Gary Numan Digest Sun, 25 May 97 Volume 1 : Issue 333 Today's Topics: 3 mentions in new Rolling Stone A convert, maybe Chart music Down the Pan Gary in Rolling Stone Gary Numan Digest V1 #332 Information on RANDOM from the music trades intro NUMAN in SPIN magazine! Our rights on the Digest Producer/Blue album Really! Outland ain't that bad! Remix: The Final Frontier Remixing again The Ad copy for RANDOM ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Date: Fri, 23 May 1997 00:35:36 -0500 From: Craig Stenseth Subject: 3 mentions in new Rolling Stone To: numan@cs.uwp.edu Gary got 3 items in the latest Rolling Stone (#762 - Jakob Dylan on Cover): 1st - "Raves" p.42 - Gary discusses a few subjects he's interested in (Religion, Electronica, Gravity Kills, etc.). They mention the Random tribute album in a blurb at the bottom, too. 2nd - "Stereos of the Stars" p.97? - Gary says "I've only recently bought a proper stereo". Uh oh. Maybe that explains some things. At least he's getting his name and views in print in the U.S. 3rd - "Reissues" p.114 - the Premier Hits album is reviewed in a paragraph, not entirely in a positive light (hey, the reviewer didn't like "White Boys & Heroes" - what's up with that?). Maybe next issue will be a cover story. . . Craig ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 23 May 1997 09:17:46 -0600 From: Scott Lucado Subject: A convert, maybe To: numan@cs.uwp.edu Hi, everybody. I'd like to let you all know that I got married last month. Not big Numan news in itself, but I got the DJ at our reception to play 3 Gary Numan songs (I had to provide the CD, of course): Cars, We Are Glass, and I Die: You Die. His comment (to the wedding party) after We Are Glass: "I've never heard of this guy, but he's pretty good! I'm going to have to get some of this!" Maybe he'll play a few Numan songs at future events. It's just kind of a shame that I had to pay my own money to hear Gary Numan played in a public venue. Now, if I can just teach my wife to appreciate the finer points of Gary's music... As a quick aside, less than two weeks after my wedding, I tore my kneecap tendon and needed surgery; I won't be dancing to Gary's music or anything else for another few months! Scott scott_lucado@amrcorp.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 22 May 1997 11:19:02 +0100 From: Tom Gorham Subject: Chart music To: numan@cs.uwp.edu (Gary Numan) David Hughes wrote: >Just ask yourself why would Mr.Numan want to get into favour with the >current pop music scene in the first place? Numan has his own sound, his >own style, his own way of writing. That last sentence is true, but it also means that Numan won't have another hit in the charts. I'd love to see Gary doing well, but his current style of writing is doing nothing to gain him a new fan base. But Gary does desperately want a hit - and if he wants one he needs to become more in tune with things. >The real issue is that Numan _cannot_ influence the current pop music scene >because he is denied access to the broadcast media which is the lifeblood >of our industry. I think that this is the sort of untrue line that Gary has been pegging his hat on for years. I can't remember how many times I've read that Gary was initially successful 'against the wishes of the media', and that they held a grudge against him in that respect. To be honest, looking back on it, I think the media got it spot on. Gary might have a gripe about not being taken seriously as an artist and the media treating him as a joke, but let's be honest, any man who drove round in a remote-controlled car at concerts, claimed his fans meant nothing to him, said his lyrics were just strings of words put together, and whined on about the Tory party can hardly expect favourable press. His music too is never going to be appreciated by real musos. Gary has been at odds with fashionable trends for years. Listen to Berserker, for example, and don't you hear the influence of Frankie Goes to Hollywood of a year before? Listen to Sacrifice and you hear Depeche Mode circa 1992. Gary might have his own sound, but too often it's been the sound of someone else a couple of years before. You can state that there's some sort of media vendetta against Gary, but look around you. Of all the people you know who have listed to Gary, I'd say that nine out of ten can't stand him. At school me and a friend were the only ones out of 400 odd who would buy his albums. Doesn't the media merely reflect that same musical taste? And look at the record industry. Companies might be lining up to link themselves with Gary's early output - three versions of Are Friends Electric on the same CD smacks of a bit of overkill in that department - but NOT ONE is prepared to buy and market his new work. They've all listened to it, they all realise that there will be a lot of press about Numan this summer, but none of them thinks it is good enough to promote. Yeah, they could all be wrong, but I wouldn't bet my Blue Label Tubeway Army album on it. The truly excellent moments in Gary's career - Replicas and Dance stand out like sore thumbs in my book - have long past, and Exile represents his last hope at gaining any sort of chart recognition. I'll go out and buy that album, not