on EVERY release, it's just not the case. They've been boring, stagnant and unnecessary for so many decades, it's hard to remember when they ever truly mattered, if ever.
Depeche Mode, along with OMD, are my two favorite musical groups, but while OMD's last four albums are good or very good (since 2009/2010: History...., English...., The Punishment... ...) including Bauhaus Staircase, DM's last four albums (Sounds of ...., Delta ...., Spirit and Memento ......., are simply acceptable and the weakest of his career.
@@Boreas1965 I was never a fan of Depeche Mode as an albums band, always thought them overrated, but at least their 80s stuff held the attention. Their about face in the 90s, turning their back on what made them to merge messily and absurdly into a Cult/Uriah Heap/Nirvana mishmash was unpleasant to say the least, and for the most part, utterly boring. It was all noise at the expense of tunes. Too desperate to be taken seriously in the grunge hell era and to stay there, they destroyed themselves completely. They'd lost it long before the albums you named. At least their 80s singles were fun, though 'See You' is insipid and 'Just Can't Get Enough' and 'Meaning Of Love' rather childish and silly, but they did have a perfect single run that began with 'Shake The Disease' and continued it brilliantly in a hat-rick of 8 singles (9 if you include the cheeky import job of 'Little 15') and could have been a round 10, except they ruined it by releasing the posturing joke 'Personal Jesus' over 'Enjoy the Silence', but it can be 10 if I forget about the former. Their other 2 singles from "Violator" were good too, as is 'Halo' which should have been a single over 'Jesus', the rest of the album pap. The 1993 was even worse, with only 'Walking In My Shoes' being tuneful, and so it went on. OMD have plenty to give, still proving it, Dep Mode not in same ball park and never really were, even in their 80s heyday. They're simply one of a handful of acts that have birthed such absurd devotion that they can fart forever and they'll be loved and worshipped. Hell one of them's dead now and still they go on. But me, I tune out and haven't cared to take notice of anything they've really done since 'Wrong' or 'John The Revelator'. I will say though that 'Precious' is their best single since 'Enjoy The Silence', a song so great it puts a number of their generally better 80s ones in the shade.
I still state Dep Mode's debut is still their best album. Sure it's a bit infantile, and 'Boys Say Go!' pathetic, 'Ice Machine' pointless and 'Photographic' better done live than on record, and 'Just Can't Get Enough' a silly dopey song, the rest are quite charming. In fact, their 2nd album is really quite dreadful in comparison. For such a reputation commanded since this weird mushrooming of national love that exploded sometime in the 90s from where and why and how I cannot tell, they really should be so much better. Hell, OMD's weakest albums ("The Pacific Age", "Universal", tiny bits of "History Of Modern" and "Liberator") beat them solid. And for all their intelligent and experimental and progressive grandeur, Andy & Paul are happy to major in making numerous songs on albums get to the point quickly, and don't insist everything needs to be 5 minutes at least!
@@kyachdistent1301 Excellent comment, although I disagree in part, it seems perfectly reasoned to me. From my point of view, I would divide the OMD and DM career into four stages.
OMD stages:
- Initial stage (1979-1983). - “Pop” stage (1984-1988). - Andy's solo stage (1989-1996). - Reunification stage (2006/2007 - until today).
DM stages:
- Initial (1980-1983). - Wilder Stage (1984-1995) - Post-Wilder I Stage (1996-2006) - Post-Wilder II Stage (2007-until today).
The initial stage of OMD is clearly superior to the first stage of DM, the first four albums of OMD are fantastic, while the first three of DM are good, but they are by no means on the same level.
OMD's second stage (after Dazzle Ships) and Andy's solo stage, in my opinion, are not as good as DM's “Wilder stage”. There is a substantial difference. Especially if we talk about Black Celebration (fantastic, from my point of view his best album), Music for the Masses (second best) and Violator (third).
However, the most recent stage (2007 - until today) of DM is the worst and they really contribute little. Alan Wilder's departure meant a hard setback for them, and since then (1995), their music has progressively gotten worse.
As for the albums, comparatively, I would stay with 8 from OMD (the first four: OMD, Organization, Architecture, Dazzle.... And the last four: History, English, The Punishment and Bauhaus) and 8 from DM (those from the Wilder era: Some Great, Black Celebration, Music for…., Violator, SOFAD and three others in which OMD were retired (1997-2006): Ultra, Exciter and PTA.
