Andy and Jeff

Andy McCluskey of Orchestral Maneouvres In The Dark is 50 today. A very underrated band, OMD – definitely worth a revisit for people like me who like to see where the sound of today actually came from. They were a celebration of electronica, managing to avoid the label of New Romanticism yet riding on the wave. Their lush sound was ahead of its time. As singer, McCluskey himself brought intelligence to his lyrics and passion to his live performance. I saw OMD as a singles band – Joan Of Arc, Souvenir etc. These came at a very troubling time of my life. But I hear them today and can face that time with equanimity. I did and will always associate OMD with Enola Gay, however, their crowning moment. After visiting Hiroshima a couple of months back, it obviously carries an even greater significance. But OMD were more than a singles band. They are also remembered for albums like their first eponymous LP and Architecture and Morality. Their biggest selling LP was Sugar Tax, from as late as 1991. Somehow, that passed me by. I was beneath the surface with David Sylvian. I never realised that McCluskey was the force behind Atomic Kitten and their number one single, Whole Again, in 1998. A reformed OMD performed gigs to celebrate thirty years as a band in 2007/8. Where was I? In New Zealand or Cuba, or simply somewhere down the garden path looking for messages.

It shouldn’t be this way, but most of my generation (and those following) know Jeff Beck only for the party perennial, Hi Ho Silver Lining. It’s hard for me to believe that Jeff Beck turns 65 today, just a week or so after Chris Spedding. They seemed to serve different generations. For me, Jeff Beck was definitely the previous generation. OK, that didn’t stop me liking Hendrix and The Doors. And I grew into music with The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, The Who and Eric Clapton, Beck’s contemporaries. He was one of the famous trio, alongside Jimmy Page and Clapton, who played guitar in The Yardbirds. It’s strange how things happen. There’s The Jeff Beck Group, with Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood and others. Then just Beck working with Stewart. Beck has a car crash and leaves music for a year. Stewart joins Ronnie Wood and The New Faces. Stewart’s career trajectory changes. Beck’s goes underground. Everybody remembers The Faces. They become John Peel’s favourite ever band. Not many people remember Beck, Bogert and Appice. Yet, Beck’s guitar prowess lived on through many solo projects and diversion into jazz rock. To those who know, he is one of rock’s top 10 great guitarists. Hey ho. Every cloud…

markgriffiths@idealconsulting.co.uk