Birmingham Alexandra 22nd October 1989

 

Come 1989 Numan toured in support of 'The Skin Mechanic', a live partial set album from the previous year's 'Metal Rhythm' tour recorded at the show at London's Dominion Theatre. At this point, any diehard reading this will roll their eyes in disgust, but for me, by this point Numan was no longer innovating, he was trying his hardest to keep up, find a niche and stay relevant, but in this task he was floundering. Numan has said this much himself. The shows were still big events in terms of light and sound but the edge was no longer there. Gary Numan started the decade as untouchable in terms of chart success and popularity, Gary Numan ended the decade as untouchable for all the wrong reasons. Radio stations were starving him of airplay and the wider fanbase (with the exception of a hardcore) seemed to have moved over to pastures new. A state of affairs that was reflected in the chart performance of the live album which peaked at at 55 in the UK charts.

Unfortunately, the situation would get worse.... the good news is that it gets better too!

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-gW5uC9BYEU

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-7mT1YKThtO

Commodore Ballroom Vancouver 3rd March 2024

 

Sidestepping the chronological thing for the time being I thought I'd bring things up to date for a moment. Here's a Numan support slot that he did with Ministry in the US and Canada in the Spring of this year. Sounds quite nice this one. There is a bit of whooping and hollering... which seems to be a bit of a thing with North American audiences. Also captured here is 'Haunted' from the soundcheck.

Thanks to the original Dime uploader.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-jVWhS9WeJv

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-LV07ho7cx0

Radio Sheffield Interview 1988

 

In 1988, normal service was resumed with an album and tour combination. The album was 'Metal Rhythm' which was supported by 18 live dates across the UK. For me there was one stand out track on this, the nineth studio album from Numan, and that was 'Voix'. The track soundwise was something of a pointer to the diretion that he would take in a few years time that would revive his fortunes and reputation. For me, the rest of the material lacked that inate Numan quality of earlier studio albums as Numan grappled as to where he belonged in the UK msic scene of 1988. The record buying public too seemingly shared his dilema to some extent with a peak UK chart placing of 48.

In the absence of a live recording from the 'Matal Rhythm' tour here is a short telephome interview conducted with Rado Sheffield ahead of Gary's appearance at City Hall.

I saw him on the first of the Astoria dates in London on this tour.

MP3: https://we.tl/t-YNSL9PBawf

Barrowlands Glasgow 21st September 1987

1986 saw the release of the 'Strange Charm' album. With this release, Gary's media exposure in terms of promotion was waning. This was also the last album that I bought on the day of release. To be honest, the album has some half decent tracks, notably, 'My Breathing' and 'The Sleeproom'. The singles lifted from the album, 'This Is Love' and 'I Can't Stop' didn't overly trouble the charts and the same can be said of the album too, peaking in the UK chart at 59. 

'Strange Charm' was not promoted with live dates. The new material got its first airing on the following year's tour that was linked to the release of a hits compilation 'Exhibition'. This was the first serious greatest hits treatment that Gary had received. Previously, a German compilation 'Photograph' was released and quickly withdrawn, making the album a much sought after collectable. That was followed by 'Newman Numan' released by TV Records in 1982 (seemingly a vehicle for an accompanying VHS compilation of promo videos interspersed with some additional footage). The 1987 tour is best documented on the fanclub released album 'Ghost'.

For me, I was at the 'Exhibition' tour at the Civic Hall in Guildford.

Here is an incomplete set from the tour, broadcast late in the year by Radio Clyde, when Numan played the celebrated Barrowlands in Glasgow.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-CZdKG6bJhx

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-vZW6Q5BS6N

Gary Numan and Little Boots BBC 6 Music Session Maida Vale Studios 7th December 2009

 

Was this collaboration really 15 years ago! Little Boots and Gary Numan in session on BBC Radio 6 Music.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-gPw6gramF7

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-g2RIq0jcE5

01. Metal

02. Interview (Numan)

03. Earthquake

04. Interview (Little Boots)

05. Are Friends Electric?

06. Stuck On Repeat

07. Interview (Both)

08. Venus In Furs

Newcastle City Hall 24th September 1985

 

