Gary Numan Digest Sun, 16 Feb 97 Volume 1 : Issue 306 Today's Topics: "THE DIGEST ASKS GARY - JANUARY 1997" A Review From Q Gary Numan Gary Numan Digest V1 #305 (3 msgs) Irony ? Looking for Metal Rhythm on CD Return of Illustrated Man She Cries USA Compilation Artwork ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 21:02:26 -0800 (PST) From: Derek Langsford Subject: "THE DIGEST ASKS GARY - JANUARY 1997" To: numan@cs.uwp.edu After what seems a hiatus here are the last months Q & A's with Gary. I was about a week late in getting them to him, he took a few days to answer, and I have taken 3 days to get them formatted and posted. Not a single month has been missed so far since August 1995. Past Q & A sessions are at Joeys Lindstrom's World Wide Webb site http://www.netway.ab.ca/worldwidewebb/ in the Confession section. Instructions to sk Gary a question are at the end of the Q&As. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >From Joey Lindstrom of Calgary, Alberta, Canada: Q1a. I'm glad to see that your schedule for the upcoming year is looking as full as last year's. I'm wondering, however, if there's been any further development on something that was announced last year: that Gary Numan was going to be working with a video game company to develop soundtracks for new PC games and such. Is this still in the cards, and if so, when do you think we might be able to run down to the software store and buy a copy of "Doom 3: This Time With Good Music". :-) Brian Hammond from Denver, Colorado, USA asks a similar question: Q1b. Can you divulge any new information concerning your deal to write music for a software maker? You had announced this some time ago and I haven't heard anything new about it since. A1a/b. I was supposed to be working on the music for a new game from Microprose, that's their British company name anyway, but it's all gone very quiet. My last contact with them would have been at the start of last summer. I imagine that this is no longer happening but I don't know for sure. This is the way of these things. Ideas are floated and talked about, some come to something but many, in fact the majority, don't. This game project may still see the light of day, in one form or another, so I just get on with a million other things while I'm waiting to find out. and then asks: Q2. How goes the acting lessons? My gut feel is that you'll be better at this kind of thing than you think. A2. The acting lessons are going fine but I'm still not convinced that I will ever be an actor. Q3. Who owns the rights to the music recorded for IRS during that time? I'm pretty certain that the material released officially belongs to them, but are there any demos, live shows, or other odds and ends that they might have? A3. IRS own the rights for a given period. No demo's etc that I'm aware of exist but they made a few remixes without me knowing so I guess they could have some stuff in a cupboard somewhere. Q4. If you are successful in landing an American deal, what are the odds that you might move to the states? A4. To move permanently is unlikely but spending a great deal of time there is almost essential I would say. Q5. Is there any reasonable hope that your camp and the Sisters Of Mercy camp might be able to mend bridges and get together in some fashion? Personally, at this stage in your career, and given the type of music you're currently writing, I can't think of a better, more enticing touring duo than you and the Sisters. A5. There are no broken bridges to mend. I have no problem with the Sisters and I'm sure they have none with me. My argument was with a middle man. I don't believe that he worked for the Sisters any more than he worked for me so there is NO friction between us whatsoever. Far from it actually as I'm going to see them soon. ---- >From Laura Hamilton of Denver, Colrado USA: Q6. Did you get any exciting gifts for Christmas? A6. Lots of things that I wanted but nothing that I would categorise as exciting. I was going to get a flexiwing kite that lifts you off the ground and carries you along for a while but I think that may be coming later in the year now. Q7. What might be your top goals for 1997? A7. I want a record deal. That's the main one but I also want to do a world tour although I need to achieve the first goal to make the second one viable. Actually pretty much everything I want is tied up with getting a deal. Tony R. Boies from Winchester, Virginia writes: Q8. Forgive me if this has been asked before, but have any pilots of your acquaintance ever mentioned seeing any UFO's over Britain? Do you believe that the British government would suppress such information to avoid public hysteria? A8. No pilots that I know have ever talked about seeing such things which doesn't mean they haven't of course. I couldn't tell you whether the British Government would suppress the info. I can't imagine the British getting hysterical about UFO's at all actually. Most people, those that have any interest at all, seem to find them quite exciting, if a little scary, but not the stuff of hysteria. I think a government admitting that unknown machines or objects had been spotted isn't really enough to cause hysteria anyway. A bloody great alien ripping the legs off of your pet cat would