Gary Numan Digest Sun, 5 May 96 Volume 1 : Issue 224 Today's Topics: ADMINISTRIVIA "NU-Zone" - Where are you? Automatic CD. I hope you write soon! Michael A Young Numan or Newman Rebuttal Replicas Technoarmy The Fury - a critique by Derek Langsford The Techno Army Tragedy... What's happened to Nu-Zone? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 May 1996 16:20:40 -0700 From: dlangs@sunstroke.sdsu.edu (Derek Langsford) Subject: ADMINISTRIVIA To: numan@cs.uwp.edu THANKS ------ to those who have supported my statement and actions in the last Digest. I hope it will lead the Digest to new and better days. Joey Lindstrom is posting his rebuttal to the accusations made in last Sunday's Digest and has passed it by me. He is posting it with my full approval and it should not need any response. And if anyone thinks it does, please send replies via email directly to Joey. On to more normal business. IDEA FOR A NEW FEATURE ----------------------- In an effort to stimulate more on-topic discussion, I think we should follow up on an idea that was proposed last year, albeit from another controversial personality on the Digest. That is, to have a subject each month for discussion that would allow everyone to particpate if they wanted. Subjects can range from each album (that's two years worth there), concerts, favorite album/track, least favourite album/track, etc. These subjects are things about which everyone might have something to say. Not that you have to. An extra 400 messages each month would be overwhelming. I'll suggest a new subject each month but will take suggestions via email if you have any. If something comes up that has a lot of support we can discuss it. I hope this will not overwhelm the Digest or be too much retread for subscribers. More likely is that it will fizzle as so many other ideas do. We'll have to see how it goes in the long run and adjust things as necessary. As a first subject, for May 96, I propose "The Fury" album. That should spark some posts - it seems to be a "love it" or "hate it" album. What were your thoughts when you first heard it, what were the circumstances of listening to it and did your views on it change over time? How do you judge it in comparison to the albums that came immediately before and after. Where do you place it in your list of Numan albums. Did the album inspire thoughts or actions? Be creative. I'll post my views to get the ball rolling in a separate post. Derek __________________________________________________________________________ Derek Langsford "Numanews" dlangs@sunstroke.sdsu.edu The Gary Numan Digest SDSU Dept of Biology email numan-request@cs.uwp.edu San Diego, CA for information or to subscribe __________________________________________________________________________ Here are the details of "The Fury" album (taken from the Discography) 1985 THE FURY Gary Numan (Keyboards, Vocals) Mike Smith (Keyboards) Tracey Ackerman (Vocals) Tessa Niles (Vocals) Dick Morrisey (Saxophone) Andy Coughlan (Bass) Ian Herron (Guitars, Vocals) Ian Ritchie (Saxophone) Martin Elliott (Bass) Produced by Gary Numan & The Wave Team (& Colin Thurston) Engineered by Peter Buhlmann Assisted by Andy Reilly Recorded and Mixed at Rock City Studios, Shepperton LP/CD Cass 4.39 6:41 Call Out the Dogs 4.03 5:14 This Disease 4.44 5:10 Your Fascination 3.38 4:18 Miracles 4.08 4:52 The Pleasure Skin 5.08 6:35 Creatures 5.42 6:14 Tricks 5.25 6:36 God Only Knows 4.03 5:20 I Still Remember LP UK Numa NUMA 1003 LP WG Teldec ? LP UK Numa NUMAX 1003 (Picture Disc) LP UK Numa NUMAP 1003 (Picture Disc) CD UK Numa CDNUMA 1003 CA UK Numa NUMAK 1003 (Extended Mixes Cassette) --------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Derek H. Langsford dlangs@sunstroke.sdsu.edu Dept. of Biology Tel. (619) 594 2885 San Diego State University Fax (619) 594 7831 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: 04 May 96 11:06:59 EDT From: Matthew Holbrook <104047.1030@CompuServe.COM> Subject: "NU-Zone" - Where are you? To: Numanews Anyone who has tried to read the NU-Zone Web site in the last week may not have been able to find it. This is because the County.Net and Netforce.Net domain names are the result of a political wrangling and are now pointing elsewhere. For this reason, NU-Zone is living at the temporary home of: http://www.ps-consultants.co.uk/machman I am hoping that we will be able to at least get County.Net to point back to us in the near future. Also, there is a good chance that NU-Zone will get its own domain name. Watch out for further updates. In the meantime ps-consultants would seem to be the answer. Matthew ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 