Andy McCluskey

George Andrew "Andy" McCluskey (born 24 June 1959 in Heswall, Wirral, Merseyside) 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 (OMD), 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.

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, McCluskey often plays bass guitar (with strings inverted) and occasionally, keyboard instruments and guitar; he continues performing with OMD to the present day.