Andy McCluskey

Who is Andy McCluskey?

George Andrew "Andy" McCluskey is an English musician, songwriter and record producer who is regarded as a pioneer of electronic music in the United Kingdom. McCluskey is widely recognized as the frontman of globally successful new wave band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, but is also known as the founder of girl group Atomic Kitten. An Ivor Novello Award-nominated songwriter, he wrote or co-wrote multiple international hits, including: "Enola Gay", "Joan of Arc", "Maid of Orleans", "If You Leave" and "Sailing on the Seven Seas" for OMD; and "Right Now", "See Ya", "Whole Again" and "Cradle" for Atomic Kitten. Within OMD, McCluskey's lyrics often deal with important historic subject matter; his songs for Atomic Kitten generally focused on interpersonal relationships.

McCluskey has been described by critic Ned Raggett in Allmusic as an artist "who clearly could balance artistic and commercial impulses in a winning fashion." His distinctive, self-deprecating on-stage routine was dubbed the "Trainee Teacher Dance" by the BBC's Stuart Maconie, who wrote that it became "the dance-floor routine of choice" for students in the early-to-mid 1980s. In live performances, he often plays bass guitar and occasionally, keyboard instruments and guitar. McCluskey continues recording and performing with OMD to the present day.