2 May 1996 17:02:00 -0800 From: qm8c-fdl@asahi-net.or.jp (Christopher Fidel) Subject: Automatic CD. To: numan@cs.uwp.edu Hello: I'm posting this to Marcus Dietrich. On April 19th you (Marcus) sent me an e-mail saying that you would sell me your Automatic CD. I have e-mailed you about 5 times since then requesting an address of where to send the money. If you still have the CD and are still interested in selling it, please e-mail me as soon as possible. You asked if I was located in the U.S., no, I'm located in Japan and will pay for any extra shipping charges that might be required. Please let me know if you still want to sell the CD to me. Thank you. Christopher Fidel qm8c-fdl@asahi-net.or.jp Thank you for posting this for me. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 2 May 1996 19:41:34 GMT -5 From: "DJ FERNANDO 911" <950720@CENCO.ULIMA.EDU.PE> Subject: I hope you write soon! To: numan@cs.uwp.edu Hello dudes: I'm DJ Fernando 911 and (you guessed it) I'm a DJ at a local club called Bauhaus that plays 80s new wave (Romeovoid, Naked Eyes, Gary Numan and the like), electronic body music (Front 242, Bigod 20), technopop (Depeche Mode, Anything Box), shoegazing (My Bloody Valentine, Lush), indie pop (Saint Etienne, 10000 Maniacs, Bjork, etc.) and Indie Rock (Belly, Breeders, PJ Harvey). I'm Peruvian (Peru is in South America, that uncivilized place), 21 years old. I study Systems Engineering in the University of Lima. I listen to Gary Numan s music aprox. from 1990. I know is a little bit late, but this is the date when I really payed attention to the Numan concept of music (I heard GN music when it was released but with minimal emotion). My favorites are Cars, Down in the Park, Are 'friends' electric, Me, I disconnect from you, I could go on forever!!! I would like to get from you a discography to guide my future experiences. My musical interests are mostly the ones above and also The House of Love, Catherine Wheel and Sugarcubes. Please write soon to exchange viewpoints in music, life, sex and everything!!!! Waiting for your answers DJ Fernando 911 950720@cenco.ulima.edu.pe -------------------------------- / F *** ** *** / / R * * * * * * / / O ** * * ** / / N * ****** * / / T ***** * ***** / -------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 03 May 1996 08:14:14 +0000 (GMT) From: Andy Subject: Michael A Young To: numan@cs.uwp.edu Hey Michael - I got your tape (ACE!), but I cant find your email address. Can you get back to me ? Andy McHaffie ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 2 May 1996 15:33:34 +0000 From: "Quay House" Subject: Numan or Newman To: numan@cs.uwp.edu >From Julian Ashcroft - Isle of Man ash@enterprise.net Numan or Newman Why oh why do so many people, organisations and companies insist on spelling Numan 'Newman'? You would expect that someone who doesn't know about Gary would spell his name incorrectly, but those who actually deal with him, would at least get his name right. In Digest 223 there was a classic example.... Cableweb, who provide the Numan Information lines on behalf of Gary, for the UK, call him Newman, what idiots!. A better example was the commercial video release for the Sharpe & Numan track 'Change your Mind' at the end of the song before it fades out it displays the track title and the artists as Sharpe & Newman. Some years ago Gary was doing a flying display in his Harvard (in Japanese Zero Colours) at an air show here on the Isle of Man. As only a small show the brochure had a good sized photo of the Harvard and the caption along the lines of 'piloted by pop star Gary Newman' Gary still signed the photo, mostly to little kids who didn't have a clue as to who he was! (I did get him to sign my German copy of 'Are Friends Electric?' 12" version - he wouldn't sign the other 40 or 50 records I brought along!!). Please get his name right its NUMAN not NEWMAN! \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ A D V E R T \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Check out the best Scout Page on the Web at: http://scout.net/onchan/ also at: http://homepages.enterprise.net/ash/index.html (quicker way of getting to the same thing) \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ A D V E R T \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 02 May 96 16:50:39 -0600 From: "Joey Lindstrom" Subject: Rebuttal To: "numan@cs.uwp.edu" I find myself in complete agreement with everything Derek Langsford said in the Administrivia portion of the Thursday Digest. So much so, that he's left me with little to say (please, save your hurrah's for later). There are two issues that need