probably have a bad effect though. I think we would need something far more sinister than lights in the sky to really terrify us so I don't fully understand this 'protect the public from themselves' official stance. ---- Sean Francis, Blackboys in East Sussex, UK asks a lot of questions - Q9. If a 'die hard' fan won the National Lottery and wanted to help you in some way what would you suggest ? Sponsor a single ? Sponsor an album ? Sponsor a tour ? Buy Radio 1 ? Promote you themselves independently (eg. full page ads in the music or poster campaign) ? Hand over some cash for you to use as you wish ? Something else and if so, what ? No, I haven't won the lottery. Yet. But ten million quid is a lot of money A9. Just give the money to me thanks. I know where it needs to go. Q10. You have successfully managed to 'keep going' despite a long running radio and press problem. Looking back over your highs and lows, what do you now consider to be 'success' in the music business ? Do you think you need continuous top 10 hits to feel or be considered successful ? A10. I have no idea. Is one Number 1 hit single as successful as 30 Number 30's? If Frank Sinatra never sang again would people then say that he is no longer successful or has he done enough to be always considered a success? I think he has but who decides when an artist has reached that point? I've had over 30 chart singles and 20 chart albums in the UK, apparently, but would I be considered a success in life if I never have another one? I can't say. I wanted to be Number 1, did that, so that's success of a kind I suppose. Achieving a level of success isn't that difficult when compared to keeping that success going. Just keeping in the public eye, with or without hit records, is a feat all of its own and must rank as a form of success. As you can see, I can waffle around but I can't really answer this question. As I have got older I have become more cynical about the music industry. I find it disgusting that the latest boy/girl bands for example, are 'created' by a record company's marketing department and their songs and image are simply engineered to appeal to a mass audience. This gives the kids themselves their 12 months of fame and generates huge incomes for the 'big boys' of the industry. (Garys bit) I know that the above isn't a question but I would like to say something about it. You must remember that, whatever your likes or dislikes, people do like these boy/girl bands. They are created because there is a clear and obvious demand for them and who are we to say that that's wrong? There is nothing wrong with kids having their 12 months of fame. Nothing wrong with that at all. There is nothing wrong with record labels making money out of these bands. Why do you think record labels exist? They exist to sell to the public things that the public will be happy to buy. Things that, whether we agree with its taste or not, a large section of the public gets a great deal of pleasure from. It is not disgusting, it is business. This is called the music business after all. The other thing to bear in mind is that money made from boy/girl bands is often ploughed back into the company promotion budgets and used on other bands, bands that you and I might actually like. The more money coming in to the business, from whatever source, is more money to spend on the business, by the business. Q11. Was it like this when you started or did genuinely creative and talented people 'come through' naturally ? Is the situation getting better or worse in your opinion ? A11. The situation is the same now as it ever was. They have manufactured artists from way back, decades ago, maybe longer. They groomed and moulded artists to appeal to a particular style whenever a winning style was identified. Remember the Monkees? Auditioned and put together, a totally fabricated band that went on to sell millions of albums. Real talent has always struggled to find its way through the mass of sticky mediocrity and easy listening purile crap. Nothing has changed. Much of that mediocrity though is not of the record labels making. Few bands are actually 'created' by the labels. I believe that most of the blame for the low level of inventiveness in the music biz must lie with the radio stations, and the public themselves, but mainly radio stations. The vast majority of people don't want anything other than easy listening 'My baby just left me' type shit. The radio gives them little choice. You can't really blame someone, that only has time to listen to the radio while getting ready for work, if they are unaware of the new Numan single, or any other artist for that matter, if the radio won't play them. Radio is the power. Record labels will sign and push what they know, or believe, radio will play. Blame radio for the lack of choice, for stifling truly creative talent. And for boy bands. Q12. Apart from your existing fan base, what do you consider to be your (potential) target audience ? A12. If it has two legs and a pair of ears, they're for me. I see no reason why my stuff couldn't reach virtually anywhere. Q13. It is a (sad) fact that the majority of the single buying public do not know who you are. What is your level of expectation with singles now? Do you consider yourself