September 1985 saw the UK release of 'The Fury' and hot on its heels a promotional tour. No Brighton date on this tour so I travelled to Guilford for this one. Three singles were lifted from the album, none of which broke into the top 40. This was as I recall around the time when trouble started with BBC Radio 1 (back in the day it was crucial to get your singles onto the station's playlist if you were to have any kind of commercial success). It was thought amongst many fans that the station had an unofficial boycott of Numan's records. Back in 1985 I was working in a factory in Mid-Sussex and Radio 1 was played over the speakers from morning until evening and I can recall hearing 'Your Fascination' no more than twice at this time. If a boycott was not in place it certainly seemed that Numan's singles were getting significantly less rotation that a lot of other chart acts. 

Despite the poor chart placings of the singles the album reached 24 in the UK album chart, a respectable placing. The tour of course was well attended. Record sales may have been on the decline compared with the first two years of his career, but this did not carry over to his tours which continued to be well supported by the fan base.

Some further changes were brought in for the tour. The services of brother John and Andy Coughlan were retained and Karen Taylor's backing vocals were supplemented with the addition of Kit Rolfe. All joined the core touring trio of Rrussel, Chris and Ced.

Here is a recording from the tour from Newcastle City Hall.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-lO5zkqeskN

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-MMEf94GsBM

01. Tricks
02. Me! I Disconnect From You
03. Creatures
04. Metal
05. Berserker
06. Are 'Friends' Electric ?
07. Miracles
08. Down In The Park
09. Cold warning
10. I Die: You Die
11. Sister Surprise
12. This Disease
13. We Take Mystery (To Bed)
14. Call Out The Dogs
15. Cars
16. My Shadow In Vain
17. We Are Glass

Edinburgh Playhouse 2nd December 1984

 

Electrofunk still had something of a hold over Gary Numan when the time came around to record a new album. The leather and studs of the ‘Warriors’ period were cast aside in favour of his most outlandish image to date. The album was ‘Berserker’ and Numan promoted the album and subsequent tour as a white faced iceman (a theme first heralded on the ‘Warriors’ album) with blue hair and make up. 

Released on his own Numa Records label (having parted ways with Beggars Banquet after the release of ‘Warriors’ with this new album Numan for the first time in his career failed to take the record buying public with him. The album peaked at number 45 in the UK album charts whilst the title track just made it into the top 30 (reaching No. 29), whilst the follow up, ‘My Dying Machine’ floundered at number 66. These poor chart placings were despite a fairly high profile promotional campaign seeing the album and singles plugged in supportive music publications. There were also several TV appearances. 

There was a significant departure on this album and tour and that was the introduction of female backing singers. It was in all probability one factor amongst several behind the chart performance of the album. The tour was a saving grace for Gary in that he still commanded a loyal following that supported him admirably at the live shows. If the music had shifted somewhat the presence of the core Numan touring band in the form of Ced, Rrussell and Chris lent a certain familiarity to the proceedings.

I saw him again on the tour in Brighton, this time at The Dome (a beautiful venue that was once the stables of the Royal Pavilion).  As I recall for that gig, the venue was 90% seated. I say this because I was quite near to the front in the stalls in a seat. When the ultraviolet kicked in as the band took to the stage I stood on the seat which promptly folded sending me unceremoniously over the back, much to the amusement of those around me. 

The ‘Berserker’ live set was quite light in terms of the new material played. The singles were in there alongside ‘This is New Love’ and ‘Cold Warning’. The latter track was in my opinion one of the stronger songs on the album. The best track on the album ‘A Child With The Ghost’, a heartfelt tribute to fellow Tubeway Army founder and long term musical collaborator, Paul Gardiner, who had died in February of that year from a heroin overdose was a notable omission. Perhaps it was still to raw to play at that time.

The penultimate gig of the tour in London was recorded and released as ‘White Noise’, this album also spawned the ‘Live E.P.’ Interestingly, both live releases outperformed the studio releases.

The tour was intended to be something of a package tour promoting the acts signed to the recently established Numa label. Tour support was provided in the form of Larry Loeber and Hohokam. Unfortunately, Numa Records was not much of a financial success, one of several financial ventures that did not work out so well for Numan.

Here's the show from the Edinburgh Playhouse.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-Ta2EFpX88v

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-qh7atSwXiv