In North Vancouver BC Canada, back in 1979, I was listening to a radio station - CFOX (FM 99)- and this song began playing. It was like nothing I'd heard before and I loved it! But, alas, the DJ didn't announce its title or author. A few days later I heard the song again on the same station and this time the DJ announced that it was "Are 'Friends' Electric?" from Gary Numan.
Months later, I was listening to an AM station - LG73 - and the DJ said, "Coming up next, we have a new song from Gary Numan." I anxiously awaited the commercials to end and then the song "Cars" was played. I fell in love with it even more so than "Are Friends...".
I bought The Pleasure Principle album. I loved it so much I began buying all his other albums: First Album, Replicas, and Telekon for it had just been released also. I bought all the albums that came out after and Gary Numan became my favourite musicain of all time.
I was quite disheartened when, after Warriors, his albums were no longer released domestically in Canada, but there was a good record store in Vancouver - Odyssey Imports - that stocked all of Gary's albums and 12 inch singles that were only available as imports.
I moved to Calgary, Alberta, Canada in 1987, and continued to search for further albums from Gary. I think the last one I found was Outland and after this, I thought that Gary was no longer making music.
Well, guess what? A couple of months ago I was sifting through stuff at HMV and decided to look in the Gary Numan section. I expected to find, as usual, another compilation album - but WAIT ... WHAT'S THIS? Sacrifice? Holy cow!!!! A new Gary Numan album. (Well 1994 is pretty new anyway). I bought the thing and just loved it. Then I browsed the internet and found the official Gary Numan web site. And now I'm flying high 'cause the man's still cranking out that totally excellent, new fashioned music.
When Gary Numan comes out with a new album, you know two things about it:
It is so ironic that the best music in the world receives little attention by the radio stations and, since Gary Numan, is a "one hit wonder" in Canada, for the most part, you know that he is a musical genius.
The sceptic must ask himself, if Gary Numan is not a musical genius than why is he still making music after nearly twenty years? Why after being continuously bashed by the music critics all over the world is his music still thrilling its hauntingly sonorous chill? Why are so many hearts he captured in the late 1970s still moved by his name and still dedicated to the strange charm of his musical masterpieces?
And look at all the musicians and bands who testify that it was Gary's music that influenced them? Why, recently, has a host of bands whose music is as diverse as the colours in Gary Numan's mysterious album covers, recoreded covers of his songs?
I cannot explain why I am a die-hard fan. I can only suggest that you hear his music. His music cannot be described, for it is like nothing you've heard before. It is and always will be the best.
Shawn Pelton-Thomas
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
uogccan@cadvision.com (Attention: Shawn)
What does it mean to you to be a Gary Numan fan? Send your story to Joey Lindstrom