Q & A SESSION WITH ANDY McCLUSKEY!!!
Was "Dollar Girl" ever considered as a single?
"Dollar Girl" was never considered as a single.The record company thought it was too much like "Pandora's Box".
In the interview in the "Liberator" tour programme, you say that "Best Years of our Lives" is possibly one of the three best sad songs you have ever written. Which are the other two?
The first two that spring to mind are "All that Glitters" and "Walking on Air" - they're really good sad songs. I'd have to include "Statues" from the "Organisation" album and also the song "Crush".
You say you haven't played bass on a record for eight years. Why is this?
Because I write my songs using a computer and it can't play bass guitar, I have a tendency to write bass lines it can cope with. Having said that, there are two or three songs on the new album where the bass lines have the potential to be played on bass guitar in the studio.
On "Liberator" there aren't specific topics as with "Enola Gay" and "Pandora's Box". Why? Don't you want to write a song about war or Aids?
Even when I do write songs especially about someone or something, I often use language which is more generalised so that sometimes you can't tell what it is I'm thinking about and you have to decode the song. With specifically political subjects, what I put into the song is an emotional response to a situation rather than a simple cataloguing of the situation or a preaching of some point of view.
Do you think the old and new band are so different?
It's different, not necessarily because of the people in the band, but because the times have changed. The sound of modern music is different from songs years ago ('Electricity' is fifteen years old). There are certain similarities as I'm still in the band singing songs. I sometimes listen to old songs like 'Julia's song' when I'm not singing words - there are strange sounds at the end and I don't think I sing like that any more!', whilst others I could have sung yesterday
Which songs from "Sugar Tax" and "Liberator" came out as Limited Special Editions?)
Every single from "Sugar Tax" had a special CD edition apart from "Call My Name". There was the triple pack box containing the first three singles, "Pandora's Box" (in a black box), the aromatic jewel box for "Never Turn Away"- "Stand Above Me" had a limited edition with extra tracks on it but no special packaging. "Dream of Me' limited edition CD had 'live' versions of 'Enola Gay', 'Dreaming' and 'Call My Name' recorded from the concert at Milton Keynes; it also had a souvenir booklet. 'Every Day' was another limited edition 'live' CD with 'Electricity', 'Walk Tall', and 'Locomotion' (also taken from the concert at Milton Keynes in August 1991).
Could you please tell me what the song "Messages" is about?
It's about the break up of one of my earliest relationships and how the lady in question tried to maintain it by constantly writing me letters (the messages).
Where were the videos to 'Secret' and 'Souvenir' filmed?)
'Souvenir' was Blenheim Park and Stowes School. 'Secret' was Frinton beach.
Did Andy sing the backing vocals as well as the lead ocals on 'Sailing on the Seven Seas'?
The majority of backing vocals are indeed me. There is one girl singing on it, Sue Forshaw, but, yes, most of the harmonies are me.
Some months ago there was a report on German TV uhich said that a studio in Dublin where OMD recorded was burning doun. Is this true and if so, did you lose anything in the fire?
The studio did burn down but fortunately nothing of mine was badly damaged.
If the album is not out until September will the tour be in 1995 or 1996?)
I have no touring plans of any sort as yet.
I see you saythat Julia's song was written by Julia Neale. Whatever happened to her afteruards?
She wrote the words and she was with us in The Id in 1978. Now she is a nurse in York.
Where was the video for "Maid of Orleans'" filmed?)
The interiors are at The Manor Studios, Oxfordshire. Most of the exteriors are Fountains Abbey, Yorkshire.
Have you heard "The Listening Pool" album and would you go and see them play 'live'?
Yes I've heard the album and would definitely go to see them in concert.
What is your favourite non-OMD album?
There are a few I have to keep listening to among which are "For Your Pleasure" by Roxy Music and "Trans Europe Express" by Kraftwerk.
Considering the hassles involved in copyright over sampling other people"s music, e.g. "Angus Dei" and "Love Theme", how would you feel about people sampling specific pieces of OMD's music?
I would have no problem with anyone sampling OMD.
Who or what is "Then You Turn Away" about?
It's about meeting someone and then feeling foolish.
In the "'Telegraph"magazine, I noticed the lyrics to a song entitled "Walk Away". Is this song available anywhere?
I sang and wrote the words for the song which is on an album by Arthur Baker.
Are any of the old OMD hits going to be re-released?
There are no plans for this. I'm concentrating on the new album.
What is the possibility of doing a "Re-Vamp" album of selected old singles to bring them further towards the OMD sound of the '90s?
No chance! I think old songs should be left alone.
Having seen your concert at the Royal Court, I was very impressed by the encore song "Best Years of our Lives". However this was not played in the G-Mex, Manchester concert. Why was this?
We only played it once because we thought it was only right for an intimate audience in the smaller Royal Court theatre.
What was the inspiration for the "Sailing on the Seven Seas" video?
Going to New Mexico and having mad ideas.