Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark (OMD) continue their 40th anniversary celebrations with the announcement of a career box set, ‘Souvenir’ and brand new greatest hits collection – out now. The special box set will comprise of 5 CDs and 2 DVDs housed in a 10” box set, together with a hardback book, poster and a series of 10” prints. Pre-order here.
Alongside the box set, there will also be a 2CD and 3LP format which will be a brand new greatest hits package, spanning the band’s 40-year career. This includes all the singles from ‘Electricity’ to ‘What Have We Done’, as well as the exclusive brand new single, ‘Don’t Go’ – listen here.
Written and produced by both Paul and Andy, and recorded at Bleepworks in London, the new song ‘Don’t Go’ melds together the plaintive melancholia of McCluskey’s lyrical refrain and the soaring synth melody from Paul Humphreys, combining to create the classic style of OMD.
The band will also embark on a huge world tour later this year, including 21 UK dates listed in full below:
October:
23 – Belfast, Ulster Hall
26 – Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall SOLD OUT
27 – York, Barbican SOLD OUT
28 – Hull, Arena
30 – Gateshead, Sage SOLD OUT
31 – Glasgow, Royal Concert Hall SOLD OUT
November:
1 – Manchester, O2 Apollo SOLD OUT
3 – Sheffield, City Hall SOLD OUT
4 – Liverpool, Empire SOLD OUT
5 – Birmingham, Symphony Hall SOLD OUT
7 – Leicester, De Montfort Hall SOLD OUT
8 – Bath, Pavilion SOLD OUT
9 – Oxford, New Theatre SOLD OUT
11 – Guildford, G Live
12 – Portsmouth, Guildhall
13 – Watford, Colosseum
15 – Cambridge, Corn Exchange SOLD OUT
16 – Ipswich, Regent Theatre SOLD OUT
17 – Bexhill, De La Warr Pavilion
19 – Bournemouth, Pavilion Theatre SOLD OUT
20 – London, Eventim Apollo
OMD have sold an astonishing 25 million singles and 15 million albums, which has established them as electronic synthesiser pioneers and one of Britain’s best-loved pop groups. Their 13 albums include recently reissued ‘Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark’ (1980), ‘Organisation’ (1980), ‘Architecture & Morality’ (1981) and ‘Dazzle Ships’ (1983).
The audio discs include all the band’s singles from ‘Electricity’ to ‘What Have We Done’, as well as a brand new single ‘Don’t Go’, exclusive to this release. The box set also includes a previously unreleased live show from the Hammersmith Odeon in 1983, 22 previously unreleased demos from the archive which have been selected and mixed by Paul Humphreys, rare and unreleased live material from the BBC and an entire live show from the Mermaid Theatre in 2011.
One of the DVDs contains BBC TV performances from Top Of The Pops, Old Grey Whistle Test, Later With Jools Holland and more. The other contains a live show from Sheffield City Hall in 1985, another live show from the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in 1981, as well as ‘Crush – The Movie’.
The book contains unseen photos, single sleeve artwork, an introduction by Paul Morley and sleeve notes to accompany the archive material by Andy McCluskey.
Alongside the box set, there will also be a 2CD and 3LP format which will be a brand new greatest hits package, spanning the band’s 40-year career. This also includes all the singles from ‘Electricity’ to ‘What Have We Done’, as well as the exclusive brand new single, ‘Don’t Go’.
The announcement comes as part of another exciting installment of the band’s anniversary celebrations which first saw the reissue of their first four classic albums on 180g vinyl, mastered at half speed by Miles Showell at Abbey Road and housed in their original iconic die cut sleeves designed by the legendary Peter Saville, followed by the huge world tour. The band, Andy McCluskey, Paul Humphreys, Martin Cooper and Stuart Kershaw will be starting in October in Portugal, stretching through to February 2020 finishing in Paris.
To coincide with the band’s Liverpool show, there will be upcoming exhibitions happening at the British Music Experience and Museum Of Liverpool to celebrate the band’s impressive legacy.