because I feel it's going to musically alter my life, but because it's Gary and I've always bought his albums, and while I no longer hold the opinion that he's some sort of musical God, I desperately want to see him do well. For all I've moaned about his musical limitations, he was perfect for me, and in my book he deserves that one last big hit for that alone. Tom ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 22 May 1997 07:12:11 -0400 From: CBM Subject: Down the Pan To: Numan Digest >>Excuse me Mr. Lindstrom...I for one think that OUTLAND is trully brilliant!!! *wondering just where you get your information from??? ~Miss Marlene a TRUE "North American" fan<< And therein lies the truth. For once (and maybe the only time:-)) i just have to agree with JoeyL, or are we being more formal these days. Having in the past been accused, once or twice, of stirring up the digest it has pleased me somewhat to see a more feisty selection of mails appearing over the past couple of month's digests. Sadly, the majority of these appear to emanate from the Uk, illustrating the essential difference between both sets of fans. Before i get accused (again) of stiring it up, it has always struck me as curious why such a difference exists. The argument that US fans think we've got it lucky is fair enough when viewing the whole thing from across the Atlantic. Whereas here in the Uk Numan fans always have, and always will be derided and abused for following Numan. It seems that the discussion on what direction Numan's career should follow has polarised on similar(ish) lines. UK- Do anything that might make him trendy or outright doom US - Stay the same with a pleasant blend of hopeful, but futile, optimism. The comments on Numan's management struck home the most with me. It is impossible from where i am sitting to find a single positive point as regards the direction in which Numan has been guided over the course of his career. Ok so his longevity in the business is one, but lets not pretend for a second that Numan is anything other than DE when it comes to the social classification of popular music. Since 1982 (if we are to be honest), time after time UK Numan fans have had to endure the most appalling PR campaign and still maintain that our musical and cultural judgement is sound in continuing to say that Numan was "alright". From the plane stuff (ok that wasn't his choice), to I Assasin (try telling your friends that Numan looks cool whilst showing them the cover of the LP or worse still the White Boys and Heroes single), to the shame of his conservatism, Numan, as one of the more infamous former posters once commented became strictly jumble-sale. Rummage to YOU over THERE. Whatever became of that block capitals man by the WAY. Still rambling I hear you say. But the point I would have eventually reached after another 500 or so words, which i will spare you, is that from here in the UK my depressing analysis of Numan's career is thus. Essentially the battle is lost for Numan, though that is no reason to ever stop fighting. Well it is, but surely the revival that we were all waiting for came and went in the three minutes of the Carling lager advertisement. it still shocked me to hear how vehmently against Numan my contemporaries still were ten years after they last heard of him. PRAT/FRIEND - "Oh you used to like Numan didn't you Alex, dress up like him and all" ALEX - "Still do" ALEX - "Oh, but I don't bother dressing up like him" (the embarassment slowly creeping across his face) PRAT/FRIEND - "God wasn't Numan really sad, always was though. Numan really was a sad wanker" I don't know what was more depressing the one millionth confirmation of Numan's wankerdom or the fact that he was mentioned in the past tense. Methinks the latter. Well it is sad that this is to be. The Uk will never be convinced of Numan to ever make him big again, or even half-big, and let's face it, it looks a long shot to bet on the nation's youth taking his music to heart. And as for the hope that someone somewhere will make Numan cool, you'll get even longer odds on it being through the managerial suss of Tony Webb etal. Hope springs eternal however and i pray that i will be proved wrong In the words of the other,even more embarassing, Gary seeking to become FAMOUS again It's good to be back:-) Alexander Deacon ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 23 May 1997 10:19:07 -0400 (EDT) From: Micromuzak@aol.com Subject: Gary in Rolling Stone To: numan@cs.uwp.edu Got the new Rolling Stone Magazine yesterday. What the hel_? Gary mentioned three times in one issue. The first place is the Raves column. He talks on about certain things he likes. The second place was a section on what musicians listen to at home (stero equipment). He went on about a walkman. Then in the record reviews, a story on the US release of Premiere Hits. The review sucked. The last thing the reviewer said was "no future -indeed." -Oh well at least Gary was in the rag over many years! ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 22 May 1997 10:19:53 -0500 From: "Chris Brown" Subject: Gary Numan Digest V1 #332 To: numan@cs.uwp.edu Hi. I'm sure you have a great list. But why am I receiving it? I sent an info request, not a subscribe command. > To: numan-members@cs.uwp.edu (Numanews Members) > Date: Thu, 22 May 97 01:00:01 CDT > From: numan@cs.uwp.edu > Reply-to: numan@cs.uwp.edu (Gary Numan) > Subject: Gary Numan Digest V1 #332 > > Gary Numan Digest Thu, 22 May 97 Volume 1 : Issue 332 > > Today's Topics: > "Outland" comment... > A Question of Remix > Audio Principles & Noise Noise > BUY!!! > Chart music > Gary Numan and Mtv > Gary Numan Digest V1 #331 (2 msgs) > Gary on WHFS Radio, Washington DC > Good Grief > mirabilis > random date > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Date: Sun, 18 May 1997 20:02:19 -0700 (PDT) > From: princess@cyberg8t.com (Miss Marlene ) > Subject: "Outland" comment... > To: numan@cs.uwp.edu > > >I then started defending "Outland" as being "not as bad as a lot of the > >North American fans think it was" > > Excuse me Mr. Lindstrom...I for one think that OUTLAND is trully > brilliant!!! *wondering just where you get your information from???* > > ~Miss Marlene > > a TRUE "North American" fan > > http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Towers/2369 > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Wed, 21 May 1997 11:28:38 -0500 > From: austinbaggett@ex-or.co.uk (Austin) > Subject: A Question of Remix > To: numan@cs.uwp.edu (Gary Numan) > > > > >Depeche mode have always realized this, and look at the changes made > >to the single versions of A question of Time and Behind the wheel to > >make them playable in the context of a airplay chart. > > > > Absolutely to everything Arron Clague said. Perhaps GN should get the first > single from Exile remixed by some producer who is moderately hip - perhaps > one of the friendly Random 2 contributors. This remixed track could be the > one offered to Radio stations for radio play and would be on the CD single, > 12" vinyl etc. The rest of the tracks on the single could be the original > mix etc. > > Look at David Bowie's Hello Spaceboy. He got it remixed by the Pet Shop > Boys (not quite what I had in mind, but illustrates my point) and it gave > him his biggest hit in the UK in years. OK - so it wasn't my taste - I > prefered the album version. Who cares? It did the trick - it got him back > on the Radio, got him on Top of the Pops, and no doubt increased exposure > and hence sales of the Outside LP. > > Would this not be ideal for GN? > > Cheers...............Austin (a self confessed armchair expert who wonders > what the fuck else we are supposed to do on a digest dedicated solely to > Gary Numan!!) > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Wed, 21 May 1997 21:26:20 -0500 > From: machman@interaccess.com (Jeff Tolva) > Subject: Audio Principles & Noise Noise > To: numan@cs.uwp.edu > > Hey all! > > Does anyone have a track listing for the "Audio Priciple" cassette fanzine? > These are the cassette tapes that feature such things as fan-submitted cover > songs, etc. > > Here's another one: Does anyone have a track listing for the "Noise Noise" > cassette fanzine put together by Paul Green? These contain interviews of > Gary, updates on Gary's whereabouts, new release info and usually a "mix of > the week" featuring instrumental versions of Gary's tracks. > > I realize there were several volumes of each of these cassette fanzines, but > I'm looking for die-hard Numanoids who have been collecting these tapes and > have a documented track listing associated with the tapes. > > Please write me, if you can help! > > Many thanks!! > > Jeff Tolva (The Machman) > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Sun, 18 May 1997 22:16:34 +0200 > From: "Patxi Ltd" > Subject: BUY!!! > To: > > Hello! > > I buy the following items.... > > "The Skin Mechanic Video" VHS PAL FORMAT --- 40 UKP > "All Across The Nation" CD-MAXI --- 25 UKP > "Berserker Fan Club CD Edition 1991" --- 45 UKP > "Im On Automatic" CD-MAXI --- 20 UKP > "No More Lies" CD-MAXI --- 20 UKP > "Voices" CD-MAXI --- 20 UKP > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > NumanMania > ======================== > http://www.kender.es/numan > ======================== > e-mail: patxiltd@kender.es > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Sun, 18 May 1997 20:29:59 +0100 > From: dhughes@globalnet.co.uk (David J. Hughes) > Subject: Chart music > To: numan@cs.uwp.edu > > Hi all, > > Just wanted to add my two penneth... > > Arron Clague wrote ... > > >This is not that is anything wrong with the tracks, but Mr Numan is > >out of sync with current pop music. > > Just ask yourself why would Mr.Numan want to get into favour with the > current pop music scene in the first place? Numan has his own sound, his > own style, his own way of writing. There are enough acts out there all > bashing away at the same tired formula without Numan copping out. > > The real issue is that Numan _cannot_ influence the current pop music scene > because he is denied access to the broadcast media which is the lifeblood > of our industry. If he enjoyed more radio play, more bands would be > affected by his sound. > > >What he needs to get back in sync without selling out, is to get a > >great producer. > > This is both a good and bad idea...Good in that, with the right producer, a > fresh set of ideas might boost the creative spark and make