Paul Humphreys

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Paul Humphreys
Paul Humphreys 2008.JPG
Humphreys performing with OMD in 2008
Background information
Birth namePaul David Humphreys
Born (1960-02-27) 27 February 1960 (age 63)
London, England
Origin Wirral Peninsula, England
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • musician
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • synthesizers
  • keyboards
Years active1978–present
Labels
Member of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Formerly of

Paul David Humphreys (born 27 February 1960) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who is best known for his contributions to Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), an electronic band which he founded alongside Andy McCluskey in 1978. John Doran in The Quietus remarked: "If, roughly speaking, McCluskey is the intellect and inquisitive nature in the group, then Humphreys is the heart." [1]

Contents

Humphreys provided synthesizer/keyboard work and vocals from the band's inception in 1978 until his 1989 departure, seven years before their dissolution, and returned for their 2006 reformation. Despite this period of absence, his songwriting contribution features on all of the group's studio albums, save for 1991's Sugar Tax . Humphreys sang lead vocals on several OMD tracks, including the singles "Electricity", "Souvenir", "Never Turn Away", "Secret", "(Forever) Live and Die" and "What Have We Done". He fronted spin-off band the Listening Pool from 1989 to 1996, and recorded with former Propaganda lead vocalist Claudia Brücken as the duo Onetwo from 2000 to 2013.

Career

OMD

Humphreys grew up on the Wirral Peninsula in North West England, during which time he developed an interest in German electronic music by bands such as Kraftwerk, Neu!, Can and La Düsseldorf. He was also influenced by the work of Brian Eno and early ambient styles of music. Humphreys joined a variety of bands in the mid-1970s but this was mostly defined by progressive rock and it wasn't until he met Andy McCluskey that they began their own musical experiments which culminated in a one-off gig as Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark at Eric's Club in Liverpool.

OMD became one of the leading bands in the synth-pop movement, though they developed largely independently of others such as the Human League. OMD enjoyed considerable commercial success internationally during the 1980s. Humphreys' songwriting partnership with McCluskey has been dubbed the "Lennon–McCartney of synth-pop". [2] [3]

Although McCluskey was the lead singer for OMD, Humphreys did sing on several singles during the 1980s, and provided lead or prominent vocals on the album tracks "Promise", "Georgia" and "ABC Auto Industry", as well as on the B-sides "4-Neu" and "Gravity Never Failed". Humphreys was a more reserved individual than McCluskey; of their partnership, the latter said: "We always had this joke that two Pauls wouldn't get anything done and two Andys would kill each other". [4] Humphreys left OMD in 1989, but continued to pen songs for the band. He co-wrote the 1993 single "Everyday" (from Liberator ), and was the main writer of two tracks from Universal (1996): "Very Close to Far Away" and "If You're Still in Love with Me". Sugar Tax (1991) is the only album in the OMD catalogue not to feature the songwriting contribution of Humphreys.

Reformation

In 2005, McCluskey and Humphreys reunited OMD for a gig on German TV. They decided to reform OMD which McCluskey had continued with from 1989 until winding up the band in 1996 disillusioned by the prevalence of Britpop. 2007 finally saw the return of OMD in their classic line-up on stage and they have toured extensively since having received an enthusiastic and warm welcome. 2010 saw the release of Humphreys' first studio album with OMD for 24 years, titled History of Modern . Next studio album English Electric (2013) featured a lead vocal from Humphreys on the track "Stay with Me". Humphreys also sang lead on the single "What Have We Done", taken from the studio album The Punishment of Luxury (2017).

Other projects

Humphreys continued to write and record with Holmes and Cooper under the name the Listening Pool. This project met with little commercial success, though a studio album, Still Life (1994), was released. The sound was less directly electronic than even later OMD and is in marked contrast to the later sound of Onetwo and the reformed OMD.

