Junk Culture (album)
Encyclopedia
Junk Culture is the fifth album
by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
, released in 1984. It is most noteworthy for being the last OMD album to receive acclaim in the UK
.
The cover artwork was designed by Peter Saville.
Junk Culture is OMD's attempt to regain commercial success, and while songs like "Tesla Girls", "Locomotion
" and "Apollo" are all mainstream, the album contains much of what OMD had been doing before. Junk Culture sounds so different because of a change in instrumentation which was due to the band's acquisition of the Fairlight CMI
digital sampling/sequencing workstation.
The three most successful singles from the album were "Locomotion
", which reached #5 in the UK, "Talking Loud and Clear
" (#11), and "Tesla Girls
" (#21).
The title track is an instrumental with heavy dub overtones and tape collages, "All Wrapped Up" is a calypso pop song which sounds like an electro take on some of the material on The Clash
's London Calling
. "Talking Loud and Clear" finishes the album on a reflective note, a calm pop song featuring a soprano saxophone melody and Kraftwerk
-style keyboard arpeggio.
Side 2
Additional performers:
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark are a synthpop group whose founding members are originally from the Wirral Peninsula, England...
, released in 1984. It is most noteworthy for being the last OMD album to receive acclaim in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
The cover artwork was designed by Peter Saville.
Junk Culture is OMD's attempt to regain commercial success, and while songs like "Tesla Girls", "Locomotion
Locomotion (OMD song)
"Locomotion" is a hit single recorded and released by British band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, and is also the first single taken from their 1984 album, Junk Culture...
" and "Apollo" are all mainstream, the album contains much of what OMD had been doing before. Junk Culture sounds so different because of a change in instrumentation which was due to the band's acquisition of the Fairlight CMI
Fairlight CMI
The Fairlight CMI is a digital sampling synthesizer. It was designed in 1979 by the founders of Fairlight, Peter Vogel and Kim Ryrie, and based on a dual-6800 microprocessor computer designed by Tony Furse in Sydney, Australia...
digital sampling/sequencing workstation.
The three most successful singles from the album were "Locomotion
Locomotion (OMD song)
"Locomotion" is a hit single recorded and released by British band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, and is also the first single taken from their 1984 album, Junk Culture...
", which reached #5 in the UK, "Talking Loud and Clear
Talking Loud and Clear
"Talking Loud and Clear" is a song by British band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark released as the second single taken from their 1984 album, Junk Culture.The song was edited for its 7" single release, clocking at 3:53.-B-side:...
" (#11), and "Tesla Girls
Tesla Girls
"Tesla Girls" is a song by British band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark released as the third single taken from their 1984 album, Junk Culture .The single performed poorer than expected mainly due to a lack of media coverage...
" (#21).
The title track is an instrumental with heavy dub overtones and tape collages, "All Wrapped Up" is a calypso pop song which sounds like an electro take on some of the material on The Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
's London Calling
London Calling
London Calling is the third studio album by the English punk rock band The Clash. It was released in the United Kingdom on 14 December 1979 through CBS Records, and in the United States in January 1980 through Epic Records...
. "Talking Loud and Clear" finishes the album on a reflective note, a calm pop song featuring a soprano saxophone melody and Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk is an influential electronic music band from Düsseldorf, Germany. The group was formed by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in 1970, and was fronted by them until Schneider's departure in 2008...
-style keyboard arpeggio.
Track listing
Side 1- "Junk Culture" (Instrumental) – 4:06
- "Tesla GirlsTesla Girls"Tesla Girls" is a song by British band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark released as the third single taken from their 1984 album, Junk Culture .The single performed poorer than expected mainly due to a lack of media coverage...
" – 3:51 - "LocomotionLocomotion (OMD song)"Locomotion" is a hit single recorded and released by British band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, and is also the first single taken from their 1984 album, Junk Culture...
" – 3:53 - "Apollo" – 3:39
- "Never Turn AwayNever Turn Away"Never Turn Away" is a song by British band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark released as the fourth single taken from their 1984 album, Junk Culture.-B-sides:The song 'Wrappup' is a dubbed version 'All Wrapped Up'...
" – 3:57
Side 2
- "Love and Violence" – 4:40
- "Hard Day" – 5:59
- "All Wrapped Up" – 4:25
- "White Trash" – 4:35
- "Talking Loud and ClearTalking Loud and Clear"Talking Loud and Clear" is a song by British band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark released as the second single taken from their 1984 album, Junk Culture.The song was edited for its 7" single release, clocking at 3:53.-B-side:...
" – 4:20- "The Angels Keep Turning (The Wheels of the Universe)" [free one-sided 7" single included with initial pressing of the album]
Personnel
Group members:- Paul HumphreysPaul HumphreysPaul Humphreys is a British musician.-Life and career:He is best known as a member of synth pop group Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark , which he founded with Andy McCluskey in 1978.He grew up on the Wirral Peninsula in North West England, during which time he developed his interest in German...
: vocals, Roland JP8, emulator, Korg Preset, acoustic piano, Fairlight CMI, celeste, Prophet 5 - Andy McCluskeyAndy McCluskeyGeorge Andrew "Andy" McCluskey is the lead singer, bass guitarist, and primary songwriter for the band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark ....
: vocals, bass guitar, guitar, Roland JP8, emulator, Fairlight CMI, Latin percussion - Martin CooperMartin Cooper (artist)Martin Cooper is a painter and a musician.-Musical career:From 1980 until 1989 Cooper was a member of the rock group Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. Prior to joining OMD, Cooper played the saxophone at some of their concerts, or they used his pre-recorded work. He also played with Dalek I Love...
: Prophet 5, emulator, tenor and soprano saxophones, Roland SH2, marimba - Malcolm HolmesMalcolm HolmesMalcolm Holmes is a British drummer. He is best known for being the drummer with Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, with whom he had a #3 UK hit with "Souvenir" and a #4 US/#48 UK hit with "If You Leave."-Biography:...
: acoustic and electronic drums, Latin percussion, drum computer programming
Additional performers:
- Gordan Troeller: piano on "Locomotion", JP8 on "White Trash"
- Maureen Humphreys: vocals on "Tesla Girls"
- Jan Faas, Jan Vennik, Bart van Lier: brass section on "Locomotion" and "All Wrapped Up"
- Tony ViscontiTony ViscontiAnthony Edward Visconti is an American record producer and sometimes a musician or singer.Since the late 1960s, he has worked with an array of performers; his lengthiest involvement with any artist is with David Bowie: intermittently from Bowie's 1969 album Space Oddity to 2003's Reality, Visconti...
: brass arrangements on "Locomotion" and "All Wrapped Up" - Bob LudwigBob LudwigBob Ludwig is an American mastering engineer.He is a well known and respected figure within the music industry. His name is credited on the covers of albums released across the world, and he has won numerous awards....
: Mastering