Numan more > marketable to the mainstream radio stations. For instance, team Numan up > with Brian Eno and what might be the result? > > This might also be a bad idea. Imagine someone asking Numan to remix some > of the 'Sacrifice' tracks as a dance or garage number...or teaming Numan up > with someone who he doesn't respect. That would probably do more to > demotivate him than anything else... > > Some food for thought... > > Cheers > David > > T-Bass UK : Electronic Music > T-Bass Design : CD artwork > Web Site : http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~dhughes/tbass.html > email : dhughes@globalnet.co.uk > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Wed, 21 May 1997 13:06:19 -0500 > From: "Troy L. Walters" > Subject: Gary Numan and Mtv > To: Gary Numan > > Okay, so I've been watching the Mtv "500" (I'm from Indiana -- anything > that's a "500" catches my attention). > > At 1:00 p. m. (approximately) Indiana time (which is fucking different > from everywhere else for some stupid reason) I could not believe my > ears. > I was visiting Gary's own NuWorld "webb" site and downstairs they had a > brief snippet about Gary Numan having a tribute album out the first week > of June. > > My wife said "What? You've known about this for quite a while now." > > Yes. But the mentioned it on Mtv! That's what's shocking! > > So, then the Police video comes on -- at least it wasn't Rap or > country-ish or something intolerable. > > Sorry for the bandwidth, I could help it. > > -- > Troy L. Walters > tlwalter@accs.net > http://www.accs.net/users/tlwalter > -- Beware of the IDGAF Syndrome... (c)+ > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Sun, 18 May 1997 13:17:37 -0400 (EDT) > From: Drapop7085@aol.com > Subject: Gary Numan Digest V1 #331 > To: numan@cs.uwp.edu > > I'm so glad that this issue comes through the Email, because the last couple > had to be downloaded and they didn't come through. I really missed the > reading. > I, for one, can't wait for the RANDOM CD. I love hearing other peoples > interpretations of some of my favorite songs. Gary's own ON BROADWAY is quite > fun and his interpretation of TROIS GYMONPEDIES(1st MOVEMENT) simple and > haunting. > So...bring on RANDOM. > As for EXILE......I Can't Stop It...my excitement, that is. I'm waiting for > any new change he comes up with for this CD. When artists grow and change, > sometimes it works, sometimes not......but, it's better than rehashing > everything we've heard before. As for the compilations, someone said there's > too many.........DON'T BUY THEM IF YOU DON'T WANT THEM. Some people DO want > them. > Health to all. See you next issue. > Mark Poppleton > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Mon, 19 May 1997 14:02:49 +0100 > From: NICHOLAS SULLIVAN > Subject: Gary Numan Digest V1 #331 > To: "'numan@cs.uwp.edu'" > > Tubeway success > > Listening through my collection of Numan albums I cant help but > reflect on the greatness of the first Tubeway army album. Its strange to > think it sold so very few copys back in 78. This album is an underated > succes staged at a time of punk flops it deserved to be a top ten album. > For a debut album it is full of ideas and music creations that stand out > above many of the albums at the time. Its time us Numan fans were more > proud of probally one of the top albums up there with telekon and > replicas. > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Mon, 19 May 1997 18:52:58 -0400 (EDT) > From: DCGaySLP@aol.com > Subject: Gary on WHFS Radio, Washington DC > To: numan@cs.uwp.edu > > Call it a tribute to Gary or just campy song-casting, but a very catchy, > funky version of "Cars" plays in the background of several traffic reports > over the course of the day here in Washington DC on WHFS Radio out of > Annapolis, MD.....anyone knowing who did this version (TechnoArmy it ain't) > or if it is just a radio instrumental piece, let me know......thanks.... > > For the record, I'm still searching for CD's of Sharpe+Numan "Automatic" and > the Living Ornaments CD's....anyone willing to sacrifice their Asylum I, II, > III can definitely call me! > o?o o?o o?o o?o o?o o?o > Richard Stott, Washington DC > dcgayslp@aol.com > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Wed, 21 May 1997 11:28:38 -0500 > From: austinbaggett@ex-or.co.uk (Austin) > Subject: Good Grief > To: numan@cs.uwp.edu (Gary Numan) > > In the last digest: > > >Gary and Gemma are very happy together, she has > >influenced him in ways we'll never know about...blah blah blah blah blah > > Good grief. > > > We have no business commenting > >about his personal life. > > YES WE DO! It is absolutely, totally acceptable for us to comment on GN's > personal life in this digest. > > >I just wanted to speak (out of) my (ring)piece, as I usually do. > > Now THAT'S more like it! > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Wed, 21 May 1997 23:06:52 -0400 (EDT) > From: Shropie@aol.com > Subject: mirabilis > To: numan@cs.uwp.edu > > Hello! > I am new to all this computer stuff and so this may be old news for the well > established. My cousin just recently introduced me to a great programme > called Mirabilis. It is good for sending instant messages (makes e-mail