There’s some good news and bad news for fans of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. Sources have revealed that their new album The Punishment Of Luxury has now been delayed until Spring 2018, due to touring commitments.
The good news is that the band will finally release their much-delayed album of unreleased material, and are hopeful that this stop-gap release (set for September 2017) will appease fans disappointed with the delay of their 13th studio album.
The release has been a talking point amongst fans since the turn of the millennium. Andy McCluskey told Record Collector in 2001: “I’ve a terribly strong suspicion that someone has nicked the tapes that I’ve put aside for it. They’ve gone missing somewhere in my studio, but it is a shambles! I’m hoping they’ll turn up – there’s plenty of material there that hasn’t been released.”
Whilst the masters were eventually located, the release was put on hold following OMD’s reunion in 2005. McCluskey would go on to use some of this unreleased material on 2010’s comeback album History Of Modern (see ‘Sister Marie Says’, ‘Green’ and ‘The Future, The Past And Forever After’).
The BBC have finally sanctioned an official release for McCluskey’s excellent theme for the For The Greater Good drama. Elsewhere there are a number of demos from 1987, when the band were recording new material for possible inclusion on the 1988’s Best Of OMD compilation (originally titled Messages).
Fans will also be pleased to see the appearance of the much-fabled ‘Square Dance’, an abandoned musical sketch dating to the Dazzle Ships sessions.
Exclusive to this release is a new 15-minute remix of ‘Pulse’ and a brand new recording of ‘Walk Away’ (originally recorded for Arthur Baker’s 1989 Merge album) which Paul Humphreys has stripped of its original Culture Club-like bass line.
The Electricity Club are pleased to reveal the track listing for this fascinating 2-CD compilation, titled Sanctus – Unreleased Material 1980-1996.
CD1 1980-1988
01) Telstar (Demo)
02) Enola Gay (Unreleased Mix)
03) Square Dance (Dazzle Ships outtake)
04) Sampling The Blast Furnace (by The Partnership)
05) Southern (1985 version)
06) Heaven Is (1986 Version)
07) Stay (1986 Remix / Unreleased Single)
08) Cut Me Down (The Pacific Age outtake)
09) Cajun Moon (The Pacific Age outtake)
10) Suspicion (1987 Demo)
11) Everyday (1987 Demo)
12) If You’re Still In Love With Me (1987 Demo)
13) Never Let You Go (1987 Demo)
14) Wild Strawberries (1988 Demo by Paul Humphreys)
Bonus track:
15) Walk Away (New Version)
CD2 1990-1996
01) For The Greater Good (BBC Theme)
02) Coming To See You (early version of Walk Tall, 1990)
03) Self-Destruct (1990 Demo)
04) Resist The Sex Act (Sugar Tax outtake)
05) You’re Always Coming Back To Me (Sugar Tax outtake)
06) Sanctus (1992 Demo)
07) Next To You (1992 Demo)
08) Cruel (1992 Demo)
09) Liberator (Liberator outtake)
10) Kiss Of Death (Liberator outtake)
11) Twins (Liberator outake)
12) If You’re Still In Love With Me (1993 Version / Unreleased Single)
13) Sister Marie Gabriel (Universal outtake)
14) Jerusalem (Universal outtake)
Bonus Track:
15) Pulse (Hyper Hyper Super Super Whoopee Doo Remix)
So this article was purely for fun (check the date!) and OMD’s album The Punishment Of Luxury is still scheduled for release this September. You can read more on the album via our sister site Messages: The Punishment Of Luxury.
www.omd.uk.com
www.omd-messages.co.uk
OMD pic by Ed Fielding.
