Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!: Day 121 - Junk Culture - OMD

Junk Culture was the fifth studio album from Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. It was released on this day 32 years ago!

Now, for the record I will state that I probably know very little about OMD, I do have a few albums and love a few singles (Electricity still sounds so wonderful - especially the original Factory Release!) so I thought I'd ask a friend to share a couple of thoughts about the Junk Culture album. So, without further ado, step forward Alyson Waite.

Alyson is probably the biggest OMD fan I know. She actually has some tidy tastes when it comes to music especially her love for Ultravox (the John Foxx years of course!). Add to that a genuine passion for the Electronic Sounds of the 80's and she's the perfect person to ask to do this:
   

"I loved Junk Culture immediately. Admittedly, it was a departure from previous albums and seemingly the antithesis of Dazzle Ships in particular. Even though Junk Culture was so much more commercial , and the first three singles in particular (a conscious effort after the way Dazzle Ships was received I suspect), I never got the impression that OMD were compromising or 'selling out' in the unforgivable way some bands of a similar genre chose to go during that time.

I adored the uptempo 'poppy ' Locomotion and Tesla Girls and I still to this day can't quite understand how they manage to mix the mainstream and the experimental so beautifully - that's their charm and the reason I've loved them so much all these years."

Junk Culture - Orchestral Manoevres in the Dark

Virgin

Produced by Brian Tench and OMD

Released 30th April 1984

UK Chart #9

US Chart #162

Personnel
Group members:
    Paul Humphreys: vocals, Roland Jupiter 8, E-mu Emulator, Korg M-500 Micro Preset, acoustic piano, Fairlight CMI, celeste, Prophet 5
    Andy McCluskey: vocals, bass guitar, guitar, Roland Jupiter 8, E-mu Emulator, Fairlight CMI, Latin percussion
    Martin Cooper: Prophet 5, E-mu Emulator, tenor and soprano saxophones, Roland SH2, marimba
    Malcolm Holmes: acoustic and electronic drums, Latin percussion, drum computer programming

Additional performers:
    Gordan Troeller: piano on "Locomotion", Roland Jupiter 8 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 Visconti: brass arrangements on "Locomotion" and "All Wrapped Up"

Singles from Junk Culture

    01. "Locomotion"
    Released: 2 April 1984

UK Chart #5

   02.  "Talking Loud and Clear"
    Released: 4 June 1984

UK Chart #11

    03. "Tesla Girls"
    Released: 28 August 1984

UK Chart #21

   04.  "Never Turn Away"
    Released: 29 October 1984

UK Chart #70

Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!