look > terrible) and great for instant chat. It tells you when your friends are > on-line and vica versa but lets you choose how you come across on their > screen. > I thought this would be a great place for Numan fans to chat and send > messages. > If you would like to have this FREE service, go to mirabilis on the web and > download. My cousin pays 1 penny a minute (from the UK) to chat to me live > but for some reason I don`t pay anything from here in the US. Instant > messages are free. > Anyway, If you would like to download and contact me, my ICQ number is > 1146014. > > Best Wishes > > Tania Shropshire. > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Tue, 20 May 1997 11:47:57 -0700 > From: FORTNCR > Subject: random date > To: numan@cs.uwp.edu > > Hey listen, does anyone out there know the exact release date of > Random? In addition, does anyone have a decent track listing of these 2 > random cds? > > Thanks for the help. > > > Rob > > ------------------------------ > > End of Gary Numan Digest > ****************************** > _______________________________________________________________________ > _____ ____ ____ _____ _____ > / \ | | / \ / \ / \ / \ > | |-----| |-----| | |-----| |-----| | > | | G | | A | | | R | | Y | | > | | | | | | | | | | | > | |-----| |-----| | |-----| |-----| | > | | | | | | | | | | | > | | | | | | | | | | | > | | | | | | | | | | | > | | | | N | E | W | S |=====| | | > | | | | | & | | | | | > | | \_____/ I | N | F | O | | | | > > is produced and distributed by Derek Langsford > dlangs@sunstroke.sdsu.edu > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > To reply to the messages in this list, mail to: > > numan@cs.uwp.edu > > If you want to be removed, or someone wants to be added, you can mail to > > numan-request@cs.uwp.edu > > ----------------- > The Gary Numan Digest is brought to you via > > Datta Production and Development, 905 97th Street, Kenosha, WI 53143 USA > datta@cs.uwp.edu > and > computer resources courtesy of University of Wisconsin-Parkside > and Datta Production and Development. > > All of the opinions in this digest belong to the respective authors and > do not necessarily agree with those of Datta Production and Development. > Datta Production and Development is not affiliated with University Of > Wisconsin - Parkside or the University of Wisconsin System. > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > Chris Brown chris@storm.ca http://www.storm.ca/~chris ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 22 May 1997 08:50:07 -0700 (PDT) From: atomic@netcom.com (Mike Metlay ++ Atomic City) Subject: Information on RANDOM from the music trades To: numan@cs.uwp.edu (Numanews Mailing List) From: FORTNCR >Subject: random date >To: numan@cs.uwp.edu > >Hey listen, does anyone out there know the exact release date of >Random? In addition, does anyone have a decent track listing of these 2 >random cds? Beggars banquet has a full-page ad in June's Alternative Distribution Alliance new release catalog. I provides the following information: The exact release date of Random is June 10. The track list is as follows: DISC ONE (Artist - Song being covered) St. Etienne - Stormtrooper in Drag Matt Sharp (of Weezer) and Damon Albarn (of Blur) - We have a Technical Gravity Kills - Poetry and Power Peck Slip - I Can't Stop An Pierle' - Are 'Friends' Electric? EMF - We Are Glass The Magnetic Fields - I Die: You Die Jesus Jones - We Are So Fragile Posh - She's Got Claws Earl Brutus - M.E. Underdog - Films Sukia - Me! I Disconnect From You The Orb - Jo The Waiter (Bon Appetit remix) DISC TWO Kenickie - I'm An Agent Jimi Tenor - Down In The Park Moloko - Are 'Friends' Electric? Chris Holmes - Remember I Was Vapour Towering Inferno - Metal Dubstar - Everyday I Die Amanda Ghost - Absolution Deadsy - Replicas Pop Will Eat Itself - Friends Republica - Are 'Friends' Electric? Windscale - War Songs Bis - We Are So Fragile Dave Clarke - Cars Three AFEs, two of "WE Are So Fragile" (an odd one to have two of?), but only one of everything else, including "Cars," thank heavens. A lot of the artists are new, but many are well established, and a few give me serious pause: if the Orb do as much damage to Gary as they did to YMO on "Reconstruction," they could sink the album. The ad copy that runs under the track listing gives me very mixed feelings about the CD and its intent, and certainly makes me worry about what, if any, spinoff benefit Gary's career will have from it. The language, which is aimed at retailers and distributors rather than the public, essentially brushes off Gary's existence as an artist in his own right, and suggests that RANDOM is far more a tribute to the artists on the CD than to the guy who just happened to write all the songs they're covering. In fact, the ad specifically states that RANDOM will not be marketed as a Gary Numan tribute album, because that would possibly limit the sales! I don't mind typing up and posting the exact ad copy, but I can't do it right now. It may appear in another posting, later in this digest, or in the next one. There. See, Derek? I'm not dead, just pining for the fjords. mike -- Mike: "Generally applicable moral: the farther you go in the wrong direction, the harder it is