In October 2023, Wirral band OMD released their 14th studio album, Bauhaus Staircase. As on their previous release, The Punishment of Luxury, dot-art artist John Petch was commissioned to produce an original painting for use on the album artwork.
Bauhaus Staircase is the fourteenth studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), and the fourth since their 2006 reformation. Released on 27 October 2023 by White Noise Records (and by 100% Records in the UK and Ireland), it is their first album in six years since The Punishment of Luxury (2017). The record was largely inspired by world politics during the late 2010s and early 2020s.
Bauhaus Staircase received very positive reviews. Record Collector and Classic Pop magazines named it the best new album release in their respective November 2023 issues, while other outlets considered it to be OMD’s finest work since the mid 1980s. The record debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart, becoming the group’s highest-charting studio album in their home country, and matching the peak of 1988’s The Best of OMD. It topped the UK Independent Albums Chart.
Andy from OMD first spotted John’s work in the dot-art Gallery back in 2015, loved his style of work and asked if he would be interested in working with the band to develop album and single covers for their next album. Since then, John has produced one album, three singles and a special, one-off design for their concert at The Royal Albert Hall in 2022.
In 2018, to coincide with an exhibition of all the artwork produced by John for the band, OMD played a secret gig in our Queen Avenue home, to a small but incredibly enthusiastic group of fans!
In 2019, we worked with local community group, Friends of 632 3003, who rescued and reinstalled the red phone box in Meols, used by Andy and Paul to book their early gigs. They asked John to design vinyls to be placed in the box, inspired by his design for The Punishment of Luxury – as you can see this was a big success! Limited edition prints of the phone box in its new livery are available here.
With another album on the horizon, Andy once again approached us in 2021 and spent time discussing with John the concept behind Bauhaus Staircase. This time, the main album cover is a very simple image, with John’s vibrant design being used on the (very!) limited edition vinyl and CD versions.
A limited edition print of this stunning design is now available through the dot-art website, and will make the perfect gift for the OMD fan in your life!
