Anybody else like Gary Numan?

http://www.numan.co.uk

You know, I still think Cars is a great song. I know a lot of the folks here put that on their "most annoying song" list but what the heck. He was one of the first to bring electronic music to popular radio and television.

Personal faves though are "Are Friends Electric" and "Change Your Mind" with whatsisname (Sharpe I think)?

I think the recordings of Gary Numan will be cool for an eternity...just forget that poor appearance at the M´Era Luna this year. :(

Yep Bogie it was Bill Sharpe...cool track. Sadly, it never was much noticed here. Another good collaboration was when he teamed up with Radio Heart for "All Across The Nation".
And if the words on the DCD "Best of 78 - 83"-Booklet were printed just readable... :D

Originally posted by Sonny Burnett:
<STRONG>Anybody else like Gary Numan?
http://www.numan.co.uk</STRONG>

Yes. I'm familiar with his only(?) hit, Cars.

I thought "Down in the Park" was REALLY good. I used to play that on my bass. One of 5 songs I knew how to play. *lol* :)

Originally posted by xistenza:
<STRONG>I thought "Down in the Park" was REALLY good. I used to play that on my bass. One of 5 songs I knew how to play. *lol* :)</STRONG>

That´s more than required...you are hired! :D

Forgotten this one...besides of the original, I don´t know how many cover versions I have in my stock. Guess I have to get the DCD again...one of the best compilations ever. There...now I can recall my absolute fave - "We Take Mysteries To Bed".

Hi Sonny.

Yes, I sure do like Gary Numan (do you think??? with a name like mine??)

I am a big fan of the early material.

There is a cool tribute double album called "Random". There is a great track on it covered by Damon Alban (Blur) and Matt Sharpe (Weezer) called "We Hve A Tehnical".

This was an out take (in it's original form) from the 'Replicas' recording sessions. This version on Random doesn't stray much from the original which is good, cos the original is fantastic! On this track, there is some cool panning utilised on the vocal tracks...Damon Alban's lyrics are heard on the left (I think?) and Matt Sharpe's vocals are on the right. Each bloke takes turns at singing the verses....Very cool.

I think "Down In The Park" creates such a cool science fiction image.

Replicas was a great album.

Wait a second.....Damon Alban and Matt Sharpe covering Gary Numan!!!! *runs to the record store* I can't wait to hear this. I love both of their voices. Thanks for letting us know about this. :D

NewRomantic,

I had not followed Numan for a while but, when I had a chance to see him in concert I jumped on it a few months ago. I realy enjoyed it. He played songs from his newest CD 'Pure' for the most part. He did do 'Cars' and 'Are Friends Electric'.

A great group called 'Gwenmars' opened and I liked them so much I bought their CD at the concert. :)

On that same album, EMF did "I Die You Die" and there was a group called Republica (remember them?) who did something as well.

The most bizarre cover version of Gary Numan ever is "I Dream of Wires" by Robert Palmer, which Gary Numan actually plays on. Robert had actually got a tape of the song "Cars" along with this other song, and what do you know, he bumps into Gary Numan and asks him to play on this song he's been working on, and he says sure. It's on Robert's Addicted to Love - Greatest Hits Vol. II - great song.

Gary Numan inspired me in my college days to pick up an organ and start composing stuff. I suppose my stuff in those days would be not far down the line from Ross (Friends)'s antics when he picks up a keyboard again in Series 3. V.funny!

Favourite Numan songs: Are Friends Electric?, Down in the Park, We Are Glass, Music for Chameleons, I Dream of Wires (Robert Palmer version)

Originally posted by Bogie
You know, I still think Cars is a great song. I know a lot of the folks here put that on their "most annoying song" list but what the heck. He was one of the first to bring electronic music to popular radio and television.

Personal faves though are "Are Friends Electric" and "Change Your Mind" with whatsisname (Sharpe I think)?

Gary Numan's 'Cars' is an anthem. It is always being used in advertising here in the UK, Carling Beer being one that used it in recent years.

Chris Sharpe was a keyboard player, and one of the trio that co-wrote the other New Romantic Anthem 'Fade To Grey' along with Billy Currie and Midge Ure of Ultravox.

Currie and Sharpe accompanied Gary Numan on his sellout 1979 UK tour, and on Numan's double CD 'Exhibition' you can hear some great live tracks from this tour in a very 'Ultravox' style.

You guys should check out Numans' rendition of 'On Broadway' from 'Exhibition'. Awesome!

Gary Numan also performed "On Broadway" on "The Leo Sayer Show" in the UK in 1983.

Leo Sayer! Now there's a name from the past....

What I would give to see this peformance! Thanks for the info, Timbo!

Yes, unfortunately, Gary Numan will be labeled as a one-hit-wonder with "Cars".

If you get the chance, listen to "Change Your Mind" or "I'm On Automatic" by Sharpe And Numan.

i just bought the the replicas remaster cd its great down in the park, i disconnet from you, are friends electric? are great songs i highly recommend picking up his cd remasters from beggars banquet label http://www.beggars.com

Change Your Mind is awesome and Cars is great. I should pick up a Gary Numan CD.

I just had to dig this thread out of the archives, being a huge fan of the delectible Gary Numan myself. He's still on the go and was here in Scotland (glasgow) for part of his tour in September. Didn't manage to get to the concert as it was also my son's 3rd Birthday the same day. For anyone that's interested, Gary and his wife Gemma are now parents of a lovely wee girl, Raven.
NU_U_UMANNN!! :D

Numan is King. Have you heard the light hearted mickey take of Gary Numan on Radio 2 in the afternoons from a character called 'Gary Le Strange'?

He pretends to be this New Romantic who thinks he has discovered this brand new sound. Certainly makes me smile anyway!

Originally posted by Chasey
Numan is King. Have you heard the light hearted mickey take of Gary Numan on Radio 2 in the afternoons from a character called 'Gary Le Strange'?

He pretends to be this New Romantic who thinks he has discovered this brand new sound. Certainly makes me smile anyway!

I'VE HEARD THAT!!!! And its Brilliant :)

Gary Numan is great.

I especially like "Are friends electric", and especially in the version by female Flemish singer An Pierle: http://geocities.com/towerness/disco_random.html
A very timid version with just piano and voice. Gary Numan's wife considers this the best cover ever made of that song, and Gary even changed the way he openes the song inspired by this cover...

I searched the web, but could not find an audio sample to share unfortunately.

My ist concert was Gary Numans Tubeway Army and i bought pretty much every record up until his leather and metal era. I thought that some of his lyrics were superb and my favs would be the live version of bombers and his very early stuff with tubeway army.

I've always had a bit of a soft spot for the Telekon album. I particularly like 'Remind me to Smile' and 'I dream of Wires'.
I'd love to hear the version of AFE as mentioned by andete.