to change course...but even a drastic course change beats slamming into a wall and killing yourself." John3: "On the other hand, if you always bring along a deck of Oblique Strategies, it doesn't really matter in the long run." =========================================================================== Mike Metlay - ATOMIC CITY - P. O. Box 81175, Pittsburgh, PA 15217-0675 USA = atomic@netcom.com -- http://pd.net/atomic-city -- 800.924.ATOM = CD orders via LOFTY PURSUITS: 800.548.6724 & 904.385.6463, FAX 904.668.5825 ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 22 May 1997 16:37:56 -0400 (EDT) From: TempoHouse@aol.com Subject: intro To: numan@cs.uwp.edu Hello everyone..a new addition to the list..name is Ramone..live in New Jersey..been listening to GN since the Tubeway Army lp..also enjoy David Sylvian-Scott Walker-Momus-YMOandalltherelatedprojects they are involved in! Would love to hear from others with equal interests...That's it!!!! ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 24 May 1997 18:33:41 -0700 From: Miss Marlene Subject: NUMAN in SPIN magazine! To: Numan Digest WOW, was I ever surprized to see a Beggars Banquet advertisement for "Premier Hits" in the June issue of Spin Magazine! They even call NUMAN "The Godfather of Electronica" Too cool! Our man is on his way! LOL! They also mention "Random" as "an album of interpretations" coming in June. ~MM ABSOLUTION is: http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Towers/2369 ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 22 May 1997 10:53:01 GMT From: Phil Marsh Subject: Our rights on the Digest To: numan@cs.uwp.edu Austin wrote:- >>YES WE DO! It is absolutely, totally acceptable for us to comment on >>GN's personal life in this digest. To what extent? I don't really see what right we have to comment on his personal life - certainly not to the point of insulting his girlfriend! Perhaps someone would like to criticise his taste in T shirts, next? Christ, some of the people on this list seem to think its ok to write whatever they can think up, regardless of how insulting it might be. Perhaps Austin subscribes to the "people in the public eye are fair game and therefore aren't entitled to have a private life"? I don't, perhaps we should agree to differ. It just seems a pity that what was once an interesting forum for exchanging ideas and comments on Numan and Numan-related topics has degenerated into: Gary needs a producer no he doesn't release Exile now I think he should do what I suggest as he is doing things wrong I don't like his choice of girlfriends Maybe that's a natural progression stemming from a lack of new product to talk about, I don't know. Just wanted to get that off my chest, not start a flame war. Love and peace to all. Phil (pmarsh@tpmde.ac.uk) ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 22 May 1997 14:49:57 +0100 (BST) From: "P.G. Whalley" Subject: Producer/Blue album To: numan@cs.uwp.edu A couple of points about the issues raised in the last digest: Undoubtedly a good producer could do wonders for Gary (I got very excited about the rumour that Trent Reznor would remix Exile) but I remember the work with Colin Thurston (most notably Your Fascination) was decidedly average, so there's no guarantees. In addition, the top producers come at one hell of a price. Gary would need major label backing to work with the likes of Eno. Would also like to add my voice to the Digester singing the praises of the blue album. Absolutely right, my friend! This album is one of Numan's major achievements, full of innovation, atmosphere and mood. Superb lyrics (esp the Life Machine), some excellent riffs and, all in all, pretty much like nothing else around at that time. No wonder John Peel played it to death. I'd would have loved to hear Steel and You revised for Random, I think this is an outstanding track. Anyone heard Quad by the The Heads? Haven't you just heard that intro before somewhere? Yep, it's Steel and You, twice as brutal and about ten times as long. Thanks and hello to: Joey (complementary E-mail - hey! It was nothing!) Matthew Holbrook (Keep that news service rollin', my son!) Keep the faith everyone, Phil. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 22 May 97 06:51:02 -0700 From: "Joey Lindstrom" Subject: Really! Outland ain't that bad! To: "Gary Numan" On Thu, 22 May 97 01:00:01 CDT, Miss Marlene wrote: >>I then started defending "Outland" as being "not as bad as a lot of the >>North American fans think it was" > >Excuse me Mr. Lindstrom...I for one think that OUTLAND is trully >brilliant!!! *wondering just where you get your information from???