Disc 1 – The Singles 1979 – 1987:
[one_half]1. Electricity
2. Red Frame/White Light
3. Messages
4. Enola Gay
5. Souvenir
6. Joan of Arc
7. Maid of Orleans
8. Genetic Engineering
9. Telegraph
10. Locomotion[/one_half]
[one_half_last]11. Talking Loud and Clear
12. Tesla Girls
13. Never Turn Away
14. So in Love
15. Secret
16. La Femme Accident
17. If You Leave
18. (Forever) Live and Die
19. We Love You
20. Shame[/one_half_last]
Disc 2 – The Singles 1988 – 2019:
[one_half]1. Dreaming
2. Sailing on the Seven Seas
3. Pandora’s Box (It’s a Long, Long Way)
4. Then You Turn Away
5. Call My Name
6. Stand Above Me
7. Dream of Me
8. Everyday
9. Walking on the Milky Way
10. Universal[/one_half]
[one_half_last]11. If You Want It
12. Sister Marie Says
13. History of Modern (part 1)
14. Metroland
15. Dresden
16. Night Café
17. Isotype
18. The Punishment Of Luxury
19. What Have We Done
20. Don’t Go[/one_half_last]
Disc 3 – Unreleased Archive Vol I.:
[one_half]1. Brand New Science (06.1981)
2. Dumbomb (01.1986)
3. Violin Piece (09.1982)
4. Untitled 2 (06.1981)
5. Cut Me Down (03.1986)
6. Radio Swiss International (09.1982)
7. Untitled 3 (09.1982)
8. Weekend (04.1985)
9. Organ Ditty (05.1980)
10. Unreleased Idea (06.1981)
11. Cajun Moon (05.1986)[/one_half]
[one_half_last]12. Guitar Thrash (09.1982)
13. SMPTE (12.1982)
14. American Venus (04.1990)
15. Liberator (02.1985)
16. Ambient 1 (04.1980)
17. Unused 1 (12.1980)
18. Flamenco (04.1990)
19. Andy’s Song (04.1985)
20. Dynamo Children (01.1985)
21. Flutey (03.1984)
22. Nice Ending (06.1981)[/one_half_last]
Disc 4 – Live at the Mermaid Theatre, London (03/02/2011):
[one_half]1. Messages
2. Tesla Girls
3. New Babies New Toys
4. History of Modern (Part 1)
5. (Forever) Live and Die
6. Souvenir
7. Joan of Arc
8. Maid of Orleans[/one_half]
[one_half_last]9. New Holy Ground
10. Green
11. Walking on the Milky Way
12. Sister Marie Says
13. Locomotion
14. Sailing on the Seven Seas
15. Enola Gay
16. Electricity[/one_half_last]
Disc 5 – Live at the Hammersmith Odeon (10/05/1983):
[one_half]1. Dazzle Ships – Parts II,III & VII
2. ABC Auto Industry
3. Messages
4. She’s Leaving
5. Georgia
6. Almost
7. Julia’s Song
8. Joan of Arc
9. Maid of Orleans
10. Statues[/one_half]
[one_half_last]11. The Romance of the Telescope
12. Souvenir
13. Telegraph
14. Radio Waves
15. Bunker Soldiers
16. Enola Gay
17. Silent Running
18. Electricity
19. Pretending to See the Future
20. Stanlow[/one_half_last]
DVD1 – BBC TV Performances:
[one_half]1. Messages (The Old Grey Whistle Test 15/04/1980)
2. Messages (Top Of The Pops 08/05/1980)
3. Messages (Top Of The Pops 29/05/1980)
4. Enola Gay (Top Of The Pops 09/10/1980)
5. Souvenir (Top Of The Pops 03/09/1981)
6. Joan of Arc (Top Of The Pops 29/10/1981)
7. Maid Of Orleans (Top Of The Pops 14/01/1982)
8. Genetic Engineering (Top Of The Pops 03/03/1983)
9. Locomotion (Top Of The Pops 19/04/1984)
10. Locomotion (Top Of The Pops 03/05/1984)
11. Talking Loud and Clear (Top Of The Pops 05/07/1984)[/one_half]
[one_half_last]12. Tesla Girls (Top Of The Pops 13/09/1984)
13. So in Love (Top Of The Pops 30/05/1985)
14. La Femme Accident (The Old Grey Whistle Test 22/10/1985)
15. (Forever) Live and Die (Top Of The Pops 18/09/1986)
16. Dreaming (Wogan 27/06/1988)
17. Sailing on the Seven Seas (Top Of The Pops 02/05/1991)
