Date: Sun, 21 Jan 96 01:00:02 CST From: numan@cs.uwp.edu Reply-To: numan@cs.uwp.edu (Gary Numan) Subject: Gary Numan Digest V1 #194 Gary Numan Digest Sun, 21 Jan 96 Volume 1 : Issue 194 Today's Topics: A random poll check: do you ever think of set lists? Berserker CD old v. new comparison Gary's Profile Gary Numan discography update Playing To The Alien Techno Army The poll Tour poll (2 msgs) Various ... VH-1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 Jan 1996 08:23:05 -0800 From: Rudolph Ronay Subject: To: "'numan@cs.uwp.edu'" Greeting: "And here am I sad and lonely," a response to the poll for the next tour = expressed by me through Gary Numan. I am one of those who follows from = afar and feel that the live albums makes me apart of the "live" scene. I = submitted my 30. So cold. I need it. bye bye. Rudy ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 18 Jan 1996 21:33:11 -0600 From: stenseth@mcs.net (Craig & Dawn Stenseth) Subject: A random poll check: do you ever think of set lists? To: numan@cs.uwp.edu Regarding people not responding to the 'what should Gary play on the tour' poll: Personally, _I_ didn't respond because: - I'm not planning on a trip to England in the near future, and don't want to vote on what songs will be played at a concert I won't see. - I think Gary should decide. He makes better musical decisions, as far as I can tell, then his fans or Internet users do. I can imagine a song being introduced..."and here's an old one that I never particularly cared for, but the polls and the internet say I should sing it, so...". - With the recent trend being a live album after every 1 or 2 studio ones, it seems like most songs will get recorded/performed live sooner or later anyway. I've got mixed feelings about old favorites being rerecorded onto live albums. In some cases it's a new arrangement that I like, in others I prefer the original studio version ('You Are in my Vision' from Dream Corrosion comes to mind). This, of course, isn't specific to Gary's live albums... Sorry if this comes off too negative. Please resume that interesting bootleg T-shirt argument! Craig ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 19 Jan 1996 16:13:28 -0800 From: dlangs@sunstroke.sdsu.edu (Derek Langsford) Subject: Berserker CD old v. new comparison To: numan@cs.uwp.edu Seems like I have to rely on the old maxim "if you want something done properly, do it yourself". I laid down $23 ($21.49 = 7% sales tax) for the new "Berserker" CD after geting an email from someone who thought the new disc sounds better than the old one. Now, I have the info I have pleaded for from the Digest. Thanks to all who responded (two or three I think). Here is what I can tell. PACKAGING --------- New disc has different back cover photo and info layout; has minor corrections to lyrics that are printed in black as possed to blue; is printed on very thin paper that easily creases if you don't put the insert back beneath it's retainers, but the photos are a purer white than the oild one which isnoteably yellow in comparison. The yellowing of the orginal was one reason why Gary had to use a different back photo. DISC ---- New disc has label info printed in black not blue as did the original CD release. Disc is made by Mayking Records rather than mastered by them and made by Nimbus UK as seemed to be the case with the Babylon series and Dark Light CDs. Disc is labelled as NUMACD 1001 whereas old disc was mislabelled NUMANCD 1001. I think this really should be NUMACDX 1001 but I told Gary after it had gone to press. SOUND ----- I am not convinced it sounds better. I could say the middle range is a little clearer, the treble a mite clearer and the bass a little less impressive but I may be trying to kid myself or perhaps my stereo set-up is not quite good enough to distinguish the discs more. I await to be convinced it is truly any different. Thsi is disppointing as I thought the FC edition was a little dull and the Babylon Berserker tracks were much better. ----- So, in conclusion, I don't think the new disc is worth it if you have the FC limited edition release, unless you are a completist collector and have to have both. So far, the new release may be a more limited release than the FC edition. Weird. The sound is not appreciably different IMO and the packaging has a cheap feel about it. Is thicker paper that much more expensive to use per disc? Considering the prices of CDs in the UK you'd think they could use better materials. Not ecstatic with the new release, Derek -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Derek H. Langsford dlangs@sunstroke.sdsu.edu Dept. of Biology Tel. (619) 594 2885 San Diego State University Fax (619) 594 7831 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 19 Jan 1996 13:54:50 -0800 From: dlangs@sunstroke.sdsu.edu (Derek Langsford) Subject: Gary's Profile To: numan@cs.uwp.edu In #191 Sean Francis <100557.3713@compuserve.com> wrote: >I'm a little concerned about the 'profile' mentioned in >the NuWorld posting. Consider the level Gary was at in, say, 1980. Huge >popularity, 3 singles, 1 album, U.S. Tour, European Tour, Far East Tour, >U.K Tour, another U.S. tour and the man could do no wrong. In '96 we >could/should have : > >'Techno Army' album (+ single ?) >'Premier Hits' album (+ single ?) >'Songs That Have Come In From The Cold' album (+ single ?) >Live album from March/April Tour (+ live EP ?) >"Exile" (+ single ?) >Ballad album (+ single ?) >1979/1981 live albums from Beggars >March/April Tour >Possible tour towards the end of the year >Talk about busy ! I just hope that the non-believers (which is, after all, >the people who need to be impressed