Showing posts with label synthpop. Show all posts
Showing posts with label synthpop. Show all posts
Monday, August 1, 2022
Saturday, June 11, 2022
Maid of Orleans
Maid of Orleans (The Waltz Joan of Arc) was released in 1982 by OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) and was the third single from their third studio album Architecture & Morality. The track was originally called Joan of Arc (Maid of Orleans) but was renamed for the single release to avoid confusion with their previous single "Joan of Arc".
In it's 6/8 time signature the track was originally written by Andy McCluskey of OMD on the 30th May 1981, the 550 anniversary of Joan of Arc's death. The main theme is played on an electro-mechanical instrument called a Mellotron using it's "3-Violins" sound.
The track was ranked as the 18th best single of the 1980s by bi-Monthly British Pop Magazine Classic Pop, adding that "as soon as you hear this you remember greatness".
It's hard to describe why this is my favourite music track of all time but I can remember hearing it for the first time and immediately falling in love with it.
I was staying with my Aunty and Uncle during the summer holidays of 1982 and one of my cousins was playing the single one evening. As the track blasted out of the speakers on his Hi-Fi system I was spellbound, it's drumbeat, haunting Mellotron melody and Andy McCluskey's vocals had me hypnotized and from that moment on I was hooked on the track forever.
I was already a fan of OMD having previosly heard and liked their single "Enola Gay" but there was something very special about "Maid of Orleans" and that's why it is indeed my all time favourite tune.
Nowadays whenever I listen to the track I'm instantly transported back in time to my childhood, and in particular that summer spent staying at my Aunty and Uncle's house. They were indeed good times and this track helps evoke those happy memories for me.
Tuesday, June 7, 2022
Jean-Michel Jarre
I was first exposed to the music of Jean-Michel Jarre in the early 80s during the start of Primary School.
There was a Teacher by the name of Miss Hobson who used to put together little shows every Harvest Festival which we'd watch during the school assembly. She would have the children from her class dress up as flowers and they would perform choreographed dance routines to tracks taken from Jean-Michel Jarre's "Oxygene" and "Equinoxe" albums. As I sat and watched them perform along to his music I was totally taken aback by what I was hearing.
However, it wasn't until a few years later whilst listening to an album called "The Essential Jean-Michel Jarre" soon after starting Secondary School that I'd finally discovered who the maestro responsbile for that wonderful music I'd previously heard was.
The "Essential Jean-Michel Jarre" album was a compilation of his early albums Oxygene, Equinoxe and Magnetic Fields and is a great introductory album to some of his finest early work if you've never heard of him before.
Jean-Michel Jarre Discography
He has continued to produce some great albums over the years and it's no surprise that he's often referred to as the "Godfather of Electronic Music".
I grew up listening to Jean Michel Jarre and his wonderful music evokes so many fond memories for me. That's why he will always remain one of my all time favourite musicians.
Saturday, June 4, 2022
Any Second Now
"Any Second Now" was the B-side to Depeche Mode's "Just Can't Get Enough" single released on 7th September 1981 and was their first commercially available instrumental.
There is another version this track called "Any Second Now (Voices)" and it featured on their debut album "Speak & Spell" which was released on 5th October 1981.
This is my favourite Depeche Mode instrumental track and one I played over and over again as a teen.
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