Paul David Humphreys (born 27 February 1960) is an English singer, songwriter and musician. He is best known as the keyboardist and secondary vocalist of the electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), which he founded alongside lead vocalist and bassist Andy McCluskey in 1978. The Quietus remarked, "If, roughly speaking, McCluskey is the intellect and inquisitive nature in the group, then Humphreys is the heart." The pair have been recognised as pioneers of electronic music.
Humphreys played with OMD until 1989, seven years before the band's dissolution, and returned for their 2006 reformation. His songwriting contribution features on all of the group's studio albums, save for 1991's Sugar Tax. Humphreys sang lead vocals on several OMD tracks, including the singles "Electricity", "Souvenir", "Never Turn Away", "Secret", "(Forever) Live and Die" and "What Have We Done".
Aside from his work with OMD, Humphreys fronted spin-off band the Listening Pool from 1989 to 1996, and recorded with former Propaganda singer Claudia Brücken as the duo Onetwo from 2000 to 2013.
Career
OMD
Humphreys was born on 27 February 1960 in London, and grew up in a working-class home on the Wirral Peninsula, near Liverpool. He was two years old when his father died; this required his mother to work three jobs at once.