By the late 1990s, Humphreys was performing OMD setlists once more. [5] "Paul Humphreys from OMD", in which Humphreys performed McCluskey-sung material as well as his own songs, was still active as of 2001. [6]

In 1996, Humphreys began a songwriting collaboration with German musician Claudia Brücken, who was formerly lead vocalist of the band Propaganda. They recorded and performed live under the name Onetwo from 2004 (the duo was nameless when they began performing in 2000) until their separation in March 2013.

Instruments

Humphreys' main instruments are electronic keyboards. With OMD, he made use of a wide range of these including the Korg M-500 Micro Preset monophonic analog synthesizer, polyphonic analogue synthesizers such as the Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 and the Korg Trident, the electromechanical tape-sampling instrument known as the Mellotron, electronic organs such as the Vox Jaguar, and digital sampling keyboards such as the E-mu Emulator and Fairlight CMI. Due to the restrictive nature of the equipment available to Humphreys and McCluskey they resorted to invention and innovation, which often defined their early sound. On the track "Souvenir" (1981) Humphreys used recordings of a choir tuning up to create the ethereal and fluttery choral effects which gave the song its original sound.

More recently he predominantly uses Pro Tools software and a series of soft synths for recording and writing, and a Roland Fantom keyboard for live work, largely using it as a sampling keyboard to faithfully reproduce the original sounds. When recreating the original OMD sounds of the 1980s he had to resort to buying synthesisers off eBay.

Humphreys is a self-taught musician and in the first years of OMD he built his own electronic sound making equipment. The group's first synthesiser, the Korg M-500 Micro Preset was purchased through a catalogue belonging to Andy McCluskey's mother.

Personal life

Humphreys was married to Maureen Udin. [7] He later had a relationship with Claudia Brücken, with whom he performed in Onetwo; the pair lived together in London. [8]

In 2018, Humphreys married Rūta Degutytė. [9]

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Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) are an English electronic band formed in Wirral, Merseyside, in 1978. The group consists of founding duo and principal songwriters Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys, along with Martin Cooper and Stuart Kershaw (drums). Regarded as pioneers of electronic music, OMD combined an experimental, minimalist ethos with pop sensibilities, becoming key figures in the emergence of synth-pop; McCluskey and Humphreys also established the "synth duo" trend in Britain during the 1980s. In the United States, the band were an early presence in the MTV-driven Second British Invasion.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andy McCluskey</span> British singer, songwriter and bass guitarist

George Andrew McCluskey is an English singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. He is best known as the lead singer and bass guitarist of the electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), which he founded alongside keyboard player Paul Humphreys in 1978: McCluskey has been the group's sole constant member. He has sold over 40 million records with OMD, and is regarded as a pioneer of electronic music in the UK. McCluskey is noted for his on-stage frenetic 'trainee teacher' dance.

<i>Dazzle Ships</i> (album) 1983 studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Dazzle Ships is the fourth studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 4 March 1983 by Virgin Records. Its title and cover art allude to a painting by Vorticist artist Edward Wadsworth based on dazzle camouflage, titled Dazzle-ships in Drydock at Liverpool.

<i>Junk Culture</i> 1984 studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Junk Culture is the fifth studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 30 April 1984 by Virgin Records. After the commercial disappointment of the experimental Dazzle Ships (1983), OMD and Virgin intended for the group to shift towards a more accessible sound on its follow-up release. The band retained much of their early experimental approach but embraced a wider range of influences than previously, drawing inspiration from pop, dance, Latin and black music. The record's musical style has been characterised as "Talking Heads-meets-Kraftwerk".

<i>Organisation</i> (album) 1980 studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Organisation is the second studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 24 October 1980 by Dindisc. On Organisation the group worked with a producer for the first time, enlisting former Gong bass player Mike Howlett, while session musician Malcolm Holmes became the band's full-time drummer. The record is noted for its dark, melancholic tone in comparison to other OMD releases.

<i>Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark</i> (album) 1980 studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

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The Listening Pool was an English band, founded by three former members of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), after the original-lineup split in 1989. It was composed of Paul Humphreys, Malcolm Holmes and Martin Cooper.