an 'albums artist' ? A13. That may be true but I did get in the top 20 again in the UK last year so they should have heard of me there at least. I have no expectations when it comes to singles. I have always thought of myself as an album artist first and foremost although the fun bit is singles. I think in terms of albums, I write albums, I do not write a selection of singles that are grouped together on an album. The radio problem has always been a major source of frustration for us fans. We notice it because we have followed your career. Like most fans, I like a lot of other artists. My favourite band is Killing Joke and they don't get any airplay either. Q14. Do you believe that your situation is simply a 'dislike' problem with the radio bosses or do you think there is a calculated plan of radio promoting certain artists and not others including, unfortunately, you ? Any opinions on Killing Joke by the way ? A14. I don't think it's a dislike thing at all, not personally or musically. I don't think it's a calculated plan to ignore certain acts either. I can only speak of the UK but, at one point, Radio One were only introducing 7 singles a week onto the playlist. This at a time when something like 200 singles a week, or more, were being released. If you take into account all the 'close friends' that exist between radio and record labels, all the favours owed and nudge nudge 'you pat my back etc' that must go on it doesn't take much to realise that those seven are all well accounted for. Someone like me, no big label, no recent success, not a new flavour of the month, no 'close friends', is going to have no chance. It's not personal, it's just a rather ruthless business. Don't really know any Killing Joke stuff I'm afraid. Q15. How do you explain what a lot of fans describe as "a major return to form" with the 'Sacrifice' album? Do you think you needed to go through the pain and struggle of 'Outland' and 'Machine and Soul' to get to 'Sacrifice' or could you have achieved the right 'mind set' before, but were unable to due to external influences ? A15. Bits of all of the above. To repair something you first have to recognise that it's broken. Even when you recognise that it's broken you have to have the skill to see what needs to be fixed and the skill to actually fix it. Gemma was the single most important reason for 'Sacrifice' and now 'Exile'. She is the only one that has ever been able to make me see what it was that makes me what I am creatively. She encouraged me to go back to working alone, to using my own skills, rediscovering my own style, with all its flaws, and to imagine once again. I had forgotten how to do so many things. I had even forgotten why I wrote songs. Q16. You say you were too young to appreciate the fame and fortune when it happened and that you'd appreciate it more the second time around. How would you appreciate it better if '97 proves to be what we all hope for ? A16. You would have to live through the last 15 years of my life to really understand I'm afraid. It comes from knowing what you had and lost as much as anything. Believe me, I would appreciate it more. Q17. How important has it been to you that your 'other half' has been a fan ? Would it bother you if Gemma didn't actually like your music ? You say you rarely listen to your own stuff. How about the other family members (close and extended) and even the band members ? A17. Don't want to get picky but Gemma is not my 'other half';-). Gemma being a fan is vitally important. It is the voice of encouragement when you begin to doubt what you are doing. The voice of someone who understands the appeal of my work far better than I do. It's confidence. It's everything. If Gemma didn't like what I do I would have probably ground to a halt by now, no 'Sacrifice', just another half arsed attempt to follow up 'Machine And Soul' without any idea of what I should be doing. No direction, no style, ho hope really. I think my career would have been over by now. I don't really know if my family listens to my stuff on a regular basis. My brother is a big Kate Bush fan and my parents are into country music. Q18. I remember reading various interviews with you years ago where you said that you couldn't see yourself living past 30. Now that you have successfully negotiated that hurdle how do you feel about approaching 40 ? Do you really think that age is a serious barrier to success in the music industry ? A18. I didn't think I would survive past 30. I didn't feel I had the skill or maturity to live long enough and survive the dangers inherent in the various hobbies that I enjoyed. Aeroplanes mainly of course. I obviously wasn't quite as reckless as I thought I was. 40 is cool, I have no problems as I'm ageing reasonably well, not great but not too bad. I think that age is most definitely a barrier when it comes to success in the music industry but one that, in some situations, can be overcome. I don't think I've got to the point where I need to worry just yet though. Q19. A song and lyric question. What's 'I'm An Agent' about generally ? Who is "John the god", your brother perhaps ? And what does the line "Send in you; Stick on pretty, aircraft nose; Nothing much to care about" all about? A19. The entire 'Telekon' album is a reaction to the surprising and unwelcome aspects of a sudden rise to fame. I can't remember specifically what 'I'm An Agent' is about but it would be along those lines. Disenchantment, disappointment, fear, a whole range of things as your dream becomes reality and yet turns into a partial nightmare at the same time. 