too) don't get sick of Numan bringing >out a new album/single every five minutes. I thinks Derek's idea about >issuing a Numa/IRS compilation to catch the general public up with the more >recent stuff has some merit, but that would mean yet another album. What do >you all think ? Gary's profile will need some skillful management this >year. I hope it all works out :-) I think we can forget the Ballad album for 1996. All Gary has to do is finish off Exile, tour and release the live album. A second tour would pick up where the first layed off. This is not a negligible amount of work but he already has a lot of it in hand IMO. One problem for Gary is that he has been around for so long (17 years) that he has amassed a huge catalogue, the majority of which is unknown to the masses due to the problems with the media since he left Beggars Banquet. The Premier Hits CD is clearly Gary's best opportunity to get back in the spotlight. But unless he wants to spend the rest of his life playing the same old hits he needs to use this opportunity to convert people to his newer material. The BB material, while being his most recognized, only accounts for 5 years of his career. I think new fans need to be carefully drawn into the fold. For that reason I think expecting someone who notices the Carling Lager ad and buys the Premier Hits CD to then go out and buy Sacrifice is pushing reality too far. Rather, I think a second "greatest hits" (or should I say "greatest misses") would offer a less risky alternative which covers his post BB material. That might lead to purchases of albums from which came the 'misses' tracks. The Techno CD will have an audience limited to dance/techno fans. The cover album may attract fans of those artists i.e. the new teenage cohort. I doubt that it will attract non-fans of those artists who may have picked up on the Cars E. Reg ad. And besides there are a substantial group of people who mainly get compilations of artists becaue they can't afford or don't want to get indivual albums. Here's what I had in mind for the greatest misses album using 7" versions: 1. Berserker 2. My Dying Machine 3. Your Fascination 4. Call Out the Dogs 5. Miracles 6. This is Love* 7. I Can't Stop* 8. New Thing from London Town* 9. I Still Remember RSPCA# 10. New Anger 11. America 12. Heart 13. Emotion 14. The Skin Game 15. Machine and Soul 16. A Question of Faith 17. Absolution * never before on CD (giving fans reason to buy it) # only available on Babylon 3 CD I think it would squeeze onto a single CD/cassette as most of the tracks are under 4 mins. If there's enough room, the first single from 'Exile' could be added "from the forthcoming album". Maybe Polygram would want to add "Change Your Mind" and pick this up for release too, especially if they are considering a remixed version for single release. Any more material would likely not fit. I am having doubts as to whether Gary should release a live album from the Mar/April tour as it appears he will be playing much Sacrifice material and many old favourites rather than never before played material. Gary can't afford to alienate fans with a retread live album. I agree, Gary could become the musical equivalent of Terry Wogan of 1996 (UK TV personality that seemed to be everywhere one looked back in the early 80s). Would that be so bad? In some ways it would be a pleasant change to see Gary with a high rather than negligible profile. Derek -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Derek H. Langsford dlangs@sunstroke.sdsu.edu Dept. of Biology Tel. (619) 594 2885 San Diego State University Fax (619) 594 7831 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 Jan 1996 13:33:11 -0600 From: machman@interaccess.com (Jeff Tolva) Subject: Gary Numan discography update To: numan@cs.uwp.edu Hey all! If you haven't already, please note my new and improved e-mail address if you wish to write me directly. It's: machman@interaccess.com for Jeff Tolva (my real name) This is "The Machman" from Chicago as oppose to Matthew Hollbrook in England. I'm not sure if there are others who go by it either. I guess together we would be "The Machmen" :-) The Gary Numan discography has been updated with information as of January 12, 1996. The updates and additions are mostly of video information that people wanted. Remember, it's suppose to contain legit information on music, video and interview materials. In case you don't remember, the Gary Numan discography is at: ftp site- ftp.uwp.edu under directory- /pub/music/artists/n/numan.gary and file name- discog Please let me know if you notice any significant errors or omissions and I'll try to get them in by the next update :-) Bye for now. Jeff Tolva (The Machman) ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 18 Jan 96 10:07:00 GMT From: Matthew Tamea Subject: Playing To The Alien To: Numan Mailing List On 14 Jan 96 at 12:56:39 EST Brian Moloney <100572.31@compuserve.com> wrote > My problem? >Can't play, tone deaf, can't read music (don't have the time to learn) >and I want to play along (sad man that I am) >I've got the Gary Numan Song Book (but it's only got dots on lines ;-)) >You hum it, I'll play it. (It would be much easier to tell me the notes i.e. >"ABACAB") >Am I on my own with this? The answer is definitely 'no'! I have pretty much the same problem, and the same book. I have the equipment, and I can read music but only extremely slowly!!! The only thing I can say is that it's worth perservering. You'll get there in the end! Matthew. