Maid of Orleans intro

[abc123]

And I dare people in Germany, Holland and Belgium to quote another huge number 1 hit with such an absolutely un-commercial intro.
It shows how the "marketing rules" about songwriting can be questioned.

Interesting. What is the name of the group and poop song?

[NickyMcMillan]

I find it a right haunting intro. I think of imminent death when I hear that intro.

One of my fave tv shows ghost hunters, used it on there radio show once. Very cool it was too. :)

[dazzler]

And I dare people in Germany, Holland and Belgium to quote another huge number 1 hit with such an absolutely un-commercial intro.
It shows how the "marketing rules" about songwriting can be questioned.

Interesting. What is the name of the group and poop song?

Answer: there is no as far as I know ... :lol: :lol:

[Bob Hanley]

Ive always wondered what the intro on Maid Of Orleans is meant to represent. Is it just some random sounds knocked together (so to speak) or is there more to it than that? Any answers/ideas appreciated :)

Andy can correct me if I'm wrong but I'm thinking its simply a bunch of cool sounds that when brought together make a really cool intro.

[dazzler]

Ive always wondered what the intro on Maid Of Orleans is meant to represent. Is it just some random sounds knocked together (so to speak) or is there more to it than that? Any answers/ideas appreciated :)

Andy can correct me if I'm wrong but I'm thinking its simply a bunch of cool sounds that when brought together make a really cool intro.

Ofcourse ... and why are those sounds so cool?
Maybe because we can link them to the song in our own imagination ...

That's what art is all about ... it affects our hearts and souls ...

:D

[Edward]

And I dare people in Germany, Holland and Belgium to quote another huge number 1 hit with such an absolutely un-commercial intro.
It shows how the "marketing rules" about songwriting can be questioned.

A lot of people heard that intro for the first time when they bought the record and played it. I remember a lot of dj's stopped talking and opened the faders after the intro!
I even have a compilation CD with a version of MoO without the intro...

[Andy McCluskey]

The intro was a problem for radio and we did do edited versions where it was shortened.

The idea came about because we actually had the song recorded but thought the track started oddly and needed something else to anounce it's arrival. At the time of A+M we were making a lot of music that was ambient soundscapes. The natural thing was to give the song an intro that set up the feel for the main themes to resolve out of the noises.

It's not meant to "mean" anything specific, just set up a feeling to let the track grow out of the strange noises. I think that it worked well!

BTW.. for the sound anoraks...most of the noises are melotron vocal sounds slowed down/sped up and greatly distorted simply by completely overdriving the old Helios desk in The Manor Studio. Pink noise and snare drum in lots of reverb.

[FAC6]

Gosh! The origin of one of the most hypnotic sections written by OMD explained at last!

That's a historical moment. :wink:

BTW, I always thought you recorded and altered the sound of your ZX Spectrum loading a game. :twisted:

[robbo13]

Thanks very much for the replies everyone, especially Andy for the real thoughts behind the sounds! It certainly builds up the atmosphere for the song in my view. The youtube version from the Hammersmith gig gets played eveytime Im on my commy!! Class song & class memories of a brilliant night!!

[abc123]

The intro was a problem for radio and we did do edited versions where it was shortened.

The idea came about because we actually had the song recorded but thought the track started oddly and needed something else to anounce it's arrival. At the time of A+M we were making a lot of music that was ambient soundscapes. The natural thing was to give the song an intro that set up the feel for the main themes to resolve out of the noises.

It's not meant to "mean" anything specific, just set up a feeling to let the track grow out of the strange noises. I think that it worked well!

BTW.. for the sound anoraks...most of the noises are melotron vocal sounds slowed down/sped up and greatly distorted simply by completely overdriving the old Helios desk in The Manor Studio. Pink noise and snare drum in lots of reverb.

Quite close to my explanation then :lol:
Seriously, I think the intro contradicts perfectly to the song. Also, I imagine EiVT-O could sound like a extended version of the MoO intro spiced up with noises from the TNSA intro and the Sealand metal hammering outro.

[corky100]

I liked my idea better! :D

Interesting to see that MoO is actually an 'extended' version after all!

[omj]

What is pink noise?

(I know what white noise is.)

[Dresden]

What is pink noise?

A Graham Norton chat show.

[omj]

Apart from that.

[latex]

I wonder how many people have just gone rushing to get Maid of Orleans on to replay that intro again, me included :D

Facinating to get a perception of how it actually came about and was created.