Gary Numan Digest Sun, 6 Apr 97 Volume 1 : Issue 319 Today's Topics: Gary Numan Digest V1 #318 Hello to Derek Langford, Numanews and all subscribers Introduction (2 msgs) Kinsman Movie mentioned on MTV News North America Dream Set-list RANDOM INFO Random Thoughts. UK fans versus NA fans (not US fans - there's Canucks here too) Why the bias, Matthew? Digest #318 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Date: Thu, 3 Apr 1997 10:18:54 +0000 From: "Chris Savage" Subject: Gary Numan Digest V1 #318 To: numan@cs.uwp.edu Kenn Zazula wrote: > I'm one of the fortunate ones who saw Gary > on his I, Assassin Tour in the US at The Royal Oak Music Theater. > I've never forgotten it. Hey! I was there too! As I remember, my ticket said "Gary Newman". What a fun show at an intimate venue. Sigh . . . Cheers, Chris Savage csavage@sojourn.com East Lansing, Michigan, USA ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 4 Apr 1997 12:31:20 +1000 From: mark.taylor@deetya.gov.au Subject: Hello to Derek Langford, Numanews and all subscribers To: numan@cs.uwp.edu Hello Derek, Thanks very much for including me on the mailing list. My name is Mark Taylor, I'm Australian and you've just made my day. Besides getting your email this morning, another numan coincidence happened to me this morning. While driving to work, there was a "Friday Flashback" on one of the commercial radio stations here and guess what? They played that song again - "Cars". Mr Numan's definitely having a resurgence, even down here. I can't remember hearing any of Gary's music on radio here for at least 10 years. I've basically been listening to Gary all my adult life. My wife's not too keen on him though, but hey, I just play him all the same. I've got all his CDs and videos to choose from - what a smorgasbord of music to choose from. My wife just might be coming around to Gary's music by the year 2050! If I'm not mistaken I think I even saw her dancing to Metal Beat the other night in the lounge room. What a demo! The thing I've always liked about Numan's music is the fact that it's unique, innovative and dark ... and his influence on others is so vast. The other great thing about Gary is that, as a performer, he cuts it so well in the live arena. I'll never forget his impressive stage show at Brisbane's Festival Hall back in May 1980 on Gary's so-called "Far-East Tour." To me down here, you guys up there seem so Far Away. While not a musician myself, I'm a budding author and I've been trying for a long time now to get that elusive breakthrough into the bestseller market. Needless to say, it's not easy (especially being in a relatively small market like Australia), but I use Gary Numan as an inspiration to drive me and push me on in quest of my dreams. Like Gary used to all those years ago, I keep telling myself one day I'll get there. I've had a few publishers here give me the green light, only to later back out of the deal down the track. I keep plugging away though because I know my stuff's good and that it's unique while remaining accessible. Titles I've written so far include Reincarnate (Rated highly by both Harper and Random House); Morals Officer (rated very highly by University of Queensland Press) and a couple of other projects not yet complete. One of the novels in the pipeline is a real Aussie style yarn. So if anyone ever thinks they could help in anyway, drop me a line down here in the Antipodes. In conclusion (finally some might say), my favourite music other than Gary is (can you believe it?) good time oldies from the sixties and seventies even though I was only a skinny little kid then. Things like Spencer Davis Group (Stevie Winwood), Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones etc., etc. My fave Gary albums would have to be the following (well they're all of them actually - I've just ranked them that's all): Outland Darklight Berserker (what a powerful start for his own label even if the blue hair scared a few of the less faithful away) White Noise Live Warriors Sacrifice Living Ornaments 79/80 The Fury Replicas Dream Corrosion Ghost Metal Rhythm/New Anger The Pleasure Principle Telekon I, Assassin Strange Charm Machine and Soul The Skin Mechanic Tubeway Army EP Tubeway Army 1978 The Plan Tubeway Army Volume Two Tubeway Army Volume Three Dance Fave single - I Can't Stop (surprised?) Fave B-Side - In a Glass House Anyway Derek, that's it for now, look forward to hearing from you and thanks for providing this fantastic service. I for one certainly appreciate your all your efforts. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 3 Apr 1997 23:07:36 -0500 (EST) From: Shropie@aol.com Subject: Introduction To: numan@cs.uwp.edu Hello! My name is Tania. I am from Surrey, England but living in Massachusetts and homesick! So this is a great distraction for me. I have liked GN since I saw AFE? on TOTP all those years ago. I was only 11, and although the memory is a bit of a blur, I havnt forgotten. My funniest memory is crying when my "mom" wouldnt let me go to the last night of Wembley, after I had persuaded her to let me go to the first. I ran out of the house and went anyway and had a great time, despite my severe punishment when I got home. I also enjoy listening to Depeche Mode, S of Mercy, Japan, Tik and Tok, Glasshouse and Shockwork. I dont unfortunately play an instrument, but now I am older and wiser, and have wasted a few years, A message to all those young ones out there.....LEARN! Nothing else is more important to me than my two children, Natasha and Dominic. And of course that Gary Numan gets a great record deal, tons of airplay and for all us U.S. residents, an American tour. Take Care! ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 4 Apr 1997 22:27:41 -0500 (EST) From: DCGaySLP@aol.com Subject: Introduction To: numan@cs.uwp.edu Hi!!! I am so grateful for the GN Digest, NuWorld and this whole cyber community that has banded together united as the Numan bandwagon! I'm soooooo glad to finally be able to say "Gary Numan" and not hear "Gary WHO????" I've been a Numan fan as long as most of us, likely....I'm 32 living in Washington DC. I've searched high and low for everything Gary has done and must say I've done pretty well over the years. "Ghost" was the hardest thing for me to find. Copies of Machine and Soul (both mixes) and Sacrifice (both mixes) literally fell into my hands by fate while I lived in Colorado. Presently I have just about everything available on CD (albumwise) from the Numa catalog. I'm still looking for a CD version of the Sharpe+Numan "Automatic" album (I just discovered the vinyl existed last year when I found a copy in a used record store!). If anyone has any idea where I might uncover such a find, PPPLLLEEEZZEE let me know. Also looking for "Living Ornaments" on CD (heard it's a Japanese Import but can't track it down anywhere). Just joined the GN fan club and ordered some CD singles and some of the Babylon pieces (another thing I didn't know existed) I'm dying to hear "Exile" and eagerly await the possibility of finally seeing Gary live! I nearly fainted when I heard the US tour was a possibility with DC as a potential site. Who knew? Looking to expand my circle of Numanfriends in the US and on AOL so, I'm waiting for My World Storm!!! Will I get a barrage of Numanoid e-mail? Hope so!! Praying to the maker of all things....when will the next Storm come? See you soon, I hope! Richard Stott, Washington DC ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 04 Apr 1997 14:48:54 GMT From: vidville@mail.zynet.co.uk (David Pepper) Subject: Kinsman Movie mentioned on MTV News To: numan@cs.uwp.edu Hi all, On MTV News today: Didn't get the exact wording but the gist is: Recent graduate of drama school Gary Numan will play a drug dealing ex Soldier in the movie Kinsman. Just for your info. Does anybody anything about this Movie ? regards, David =20 ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 5 Apr 1997 16:29:00 -0500 (EST) From: SLIDER426@aol.com Subject: North America Dream Set-list To: numan@cs.uwp.edu Hi Everyone, I know we've tried this before, and with disappointing results, but I thought it'd be neat to establish a wish list of Numan songs to be performed on the potential North American Tour. Here's mine: 1. This is My House 2. Bleed 3. Call Out The Dogs 4. Deadliner 5. I Die: You Die 6. My Dying Machine 7. Cars 8. Down in the Park 9. The Angel Wars 10. Tracks 11, I'm an Agent 12. Moral 13. Strange Charm 14. Creatures 15. Skin Game 16. Dream Killer 17. Scar 18. Your Fascination 20. Child With The Ghost ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 3 Apr 1997 17:49:01 -0500 (EST) From: Drapop7085@aol.com Subject: RANDOM INFO To: numan@cs.uwp.edu Hello from the States again, Just wondering if there is a release date for "RANDOM", and also if there is a list of performers and what songs they are singing on the CD. Please list in the GN Digest if you know. Also, if Gary, you read this....you might think of Trent Reznor to co-produce EXILE with you. All my friends know who he is and you know what they say.....HANG WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE....he's really hot right now...couldn't hurt,ta know? Thought I'd throw in my opinion. But, what the fuck...I just want to hear it, so release it on Numa records ad I'll be happy. Mark Poppleton Drapop7085@aol.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 4 Apr 1997 22:38:55 -0500 (EST) From: MLEB67@aol.com Subject: Random Thoughts. To: numan@cs.uwp.edu Hello - Well, I just returned from spending almost $120.00 on Gary Numan cd's. Of course they're all imports from Great Britain. I picked up the double cd versions of: "Replicas" and "The Plan", "Pleasure Principle" and "Warriors" and "Telekon" and "I, Assassin". I also picked up a three cd set called, "Gary Numan - The Story So Far". I can't seem to find the double cd of "Dance" and "The First Album". Does anyone have any information on this one? I mean no disrespect to Gary in the following statements. Gary is a brilliant and very talented person. Myself, I prefer Gary's pre- "Berserker" music. "Berserker" is where Gary seemed to begin to use female back up singers. Now I really like "Berserker", but the back up vocals sort of bring it down. Now, I'm not saying that the post"Berserker" material is bad. In fact there are many really good works in the this period to present. I just really