clarification, and the reason I feel the need to do so is because not only was my own credibility called into question, but also that of all the current Numan Network site authors. Including Gary himself. First, let's clarify just what "the Numan Network 1996" is. It does not, in fact, exist in any legal sense. It is a very, very loose affiliation of Numan-oriented web sites. We show our affiliation with each other by displaying the Numan Network 1996 logo, which was graciously designed and donated to us by Gary himself (who also displays it). Nobody is "the boss" and nobody has any "power" over anyone else. Thus, the charge that I or anybody else could possibly "ex-communicate" John Carramao from the Numan Network is completely baseless, and a complete misinterpretation of some remarks I made to him in email about a week or so ago. Any Numan-oriented site is welcome, and indeed is invited, to display the logo. This still includes, and will always include, "The Joy Circuit" web site authored by John. Nobody affiliated with The Numan Network has in any way "ganged up" on John or anyone else. John's beef is with me specifically and has nothing to do with any other site author. Secondly, as Derek alluded to, the "mini-newsgroup" that I'm setting up is in fact an email reflector and, again as Derek said, strictly for administrative issues and other topics that would be completely off topic in this forum. We in no way consider ourselves "above" any other fans - in fact, speaking for myself, I consider myself to be nothing more than a servant. These sites would be nothing without the participation of YOU. Derek is absolutely correct: this forum is for Numan-related discussions only. Very little of what's been going on recently, including my own post(s), have been on topic. I deeply regret any damage that I may have personally caused, and hereby apologize to everyone. Any further communication, on any of these subjects, can be directed to my email box at numanoid@netway.ab.ca. Please respect Derek's wishes, and the wishes of the large majority of subscribers, and keep it out of the Digest. /--------------------------------------------------------- / Joey Lindstrom / numanoid@netway.ab.ca / lindstrj@cadvision.com / http://www.netway.ab.ca/numanoid/wwwebb.htm /--------------------------------------------------------- / Joey Lindstrom / numanoid@netway.ab.ca / lindstrj@cadvision.com / http://www.netway.ab.ca/numanoid/wwwebb.htm ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 2 May 1996 23:47:48 -0600 From: paddygav@magic1.org (Paddy) Subject: Replicas To: numan@cs.uwp.edu (Gary Numan) So, does this mean no one knows the answer to my Replicas question (I found it on cd with no other album attached, and have seen no such item in any discography)? Who is Gary Newman? ------------------------------ Date: 03 May 96 17:44:57 EDT From: Brian Moloney <100572.31@CompuServe.COM> Subject: Technoarmy To: "INTERNET:numan@cs.uwp.edu" Having gone against the advice of other digest readers, and paid good money for a bad CD, I can only pass a more accurate track listing to anyone else who might be thinking- 'it's got Gary on it, it can't be that bad'- think again! TechnoNotice featuring Gary (Look - I'm really, really sorry) Numan. Are 'friends' pathetic? Cras We are so futile We are crap She's been de-clawed I died:You'll die (trust me, I've heard it!) Deadandburied Machined and sour Emotionless A question of taste U took the hook Crap (rushed ours) As I listened to it in the car, a line from an as yet unmutilated song came to mind- "How could they do this, how could they do this to me?" Regards, Brian. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 May 1996 16:24:38 -0700 From: dlangs@sunstroke.sdsu.edu (Derek Langsford) Subject: The Fury - a critique by Derek Langsford To: numan@cs.uwp.edu To kick things off, here are my thoughts on "The Fury". "The Fury" was released in 1985 and it was Gary's first album on CD and it was one of my first 10 CD purchases. At over $17 at the time in 1986 it seemed rather expensive, but that was before the exchange rates changed and imports hit $20 a piece very quickly. This was the long awaited follow-up to "Berserker", which had become my favourite and still remains one of my favourite Numan albums. I have to admit I was severely let down. It still is one of my least faves and I have tried to redeme it in my mind on several occasions, but I have failed. So what is it that spoils it for me? After the relative triumph of style and substance in "Berserker", "The Fury" pales with tons more style but much less substance. "The Fury" songs are constrained by the