Gary Numan Digest Sun, 25 Oct 98 Volume 1 : Issue 480 Today's Topics: Andy (The Police) Beggars Banquet Singles Exile exile extended first song... Gary at the World Series Gary Numam Gary Numan Digest V1 #479 in defence of This Wreckage Introduction Mark Radcliffe maybe anti-lock brakes. . . my album rankings, after some sweating it numan / nicholson Paperback? What paperback? Sister Ray Surprise. The Singles Game Remind Me... Roche 5 (3 msgs) Roche Five Sharpe & Numan - reissue question Valerian's Roche 5 use website mention ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Date: Sat, 24 Oct 1998 17:42:26 +0800 From: Jean Burgess <Jeanb@echidna.stu.cowan.edu.au> Subject: Andy (The Police) To: Gary Numan <numan@cs.uwp.edu> Hello everyone Just a little note I promised to post, seeing as my spreadsheet assignment is going badly I thought I'd take a little break from it. some nice comments from the guitarist in Police, this would have been about end of 1979 beginning of 1980 because Stewart Copeland interrupted to correct him about there not being number 1's (plural) > Answers Andy (The Police): Gary Numan also is very promising, his number 1's have been different to the usual slush that you get at the top of the British charts and it's encouraging that somebody who's as..... I'll be back. Jean ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Oct 1998 22:41:20 +0100 From: Nick Biggar <nick@tpoet.demon.co.uk> Subject: Beggars Banquet Singles To: Gary Numan <numan@cs.uwp.edu> Can anyone out there explain why there were two pressings of the single Bombers. I have one copy with just Blue Eyes on the B side but the label does say Blue Eyes and OD Receiver. My second copy has both songs on the B side??? -- Nick Biggar ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 23 Oct 1998 15:33:19 -0400 From: "Ken Conrad" <kennco@somersethouseinn.com> Subject: Exile To: <numan@cs.uwp.edu> From: Bob Frazier Provincetown, MA U.S. I've been a big fan of Gary's from early in his career and was very pleased to here of the come back. I was very fortunate to see him in Boston, Ma at the Channel Club with the November Group backing him up after the I Assasin album came out " Great show ". Needless to say when I heard of Exile, I ran out to buy the CD. One of the best pieces of work from anyone I've heard in a long time. I'm looking forward to hopefully a tour date in the Boston area. I'm not a member of the fan club as of yet, but I will be sending an application soon. One last note, RANDOM was a incredible tribute. Sincerely, Bob ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 22 Oct 1998 14:32:51 +0100 From: Stephen G Bramley <steve@gladys1.demon.co.uk> Subject: exile extended To: James Chapman <James.Chapman@newcastle.ac.uk> In message , James Chapman <James.Chapman@newcastle.ac.uk> writes > Apparently Exile extended will only be available through ordering >it from NuWorld. The thing is, I don't have a credit card and I have >a nasty feeling they only take credit card as payment. Does anyone >know about this? If so, is there any other way I can get it without a >credit card? > > >----------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- >They crawl out of their holes for me...... >----------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- >It is also going to be available thru` the fan club `ALIEN`...if you aren`t a member JOIN NOW. -- Stephen G Bramley ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 22 Oct 1998 23:02:52 -0700 From: obscure@blueneptune.com Subject: first song... To: Numan News Digest <numan@cs.uwp.edu> Dan wrote: >I clearly remember the SNL performance. Although I didn't enjoy the >music of "I'm Praying ..." as much as the lyrics, I thought "Cars" was a >blast. I remember how people I knew were freaked out by the music and >style. Strange how times change, eh? Does anyone know the date of this >show? If I remember correctly, Gary's performance on SNL was aired on February 23rd, 1980. I will have that image of Gary forever etched in my memory - although for me it was the melody of "Praying to the Aliens" that caught me, and those beautiful blue eyes that sent my 15 yr old hormones into a tizzy. (As if I wasn't confused enough already...) I went out and bought Replicas as soon as I could and remember being horribly upset that I missed out on seeing him in San Francisco on his birthday (not old enough to go out by myself). "I can't imagine living any other way..." Lisa PS- BTW,I believe that "Roche 5" is the manufacturer's designation for 5mg tablets of Valium. ________________________ obscure@blueneptune.