* You just made my point. :-) Seriously - I've run into many fans right here in the Digest, as well as several in day-to-day life, that tell me, quite frankly, that Outland "sucked". In fact, they seem to be a majority of fans (but I'm not Mr. Gallup). One needs only scan back through the Digest archives to see the anti-Outland sentiment out there. Heck, even GARY admits that it wasn't his most stellar outing. :-) But I for one loved the album (well, 'cept for ONE SONG, but c'est la vie) and it gets played nearly as often on my CD player as other, more "popular" albums do. /--------------------------------------------------------- / From: The Desk Of Joey Lindstrom +1 (403) 606-3853 / EMAIL: joey@lindstrom.com numanoid@netway.ab.ca lindstrj@cadvision.com / WEB: 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: Thu, 22 May 97 06:56:18 -0700 From: "Joey Lindstrom" Subject: Remix: The Final Frontier To: "Gary Numan" On Thu, 22 May 97 01:00:01 CDT, Austin wrote: >Absolutely to everything Arron Clague said. Perhaps GN should get the first >single from Exile remixed by some producer who is moderately hip - perhaps >one of the friendly Random 2 contributors. This remixed track could be the >one offered to Radio stations for radio play and would be on the CD single, >12" vinyl etc. The rest of the tracks on the single could be the original >mix etc. > >Look at David Bowie's Hello Spaceboy. He got it remixed by the Pet Shop >Boys (not quite what I had in mind, but illustrates my point) and it gave >him his biggest hit in the UK in years. OK - so it wasn't my taste - I >prefered the album version. Who cares? It did the trick - it got him back >on the Radio, got him on Top of the Pops, and no doubt increased exposure >and hence sales of the Outside LP. > >Would this not be ideal for GN? Several times I've suggested that Gary get himself a "real" producer, someone like (perhaps) Daniel Lanois who (as someone phrased it in last week's Digest) would be friendly or sympathetic to the ARTIST FIRST. That would help the album, but what you're speaking of is a second point, one I've been reluctant to make cuz I figured the nastigrams (that's "strop-o-gram" for all you Brits) would fall on me like a ton of bricks. Having a producer come in and remix one or two tracks *SPECIFICALLY* for single release (while leaving the original mix on the album) is an outstanding idea for all the reasons you've mentioned. Hell, it works. I would hope Gary would be open to such a thing, and it would seem to be that for the first time in years, he really is. Hence his interest in speaking with Trent Reznor while over in New York. However, with "Exile" slated to come out (again) on Numa Records, the chances of this happening with THIS release are quite low. But, there's always the NEXT album... sigh... >Cheers...............Austin (a self confessed armchair expert who wonders >what the fuck else we are supposed to do on a digest dedicated solely to >Gary Numan!!) Touche! /--------------------------------------------------------- / From: The Desk Of Joey Lindstrom +1 (403) 606-3853 / EMAIL: joey@lindstrom.com numanoid@netway.ab.ca lindstrj@cadvision.com / WEB: 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: Thu, 22 May 97 07:10:19 -0700 From: "Joey Lindstrom" Subject: Remixing again To: "Gary Numan" On Thu, 22 May 97 01:00:01 CDT, David Hughes wrote: >>What he needs to get back in sync without selling out, is to get a >>great producer. > >This is both a good and bad idea...Good in that, with the right producer, a >fresh set of ideas might boost the creative spark and make Numan more >marketable to the mainstream radio stations. For instance, team Numan up >with Brian Eno and what might be the result? > >This might also be a bad idea. Imagine someone asking Numan to remix some >of the 'Sacrifice' tracks as a dance or garage number...or teaming Numan up >with someone who he doesn't respect. That would probably do more to >demotivate him than anything else... If life hands you a lemon, make lemonade. We all have to do things we don't like doing, that we don't want to do, but nonetheless we do them anyways... to further our careers, to achieve specific goals, whatever. "Alas, the poor, hard-done-by artiste cannot get a break," we cry. Bollocks. As you've essentially pointed out, Gary has two choices. He can continue releasing albums on his own "vanity press" or he can try to appeal to a larger (ie: "mass") audience. You equate that with copping out. I say, "garbage". Nobody is stating that he should try for another Outland-style Janet Jackson/Prince makeover. Not at all. What gets released as a SINGLE does not have to be in any way representative of what appears on the album that it promotes. And getting AIRPLAY, even with a song that he may or may not be loathe to promote (ie: it's been remixed beyond recognition), is two-thirds of the battle in getting back into the hearts and minds of the record-buying public. Gary wants success. It is extremely obvious, what with his trip to New York, statements he's made on his web site and in other venues, etc., that he *REALLY* wants to get back SOMEWHERE CLOSE TO where he once was. He's tired of being considered a one-hit-wonder, an answer to a trivia question ("say, whatever happened to that 'Cars' guy anyways?"), an amusing side-story (the formation-flying pop star). He wants to be successful again. And I'm sorry, boys and girls, but you and I are simply NOT ENOUGH. It is true that we, by remaining as loyal as we have, have sustained his career through some very dark times. Indeed, he's on record as saying that if it weren't for us, he likely would have given up the ghost a long time ago. But now he's looking for a resurgence, and if he's going to appeal beyond our small little group, that means he's gotta try to appeal to a much larger audience, and