I wouldn't say I'm a massive OMD fan, but Tesla Girls is one of their best singles, and should have been a bigger hit. (I know it mainly because it was on my Now 4 tape).
I like the way it's highly-produced, using samplers and drum machines, yet even today manages to make those sound energetic, fun and new, and not clinical and soulless as a lot of mid-to-late-80s tracks using the same ingredients did.
I wouldn't say I'm a massive OMD fan, but Tesla Girls is one of their best singles, and should have been a bigger hit. (I know it mainly because it was on my Now 4 tape).
I like the way it's highly-produced, using samplers and drum machines, yet even today manages to make those sound energetic, fun and new, and not clinical and soulless as a lot of mid-to-late-80s tracks using the same ingredients did.
The use of women as ornamental dolly-birds, in that of a lot of other OMD videos, now looks rather dated! Still, I suppose that was fairly normal in the 80s.
On another subject, watching OMD's old stuff on YouTube, I'd forgotten just what a good track Secret, from 1985, was. Really quite a haunting quality to that.
The use of women as ornamental dolly-birds, in that of a lot of other OMD videos, now looks rather dated! Still, I suppose that was fairly normal in the 80s.
Think I might have seen the video once on YouTube, but not since then- I don't like risking my feelings about a song (especially one I knew beforehand) being coloured by a video, good or bad.
I did read that supposedly the video was meant to be a *parody* of the American style videos that the record company was pressuring them into making at the time.
Just watched/listened to Souvenir, on YouTube. Found myself really welling-up while doing so! That song is just so lovely! Evokes an emotional time for me, as I was just nearing my teens at the time. Lots of bitter-sweet memories, adolescent angst and turbulent feelings stirred up! That's what music can do at its best and profound!
Quite thoughtful that song and what it's saying: let youth and young hopes go and move on, but look back, laugh about and enjoy the memory of the good times for what they were back then. Very different to their early stuff, but just as good in its own way.
I have a huge soft spot for late 70s / early 80s synth stuff - especially songs without a conventional chorus rather than just "synthed up" pop - so OMD are one of my favourites from that time.
Like most others of that era they quickly moved on to develop a more 'sophisticated' sound but it didn't interest me as much.
Does anyone else think 1984 was an eccentric career in OMD's year? The hits they had: Locomotion, Talking Loud and Clear and Tesla Girls, were strikingly upbeat light and frothy compared to the stuff they did either before or after. It was reflected even in the colourful clothes they wore on Top of the Pops.
Just found this on YouTube. I've checked the poster's list of videos, and it definitely starts at Part Two, without Part One, for whatever reason. Still may be of interest, though.
OMD are awesome.Over the years they've went 'off piste' a bit and did some crap stuff.But overall,they are very good indeed.
Listen to some of the stuff from their Liberator album.Never hear it on the radio and that's a shame.:(
Comments
Tesla Girls http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GH7MwYBdSvM
I wouldn't say I'm a massive OMD fan, but Tesla Girls is one of their best singles, and should have been a bigger hit. (I know it mainly because it was on my Now 4 tape).
I like the way it's highly-produced, using samplers and drum machines, yet even today manages to make those sound energetic, fun and new, and not clinical and soulless as a lot of mid-to-late-80s tracks using the same ingredients did.
The use of women as ornamental dolly-birds, in that of a lot of other OMD videos, now looks rather dated! Still, I suppose that was fairly normal in the 80s.
On another subject, watching OMD's old stuff on YouTube, I'd forgotten just what a good track Secret, from 1985, was. Really quite a haunting quality to that.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc-d3FGoxDI
Think I might have seen the video once on YouTube, but not since then- I don't like risking my feelings about a song (especially one I knew beforehand) being coloured by a video, good or bad.
I did read that supposedly the video was meant to be a *parody* of the American style videos that the record company was pressuring them into making at the time.
That song is beautiful, as is the video, which is as far from your typical dolly-bird video as I can imagine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDIYOiQUi2s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2DLG522Kws
Enola Gay
Souvenir
Secret
Universal
Walking on the Milky Way
Sailing on the seven seas: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMST3H69-Os
I thought it was a pile of sell out crap at the time but I think it actually sounds quite good now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdhYzXobHEk
Quite thoughtful that song and what it's saying: let youth and young hopes go and move on, but look back, laugh about and enjoy the memory of the good times for what they were back then. Very different to their early stuff, but just as good in its own way.
It should have gone top 10 after that so **** knows what happened as it stalled at #27.
I can't say I've ever heard a more perfect pop record. Possibly too emotionally raw sounding for the 80s in the UK though.
Hence the crap sales.
Will always be their best song along wing with Forever Live And Die for me though imo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwONDpVJoyE
'Sister Marie', from 2010, with clear religious/Catholic theme.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALQsqR1rmLM
Either of those themes ring a bell? Seems like they've started to repeat themselves a little. Even the two songs sound extremely similar.
Like most others of that era they quickly moved on to develop a more 'sophisticated' sound but it didn't interest me as much.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_816900&feature=iv&src_vid=TmBVGY6_H3w&v=vYX8KD1MVJ4
(see the right panel for links to the rest)
Interesting in part five, where he has a go at reality TV shows.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXVIBwG63bs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXkRb885hqI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ux4P7ARhrDQ
They sound right back on form on this track http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEgpxOEPsdw
This one's pretty good too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwONDpVJoyE
The OMD Story-Part Two
The OMD Story-Part Three
The OMD Story-Part Four
Listen to some of the stuff from their Liberator album.Never hear it on the radio and that's a shame.:(