'John the God' was John Foxx, a slightly tongue in cheek pointer for the press to consider in that if they got rid of me, as seemed to be their intent, John Foxx was waiting to take my place. The 'Send in you' line is simple. Ever heard the expression being 'stuck up' or having your 'nose in the air' or 'looking down your nose at someone'. The line refers to someone like that. It was an insult. 'Stick on pretty' was a reference to make-up. 'Aircraft nose' was a reference to being stuck up or arrogant, 'Nothing much to care about' is a reference to a stuck up, caked on make up, arrogant woman of my acquaintance. Q20. Technique question about programming drums. I know you use sampled loops for a lot of the percussion in your music and add your own drum sounds as well using a drum patch on a keyboard. Given that human timing isn't 100% accurate you can use the 'quantize' feature to tidy things up afterwards. Do you have a proven technique for avoiding an 'almost spot on' hand played drum track becoming an 'all over the place' track once its been quantized? I always try several different quantize settings but the results seem to get worse with each attempt ! A20. My technique is to play it well in the first place:-) Any glitches are nearly always cured by a 16th quantize. If not, a quick edit of individual errors sorts the problem out. If something is 'almost spot on' the quantize should not make it progressively worse. You would find it helped a lot if you knew where your beats were expected to fall in relation to bar position. Without that basic knowledge you will quickly get lost if the quantize does something you don't expect. Thank you, as always, for taking the time and trouble to answer these questions. Wishing you great success and happiness in '97. Cheers, Sean. ---- >From Jeff Tolva (The Machman), Elgin, Illinois USA: Q21. IMAGES 11 takes us through 1991 with your "Automatic" work with Bill Sharpe, "Outland" album, and "The Unborn" soundtrack work you did with Michael Smith. Will you be continuing with your IMAGES series now that a few years have lapsed since this last one? If so, is this a "back burner" type of release for you? A21. I will continue with the 'Images' albums although they are very much a back burner project. Especially now that the written autobiography is coming out in the autumn. I personally enjoy listening to your IMAGES music and interviews with Peter Gilbert at the helm :-) Q22. Although the "Stormtrooper In Drag" single is technically a Paul Gardiner single, did you have much to do with the song or lyrics to the song? A22. I wrote the lyrics and some of the music but it was Pauls foundation that was the heart of the song. I added a structure, arrangement, some playing, parts and production but without Pauls original idea and guitar lines it would never have happened. It sounds suspiciously like a Gary Numan tune to me :-)) Optional - I'll understand if you'd prefer NOT to answer it: Q23. Almost 13 years has past since Paul's untimely death. Do you think about him much these days? A23. Yes, I think about him often. I was talking about him only last night at an after show party in London. Even now I can't get over the waste of his death. I have to admit that listening to his singles and "A Child With The Ghost" gives me the chills sometimes. Many thanks, Gary! ---- Jon Lester, Athens, Georgia, USA asks: Gary, I recall from early interviews you said David Bowie was a formative influence on your sense of image and style, and even a hero of sorts. I just read about the anecdotes you related on last year's "Don't Fade Away" (nope, couldn't see that one in Georgia) about the flourescent stick incident and the time in the TV studio. Q24. What was the latter all about, and have you met Bowie on other occasions? A24. I had filmed my part for a christmas TV music show and was told that Bowie was filming his part the following week. I was invited by the TV personel to come along and watch him which I did. There were several celebrities gathered in a small side room watching the action, I was at the back of this room and very much out of the way. Bowie saw me, stopped everything and had me taken out. I was later removed from the programme as well. I've not met him face to face. Couldn't care less to be honest. ---- Tom Gorham, Edinburgh, Scotland asks: On the formation of Numa back in the eighties, you stated that you didn't want "flag-waving artists with a message" on your label. In your last to or three albums, you seems to be increasingly obsessed with religion, to such an extent that your own beliefs are very strongly indicated. Q25. Do you think you've become the the sort of flag-waving artist with a message that you once shunned? A25. No. I don't try to change peoples opinions, I don't wave flags for atheists or anti religious groups, I just write songs about something that I find fascinating. It's worth bearing in mind that, even though I don't believe, many of my songs that cover the God thing are written as though he does exist and then question why certain things can happen. I genuinely believe that discovering God to be real would be the most terrifying thing I could possibly imagine and so I write about that, not that he isn't real, so I'm hardly waving flags for anything and I certainly don't have a message. Also I think that 'Sacrifice' is the only album released that has an overall religious theme to it, prior to that is was just the odd song here and there. 