in doing so may have to modify his approach musically. In other words, he can no longer afford to record the music that *WE* want to hear, at least not exclusively. He's gotta go for the hearts and the minds of the masses. As loyal as we are, we're dwindling in numbers, and this cannot continue for much longer. I think it's a brave thing he's doing, because it can be easily construed as abandoning his traditional fans. To that, again, I say "bollocks". Three years from now, if Gary makes it back onto the US charts and is being talked about by the masses, *WE* can say "we were there from the beginning, and now our loyalty has been rewarded". But he's *NOT* going to do it by releasing another "Sacrifice", as good as that album is. He's gotta lower his sights a bit if he wants REAL success. And he realizes this. That's what Gary wants. And in this world you often can't have things both ways. We want him to succeed as well, but there WILL be a price for that success. Are you prepared to pay it? Or would you prefer to see him release another quickly-forgotten album every couple of years until the only gigs he can get are in the Holiday Inn in downtown Fresno? Long live Gary. /--------------------------------------------------------- / From: The Desk Of Joey Lindstrom +1 (403) 606-3853 / EMAIL: joey@lindstrom.com numanoid@netway.ab.ca lindstrj@cadvision.com / WEB: 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: Thu, 22 May 1997 09:08:28 -0700 (PDT) From: atomic@netcom.com (Mike Metlay ++ Atomic City) Subject: The Ad copy for RANDOM To: numan@cs.uwp.edu (Numanews Mailing List) As promised, here is the complete copy of the trade magazine ad for RANDOM that BB is running in the Alternative Distribution Alliance's June catalog of new releases. (Remember that this ad is not intended for public consumption-- it's aimed at retailers and distributors who need to choose what to stock in their stores and catalogs, i.e. what will sell). Underneath the full artist and track list previously posted (and a funky small-r-in-a-circle logo), it reads: ** When a number of artists record versions of other artists' songs the result is referred to as a "tribute" album, but generally it fails to transcend or better the original recordings. RANDOM is an exception - The Black Whole; greater than the sum of its parts. It is mostly audacious re-interpretations that merely use the original songs as an affectionate punch to springboard the ideas into the new millennium. RANDOM is not being sold or promoted as a Gary Numan "tribute" album (which would possibly limit the sales) - more as an album of modern Electronica - a sampler of the new, post-grunge musical movement... And an album of great pop music. If anything, RANDOM is a "tribute" to the participating artists who have swallowed the last 20 years of music and regurgitated the future. It combines some of the most successful and talented artists of today (Gravity Kills, Republica) exciting up-and-comers (Bis, Peck Slip, Sukia) and established veterans (Jesus Jones, EMF) on this double compact disc. MARKETING AND SALES - All new tracks recorded exclusively for Random; including tracks by Gravity Kills, Republica, The Orb, Bis, and Matt Sharp (Weezer/Rentals) with Damon Albarn (Blur). - A 2 x CD set of Modern Electronica- with artist interpretations of classic Gary Numan tracks. - Mysterious and unusual de-luxe packaging, with a clear tray encased in all BLACK jewel box. - Press running in Spin, Rolling Stone, Details, Entertainment Weekly, Option and more. - Huge push to Commercial Alternative Radio beginning in April. - Consumer Ads running in Spin, Option, Magnet and many others. - Generating massive interest on the Internet FILE UNDER RANDOM Two Compact Disc Set: List Price $16.98 Catalogue #: BBQCD 195 Release Date: June 10 ** As I said before, I find it hard to get enthused about this sort of ad campaign-- it completely negates any validity Gary may have as the writer of these tracks (he was just handy for all these young geniuses of modern electronica to re-interpret), and says nothing about his current career. I'm almost afraid to hear what the record sounds like, and I will watch what it does, if anything, for sales of Gary's own work with some interest. Personally I believe that the most benefit Gary will see from this release is the royalties from the songs (assuming he still has a right to those); I think the impact on his visibility and current work will be small, and what there is of it will be negative. Back to lurking.... mike -- Mike: "Generally applicable moral: the farther you go in the wrong direction, the harder it is to change course...but even a drastic course change beats slamming into a wall and killing yourself." John3: "On the other hand, if you always bring along a deck of Oblique Strategies, it doesn't really matter in the long run." =========================================================================== Mike Metlay - ATOMIC CITY - P. O. Box 81175, Pittsburgh, PA 15217-0675 USA = atomic@netcom.com -- http://pd.net/atomic-city -- 800.924.ATOM = CD orders via LOFTY PURSUITS: 800.548.6724 & 904.385.6463, FAX 904.668.5825 ------------------------------ End of Gary Numan Digest ******************************