Gary Numan. And this song. So perfect.
In the States, Gary Numan is mostly remembered for the “new wave” hit “Cars”. And honestly, I would have never discovered Gary Numan if I hadn’t bought the Times Square sound track to get the alternative version of XTC’s “Take This Town”. On that album was Numan’s “Down in the Park”, which hooked me in an instant. (Btw, if you can find the Times Square soundtrack, buy it. Its one of the best movie soundtracks, ever.)
Being the audiophile, I went out and bought Replicas. It still remains one of my favourite albums of all time. It wasn’t the bouncy synth pop that came before or after; it was dark and dangerous and screamed “ALIENATION”. Gary Numan set the bar for so many bands that followed him. Trent Reznor and Marilyn Manson acknowledge the debt they owe Numan, and without Numan I doubt such bands as Soft Cell and Depeche Mode would have seen the light of day in the charts here in America.
Gary Numan is still producing great music with a dark, edgy feel. And next month, I get take Replicas fan 2.0 (my son) to see Gary at the Fillmore in San Francisco.
Have a good weekend and ask yourself … Are Friends Electric?
skullwoman 