'Exile' isn't out yet and so it doesn't count. Regards, Tom Gorham ---- and more on David Bowie from: Cheryl Ertel of Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, USA: Hello Gary, I just recently went to see Bowie at Madison Square Garden for his 50th birthday celebration. It was really great and love his new sound. Q26. Have you listened to his latest music? If so what do you think of it and the new single, "Little Wonder" is it called? A26. It's alright. I liked 'Hearts Filthy Lesson' a lot but that's not really his 'latest'. I'm not a big fan, haven't been for a long time. To be absolutely truthful I have thoughts about Bowie that are best kept to myself. Whatever I might think of him now he was a major part of my youth and I would like to hang on to those memories. I don't want to slag him for what he's done or said about me, or for his music of late, after all, we all have our insecurities, and lose our way, from time to time. I certainly did. Record companies in the states, I've read recently, are scrambling because sales are down and grunge is stale, so they're looking for the "next big thing". Q27. What do you think the next big thing might be? What's the big thing in the U.K. (musically)? I'm feelin' another british invasion coming on. (of the musical kind) A27. My favourite band at the moment is 'Gravity Kills' so I hope the invasion comes from the States to us here in the UK rather than the other way around. To be honest though you are very welcome to some of the stuff we have to endure at the moment. If I knew what the next big thing was going to be I would make sure I was it so I can't really say. I hope that things get a bit heavier, a bit darker for a while. Thanks! Cheryl ---- Cary Wiltz, Jefferson, Louisiana, USA: Q28. Gary, have you ever considered a possible "reunion" set with Cedric and Paul etc...for old times sake? A28. Could be a bit tricky that one. Paul died a long time ago for one thing. Chris has a family and lives in France, Rrussell I haven't seen or spoken to for years and Cedric I've also lost touch with. I never had the relationship with them that I have with the current band. I'm now amongst friends when I tour, before I was amongst people that I paid to be there. Although the reality was the same the feeling, vibe and friendly atmosphere are very different. I have no intention of ever trying to get a reunion together, partial or otherwise. I have no bad feelings towards any of the old band, I just prefer to be, and to perform, with the new one. Q29. How about a fan "lottery" to visit/spend a weekend with you? A29. I used to run a monthly competition phone line so that fans could spend a day with me, each month, doing something fun like Karting or Paintball wars or whatever. After a while it ended up being the same people turning up month after month and so we stopped doing it. I suppose something could be arranged along the lines of a lottery every once in a while. Not for a while though and not for a weekend. I'm a very private person and wouldn't want people around the house. No offence intended. ---- Phil Marsh, somewhere in the UK: My question:- I remember your appearance on the Leo Sayer show in the mid 80s where you sang On Broadway and a earlier version of This Is New Love. I remember reading when Berserker was due out that the tracks had been finished, but you then decided to go back and rework them before release (sounds familiar!:-)). The Leo Sayer Show version of This Is New Love was fairly different to the final album version. Also - Tik & Tok covered A Child With The Ghost on their album - and the backing track sounds like a less "polished" version of the one used on Berserker. Q30. Soooo....I was wondering if these original versions still existed somewhere? Prime "Babylon" material I would've thought - surely they can't all be scrapped/lost? A30. The Tik and Tok version is theirs and I have no knowledge of its, or their, whereabouts these days. The only possible source of the older version of 'This Is New Love' would be on the original quarter inch tape as the 2 inch master was updated with the additions to the song. That version probably is a good candidate for the Babylon series but no record of it can be found at the moment. It's quite possible that it was used for the TV show and then taped over as I never intended keeping that version. A search is underway. Q31. Also would there be a chance of releasing that version of On Broadway you did with Leo Sayer? A31. Possibly on a Babylon although it is likely to involve some contractual time and effort which makes it a low priority idea at the moment. Many thanks for your time. Phil ---- Matthew Tamea of London, England: Hi Gary, Long time no questions...! :) I was glad to read about the book that is being planned to be written by you and Steve Malins. Wasn't it Q magazine that wrote a dreadful article about you a few years ago, I think called 'Who the hell does Gary Numan think he is?'