Gary Numan Digest Sun, 28 May 2000 Volume 2 : Issue 42 Today's Topics: Disconnections Just a few burblings lyrics to "Ice-House" lyrics to "Tread Careful" Metal Rythmn Numan mentioned in computer "press" the album rankings, based on the favorite songs ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Date: Thu, 25 May 2000 20:51:24 -0500 From: Jeff Tolva Subject: Disconnections To: digest@GaryNumanFan.NU Hello all, Anyone who knows me from the Digest, the UBB, or from the online discography updates which I maintain, knows that I'm a big-time collector of Gary's music. To that end, I have loads of bootleg tapes from over the many years of his music career. In 1996, some friends of mine and I made 5 CD-Rs of some "rarities" of various concerts from the 1980s. I was looking through my collection of tapes to find the best sound quality that I had, as well as looking for those live tracks that Gary doesn't play very often at all. I also tried to pick tracks from the periods in which they were first released. We then digitally "cleaned up" the sound using some computer software, and tried to "blend" the tracks as best as possible. The CD-Rs still came out as a collection of bootleg tracks from various shows and from various recording standpoints (several are from the mixing desk, but some are from the audience perspective). The project name of "Disconnections" applies in more ways than one ;-) With the help of some other friends, I've recently made another 5 CD-Rs of "rarities" from various concerts from the 1990s. Before anyone asks, I can't make CD-Rs and each of the 5 CD-Rs sets are spoken for, but I can dub either of my CD-Rs to Maxell XLII (i.e. chome) tape. If anyone is interested in a tape trade, please send me your list of tapes. If you don't have anything to trade and still want a tape copy of either of my CD-Rs, then I'll do it for my standard $5 USD per tape ($10 USD for the pair of tapes). This price includes postage and packaging to anywhere in the world. For those who might be interested, I make absolutely no profit for this price. This price simply covers the cost of the tape(s), a padded envelope, and the postage. As you can probably tell, I'm quite proud of these compilations of Gary Numan bootleg recordings :-) Although I've traded many Numan fans for my bootleg tapes over the years, I would not have been able to complete the "Disconnections" project without the expertise and support of several close Numan friends. Thank you all for making my project a reality...and you know who you are... OK, I'll get off my soap box for now. Here's the particulars on each tape. Disconnections: The Eighties Replicas Cleveland OH, Music Hall 2/29/80 Remember I Was Vapour Cleveland OH, Music Hall 2/29/80 We Are So Fragile Los Angeles CA, Santa Monica Civic Center 3/9/80 Praying To The Aliens Osaka Japan, Expo Hall 5/4/80 M.E. Osaka Japan, Expo Hall 5/4/80 Complex Manchester, Apollo 9/8/80 Telekon Manchester, Apollo 9/8/80 Stories Manchester, Apollo 9/8/80 The Joy Circuit Manchester, Apollo 9/8/80 This Is My House Sheffield, City Hall 9/25/83 I Am Render Sheffield, City Hall 9/25/83 Warriors London, Hammersmith Odeon 10/83 She's Got Claws London, Hammersmith Odeon 10/83 Cold Warning Manchester, Apollo 12/1/84 Miracles London, Hammersmith Odeon 10/1/85 I Can't Stop Glasgow, Barrowlands 9/21/87 America London, Hammersmith Odeon 10/26/89 Devious London, Hammersmith Odeon 10/26/89 Total time: 73:32 Disconnections: The Nineties >From Russia Infected Brussels, Club Ancienne Belgique 9/14/91 My World Storm Brussels, Club Ancienne Belgique 9/14/91 Time To Die London, Hammersmith Odeon 4/4/92 Machine And Soul York, Barbican Centre 10/24/93 Love And Napalm Guildford, Civic Hall 11/2/94 Moral Guildford, Civic Hall 11/2/94 Magic Birmingham, Town Hall 11/6/94 Deadliner Birmingham, Town Hall 11/6/94 The Seed Of A Lie Hammersmith, Labatts Apollo 4/7/96 Dark London, Shepherds Bush Empire 11/9/97 You Walk In My Soul London, Shepherds Bush Empire 11/9/97 An Alien Cure Chicago IL, The Metro 5/11/98 Absolution Chicago IL, The Metro 5/11/98 Dead Heaven Chicago IL, The Metro 5/11/98 Alien Home Nottingham, Rock City 4/18/99 Total time: 71:00 As you can see, these tapes can easily fit onto 74 minute CD-Rs, but again I don't have the means for doing it. If you're interested, please write to me directly at: machman@interaccess.com Take care, Jeff Tolva (The Machman) ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 25 May 2000 12:33:28 +0100 (BST) From: =?iso-8859-1?q?Linda=20Astrup?