Gary Numan

[Erneuert]

The backing singers from this period remind me of Tension 2013:



Also, why does The Fury era seem so hard to find footage from?

He really chose an interesting image for that era.

[Volk]

Tickets on sale today. Anyone have a presale password for the UT show in Philly?

[otnavuskire]

His Boston shows are always on such inconvenient days for someone from northern Vermont. Monday this time. So I'd pretty much need to take Monday and Tuesday off from work for the show, which I don't want to do.

[Volk]

I got tickets for Union Transfer in Philly. Does anyone know what the VIP tickets include? They were "free", but the website didn't mention what was included.

[botley]

Shit, we should grab a drink maybe!

Definitely! I got a ticket on the balcony this time

Brand new recording of "Love Like Anthrax" by Gary & Ade Fenton (dig that spooky Duduk solo over the intro, and Ade doing the spoken-word part) just dropped on a tribute compilation called The Problem of Leisure: A celebration of Andy Gill & Gang of Four.



You may remember that Gary performed this song with HEALTH, NIN, and Eric Avery at a Wave Goodbye 2009 show.

[Erneuert]

Just went through my HD and found I had a few extra tracks. Anyone else want these?

[voidnz]

Yes please!!!!

[Erneuert]

Forgot how good this song was. He even did it a live a few times in 2007/2008, I think it was.

[REPLICA]

I scored tickets to Carrboro, NC - The Cat's Cradle. Very excited to see Gary again! And I've been to the Cradle before, saw Car Seat Headrest there a couple years ago. I was debating about Atlanta too, but decided I didn't want to endure that traffic. Wish he could have made a date at the Orange Peel in Asheville. But I heard he might do a second North American leg next year.

[Erneuert]

@botley - are you aware of any TV interviews where Gary actually talks about Sacrifice? There are plenty from 1997/1998 and the “Exile” album release, and there is this one below from 1994 promoting the “Like A Refugee” collab single with Da Da Dang, but nothing specifically from Sacrifice, apart from that live performance of “Scar”…

[botley]

^ That's all I've ever seen on YouTube anyway... I don't think he was under any pressure to do lots of promo for that album, Gary always talks about how it was kind of done as a hobby more than anything. I don't think the "Absolution" single even sold 4000 copies, which is how much the initial print runs of those first two Tubeway Army singles were.

[Erneuert]

^ That's all I've ever seen on YouTube anyway... I don't think he was under any pressure to do lots of promo for that album, Gary always talks about how it was kind of done as a hobby more than anything. I don't think the "Absolution" single even sold 4000 copies, which is how much the initial print runs of those first two Tubeway Army singles were.

Makes sense. Very lol that out of all things in 1994 he was promoting that collab single though. Sacrifice is a work of art.

[Erneuert]

So much win.

[botley]

^ Love when David Brooks busts out the keytar! What is that, 1997? They all look so young...

[Trains]

So what's the verdict on Intruder then? I've listened to it through a few times now, generally I really like it and I think given a few more listens it might be up there with Splinter and Savage for me. Standout tracks for me are Now and Forever, The Gift and Saints and Liars. One thing I will say, is it just me or is this Gary's most depressing album? I know his output it generally dark and moody, but wow do I feel bummed by the time this record is finished - epsecially after The End of Dragons. Maybe it's the subject material being focused on the planet dying, maybe it's the fact the majority of this was written and recorded during lockdown, but there's definitely more than a few songs where it feels more introspective and defeated than usual. Not a bad thing by any stretch, just something I noticed as I was listening.

[Erneuert]

So what's the verdict on Intruder then? I've listened to it through a few times now, generally I really like it and I think given a few more listens it might be up there with Splinter and Savage for me. Standout tracks for me are Now and Forever, The Gift and Saints and Liars. One thing I will say, is it just me or is this Gary's most depressing album? I know his output it generally dark and moody, but wow do I feel bummed by the time this record is finished - epsecially after The End of Dragons. Maybe it's the subject material being focused on the planet dying, maybe it's the fact the majority of this was written and recorded during lockdown, but there's definitely more than a few songs where it feels more introspective and defeated than usual. Not a bad thing by any stretch, just something I noticed as I was listening.

I would attribute it to his mum’s passing and also the passing of time in general. “Scanner” in 2006 was essentially what “A Black Sun” is; the passing of time and the notion of not being around for his daughters. Bowie wrote the same lament with “Heathen (The Rays)” in 2002.

Being the year it is now and the age he is now, it seems appropriate for those sentiments to be even more pressing.

