I Still Remember
Gary Numan Will Soon Rule The World
By Bas Vos

My name is Bas Vos, and I'm a (reasonably) normal guy from Holland. My 'first contact' with Gary's music was about 6 years ago, when one of the less important TV stations in Holland broadcasted one of his concerts (not live; I think it was from the Berserker-period, judging by his outfit). Naturally, I was quite impressed by the songs: the sound was amazing, and the show Gary put on was (naturally) very solid. One week later, the concert was rerun (reruns of reruns were a specialty of this station). Again, I stuck to the screen like a magnet.

Of course, I went to the stores to see if they had any Numan CD's. Unfortunately, Holland is a place were few people recognize quality when they hear it (and I had definitely heard it in Gary!), and most stores refuse to sell albums a serious music lover might want despite the fact that they don't have any commercial potential. As a result, the next year or so was spent in trying to find a Gary Numan album, to no avail. Even in the stores in Amsterdam (and they have some big stores there, you know) it was impossible to find a trace of Gary (the horror, the horror...), and finally I just gave up.

End of story, were it not for my sister, who is a new wave fan of the first order. One of her new wave compilation albums featured the classic "Are 'friends' electric", which I recognised (even though it was by then over 2 years after that concert on TV). "I still remember", I thought, when she told me who the artist was. Full off enthusiasm, I began a new search, but again I was disappointed by those blinkered record-stores. This time, I really gave up (though I could never resist the temptation of quickly checking under "N" when I went to buy a CD).

Time went by, until a few months ago I came to Newcastle (U.K.) for my studies in linguistics...

I wasn't even looking for it. I just passed a rack of CD's on my way. Out of the corner of my eye I could see something vaguely familiar, so I went back a few steps. Imagine my happiness, nay, ecstasy, when I saw right in front of me a whole bunch of Numan's CD's... I quickly checked them out, and to my even greater happiness/amazement I saw his Greatest Hits CD was reduced in price to £3.50 (figure out the exchange rate yourself). I could hardly believe my eyes: I had spent years looking for this in Holland, while here I accidentally bumped into it at a bargain price! Of course I (literally) ran to the checkout to buy it (soon afterwards followed by his "white noise" live album, and probably many others in the near future).

I couldn't wait to listen to it, and I wasn't disappointed. I listened in awe, as my lower jow was touching my chest for most of 70+ minutes. As this was in a busy computer room, many of my fellow students must have thought I was mad, but I didn't care (a common attitude for a Numanoid, I understand). "Berserker" must be one of the coolest tracks ever produced by a human being...

Ever since, I have been trying to convert my flatmates to become Numanoids, too. Since I live in an international flat, the Numanoid virus should soon be spreading to France, Italy, Germany, South-africa and Tuvalu (and when I return, Holland will also be conquered!). If all my fellow Numanoids join me, Gary Numan will soon rule the world in fact as well as in our opinions!