<i>Crush</i> (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark album) 1985 studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Crush is the sixth studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 17 June 1985 by Virgin Records. It is the first of two OMD studio albums to be produced by Stephen Hague. Aimed primarily at the US market, Crush is notable for moving the group towards a more polished sound, although elements of earlier experimentation are still present. During recording the band employed a greater use of organic instrumentation than in the past.

<i>Universal</i> (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark album) 1996 studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

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<i>The Pacific Age</i> 1986 studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

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<i>Sugar Tax</i> (album) 1991 studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Sugar Tax is the eighth studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 7 May 1991 by Virgin Records. It was the group's first studio album since 1986's The Pacific Age, and the first of three recorded without co-founder Paul Humphreys, who had departed in 1989. Featuring singer Andy McCluskey alongside a new backing band, Sugar Tax leans towards the then-prevalent dance-pop genre, with McCluskey's songwriting at times being influenced by the breakdown of his relationship with Humphreys.

<i>Liberator</i> (album) 1993 studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

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Onetwo were an English synth-pop duo formed in 2000 by singer Claudia Brücken (Propaganda) and keyboardist/singer Paul Humphreys. Their collaboration had no name until 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electricity (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark song)</span> 1979 single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enola Gay (song)</span> 1980 single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

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<i>Peel Sessions 1979–1983</i> 2000 live album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Peel Sessions 1979–1983 is a compilation album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released in 2000. The songs were recorded between 1979 and 1983 for the BBC Radio 1 show presented by John Peel. "Electricity" is added as a bonus track and is the original version that was featured on their debut single on Factory Records (FAC6). "Bunker Soldiers" was recorded for the first and fourth sessions; the version from the fourth session was not released on this album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Souvenir (song)</span> 1981 single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

"Souvenir" is a song written by Paul Humphreys and Martin Cooper of English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), and released as the first single from the group's 1981 album Architecture & Morality. Sung by Humphreys, the track is characterised by its use of slowed-down choral loops, and showcases OMD's early approach of utilising a synthesizer hook in place of a vocal chorus. The song has garnered praise from critics and fellow artists.

<i>History of Modern</i> 2010 studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

History of Modern is the eleventh studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 20 September 2010 by 100% Records. It is their first album since 1996, and the first to feature the classic four-piece OMD line-up since 1986's The Pacific Age. It was recorded remotely, with band members compiling the tracks via the Internet.

<i>English Electric</i> (album) 2013 studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

English Electric is the twelfth studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), and their second since the 2006 reformation of the group. Preceded by lead single "Metroland" on 25 March 2013, it was released on 5 April by 100% Records. Unlike predecessor History of Modern (2010), which was compiled remotely via the Internet, English Electric saw OMD co-founders Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys write and record in person, with the aim of recreating their artistic chemistry in years past. The album was largely inspired by McCluskey's then-recent divorce.

References

  1. Doran, John (25 September 2008). "Messages – Greatest Hits". The Quietus . Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  2. O'Neal, Sean (30 July 2008). "Paul Humphreys of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark". The A.V. Club . Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  3. "Music review: OMD, Kelvingrove Bandstand, Glasgow". The Scotsman . 6 August 2018. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  4. Bray, Elisa (5 April 2013). "Our friends electric: Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark" . The Independent . Independent Print Limited. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  5. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark: Biography". AllMusic . Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  6. "Electropop (no. 5: Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark)". Top Ten. 7 April 2001. Channel 4.
  7. Lai, Chi Ming (24 April 2014). "A Beginner's Guide to Stephen Hague". The Electricity Club. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  8. Duerden, Nick (16 September 2012). "How We Met: Claudia Brücken & Glenn Gregory" . The Independent. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  9. "Britų popmuzikos žvaigždę įkvepia meilė lietuvei žmonai: "Ji – mano mūza"". lrt.lt (in Lithuanian). 26 January 2020. Retrieved 8 March 2020.