believe that Gary hurt his music and himself by adding the female back up vocals. They just sound "bubblegummy". Take "Pump It Up" for example or "I Can't Stop", the songs are completely ruined by the back up vocals. Well, that's my feelings on the subject. Does anyone argree or disagree? It is good though, that Gary is unpredictable. It really makes things much more interesting for his fans. The new "Exile" material sounds excellent! I'm very excited to hear the complete recording. I also special ordered an import copy of "Sacrifice". I can't wait to hear it, I've heard it's great. Well, thanks for listening to my random thoughts and I enjoy listening to yours. Take care and cheers to all! ---- Michael LeBlanc (Michigan-U.S.A.) MLEB67@AOL.COM ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 03 Apr 97 03:49:19 From: "Joey Lindstrom" Subject: UK fans versus NA fans (not US fans - there's Canucks here too) To: "Gary Numan" (Before I continue my little tirade, please understand that Matthew Roberts is not the target in ANY way - he's clearly on my side and most comments are directed towards the demeaning people who set me off on this rant in the first place. Feel free to skip to the next message.) On Thu, 3 Apr 97 01:00:01 CST, Matthew Roberts: >Just wanted to get that off my mind and I hope i haven't unintentionally >added to any friction. I think mutual respect is called for here. After >all, Numan fans arguing between themselves now would be the ultimate irony. Absolutely. I think I may have let my anger get in the way of clarity, Matthew. You've picked up most of my points but I think you took my meaning a bit too far in terms of how "easy" it's been being a Numan fan in the UK, and that's MY fault, not yours. Clearly it has NOT been easy, and I didn't mean to imply that it was. What I meant was that it was EASIER than being a fan here when you take EVERYTHING into account. Generally, we've been spared the "Numan is crap" comments from ignorant acquaintenances, but that was generally substituted with "this guy must be some kind of nutbar to be so freakin' goofy about some no-name guy's music". My father even once suggested that I was in *LOVE* with Gary Numan (no, we don't talk much anymore). I'll concede that your particular hurdle in this area is higher than ours, but we've got a lot of other hurdles that generally much higher, and it all adds up. At least you've had the access to the music, far better than we've had. One writer in the Thursday Digest (I'm sorry I forget your name) wrote about how he couldn't find anything in the wilds of North Carolina, and when he DID manage to find something, he paid outrageous import prices for it. We've all had to suffer with that, and the very idea of seeing him in concert.... well, I think we've got 8-10 people here in the Digest who've made the trip to the UK, the rest only dream about it. And that's not their fault: if you've got a wife and three kids to support on a modest salary, taking time off to fly over to England to see a bloody rock concert is, shall we say, not gonna happen very darned often. :-) The only reason I made it is cuz I'm single and my priorities are quite screwed up. :-) All of this assumes that the majority of people in this Digest are either in the UK or in North America. What about the many others in Africa, Australia, South America, etc., who've *NEVER* had the chance to see Numan, not even back in the 1979-1982 period? I can only imagine what the cost of "Premier Hits" is in downtown Sao Paolo. And then we have *SOME* British fans (and I can't point out enough that it is a SMALL, although significant, number of them) who react to our going ga-ga over the NA Tour possibility with no small amount of contempt. In making this announcement, even if it was quite premature, Gary in essence threw a life preserver to a drowning man. Forgive us if we struggle valiantly to reach it. :-) I can't emphasize this enough: since my post appeared, I've received 12 emails from various British fans that were essentially similar to your message: that it's about time we got a tour, that we deserved it, and that they were HAPPY FOR US. And that's damned nice of them to say, and these people ARE the majority. It's the minority that sour the mash - and they really get my ire up. If this goes through, it will be Gary's first concert in Canada since he left Calgary on November 11th 1980 - that's nearly 17 years, longer than my little sister (another Numan fan) has even been alive. UK fans have had a tour, on average, nearly every year. And the UK is small: nearly *EVERY* concert venue is accessible from ANYWHERE on that island by car (ie: drive to the gig, enjoy the show, drive home, go to bed). I've got to drive 630 miles to Vancouver to see him - that's 10-12 hours, depending on traffic, then book a hotel room in a city that's been booked solid since January. God help me if I lived in Regina (although it might then be closer to head for Minneapolis). Or maybe Kansas City? How about Houston? For many fans, even the announced tour won't help 'em as Gary's nearest stop will be 2000 miles away. In a perfect world, Gary would hop on a private jet and do a world tour, with stops