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 18 Jan 1996 14:16:46 +0000 (GMT) From: Andy Subject: Techno Army To: numan@cs.uwp.edu Anyone got any info on Techno Army ? What is it? Is it an album of techno versions of Numan songs ? If so, its gonna be awesome. Myself and a friend just finished a techno version of Question of Faith. It sounds awesome (though I do say it myself). Are there any release dates yet ? Andy ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 18 Jan 1996 09:54:38 -0600 From: Chris Schumann Subject: The poll To: numan@cs.uwp.edu I didn't vote because Gary asked for a 30 song set. That's all well and good, but because he's not touring here, and I'm not planning a trip there (maybe I should), I felt that it would be a bit of representation without taxation (unless buying the records counts). Chris http://oingomth.uwc.edu/~whizkid/numan/ ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 18 Jan 1996 09:27:17 +0000 (GMT) From: Andy Subject: Tour Poll To: numan@cs.uwp.edu If I was Gary and only received 29 responses, I too would be considerably dissapointed, especially considering the time and effoprt he obviously puts into the replies to his questions when he could be doing something far more important such as getting on with more music, or even just going shopping. Can we try to set the poll up again: if everyone can submit a top 20 songs theyd like to see at the live show I can then collate the results and send them off to Derek, so that Gary can get them within 2 or 3 weeks (if things are done quickly). They dont have to be in any order, all songs would be given an equal weighting. I just think that its simply being courteous to repay a favour with another favour Andy McHaffie amchaffie@meto.govt.uk ------------------------------ Date: 19 Jan 1996 11:47:26 BST From: Prof Graham Westbrook Subject: Tour poll To: numan@cs.uwp.edu Well, I'll delurk for just long enough to accept a slap on the wrist for not forwarding my votes - BUT - it's not as if I didn't try! Unfortunately, every time I tried to register my vote, it just bounced back and said "wrong address" or "server error". I'm afraid I gave up in the end (sheepish grin). I'll consider myself officially told off - sorry Gary, I did want to make a contribution. I wonder how many others had this problem? Vanessa (going back to lurking) ******************************************************************* * G.K.Westbrook JANET: G.K.Westbrook@uk.ac.bham * * School of Earth Sciences INTERNET: G.K.Westbrook@bham.ac.uk * * University of Birmingham * * Edgbaston * * Birmingham B15 2TT UK * * Tel: 0121 414 6153 Fax: 0121 414 3971 * ******************************************************************* ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 19 Jan 96 15:33:45 +0100 From: na468@fim.uni-erlangen.de (Markus Dietrich) Subject: Various ... To: numan@cs.uwp.edu Hello Numanoids, here some thoughts I want to pull out ... New release of the living ornaments 79/80: With sadness I read in some earlier digest that the source tapes for the live recordings in 1980 are lost!!! But what I always believed is, that there is the technical possiblity to retrieve all the digital data from a existing CD that are necessary to produce new CDs. Means, all neces- sar data are for example on the Japan CDs "Asylum 1/2/3"! Am I total wrong, or what does others of you think about that? I hope to have right, because the quality of that CD series is not bad, and because the data exists in digital, there are no sound quality losts, when producing the new ones!!! WWW adresses into CD bocklets: I would say that it is a goog idea, if Gary prints the NuWorld and NuZone(?) - WWW adresses in the bocklets of all outcoming CDs. Maybe this is not a very new idea. Gary on German TV: I dont know if I had a dream or if it was reality, but I had a vision that I have seen Gary in a german tv show, performing "Radio Heart" (playback). If someone had an idea, please mention it on the digest, because I want to know if it was a vision. (Possibly better to ask Gary ...) Exile tour poll: Here are my list of some of my favorite track, although I know it is too late: - ME! I disconnect from You - Tracks - I die : You die - Everyday I die - Please push no more - The aircrash burea - A dream of siam - It must have been years - Voix - Scar Now a test, what is possible it this textual world: (use small letters!) * * * ** ** ** ** *** *** *** *** **** **** **** ***** ****** ********* ******************* ******************** ******************** ************************ * ******************** ************************ * ********** ********** ******* *************** * ******** ************ ******* *** ********** * *********** ****** ** * * ** * *** * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * *** ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ********** * * ******* ********* * * * * * ****** * * * * ** ******************* By, M a r k u s ... ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 Jan 1996 01:26:17 -0500 From: MidgeUre@aol.com Subject: VH-1 To: numan@cs.uwp.edu Derek wrote in the last digest: <> Actually, on one of the shows, the host referred to "Cars" as "the Whatever Happened To theme". I'm not sure how Gary would feel about that rather dubious honor. The video for "Cars" has been shown on several episodes of the shows, the most recent was last week (at least that's when I caught it) episode hosted by Ron Reagan (the son, not the ex-prez). In the introduction, Reagan referred to the video as "One of the strangest music videos of all time" and described the song as "The electronic anthem of the eighties". Now, if we could only get them to acknowledge that the man is still (rather prolifically) making music. Dave ------------------------------ End of Gary Numan Digest ******************************