18. Pandora’s Box (It’s a Long, Long Way) (Top Of The Pops 11/07/1991)
19. Pandora’s Box (It’s a Long, Long Way) (Top Of The Pops 25/07/1991)
20. Call My Name (Pebble Mill 11/12/1991)
21. Stand Above Me (Top Of The Pops 13/05/1993)
22. Walking on the Milky Way (Top Of The Pops 16/08/1996)
23. Enola Gay (Later With Jools Holland 31/05/2013)[/one_half_last]
DVD2 – Live at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane (04/12/1981), Live at Sheffield City Hall (14/06/1985) and ‘Crush – The Movie’
Live at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane (04/12/1981):
[one_half]1. Almost
2. Mystereality
3. Joan Of Arc
4. Motion and Heart
5. Maid Of Orleans
6. Statues
7. Souvenir[/one_half]
[one_half_last]8. New Stone Age
9. Enola Gay
10. Bunker Soldiers
11. Electricity
12. She’s Leaving
13. Julia’s Song
14. Stanlow[/one_half_last]
Live at Sheffield City Hall (14/06/1985):
[one_half]1. The Romance Of The Telescope (intro)
2. Crush
3. Messages
4. Secret
5. Tesla Girls
6. White Trash[/one_half]
[one_half_last]7. Talking Loud and Clear
8. Maid Of Orleans
9. Telegraph
10. Enola Gay
11. Electricity
12. The Romance Of The Telescope[/one_half_last]
Crush – The Movie:
[one_half]1. Bloc Bloc Bloc
2. The Native Daughters Of The Golden West
3. So In Love
4. 88 Seconds In Greensboro
5. Hold You[/one_half]
[one_half_last]6. Women III
7. Crush
8. La Femme Accident
9. Secret
10. The Lights Are Going Out[/one_half_last]
Greatest Hits:
[one_half]LP 1 Side A:
1. Electricity
2. Red Frame/White Light
3. Messages
4. Enola Gay
5. Souvenir
6. Joan Of Arc
7. Maid Of Orleans[/one_half]
[one_half_last]LP 1 Side B:
1. Genetic Engineering
2. Telegraph
3. Locomotion
4. Talking Loud and Clear
5. Tesla Girls
6. Never Turn Away
7. So In Love[/one_half_last]
[one_half]LP 2 Side A:
1. Secret
2. La Femme Accident
3. If You Leave
4. (Forever) Live and Die
5. We Love You
6. Shame
7. Dreaming[/one_half]
[one_half_last]LP 2 Side B:
1. Sailing on the Seven Seas
2. Pandora’s Box (It’s a Long, Long Way)
3. Then You Turn Away
4. Call My Name
5. Stand Above Me
6. Dream of Me[/one_half_last]
[one_half]LP 3 Side A:
1. Everyday
2. Walking on the Milky Way
3. Universal
4. If You Want It
5. Sister Marie Says
6. History of Modern (Part I)[/one_half]
[one_half_last]LP 3 Side B:
1. Metroland
2. Dresden
3. Night Café
4. Isotype
5. The Punishment Of Luxury
6. What Have We Done
7. Don’t Go[/one_half_last]
2CD set:
[one_half]CD1:
1. Electricity
2. Red Frame/White Light
3. Messages
4. Enola Gay
5. Souvenir
6. Joan Of Arc
7. Maid Of Orleans
8. Genetic Engineering
9. Telegraph
10. Locomotion
11. Talking Loud and Clear
12. Tesla Girls
13. Never Turn Away
14. So In Love
15. Secret
16. La Femme Accident
17. If You Leave
18. (Forever) Live and Die
19. We Love You
20. Shame[/one_half]
[one_half_last]CD2:
1. Dreaming
2. Sailing on the Seven Seas
3. Pandora’s Box (It’s a Long, Long Way)
4. Then You Turn Away
5. Call My Name
6. Stand Above Me
7. Dream of Me
8. Everyday
9. Walking on the Milky Way
10. Universal
11. If You Want It
12. Sister Marie Says
13. History of Modern (Part I)
14. Metroland
15. Dresden
16. Night Café
17. Isotype
18. The Punishment Of Luxury
19. What Have We Done
20. Don’t Go[/one_half_last]
Find out more from OMDs official website.