everywhere (including Australia, Japan, South Africa, Mexico, Brazil, etc.) But it's not a perfect world and Gary's not U2. I don't really think he ever will be as popular as U2. And I'm fine with that. Really. If I wasn't, I wouldn't have spent 18 years as a fan, and I wouldn't have spent the countless man-hours to keep my Numan web site going. Just don't laugh at me when my ears perk up at the possibility of Gary actually flying within a day's drive to do a gig. At the possibility that I might one day be able to mention Gary Numan to somebody and get "Oh, him" in response, rather than "Gary WHO?". Truly, I'd rather have "Numan is crap" over "Gary WHO?" - but that's my heart talking, not my head. Numan fans arguing amongst themselves is indeed something best avoided. But as you said, mutual respect is called for. I've got a great deal of respect for most everybody on this list and just about every fan I've ever run into. OK, I ran into a couple of wankers on the tour, but that happens no matter where ya go. While in the UK, I was greeted VERY warmly and made to feel a part of the family. That was great and that's how it should be between us all: we're brothers and sisters in arms. I recently met up with a fellow fan here in Calgary who couldn't thank me enough for running my web site, and who *GAVE* me several rare Numan items just because he thought I'd appreciate them as a fellow fan, and who's also loaned me his Babylon set to tape until I can afford to purchase them myself (and I will, don't worry). THIS is what I have come to expect from most fans and it's the way I try to treat the fans I encounter as well (not necessarily giving stuff away, but certainly sharing in whatever I've got to offer). And for the most part, those expectations are met, on both sides. But for some British fans to ridicule those of us here, who keep the faith despite longer odds than they face, is no better than revisionist liberal historians who poke fun at all those who lost their lives at the Invasion Of Normandy. To quote Dogbert, it really gripes my wagger, and I've finally lost patience with these people. Thus, my two long-winded posts on the topic. I've intentionally not named any names up to this point, but if this bullshit keeps up I will. All we're asking for is a bit of respect. We respect you, after all. Is it so much to ask? If it is... if it's a flame war you want... well, one flame war coming right up. I'm tired of being made to feel like a doormat. /--------------------------------------------------------- / Joey Lindstrom numanoid@netway.ab.ca lindstrj@cadvision.com / http://www.netway.ab.ca/worldwidewebb/ / "There's a reason 'Wheel Of Fortune' is on right after 'Jeopardy'. Once / you've been forced to choke down the foul-tasting tequila shot of your / own abject ignorance, it's nice to be able to bite into the refreshing / lime wedge of other people's incredible fucking stupidity." / - Dennis Miller ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 4 Apr 97 13:53:11 UT From: "Jane Yorke" Subject: Why the bias, Matthew? Digest #318 To: "Gary Numan" Just felt I had to respond to David J Darens' posting in Digest #318, I mean to say what does this guy expect from the man. Matthew spends a great deal of time running this site, it isn't just a matter of typing in the news items but he also has to reply to each and everyone of the many mails he receives each day. He does all this in his own time for nothing and I personally believe he does this really well. Matthew does not expect us to constantly praise him, in fact he very rarely does receive any praise at all, but what he does seem to get is a constant slagging from digest members and people who send in mail to him. Makes you wonder why he bothers at all. I am sure that many of you noticed he was offline for a number of months from October last year and I bet many of you were disappointed at this. The reason for his absence was a culmination of events one being illness which he is still suffering from at the moment. Now when he did come back online I wonder how many of you actually bothered to write and say 'glad to see you back'. If you have recently visited his site you will notice that the news section has been regularly updated with a ditty of some sort virtually everyday. Now I would say that that aint bad going seeing as the guy was supposed to have an operation which was cancelled at the last minute last week and that is now currently scheduled for today Friday 4th. Now with reference to him missing one piece of information about the american tour, which after all is only a rumour, nothing in concrete as yet, well I feel it is totally acceptable, after all he is human. Anyway you mentioned yourself you visit NuWorld as well as NuZone which is something I always do myself and I am sure many others do as well, so whats the problem. And how many times have you been to NuZone and found out something that has not appeared on NuWorld, having said that I rest my case. So come on guys don't waste digest time and space by bitching about one another. I've lost patience, you'll lose all pride - GN ------------------------------ End of Gary Numan Digest ******************************