[Helpmeiaminhell (is now in hell)]

Just skimmed through the new album. It just sounds like another Ade Fenton album with Gary's vocals. Gary has been milking this NIN/Manson sound for 25 plus years now. Would be nice if he went off in more of a darkwave style instead of trying to be Mr industrial. I gotta assume all the 60 year old boomers who listen to him and came up with him in the 70s are turned off by Gary trying to reach the kiddies with his mall industrial sound.

[botley]

It was in the official Top 100 UK albums chart for two weeks, including a debut at #2, so he's not exactly hurting for a new audience. He's also headlining Wembley Arena again next year after forty years. Gotta assume 'the kiddies' aren't the ones turning out for that and spending big bucks for the front row seats...

[Lerxto]

The live show was great. I enjoyed it way more than I thought I would.
Probably because I never watched any of his recent live shows because he only released DVDs. Who does that nowadays?

[Erneuert]

^ Did you happen to save it? I didn’t bother with any of the online live event tickets.

[Lerxto]

^ Did you happen to save it? I didn’t bother with any of the online live event tickets.

I believe it's still available to purchase, but PM me that's not the case.

[simonn]

Just watching the show at the moment (a friend got a ticket for it) - who's the new bass player? Was he in an earlier touring incarnation as a keyboard player?

[botley]

Just watching the show at the moment (a friend got a ticket for it) - who's the new bass player? Was he in an earlier touring incarnation as a keyboard player?

No, that's Tim Slade. He played bass on the new album and has filled in on bass before when one of Steve Harris or Tim Muddiman (who recently left the band to pursue his visual art career) was unavailable. Great player, glad that he seems to be in on a more permanent basis now. I haven't finished watching the whole deluxe stream with all the extras but the new songs sound amazing live!

[simonn]

No, that's Tim Slade. He played bass on the new album and has filled in on bass before when one of Steve Harris or Tim Muddiman (who recently left the band to pursue his visual art career) was unavailable. Great player, glad that he seems to be in on a more permanent basis now. I haven't finished watching the whole deluxe stream with all the extras but the new songs sound amazing live!

Great, cheers for that. Ah, you may be able to answer another question then - the version I've just watched cuts off at the end of the main set per setlistfm (ie Prayer). Is the encore only on the deluxe then - not that I know what version my mate bought, but I'll ask him? What else was exclusive to deluxe?

And yes, the new songs are MUCH more guitary live - really enjoyed them, and the whole show really. Now he just needs to integrate Now and Forever in there (I'd ditch The Chosen).

Also - was Ade Fenton mixing the show or something - he was pictured before filming done up as though he was part of the touring band, but doesn't put in appearance.

[voidnz]

I was confused about no encore too but discovered it's a separate video you have to start playing, there's also a short behind the scenes and some great interviews.

Livestream was great, was cool to hear Halo and I loved the new songs.

[Erneuert]

“The Fall” was an odd choice to finish the show with.

Meanwhile, the only post-Sacrifice “interview” I’ve managed to find (between Sacrifice and Exile):

[botley]

Is the encore only on the deluxe then - not that I know what version my mate bought, but I'll ask him? What else was exclusive to deluxe?

The encore, plus interviews with Gary and Ade Fenton, and a behind-the-scenes featurette showing how the crew set up the stage. Ade puts together the backing tracks and does some synth programming, all of which David Brooks is triggering via MIDI during the show. I don't know who mixed it, but possibly it's him with Nathan Boddy? They have done the last handful of studio albums together, plus a few of the recent live albums as well.

“The Fall” was an odd choice to finish the show with.

Perhaps a bit surprising, but it's a total banger. One of my favourite things he's ever done, that track.

[Erneuert]

The encore, plus interviews with Gary and Ade Fenton and a behind-the-scenes featurette showing the crew set up the stage... Ade puts together the backing tracks and some synth programming, all of which Brooks is triggering via MIDI during the show. I don't know who mixed it but possibly him plus Nathan Boddy? They have done the last handful of studio albums together plus a few of the recent live albums as well.


Perhaps a bit surprising but it's a total banger. One of my favourite things he's ever done, that track.

”Look” was a great demo in itself.

And “Always”. The latter was just made into something brilliant.

[simonn]

Perhaps a bit surprising, but it's a total banger. One of my favourite things he's ever done, that track.

Agreed - love that tune!

[Erneuert]

It went through quite a few different revisions. I was at the concert that was released as the “Decoder” DVD for example (how does he come up with these live album names? Dream Corrosion? Decoder? Hope Bleeds?), and the online streaming version of it included “The Fall” in its early form. For whatever reason they didn’t include it on the Decoder DVD. I cropped the video for that performance from the online stream though and included it as my own “bonus disc” in the DVD case. It was between Rip and Pure from the 2009 Enmore Sydney show.

Here it is (omitted from Decoder):

Maybe he got self conscious when he came in late at 3:20? —