= Subject: Just a few burblings To: digest@GaryNumanFan.NU Hi guys, a few digests ago, thewaiter had some GN videos for sale, and after the titles there was 'A330' and 'A320' and 'A310' written - what does that mean??? Forgive my ignorance, it is but the ignorance of a novice Numanoid. All help to further my standing as a fan is greatly appreciated! Speaking of thanks, I owe a big fat Thank You! to everyone who's helped me out with information for the '82 GN biog book - it will help immensely, so my thanks for your kindness! Now, my apologies Ben, but I can't quite agree with the lyrics you listed for 'Rumour' - at least on the version I have (and I don't know if there are any others) I get it to sound like this: I listen to rumour Stonecold and breathing They burn my heart away Left me alone and afraid Words seem to leave me Just while I needed them Just like I need you Like I'm supposed to do they said Love is deceiving, she won't stay forever ------------- II -----------, it's all that she knows ------------- II -----------, she'll leave you forever ------------- II -----------, she comes and she goes I wonder I wonder I listen to rumours Listen to everyone Everyone but me And now it's all too late ------------- Weeell, that's what I'm hearing.... RE: Whether Gary is a 'pessimistic' artist - I don't find that it has a pessimistic effect, certainly not on me. I know (despite limited experience) that Gary's lyrics and music are often sad, brutal, honest, heart and gutwrenching, powerful and rarely upbeat, but it doesn't put me in a bad mood or stressed state. I agree with the people who wrote their responses last digest (very interesting) , and would also just like to add that Gary does after all write *realistic* lyrics - which, whatever situation, mood, feeling,etc. that they're portraying, don't seem to me to convey any pessimism at all. Strange, but however final or resigned they sound, they don't make me think 'gee, he's so low, he's really got to get a grip'. Seems to me he is in perfect control at all times. Enough rambling, have a good time everybody! Linda 'Secrets remain' ____________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.co.uk address at http://mail.yahoo.co.uk or your free @yahoo.ie address at http://mail.yahoo.ie ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 13:54:45 -0500 From: Val & Ben Iglar-Mobley Subject: lyrics to "Ice-House" To: Antonio@goffboi.freeserve.co.uk This is Ice house I've seen the guards and the danger I've seen Some things I'll remember if I live forever I don't need dream killers I don't need your pictures I don't need heroes (This is ice house) I don't need opinions I don't need religion I don't need heroes (Don't break my heart) I'll use The trick It hurts but I'm thinking clearly You buy We sell Recorded speeches in the throat of your god I don't need dream killers I don't need your pictures I don't need heroes (This is ice house) I don't need opinions I don't need religion I don't need heroes (Don't break my heart) Don't break my heart Don't break my heart Don't break my heart Don't break my heart Don't break my heart Don't break my heart Don't break my heart Don't break my heart I don't need dream killers I don't need your pictures I don't need heroes (This is ice house) I don't need opinions I don't need religion I don't need heroes (Don't break my heart) Wrong place Wrong time The American dream's sure to save me One more Mistake So this is the art of survival I don't need dream killers I don't need your pictures I don't need heroes (This is ice house) I don't need opinions I don't need religion I don't need heroes (Don't break my heart) I don't need dream killers I don't need your pictures I don't need heroes (This is ice house) I don't need opinions I don't need religion I don't need heroes (Don't break my heart) ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 13:54:53 -0500 From: Val & Ben Iglar-Mobley Subject: lyrics to "Tread Careful" To: Antonio@goffboi.freeserve.co.uk Tread careful Because you're treading on my dreams Tread careful Because I've just one heart Tread careful Let me down slowly Or I'll forget our dreams I won't forget anything (I won't know) I won't forgive anyone (You and me) Tread careful You'll hear the sound of my breathing Tread careful Because I feel the sound Tread careful I'm falling in a glass house I'm trying hard to forgive Because the wanting gets harder Tread careful Before I change my mind Tread careful I could surprise you I'll learn something you won't know I won't forget anything (I won't know) I won't forgive anyone (You and me) I won't forget anything (I won't know) I won't forgive anyone (You and me) I won't forget anything (I won't know) I won't forgive anyone (You and me) Tread careful I'm sure you don't care but Tread careful I could change your mind Tread careful I'll be waiting for you There is no calm in here I won't forget anything (I won't know) I won't forgive anyone (You and me) I won't forget anything (I won't know) I won't forgive anyone (You and me) ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 09:09:02 +0100 From: "GrahamFletcher" Subject: Metal Rythmn To: "Gary Numan" Hi folks Hope you are all well. If anyone here lives in the UK I have just been given a present Metal Rythmn, but Im nuts on Numan so yes you have guessed it I have already purchased it so If anyone has anything to swap for it eg...Posters, old Vinyls etc etc let me know thank you. I was listening to Radio 1 and I thought was quite funny on one of the shoes the DJ said "well next song is Koochie but techinacally Cars by Gary Numan", yes I was impressed by those few words. Speak To You Soon ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 27 May 2000 12:34:25 +1200 From: "D & J Hall" Subject: Numan mentioned in computer "press" To: "Numan Digest" Check out this article expecially the last paragraph "Fact 858" http://www.theregister.co.uk/000526-000001.htm Cheers. Darren. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 25 May 2000 14:27:55 -0500 From: Val & Ben Iglar-Mobley Subject: the album rankings, based on the favorite songs To: The Gary Digest Dear numanoids all, Mark, you beat me to the punch! While I was working on the favorite songs poll I realized we could get a by-product from it. Considering that the songs we were listing were taken from different albums, if we count votes for songs from a given album as also, in a way, votes for the albums from which they were taken, we can also use the favorite songs poll to work out rankings for how the albums stand up to each other in our preferences. Does that make sense? What I've done is tally all the votes for the songs taken from each album, and used that total as a score for the album itself in order to rank the albums against each other. The idea is, if we pull together the likes of the fans for the various songs from an album, that can give us a sense of how much that album is liked by us fans. (It doesn't quite exactly equate, since I think albums are more than just the sum of their songs. They're also the album art, how the songs are arranged, how they flow from one to the next, do they build to a conclusion, do they sound like they belong together, and so on. But this can still give us an idea.) Now, I'm still faced with a problem. Do I include the almighty "I Die: You Die" as a song "on" 'Telekon' or not? I'm in the US, and for me that song was definitely on the album; when I placed it in my rankings, I was thinking of it as one of the songs from 'Telekon' most definitely. But our comrades across the Atlantic may think it shouldn't be listed as a 'Telekon' song, since for them it wasn't on the album. Here's my solution. I'm counting ALL the tracks from a given album's era as counting towards its total, INCLUDING bonus tracks. I have a couple of reasons. Those songs, even if they weren't included on the album proper, still were recorded around the same time, used the same musicians, represent the same writing period Gary was in, have the same sound. So we can consider these album standings as representing our preferences for each album "sound." Also, whether they were included on the original vinyl release or not, all those songs are "on" the albums NOW, since everything has been reissued onto discs with all the bonus songs. Anyone picking up the albums and encountering them for the first time now will think of those added songs as being part of the album. So, with all the songs that have been included on the reissues also counting towards each album's total, here are the rankings of the albums against each other, according to the songs poll (with how many times individual songs from that album appeared on the 16 lists submitted, and the total "weights" for all those songs added together): 1) Telekon (36, 441.5) 2) Replicas (36, 423.5) 3) The Pleasure Principle (26, 341) 4) Sacrifice (25, 285) 5) Exile (21, 270) 6) Dance (23, 230) 7) I, Assassin (16, 184) 8) Strange Charm (14, 168) 9) Warriors (13, 131) 10) Metal Rhythm (14, 125.5) 11) Tubeway Army (16, 118.5) 12) The Plan (13, 85) 13) The Fury (9, 74.5) 14) Berserker (9, 70.5) 15) Outland (7, 52) 16) Machine + Soul (6, 48) . . . Not too surprising, 'Machine + Soul' came out last. And, gratifying for me, 'Telekon' came in first. ('Telekon' was one of exactly two of the albums for which EVERY song on it appeared at least once on somebody's list; the other was 'Exile.') I am very surprised to see 'Berserker' showing up so far down the list; I guess that must be an example of an album that we like overall, but don't feel has many very strong songs. I wasn't sure how valid this means of evaluating the albums would be, since taking a composite of their component songs seems, on the face of it, to leave out a lot about the albums. However, my doubt was laid to rest when I noticed how closely these results line up with the results of James Chapman's album rankings poll from a year and a half ago. To refresh your memory, here are the results from his poll (with each album's average ranking): 1. TELEKON (5.23) 2. REPLICAS (5.60) 3. SACRIFICE (5.80) 4. THE PLEASURE PRINCIPLE (5.87) 5. EXILE (5.97) 6. DANCE (6.20) 7. BERSERKER (6.57) 8. I, ASSASSIN (7.37) 9. WARRIORS (9.00) 10. THE FURY (9.07) 11. TUBEWAY ARMY (9.10) 12. METAL RHYTHM (9.73) 13. STRANGE CHARM (11.10) 14. OUTLAND (11.80) 15. THE PLAN (12.30) 16. MACHINE+SOUL (14.27) . . . Notice that the rankings from the two polls pretty closely match each other. (I can't find my stats book right now, so I can't give you a numerical correlation.) What is different is that 'Berserker' ranked MUCH higher on James' poll; like I said, we like it as an album, but its songs don't stand out very prominently against his others. 