In my opinion, DM at certain times are overrated, especially during the last seventeen years (starting in 2007) and OMD underrated, both in the quality of their work and in their innovative and creative contribution to the world of music.
@@Boreas1965 I like the 4 stages you state that OMD's career trajectory has, it does make sense, though many stated several times in the past their debut was as "poppy" as their mid-80s to late 80s stage. I'd agree with that, mainly because it sounds more spirited and vibey than the following 3 which go more introspective to an extent that, if any lesser band were doing it, like say, DM, always supposing they could, it would border on irritatingly soporific. But the "pop" stage badge does them a disservice, as their post-1983 output still has enough challenging, left-field counter-pop to offset the more accessible charmers like 'So In Love' and 'Secret' but even these songs are not run-of-the-mill, most acts should be so lucky to produce them!
Andy's solo stage is clearly the least remarkable part, having said that, I put "Sugar Tax" and most of the 90s B-sides on a quality par with a 3rd division quality album; they and it have a timeless dance-sound and appeal that works alongside them well. Sure, lyrically it's as far as what OMD were (and still are now) about, but it's intelligent, catchy and charming, and works much better than the clogging parts of "The Pacific Age" (an album only improved now I can dump wretched 'Southern' and add 'Cut Me Down' and 'Cajun Moon' to it as they were originally meant, as Andy says), the slowest parts of "History Of Modern" and even the least exciting archaic-sounding songs on "Dazzle Ships" ('Romance Of Telescope', 'Of All Things We Made' and 'Sold Our Souls'-which I had to add, the album has so few songs on it, which too much time wasted on radio announcers, clocks chiming, steamers gassing etc. Granted there's never going to be anything like that album's 2 singles, nor 'Radio Waves' on a 90s solo album, but then again, these songs are so strong, the rest of the album does struggle to match them, and doesn't. Whereas "Sugar Tax", while more samey in its approach and sound, with less variety among the songs, at least it means the quality gap between picked singles and the rest is not too large.
I also remain unimpressed that 2 of their comeback albums has no Paul-sung material on them, and no extra B-sides have him on anything vocally either. Thankfully both those albums still work, despite it.
HOW I RATE OMD ALBUMS:
JUNK CULTURE (1984) + CRUSH (1985) = 20/10 *career best*
ARCHITECTURE & MORALITY (1981) + FULL 80s UNALBUMED (1980-1989) + BAUHAUS STAIRCASE (2023) = 15/10 *runner-up trio*
OMITD (1980) + ENGLISH ELECTRIC (2013) = 10/10 *3rd division top*
ORGANISATION (1980) + SUGAR TAX (1991) + FULL 90s UNALBUMED (1990-1999) + THE PUNISHMENT OF LUXURY (2017) = 9/10
DAZZLE SHIPS (1983) + HISTORY OF MODERN (2010) = 8/10
THE PACIFIC AGE (1986) + LIBERATOR (1993) = 7/10
UNIVERSAL (1996) = 6/10
Paul's THE LISTENING POOL album "STILL LIFE"***1/2 (1994) = 7/10
The boys on fine form as usual.
Really enjoyed this ❤
Brilliant interview that , great lads!!
OMD ❤
I have seen OMD twice on stage (St.David's Hall, Cardiff and Wembley Arena) and also had the good fortune of reaching out to Andy McCluskey's hands in the middle of their song.... during Electricity or Messages. I have also been to Liverpool around 9 years ago. I loved it. I think now the place is lot like how it perhaps was in the 1970s. I found it be very optimistic and the people were lovely there. Oh, and I have played an open mic night at the Cavern! Greetings and love from India.
I saw OMD with friends at Sheffield City Hall and Leeds many times. They have been around and their music has never floundered. The time to see Andy McCluskey doing his edgy dances, was in the 80s. where he got his stamina I do not know. I believe Bauhuas is very similar to Kraftwerk, who they admired.
Very informative; I had them pegged as posh boys from Charterhouse. Oh yes, it really was very grim up north back at end of 70’s and 80’s, but it toughened us up.
I liked Forever Live and Die. Great song
In my Top Ten of greatest pop acts ever. Maybe younger listeners would disagree but OMD did it first.
💙DOM
I love OMD and the interview but who is responsible for putting those wonderful old photos intentionally out of focus. Stupidity at it’s best !!!!…
The chapter time line says "Bow House" staircase instead of "Bauhaus". Who writes this crap?
She can't speak without waving her arms?