PPG programming, the monotonous and increasingly annoying main drum beat, and spoiled by the wailing backing female backing vox. It's as if Gary's writing became regimented to fit the PPG programming rather than the PPG programming being used to enhance the songs. While there are a few good tracks on there ('Call Out the Dogs', 'Miracles', 'I Still Remember'), and the other songs actually hold up reasonably on their own, together as an album, it's all too claustrophobic. The only escape is the "stop" button on your CD player. I find it hard to justify the time to listen to the album in its entirity and this is sad after playing "Berserker" to death in 1984/85. And being a relatively new arrival to the the USA and finding it hard to get info on Numan, it was the beginning of my second drift away from his music (the first was after "Telekon"). I didn't manage to hear the extended mixes until last year. While I hope the rerelease of "The Fury" on CD contains those mixes, apart from one or two exceptions they are as we have come to expect from Gary, mere extensions. The exceptions are 'God Only Knows' which has an intriguing reworked ending and "I Still Remember' which although still not reaching the heights of the RSPCA versions, benefits from the longer format. So overall, "The Fury" undermined my confidence in Gary and I consider it one of his less accomplished albums despite the technical excellence. It's better than "The Plan" (which I have never been able to get into), and "Outland" (which I continue to feel was Gary's biggest mistake) but that's about all. I expect others will think differently. Last thing. My first listens to "Sacrifice" reminded me of" The Fury", presdominantly the repetitive programmed percussion. Fortunately, the subtly and craft of the "Sacrifice" songs shone through and the comparison faded. My mind has not changed on "The Fury" though. :-) 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, 3 May 1996 20:18:41 -0400 From: Scorbie@aol.com Subject: The Techno Army Tragedy... To: numan@cs.uwp.edu TECHNO ARMY First of all, I would like to start off by saying these guys should be found and lynched. Secondly, I feel as though I've been raped by Gary for letting this out, knowing we would buy it and putting 'Exile' second to this. I know this is a harsh statement, but I'm sick of it. The problems: This CD takes very strong and serious songs and sprinkles a revolting, mainstream, pretty pop dust all over them. They're so watered down all it accomplishes is making the original versions sound silly. On certain tracks (such as I Die: You Die and Machine + Soul) they try to alter the original chord progressions to make something "new" but all it does is clash with Gary's vocal melodies. This CD is an insult to the term "Techno". I personally love 'Ambient Techno' Orbital, Vapour Space and Aphex Twin etc... and the use of the term is offensive. I've been covering Numan tracks over the years in a 'techno' form and kick myself for not approaching Gary first. Why didn't Gary take just a little control? On occasion he sounds as though he can't wait to get home. U Got The Look evokes visions of parachute pants, bandana's and non threatening blacks break dancing. Emotion: was this a Casio 'accompany' preset? Gary sounds like he's hanging around friends screwing around. "hey mates, let's do Emotion!" Deadliner sounds as though it's being mocked. She's Got Claws is given the PetShopBoys treatment and completely destroyed. The sax solo's are lifeless. If anyone heard this before the originals, I doubt they'd rush out to buy them. The only redeeming tracks here, oddly enough, are the last two mixes of cars. Apart from the "Rush Hour Mix" title being completely generic: an 808 kick, 130bpm, fast "oh! I get it! rush hour! duh hu hu hu..." I will keep this CD only for supporting Gary's royalties. I wouldn't recomend it for *anyone* except the psychotic collector such as myself. This CD is the most revolting piece of shit second only to Automatic. I won't even play it loud in fear my neighbors may think I like garbage like this. Radio Heart, Bill Sharpe, DaDaDung, The MR trilogy and now this, on top of the piles of compilations. Exile better be the best thing since sliced bread. Scorbie (Aaron Hannum) ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 03 May 1996 03:40:33 +0000 From: Martin Wagner Subject: What's happened to Nu-Zone? To: numan@cs.uwp.edu I tried hitting Nu-Zone the other day, several times, and was told the URL was no longer on the server. Anyone know what's up? Martin ------------------------------ End of Gary Numan Digest ******************************