. I know this is a regular feature but was badly written and pretty scathing. Q32. How do you feel about writing with a Q journo for the book? A32. Very happy as the journo in question is a friend. The man that wrote that nasty little Q article was called Tom Hibbert and I WILL meet him again. The world is a surprisngly small place. Q33. Do you think that an October release is realistic for such a project with all the commitments you already have this year (Kinsman, Exile, Tour, Record Deal, Airshows, etc)? I only ask because you seem to have to put so much off that you want to do. A33. It's very realistic and forms a very important part of this years attempt at improving my standing and success still further. Q34. How will the book fit in with the Images albums? Are you going to attempt to make it as 'new' as possible? Obviously stuff about your past has been largely covered on these albums and are easily kept up to date with each new release, whilst a book is something else altogether. A34. Well, I have the same life to talk about in the book as I did, and do, on the 'Images' albums. I believe that the book will give me the ability to explain things in more detail and cover more subjects than possible on the albums but, in the main, will be a book version of 'Images'. It remains to be seen whether it will hold any new information for someone that has all the 'Images' albums. I tend to think it will have a great deal of new info in it. It will be impossible to keep it up to date once it's published but I suppose, if my career goes on for another 15 or 20 years, that a part 2 would be possible. Q35. Oh yeah, and who's your favourite Spice Girl? :) A35. The 'Spice Girls' make me laugh in a fatherly kind of way. I'm sure they're very nice people but I prefer real women. Grown up women. Cheers as always, Matthew ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE END Bye for now, Gary Numan. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Gary's Questions" is made possible by the kindness to Gary Numan and Derek Langsford. whose job it is to keep Gary's email address from all rabid fans on the Numan Digest. To ask Gary a question, email it to: dlangs@sunstroke.sdsu.edu with a subject line of: Gary's Qs I reserve the right to edit or return questions for rewording or withdrawal. No questions will be dropped without the author being given the opportunity to reword their question. Have nice day! Derek ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Derek H. Langsford "Numanews" San Diego, California, USA The Gary Numan Digest email numan-request@cs.uwp.edu to subscribe -------------------------------------------------------------------------------y ------------------------------ Date: 15 Feb 97 16:36:45 EST From: Andy Westwood <100771.653@CompuServe.COM> Subject: A Review From Q To: Numan Digest The following review appears in March edition of Q magazine. "GARY NUMAN The Best Of 1984-1992", Emporio EMPRCD666 At least Emporio have the decency to include 1984-1992 in the title. These dates are important, of course, because Wing Commander Numan post-1984 means music that is at least five years adrift of the '79-'80 purple patch when his robotic synth tunes and nasal vocal delivery (Are Friends Electric, Cars, We Are Glass) were a significant strut in the pop framework of that period. No such memorable stuff here, of course, save for a rather pointless live version of Friends, Numan's material circa '84 having become dull and pretty lifeless, the sounds and delivery steeped in the production values of a fleeting, bygone era. Numan has since produced little of any significance or interest. Perhaps The Best Of The Worst Of...might have been a more appropriate title. Paul Henderson" The more time chage, eh? ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 15 Feb 1997 14:34:43 -0500 From: brezniakdavid@webtv.net (David Brezniak) Subject: Gary Numan To: numan@cs.uwp.edu Hi! My name is David Brezniak, a very loyal fan of Gary"s since 1979 or so, and seeing I am only 25, he has had a lot of impact on my life. I have searched for Numan material all along, and now since I'm on the internet, have found much more info and products, too. (thanks, digest) Other artists that I have followed, but not as closely are: Thomas Dolby, The Beatles, Julian Lennon..but I do listen to the mainstream stuff but am not loyal to any of the new grunge crap because it all sounds the same. I always enjoy originality, and we all know and appreciate how different and original Gary is! His day is coming in the USA!!! :=) ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 13 Feb 1997 09:50:10 -0500 (EST) From: JasonR1459@aol.com Subject: Gary Numan Digest V1 #305 To: numan@cs.uwp.edu Regarding Numanfan1's comments on Illustrated Man: If he got the impression that the band were approaching things purely as businessmen then I guess they have even more in common with Numan himself. Let us not forget that Gary has never been shy about his capitalist intentions and his stylistic borrowings