So then, who exactly did lead the way in eighties synthpop? Human League? Depeche Mode? Gary Numan's Tubeway Army? Fuck off, it was OMD. Or at least that's what OMD's Andy McCluskey reckons. Speaking to The Scotsman about the duo's previously reported reunion, McCluskey went over some old ground: "[Human League's] Phil Oakey has issues because he knows we started before the League and it pisses him off. 'Electricity' came out in May 1979, before Tubeway Army. Later, I heard Numan bought a copy of it, told his management he liked it, then they phoned us up and asked us to support him on his Cars tour. Suddenly, everyone said we were copying him! The politics were ridiculous. But Depeche Mode definitely started because of 'Electricity' - Vince Clarke heard it in a club". So, is that clear everybody?
Feb 5, 2007
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1 min read
OMD on being first
OMD's Andy McCluskey tells The Scotsman that his band started before the Human League and Tubeway Army, and inspired Depeche Mode.