Gary Numan Brentwood Leisure Centre 23rd October 1993

 

I have previously indicated in an earlier post of the Marquee gig (here) that in 1993 I shot myself in the foot when it came to Gary Numan. For 1993 was the year when the revival started. Something clicked for him (I believe with the help of Gemma) that enabled him to reverse his ailing fortunes (musically speaking). A big part of this could be put down to a major rethink of the set. Compare the set below to the 1991 Electric Ballroom set posted recently. Basically, he went back to the songs that meant the most to his loyal but (surely) dispirited fanbase. He did this to the extent that songs that hadn't been heard from a stage since 1978 were getting an airing again, 'That's Too Bad', 'Jo The Waiter' and 'Bombers' (at least in the Marquee set if not this one).

Maybe there is something in the psychology of musicians, whereby in order to avoid accusations of standing still you have to keep moving forward such that older material always loses out to the new. I get it. Then a musician comes to the point in their career when suddenly the old stuff is suddenly cool again... people start referring to songs as classic this and classic that. For Numan that came at around this time, 15 years or so into his recording career. It was in the mid to late '90's too that the generation that had grown up on watching Tubewsay Army/Numan on Top of the Pops were now in bands themselves (some of which at this time were in bands that ultimately became part of the yet to be named Britpop scene) and telling the likes of Sounds and NME who their influences were. Here Numan hit pay dirt, for the first time ever, his back catalogue was in vogue and he was being given the respect within the music industry that had eluded him for so long. The return to form 'Sacrifice' album of 1994 firmly established his current upward trajectory and he has not looked back since. Furthermore, Numan has fully learned that there is nothing wrong with nostalgia so long that it is done well and whole-heartedly.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-CIjfrahKRZ

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-uak1VvkAN8

Electric Ballroom Camden London 26th September 1991

 

I didn't really plan to see Numan in 1991, having arrived at the conclusion after last seeing him in 1988 that he and I were now on divergent musical paths. However, in 1991 I took up a university work placement in Crawley, West Sussex close to where my parents lived. The company was at that time Smithkline Beecham and I was working in one of their laboratories for a period of six months. Whilst chatting one lunchtime with my new work colleagues the topic of conversation switched to music and I mentioned that amongst other things I liked Numan, they laughed, as one of the number gathered around the table, Iain, was a big fan. It was Iain that offered me a ticket to see Numan play the Electric Ballroom in Camden where he was playing as part of the 'Emotion Tour'. I took the ticket thinking that this would be an opportunity to meet up midweek with my then girlfriend (now wife) Gunta. At that time I was living back at my parents' place as there was a health crisis in the family at that time and it was also an chance to save a bit of money for a few months and Gunta was living in Ealing Common.

On the night Iain and I met Gunta in The World's End pub (where the drinkers of the band also happened to be pre-gig) for a couple of hours before I said googbye until the following Saturday when I would return to London. We got to the venue in time to see the support, Freak U.K. who left little impression on me. Come the main event, on this evening Gary didn't really stand a chance. I was confident that I wouldn't enjoy the gig and in that respect I was not wrong. Material that represented my perception of Gary Numan had been swept from the set, only 'Me! I Disconnect From You', 'Cars' and 'AFE' has survived the musical cull. The vast majority of the set was fairly recent i.e 3-4 years old and it was all infected with his current leaning towards a soul/funk vibe, supplemented with bouncy keyboards and backing vocals aplenty. If that is your Numan era I have absolutely no issue with that, it's just not my cup of tea at all. The sound 'Soul Protection' that was included in the set that night is a perfect example for me of the extent to which Numan was struggling to stay relevant at this time.

The audio quality of this gig is great and I removed some glitches that existed on the original tape before it was digitised.

Luckily for me, and I am sure that others reading these posts will be with me here, better things were on the horizon.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-RJ2qdOD6Gd

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-xoQjfgns7U

Gary Numan The Junction Cambridge 1st December 2009

 

Between 2006 and 2009 Numan played the tours that I always wanted to see and never thought I would. These three retrospective tours offered much that even the original tours of 1979 and 1980 could not offer. Remember, 'The Touring Principle' featured a live set that covered both the 'Replicas' and 'The Pleasure Principle' albums. Numan had not to date played these albums and associated tracks in full. 

Numan with Paul Gardiner backdrop

December 2009

This album retrospective approach to touring seems to have been thing that has flourished in the last 20 or so years. To my mind it is perfect for artist and fans alike, in that it engages the musicians to learn/relearn long forgotten tracks and it gives fans the opportunity to hear old and well loved tracks often for the first time. It is something that is perhaps best suited to musicians who have enjoyed a long career. Bowie was early on the uptake of the concept when in 2002, as host of London's South Bank 'Meltdown' festival, he played his Berlin classic 'Low' back to back with his then current album 'Heathen'.

So, Numan brought 'The Pleasure Principle' to The Junction in Cambridge, one of my favourite venues in the country, but one that was too small on this occasion. I went with my son who was then 11 and needed to lift him onto a table in order for him to see anything (he is 6'2" now so would be doing the same for me these days!). A few nights later I saw the show at the Indigo in London and access to the stage was easy with perfect views to go with it.

Of this album, there is not much that I need to say for the benefit of this audience. Not as dark as its predecessor, the album took electronic music to a new height. There is not a duff track on the album, with precise instrumentation that perfectly complements the soaring keyboards that dominate the songs. Ever the purist, Numan made the decision to abandon guitar on this album, a decision that he has since stated was a mistake, but in my opinion the combination of bass, drums and keyboards makes for a complete sound. There is no need, or space for guitar on 'The Pleasure Principle'.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-oyHUgCAQ8K

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-pkdDcxsziF

 01. Random
 02. Airlane
 03. Metal
 04. Complex
 05. Films
 06. M.E.
 07. Tracks
 08. Observer
 09. Conversation
 10. Cars
 11. Engineers
 12. Asylum

 01. The Fall
 02. Pure
 03. Down In The Park
 04. Haunted
 05. Halo
 06. Jagged
 07. Are 'Friends' Electric?
 08. Encore Break
 09. We Are So Fragile
 10. A Prayer For The Unborn

Classic Pop Magazine's Gary Numan Special Edition

 

Not new news, but I was happy to pick up this a couple of weeks ago. I have thus far only thumbed through the pages but it looks pretty good. With interviews with Billy Currie, Chris Payne, Pino Palladino and Ade Fenton, it may through up some new information and insights. Of course, I went straight to the 'punk' Tubeway Army pages and thought that there could have been more, but given that I'm talking about a two year slice over a 48 year career, I will respectfully wind my neck in!!

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