from other performers like John Foxx. This does not undermine the quality of his work nor his committment to his fans, but Gary's always been far from artistic puritanism. He's admitted from Tubeway on to consciously appealing to as many listeners as possible (punk, new wave, new romantic, etc.) However, if his career has indeed been the result of bottom-line considerations, let us acknowledge the greatness of his songs to be somewhat inadvertant but undeniably electric. Jason ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 15:20:21 GMT From: austinbaggett@ex-or.co.uk (Austin) Subject: Gary Numan Digest V1 #305 To: numan@cs.uwp.edu (Gary Numan) In Digest 305, machman@interaccess.com (Jeff Tolva) reported: >I believe Republica's version of AFE is NOT going to be included on the >upcoming "Random" release by Beggars. Mozoko is already doing a cover >version of AFE the last I saw................ I can't see Beggars >allowing one track being done by more than one band on the same tribute >album. I would agree that having AFE appear twice would be stupid. However, in the GN Fan Club Newsletter 51, Gary and Republica are photographed together in his studio. The caption explains that "The track (AFE) should be finished in January and will be included on the forthcoming Beggars Banquet Numan covers album "Random". As the caption was written by GN himself, I would imagine that this is correct. A few Digests back, Tim from the band also reported that their version of AFE was specifically for the Random project. Austin ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 20:42:01 -0800 From: David Pipe Subject: Gary Numan Digest V1 #305 To: numan@cs.uwp.edu (Gary Numan) >Date: Mon, 10 Feb 1997 12:31:06 -0500 (EST) >From: Numanfan1@aol.com >Subject: ILLUSTRATED MAN >To: NUMAN@cs.uwp.edu > >Any of us yanks want to plan a trip to the U.K. to see Gary?.... It's a plan >of mine to see him again this year. Let me know?... I am. When he tours, I'm there. Probably will stay a couple of weeks, and catch as many shows as possible. I've been to England several times, and still can't wait to get back - especially to see Gary again. Saw him only twice in my lifetime - both in San Francisco - Teletour and I Assassin. - David ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 13 Feb 1997 09:14:40 +0000 (GMT) From: Andy Subject: Irony ? To: numan@cs.uwp.edu Ooooohh - that hurtz ! Andy :) ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 13 Feb 1997 10:26:40 -0600 (CST) From: Chris Schumann Subject: Looking for Metal Rhythm on CD To: numan@cs.uwp.edu If anyone has this for sale, or knows where I can buy it, I'd appreciate that information very much. If someone (preferably in the U.S.) has this on CD that would lend it to me, I'd appreciate that as well. Thanks, Chris ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 13 Feb 97 07:11:10 -0800 From: ROBERT_DAVIS@hp-sandiego-om2.om.hp.com Subject: Return of Illustrated Man To: numan@cs.uwp.edu Item Subject: cc:Mail Text Dear Russ, Since I still have the ticket stub, I'm indeed certain of the location of the show that I attended, and it was in fact at the Palace. I enjoyed that location so much that for most of the 80's it was the only place I would go to see a band perform live. I've only been to one show at Perkins Palace, and that was Suicidal Tendencies in '83 (with the Toy Dolls--how's that for a unique combo?) Guess the band made several appearances, eh? Thanks for the additional information, though. ~Robert ------------------------------ Date: 14 Feb 97 19:05:27 EST From: Matthew Roberts <101360.507@CompuServe.COM> Subject: She Cries To: "INTERNET:numan@cs.uwp.edu" Thanks Jeff for the comments. However I remain unconvinced. As you point out, Gary usually stuck to period pieces for the relevant Images recordings. In fact, without looking, I think the only definite exceptions were live recordings, & these of course can be seen as period pieces - just live recordings done around the appropriate time. I may be wrong on that point but it still remains very peculiar that Gary would choose a rather obscure B-side to be included amongst 7 other tracks, all from 'I, Assassin'. Also it seems to me that She Cries is slightly out of place with all the other Berserker material (including Empty Bed,Empty Heart; Here Am I & The Picture). Maybe if there's any bass players out there, they can tell the difference between Pino Palladino & Andy Coughlan/Martin Elliott. I certainly can't. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 13 Feb 1997 20:42:30 +0000 From: Paul Denman Subject: USA Compilation Artwork To: Gary Numan Hello, Just a quick note to say that the cover-art for the USA release of the compilation album "Premier Hits" can be found at the Beggars Banquet Web site at; http://www.beggars.com/welcome/newsrev.html It is a very different cover from the UK version; so anyone willing to send me a copy from the US? :-) It is due for release on 25th March, so come along all you Numanoids Stateside, get hassling those record shops & let's keep fingers crossed for a big breakthrough! Cheers, Paul. Turnpike evaluation. For information, see http://www.turnpike.com/ ------------------------------ End of Gary Numan Digest ******************************