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 22 Oct 1998 9:02:22 +0100 (BST) From: "Jon Garland" <JGD@leicester.ac.uk> Subject: Gary at the World Series To: numan@cs.uwp.edu Anyone else hear 'Cars' being played as 'background' music during the second match of the World Series at the Yankee Stadium? Very bizarre. Anyone else hear 'We Are Glass' being played as background music during a feature on the Motor Show on BBC1 the other day? Even more bizarre. Think someone pressed the wrong button on the CD player? Jon ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 24 Oct 98 18:28:12 +0000 From: Richard hickman <rich@jekyll.demon.co.uk> Subject: Gary Numam To: <numan@cs.uwp.edu> Hello Everyone, This is my first posting. I have been interested in Numan's Music since 1979 when I saw him Live on 'The Touring Principle'. Like all greatly talented artists Gary has produced mind blowing music and on occasions poor music. My favourite artist is a man who was producing this style of music even before Gary.........................John Foxx. I was indeed fortunate to meet both Gary and John at the Exotour at Birmingham's Que Club. I am looking for a number of records which I can not find................Like a Miricle 12", Stars on Fire 12", Enter the Angel 12", Burning Car 12" (Jap Import), John Foxx-John Foxx (Canadian Issue), Dancing Like a Gun 7", Quirks (Free Ultravox single with Ha Ha Ha) any items from JF Information Service, CD 'In Mysterious Ways', The Golden Section CD (Jap Issue) any other rare items................I have to swap exchange Gary Numan Micromusic Video, Newman Numan Video, Berserker Tour Video (original release). UK Tour Programmes: Warriors, Berserker, The Fury (all with a pair of tickets), Metal Ryhthm Tour, The Skin Mechanic and Isolate. I also have a promotional copy of Dramatis album 'For Future Reference' (this is a promo copy and has not been played). If none of these items catch your eye I will pay cash. All the Numan items are for sale, make me an offer ! I would like other Numan Fans opinion of Johns work..............if you are interested in his music he has his own site www.metamatic.com. My favourite albums of Garys are: The Pleasure Principle Replicas The Plan Tubeway Army Berserker Excile (a true return to form, very highly charged) All the best for now Richard Richard@jekyllandhydedesign.co.uk ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 22 Oct 1998 21:47:41 +0100 From: Tom Gorham <jargon@easynet.co.uk> Subject: Gary Numan Digest V1 #479 To: "Gary Numan" <numan@cs.uwp.edu> As nothing is happening on the Numan front right now, I've whiled away a good, ahem, two minutes in constructing my list of top ten favourite individual Numan songs 1 My Car Slides 1/2 (1983) This B-side to 'Warriors' deserved much more prominence. Like becoming the A-side for starters. 2 Me! I Disconnect from You (1979) Has anyone ever listened to this and not sung along? The ultimate electronica track. Has to be played loud, though. 3 Cry the Clock Said (1981) A ballad without banal lyrics (which in all honesty is a bit of a rarity in Numan's career). Very powerful. 4 Are You Real? (1981) Live, this was always an amazing song for a breathtaking mosh at the front. 5 A Subway Called You (1981) Umm...moody and meaningful. Isn't that what Gaz is all about? 6 The 1930s Rust (1982) If this song had represented the benchmark for the rest of 'I Assassin', it would have been Numan's crowning moment. 7 Exile (1998) Loved the gentle guitar on this. At least it doesn't fit the profile of many of Numan's recent songs, which follow the same regimented pattern: clunky bit, drum loop kicks in, verse, snappy chorus, verse, snappy chorus, sudden end. 8 Your Fascination (1985) Amidst the relative dross of 'The Fury', this stands out, although I can't pretend it's solely for musical merit. The guitars were cracking, and it was always good for a bit of posturing in front of the mirror. 