'The Fury' also scored higher on James' poll. For all that it's been trashed on the Digest, though, 'The Plan' actually jumped up a bit on my poll; it may not be an album we fans like a whole lot, but it's got some great songs on it. Of course, 'The Plan' also benefitted in this format by counting all the songs that appeared on its cd reissue toward its total. Since I'm supposing some of us might still want to see how the albums stack up based ONLY on the the songs that were chosen to be on each album-- thereby giving a more strict sense of the general liking of that album per se-- here are the album rankings from the songs poll taking their totals from only those songs on their original vinyls: 1) Replicas (25, 291.5) 2) Exile (21, 270) 3) The Pleasure Principle (19, 263) 4) Telekon (21, 230.5) 5) Sacrifice (18, 216.5) 6) Dance (19, 206) 7) Strange Charm (10, 118.5) 8) Warriors (11, 112) 9) Metal Rhythm (11, 97.5) 10) Tubeway Army (12, 90) 11) I, Assassin (9, 89) 12) The Fury (9, 74.5) 13) Outland (7, 52) 14) Machine + Soul (6, 48) 15) Berserker (6, 44.5) 16) The Plan (7, 35) . . . Whoa, look what leaped up to #2 from #5! Could it be? Is 'Exile' truly the second-favorite album, despite its controversy? I don't think so. It jumped, but only because all the other albums tended to slip downward, since they lost the contributions of their bonus songs and remixed versions. Notice that 'Exile's scores stayed exactly the same, because it hasn't been reissued with any bonus anything. A couple other albums "jumped" up the same way, 'Outland' and 'Machine + Soul,' but only because they weren't getting any contribution from votes for songs that were bonus tracks on their reissues while other albums were; so that's not really a "jump" for them, but a "slide" for the others. Personally, I don't think this "conservative" form of the rankings is as accurate as the "liberal" form. Is 'Machine + Soul' really a better album than 'Berserker' just because the remixed version of "My Dying Machine" or the live version of "Berserker" weren't included on that album? Aren't those still the same SONGS? I think the fact that the inclusive rankings more closely correspond with the results of James' poll tends to suggest that that must be a more accurate reflection of how the albums stand up to each other in our appreciation. . . . Generalizing, then, we can make a few statements pretty authoritatively, at this point. The "trinity" of Gary albums, and his recent return to form, are Gary's very best. 'Dance' follows right after that. 'Machine + Soul' is the least-liked album. 'Outland' is also not too popular. The rest are in between, with 'I, Assassin' and 'Warriors' (his other two more experimental albums) coming after 'Dance,' 'Tubeway Army' (the other "machine" album, I think) after them, with the rest of them harder to pin down. Of course, most of that we suspected already. These numbers are just an instrument to try to measure those perceptions. Which is, of course, exactly what polls and surveys are. lots of love to all, and I hope you've had a little more fun with this, Ben http://home.earthlink.net/~iglarmobley * * * "Look back in anger Look back and cry Look up my number if you want to know why" (--from an album whose number would inspire anger and crying) ------------------------------ End of Gary Numan Digest ****************************** ------------------------------------------------------------------- T H E G A R Y N U M A N D I G E S T is produced and distributed by Derek Langsford, Dave Datta, and Joey Lindstrom dlangs@sunstroke.sdsu.edu, datta@cs.uwp.edu, Joey@GaryNumanFan.NU ------------------------------------------------------------------- To reply to the messages in this list, email: digest@GaryNumanFan.NU If you want to be removed, or someone wants to be added, email: digest-request@GaryNumanFan.NU ------------------------------------------------------------------ The Gary Numan Digest is brought to you via Joey Lindstrom and the GaryNUmanFan server Joey@GaryNumanFan.NU All of the opinions in this digest belong to the respective authors and do not necessarily agree with those of the Digest Producers. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Produced and distributed by Derek Langsford dlangs@sunstroke.sdsu.edu -------------------------------------------------------------------------- To reply to the messages in this list, mail to: digest@garynumanfan.nu If you want to be removed, or someone wants to be added, you can mail to digest-request@garynumanfan.nu --------------------------------------------------------------------------