Messages

7" single sleeve

10" single sleeve

**Messages** (Humphreys/McCluskey) is the title of an OMD song first released on the groups debut album. As a single release, it became the group's first hit in May 1980.

## History

Messages is one of OMD's earliest compositions. The song was performed live at early shows (eg. Leigh, 1979 and would also have featured in their live shows when supporting Gary Numan on The Touring Principle, and for all successive tours. A demo version of the song, dating back to 1978, was made available in 2018.

The song's first official release was on the eponymous debut album, although a version had also previously been recorded for their debut Peel session in August 1979 (first broadcast 03 September 1979).

### Re-recording

A new version of the song, produced by Mike Howlett, was recorded for a single release, allegedly after pressure from the record company to get the band a hit single. This had meant the recruiting of a producer from outside the band, an idea which at first did not appeal to Paul and Andy, having been used to recording and producing everything themselves. recording began in March 1980 (possibly after the group had completed their first headlining tour) at Advision Studios in Central London.

The new version has basically the same structure and lyrics as the original (Howlett did not wish to push the band too much with any new arrangements) although with a far more bolder sound thanks to the repetitive opening synth line which continues throughout the track, a crescendo opening leading into a stronger drums and bass line, and a generally 'beefed up' overall sound with a slightly faster tempo.

The new version was premiered live on The Old Grey Whistle Test on 15 April 1980, with the single being released two weeks later. This is the definitive version which has been included on all OMD singles compilation albums and is still performed live.

## Lyrics and style

The lyrics to Messages are written from the point of view of a man begrudgingly receiving letters from a former lover. In part he rejects the titular messages them but also does not have the courage to destroy them: "*I'd write and tell you them that I'd burned them all but you never sent me your address, and I've kept them anyway*". Typically the song does not have a traditional sung chorus but instead carries a catchy synth melody which is extended between the second and third verse.

## Single release

The re-recorded single version was released on DinDisc in both 7" and 10" formats on 02 May 1980, the latter having a slightly longer version of Messages than the former, and with an extra track on the B-side. The sleeve design was by Peter Saville with two slightly different designs for each format.

The single gained extensive radio play on its release and the group appeared on Top of the Pops for the first time on 08 May 1980 to perform the song when it was still at no.53, although it did not reach the Top 40 until almost two weeks later. It climbed to no.26 the week after resulting in a second TOTP performance on 29 May 1980. The single eventually reached no.13 although could not be performed or shown again on the programme, due to a BBC strike which kept the show off the air for two months.

According to Howlett, during the recording of a 'dummy' session for TOTP, McCluskey had siad to him that he still preferred the original album version, despite the fact that Howlett's version had become a hit.

>
> *Two months later he called me out of the blue and said he had changed his mind—he now thought it was the best thing they had ever recorded and would I like to produce the next album.*
>
>

### Tracklisting

7" single DIN 15
A. Messages (4:01)

B. Taking Sides Again (4:20)

10" single DIN 15-10
A. Messages (4:48)

B. Waiting For the Man/Taking Sides Again

### Notes

* The fundamental difference between the two versions of Messages is that the 10" version has a longer run-out. The song structure and mix remain the same.
* Taking Sides Again is a dub mix/version of Messages (see page).
* Waiting For The Man is a cover version of the 1967 Velvet Underground song 'I'm Waiting For the Man' written by Lou Reed.
* An initial pressing featured the original album version of Messages instead of the re-recorded version. Such discs were however quickly withdrawn and remain a rarity. [1]
* Due to this change, initial pressings of the 10" single with the new and longer version of Messages mistakenly credit the production to Chester Valentino and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark whereas it was actually produced by Mike Howlett.[2] A further issue correctly credits Mike Howlett as producer. [3]

### Promo video

A promo video was made for the single. It features the four-man line up of McCluskey, Humphreys, Holmes and Douglas,. the same line-up who performed the song live on *The Old Grey Whistle Test* in April, and twice on *Top of the Pops* in May (see below).

In the video Paul Humphreys plays a left-handed bass guitar.

## Versions and availability

 Original (album) version
 7" single version
* *O.M.D.* (US comp., 1980)
 10" single version
* *Dindisc 1980* (Dindisc comp., 1980)
* Shame (CDS, 1987)
* Dreaming (ltd.10", 1988)
* *The Best of OMD* (1988)
* *The OMD Singles* (1998)
* *Messages: Greatest Hits* (2008)
* *Elektro Diskow* (2011)
* *Top Of The Pops '80* (UMC comp., 2017)
 Peel session version
 Live versions - see below

## Live performances

Messages has always been played at OMD live gigs since the early days and has been played on every major tour since. The song usually appears early on in the set, or even as "third song in" as referred by Andy McCluskey.

### Official live releases

(release year in brackets)

* 1979-08-27: Live at Leigh Rock Festival '79
* 1983-05-10: Hammersmith Odeon, London on Live at the Hammersmith Odeon, London 10.05.1983 (2019)
* 2007-05-19: Hammersmith Apollo, London on *Architecture & Morality & More*, & DVD (2008)
* 2011-02-03: The Mermaid Theatre, Liverpool on CD 04 of *Souvenir (boxset)* CD4 (2019)
* 2018-10-06/07: Live With The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra (2018)
* 2019-11-04: The Empire Theatre, Liverpool, UK on *Live at The Empire Theatre, Liverpool* (2019)
* 2019-11-20: Hammersmith Apollo, London, UK on Live At Eventim Hammersmith Apollo (2019)
* 2022-03-14/15: *Atmospheric & Greatest Hits* (2023)

also part of the BBC Radio 1 *In Concert* recordings at Paris Theatre, February 1981 and Hammersmith Odeon, broadcast 1984-11-03

## Media

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 See Howlett's PhD thesis entitled *The Record Producer as Nexus: Creative Inspiration, Technology and the Recording Industry* (2009).