9 America (1991) Pump up the volume and this single really (to coin a transatlantic phrase) 'rocks' 10 I Dream of Wires (1980) Telekon was a top album - I listened to it religiously for 40 days and 40 nights - and this is probably the most representative track. On the subject of lack of happenings on the Numan front, does anyone still visit his Web site? It's updated so infrequently that I've stopped making the effort. It's not as if Numan is far too busy. Sure he toured a few months ago, but he's been promising to go into the studio for months now, and so far, there's no news of any progression on the new album. When you consider that it took him about four years to get up off his arse to complete Exile (and even then he had to include an old single to make up the numbers), I'm getting a little worried about Numan's commitment. He's been interviewed more times in the last year than I can remember, but he should realise that the best way to get more publicity is some hard graft in the studio, writing some punchy, complex irrestisible tunes. I've a sneaking feeling that Gary, despite his assertion to the contrary, isn't half as hungry as he used to be. Tom ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 22 Oct 1998 18:56:37 -0800 From: alec way <errora@earthlink.net> Subject: in defence of This Wreckage To: numan@cs.uwp.edu Is it just a case of 'you had to be there?' This Wreckage? I thought that it was a very autobiographical/metaphorical masterpiece/enigma at the time. It kicked off the Teletour shows and that was the first Numan tour I ever saw. I practically peed my pants when the blazing white lights came on at the same time as the cymbals crashing in with the band and..... there was Numan, wearing Telekonian jumpsuit, knee in the air, arms above his head, looking skyward...All the right rock 'n roll dynamics, only 'smarter,' weirder and more Sci Fi. It was perfect for me. All I was listening to at that time was John Foxx's Metamatic, Eno's Another Green World, Kraftwerk's Trans Europe Express, Ultravox's Systems of Romance, Numan's first four records and Talking Heads' Fear Of Music. All of one piece. My mind went reeling with This Wreckage and just the significance of the lyrics made me feel part of a very specialized cult indeed. (Even though I didn't quite understand what he was being so ardent about, but who cares?!) Numan music, lyrics, images were in my thoughts constantly before that show and that show opener but after that night, I knew I would be a Numan supporter for the rest of my life on some level or other. All 'cos of This Wreckage. Numan must have been some sort of clan shaman in the caveman days. I was convinced of this seeing him perform THIS WRECKAGE live for the first time those many, many years ago when I was facing mid-teenage life. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Oct 1998 00:12:36 -0400 From: "Wargny, Steven x02256e4" <x02256@exmail.usma.army.mil> Subject: Introduction To: "'numan@cs.uwp.edu'" <numan@cs.uwp.edu> Hello, I am new to the group. My name is Steven Wargny. I am from Palmyra, New Jersey, and I go to school in New York. I am 20 years old. Like most of my generation, I have liked Gary ever since I heard Cars. Unfortunately, I did not know how great he was until, oddly enough, I heard the Marilyn Manson cover of Down in the Park. I loved the song, and when I found out that it was a Gary Numan song, I began to buy Gary's music. I fell in love with it. Overall, I am a relatively new fan, and I only have a few albums. However, I like everything I have and plan to get more as soon as I can. My other favorite artists are Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, The Prodigy, Rush, Black Sabbath, and Bob Dylan. Thanks in advance for the mailings and info! Steve ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 22 Oct 1998 15:29:11 -0400 From: Matthew Roberts <exile@compuserve.com> Subject: Mark Radcliffe To: Gary Numan <numan@cs.uwp.edu> No, no, no Austin, I'm sure Mark was being a git. He also said "Who needs Romo when you've got Gary Numan" - definitely NOT= friendly. = And the Duracell remark? It's the sort of thing I'd say if I wanted to sl= ag someone off but thought I might get in trouble with the suits... No, I'll stick with the snide little shit interpretation. It helps me re-live the teenage angst. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 22 Oct 1998 20:42:11 -0500 From: paddygav@kcnet.com (Paddy) Subject: maybe anti-lock brakes. . . To: numan@cs.uwp.edu "I Can't Stop" was quite a strange single choice, but I think it charted (UK?). I do think that the guitar wanking was pretty good though. When i was in college, a simpleton who lived in the dorm room next to mine used to come over and make me play "I Can't Stop". He didn't give a shit about the song itself, he just like watching the picture disc (it is the airplane shaped one) spin 'round and 'round. Roche 5 refers to the prescription drug Valium. I discovered this while rumaging through my father's top dreser drawer when I was 14. My body screams - YES My mind just keeps its peace. http://www.kcnet.com/~paddygav/images.html ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 23 Oct 1998 21:57:02 -0500 From: Valerie Iglar-Mobley <iglarmobley@earthlink.net> Subject: my album rankings, after some sweating it To: James Chapman <James.Chapman@newcastle.ac.uk> Dear James, Okay, here is my list of how I'd rank Gary's albums, after quite a bit of consideration. I'm including favorite songs from each album, because... well, because I've seen others doing that. 1 Telekon (without a doubt his pinnacle, and my first exposure; fave song: "The Joy Circuit", also my favorite song overall) 2 Sacrifice (a great return to form, and the most coherent storyline, as I've described in an earlier post; fave song: "A Question Of Faith"-- don't pray for MY soul, either!) 3 Outland (I don't get why -noids don't like this one? Janet Jackson? Hardly! song: "From Russia Infected") 4 Berserker (probably his best visuals; song: "My Dying Machine") 5 Exile (not a bad song on it, and I love the theme; "The Angel Wars") 6 Metal Rhythm (the introduction of his current sound; "Cold Metal Rhythm") 7 Pleasure Principle (a classic; "Complex" probably) 8 Replicas (the other classic; "Down In The Park") [8.5] (I would actually include 'Human' in my list, and place it here, right smack in the middle) 9 The Plan (so raw and on the edge with feeling, unlike the rest of his music which is pretty reserved; "Check It") 10 Dance (a wonderfully relaxing album, where I met and fell in love with Japan; "'Cry' The Clock Said") 11 Strange Charm (some excellent rhythms; "My Breathing") 12 Tubeway Army (a diamond in the rough, a polished 'plan'; "Listen To The Sirens") 13 I, Assassin (weaker, but terrific fretless bass; "A Dream Of Siam") 14 Warriors (pretty strained, but nice saxophone; "My Centurion") 15 The Fury (such a studio-ized sound, some good aggression and beats; "Call Out The Dogs") 16 Machine + Soul (something is wrong, oh woe!, but an outstanding "The Skin Game") [If I were including 'Automatic', it would be far below 'M+S'.] It was interesting to me to come up with these rankings. I was tempted to just list my top four, bottom three, and say everything else was tied in the middle. But we are all fans, after all, and so it's assumed that we'd like most of his albums; so that would've been a cop out. Generalizing about his overall ouvre, I put his albums into five stages, according to the sounds he's moved through: -the 'punk' proto-period ('The Plan' and 'Live At The Roxy') -the 'machine' ('Tubeway Army' through 'Telekon') -a transitional middle ('Dance', 'I Assassin', 'Warriors') -the Numa/ early modern era ('Berserker', 'The Fury', 'Strange Charm') -and the modern ('Metal Rhythm' forward...) Now, 'Human' doesn't fit into this scheme, but if we include 'Live At The Roxy' in that first section that actually raises a question: should we count 'Roxy' as a Gary album? Notice that a majority of the songs on it don't appear elsewhere, so wouldn't that make it more than just another live album? Doesn't it qualify as another release in its own right, despite its bastard birth? Just a thought. love, Benjamin Iglar-Mobley "But nothing's ever quite like the stories and songs..." ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 23 Oct 1998 19:38:18 -0400 (EDT) From: ben49@webtv.net (william j. brown) Subject: numan / nicholson To: numan@cs.uwp.edu hi all. i was looking around in music blvd. and saw numan / nicholson listed for 29.00. it said the release date was oct 20. there was no track listing. is this the same thing that a lot of people ordered but never got? i'll let you know if i get mine. have a nice week bill ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 21 Oct 1998 09:36:38 +0100 From: "downstat" <downstat@saqnet.co.uk> Subject: Paperback? What paperback? Sister Ray Surprise. The Singles Game To: "Gary Numan" <numan@cs.uwp.edu> Digesters, PTTA Paperback: So much for widespread distribution of PTTA in paperback. Not that I want to buy it.... I just want to stand in the shop and read the last chapter. Lunchtime, Tuesday 20th October: Virgin, Oxford Street: nothing Tower Records, Piccadilly: nothing Big bookshop chain opposite Virgin (where I bought the hardback): 1 copy of the hardback New big bookshop chain down Oxford Street: 1 copy of the hardback HMV, Oxford Street: Hurrah! 6 copies of the paperback, but all are sheathed in plastic so no browsing through the last chapter is possible. Try to unwrap book, but sheathing is as tight as a durex on king kong's knob and my nails are not sharp enough anyway. Security guard starts patrolling the book department, so I take my leave. The number of hours that I've wasted searching for so called widely distributed Numan product is unbelievable. Combine this with the time I've spent doing other worthless activities such as watching the video listings on The Box cable tv channel to see if they have the Dominion Day video, listening to the Top 40 to see if GN has charted, watching The Toyah Wilcock show to see if GN's performance of Friends, Dark and Noise Noise is repeated .......etc etc, and the cumulative annual total probably equates to my annual holiday entitlement. As they say, Get a life........ Beggars Banquet reissues: Someone reported recently that Sister Ray records in Berwick Street, London was doing a good deal on these re-releases. I can vouch for this. On Saturday I purchased Tubeway Army, Replicas and The Pleasure Principle for a staggering 6.99 UK pounds each!!!!! Fantastic. (I had previously bought Telekon for 9.99 UK pounds in HMV). They had all manner of interesting goodies, as well as a well stocked second hand vinyl section (courtesy of "Steven" judging by the number of signed sleeves that were made out to someone of this name). Singles that never were: Should of followed up AFE with Me I Disconnect from you Then re-released DITP. Then waited 6 months Of course if this had happened, the whole course of history would be different and The Pleasure Principle might never of happened. But the biggest flaw in GN's career was releasing too much new material too quickly. It should of been slowly filtered out over time. A similar thing happened with Prince in the mid 80s......and look where he is today......., Anyway, ignoring this little hiccup in the logic: Pleasure Principle: Cars, followed by Metal, then possibly Tracks or Complex Telekon: Remind Me to Smile in lieu of This Wreckage Dance: Stories (a number one for sure) instead of She's Got Claws I Assassin: Music for Chameleons, We take Mystery, then left a gap Warriors: Warriors was fair enough, but anything but Sister Surprise to follow up Berserker: A Child with the Ghost instead of Berserker (as much as I love the title track). Maybe not followed up with anything Fury: OK Strange Charm: OK Metal Rhythm: Possibly Respect instead of New Anger. Or even the b-side I Don't Believe. Outland: My World Storm instead of Heart M&S: Should not of released Emotion of Skin Game. M&S title track OK. Although, the "getup, getup and dance" backing line prevents me from listening. Sacrifice: Seed of a Lie or Love & Napalm (anything but that awful dirge A Question of Faith) Exile: Mmmm, not sure. DD wasn't a very good choice. Angel Wars, Dark, Alien Cure would perhaps of been better. DD is only a very average GN track and I'm glad in a way that it didn't get any airplay or his current street cred mega-God status would of been quickly destroyed. That's it. Austin ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 23 Oct 1998 18:40:30 -0400 From: Matthew Roberts <exile@compuserve.com> Subject: Remind Me... To: Gary Numan <numan@cs.uwp.edu> Years ago, someone on the Digest said that the percussion intro to Remind= Me To Smile was identical to Heart Of Glass, whereas I had said that it w= as identical to a Roxy Music track. Just got in from the pub tonight and listened to Heart Of Glass. I was right. Nothing new. