Gary Numan Digest Sun, 24 Jan 93 Volume 1 : Issue 17 Today's Topics: Kraftwerk Digressions More Kraftwerk Digressions Newsletter 39 - White Noise CDs etc. This Wreckage - Interpretation + Telekon comments Various thoughts ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 22 Jan 93 09:49:36 PST From: dlangs%sunstroke@sdsu.edu (Derek Langsford) Subject: Kraftwerk Digressions To: numanews@cs.uwp.edu Even though this contains no obligatory Numan info I let it pass as it is in response to a previous digest post and I am very interested in the UK Kraftwerk CD situation. And as I am moderator ........ :) >From mathew@mantis.co.uk Mon Jan 18 03:53:29 1993 Subject: Kraftwerk digressions From: mathew davisonj@ecn.purdue.edu (John M Davison) > Actually, I think that all of the Kraftwerk albums were made available > on CD, including the German versions. However, they aren't exactly easy to > find in the USA (especially the German versions). dlangs%sunstroke@sdsu.edu (Derek Langsford) > [Derek here: All Kraftwerk albums have been available in the USA in their > English language versions. German Versions are available on import from > Germany. Anyone seen a European copy of the English version of Computer > World - I have a German version.] As far as I know, the English version of "Computer.world" has never been released on CD in Europe. I had a copy mailed to me from the US by a friend. Similarly, "Trans-Europe Express" hasn't been released. This is probably because the company responsible for UK releases is EMI, who are only interested in really commercial stuff. They were also the last company to release anything on CD -- they predicted that the format wouldn't catch on. Still, what do you expect from the company who said the same about audio cassettes, said LPs would never take over from 78s, and turned down the Beatles? I can get the German versions of Kraftwerk albums -- I'm visiting Berlin next month -- but I'd like the English version of "Trans-Europe Express", as I only know a few words of German. Also, can anyone confirm whether the German releases of "Radio Activity" and "Autobahn" are lyrically identical to the English releases? mathew ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 23 Jan 93 21:57:53 PST From: dlangs%sunstroke@sdsu.edu (Derek Langsford) Subject: More Kraftwerk Digressions To: numanews@cs.uwp.edu >From datta@cs.uwp.edu Sat Jan 23 06:14:17 1993 From: datta@cs.uwp.edu (David Datta) Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1993 08:14:11 -0600 Subject: Re: Kraftwerk Digressions } Even though this contains no obligatory Numan info I let it pass as } it is in response to a previous digest post and I am very interested in } the UK Kraftwerk CD situation. And as I am moderator ........ :) This also has no Numan info but there is now a Kraftwerk list too! Mail kraftwerk-request@cs.uwp.edu to join. } only know a few words of German. Also, can anyone confirm whether the German } releases of "Radio Activity" and "Autobahn" are lyrically identical to the } English releases? They are identical. Complete Kraftwerk lyrics are available: ftp.uwp.edu:/pub/music/lyrics/k/kraftwerk -- -Dave datta@cs.uwp.edu "Such abuse would be illegal and is therefore unlikely." - FBI Director William Sessions ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 23 Jan 93 22:25:41 PST From: dlangs%sunstroke@sdsu.edu (Derek Langsford) Subject: Newsletter 39 - White Noise CDs etc. To: numanews@cs.uwp.edu NEWSLETTER 39 ------------- Today I received the latest UK Gary Numan Fan Club Newsletter and there is good news to pass on. 1. White Noise is available on CD from the Fan Club. Before you flood my mailbox with orders I ask you to be patient and let me verify several things before. These are: that WN will not be a general release; that Beryl will do a mass order again; that Peter is willing to mail out the CDs from London. I will try and confirm this all by next week's digest. The CD has the same tracks as the album so I assume it's a 2CD package just like Ghost. Price will be somewhere around $25 per copy. I have to verify mail costs and the exchange rate. PLEASE, if anyone sees a copy in a store or knows a store is going to get copies, LET ME KNOW. I don't want to do all this work and have you be able to pick it up in your local import stores. 2. The Fury and Strange Charm CD rereleases are planned for 1993. 3. A new studio album (running title "Vicious") should be released by next October. Writing and recording are well underway. Gary says "it is a big return to guitars and heavy synth". My question is: "are we talking more M&S-like or back to Berserker?" 4. Long versions of the M&S songs are recorded and may well be released later this year on CD. 5. The newsletter says an "Isolate" tour live album will be released in early '93 followed by the ballad album. It could be another bumper crop year for Numan Fans on CD. I will call Beryl this coming week and confirm everything. Also I will ask if The Fury CD will have the regular or extended mixes. I will suggest the extended ones as most of these have not seen CD release before. I will ask about a NUMA b-sides compilation too. It seems to be an obvious move for NUMA to make. So, keep your fingers crossed. By next week I may be taking orders for WN, until then, have a good week. Derek ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Derek H. Langsford Dept. of Biology dlangs@sunstroke.sdsu.edu San Diego State University ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 22 Jan 93 15:39:41 PST From: dlangs%sunstroke@sdsu.edu (Derek Langsford) Subject: This Wreckage - Interpretation + Telekon comments To: numanews@cs.uwp.edu Someone asked about what "This Wreckage" is about. I'll take a stab, although I must admit I rarely analyse lyrics and am doing this based on my memory of the words. To me, TW is Gary's explanation of why he quit touring back in 1981. Before the release of Telekon Gary was already being maligned by the UK music press. Fame was taking its toll. "Remind Me to Smile" indicates the problems he had dealing with fame. TW asks "what have I done wrong to be treated like this." "I can't take it anymore." "I'm going to reclaim my privacy, withdraw from public life." "So I won't be performing anymore, farewell". TW is one of Telekon's stronger tracks. I differ with Brian in that this is one of my least fave albums of Gary's. It temporarily stopped me buying Gary's albums on release day. It was not until Warriors that I caught up again. Telekon is still a lower point for me. The title track has to be one of his worst. There are good moments : TW, Aircrash Bureau, I Dream of Wires, I am an Agent and Joy Circuit but the rest are a little dull. I was also very disappointed that We are Glass ad I Die You Die were not on the UK vinyl. All I had was my scratchy singles. The advent of CD and resurrection of those tracks onto the Asylum Telekon disc has still not brought the album back into favour with me. Derek ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Derek H. Langsford Dept. of Biology dlangs@sunstroke.sdsu.edu San Diego State University ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 22 Jan 93 09:53:03 PST From: dlangs%sunstroke@sdsu.edu (Derek Langsford) Subject: Various thoughts To: numanews@cs.uwp.edu >From bhammond@zephyr.cair.du.edu Mon Jan 18 10:38:00 1993 Date: Mon, 18 Jan 1993 11:36:03 -0700 From: "BRIAN D. HAMMOND" Subject: Some random thoughts (1) I know nothing about this Steve Smith series, but he's not the man who teamed up with Numan on the last few albums. That person was called Mike Smith. [Derek here: I am awful with names and this is not the first tie I have been corrected here. Perhaps I should just shut up!] (2) I don't know much about synthesizers so I cannot answer the question about the sounds near the end of "This is New Love", but I do have a question about this song as well. Might anyone know what the story is behind the music at the very end. As the song ends, there is what sounds to be bongo drums and just before it all ends, a voice says "ooh yeah...". Anyone? (3) I love the Telekon album, but like Numan, I think "This Wreckage" was a horrible choice for a single. While the song is excellent, it isn't my favourite on the album and I still feel that "I'm An Agent" would have been a better single. Oh well. Me! I Disconnect From You ------------------------------ End of Gary Numan Digest ******************************