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 22 Oct 1998 09:07:33 +0100 From: Andy McHaffie <amchaffie@meto.gov.uk> Subject: Roche 5 To: Gary Numan <numan@cs.uwp.edu> Accoprding to Gary "Roche 5" was written on one of his drug bottles when he was a teenager Andy Mouthfull - Pansy Division - The Garage, Highbury, London Nov 7th email me for more details -- http://www.joekeith.dircon.co.uk/mouthfull.html -- ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 22 Oct 1998 12:53:25 EDT From: Lizard4663@aol.com Subject: Roche 5 To: numan@cs.uwp.edu D&T Wheeler asked about "Roche 5". I believe this is a 5 mg. valium. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 23 Oct 1998 06:48:42 +1000 From: "Bruce Mott" <karla@bigwaters.qld.edu.au> Subject: Roche 5 To: <numan@cs.uwp.edu> >Question, what does "roche" mean???? As in > MORE ROCHE FIVE THAN PAIN Roche is the company that makes "Valium". Roche 5 is a 5mg tablet (you can also get Roche 2) Bruce ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 22 Oct 1998 08:35:05 -0400 (EDT) From: Sean Crist <kurisuto@unagi.cis.upenn.edu> Subject: Roche Five To: numan@cs.uwp.edu To answer the earlier question, Roche is a pharmaceutical company which manufactures Valium, among other things. Valium tablets supposedly come stamped with the name Roche. "Roche Five" would be a 5 milligram tablet of Valium, which is a typical dose. Unfortunately, the company's name is pronounced "roash", not "roshay", as Gary sings it. \/ __ __ _\_ --Sean Crist (kurisuto@unagi.cis.upenn.edu) --- | | \ / http://www.ling.upenn.edu/~kurisuto/ _| ,| ,| ----- _| ,| ,| [_] | | | [_] ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 24 Oct 1998 22:47:47 -0800 From: Derek Langsford <dlangs@sunstroke.sdsu.edu> Subject: Sharpe & Numan - reissue question To: numan@cs.uwp.edu In issue #479 TELEKON@aol.com asked: > IS THERE ANY PLAINS TO RERELESE SHARPE AND NUMAN?\ I have not personally heard of any interest by Polydor (the original issuing label) or any label in reissuing the S+N material. I can only imagine it happening if Gary has a few Top 10 hits again (pretty unlikely) or Change Your Mind was reissued and did well. The best bet would be some small independant label picking it up and releasing it as a budget disc. It's been delted for years so may be worthwhile to a label which does not need to make hundreds of thousands from a CD release. Derek ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Derek H. Langsford "Numanews" San Diego, California, USA The Gary Numan Digest email numan-request@cs.uwp.edu to subscribe -----------------------------------------------------------------------------uwp ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 22 Oct 1998 06:38:06 -0800 From: alec way <errora@earthlink.net> Subject: Valerian's Roche 5 use To: numan@cs.uwp.edu Roche 5 in connection with Valerian root extract being a tranquilizer and the forerunner to Valium-- The fact that Gary called himself Valerian and mentioned the anti-depressant Roche 5 in My Shadow In Vain, as he was prescribed that particular drug as a teen, was to me an interesting connection between Mr. Webb and calmer downers. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 22 Oct 1998 13:38:43 +0100 From: "Nick" <sisterray@thenet.co.uk> Subject: website mention To: <numan@cs.uwp.edu> Hiya we are an independent record store in London called Sister Ray who is currently possibly the largest dealer in Numan stuff we've just set up a website and wondered if you'd like a mention ? - if you could do the same that would be great... will be online in 1-2 weeks at www.sisterray.co.uk regards ------------------------------ End of Gary Numan Digest ******************************