Gary Numan, real name Gary Webb, is an English singer-songwriter considered to this day as one of the pioneers of electronic music.
It was at the age of 15 that he began his artistic career after his father bought him a Gibson Les Paul guitar which he considered to be a real treasure.
He began by integrating a first group called "Mean Street and the Lasers", before forming his own group "Tubeway Army". Group which contains as another member… his uncle in particular.
Three singles were released between 1978 and 1979 : "That’s too bad", "Bombers" and "Down in the park" but the success is only very relative.
Everything changed suddenly when the 1979 single "Are‘ Friend ’Electric ?", from the album " Replicas". This time around, the test is transformed and the title ends up in pole position in the Charts.
A particularly prolific year 1979 for the artist, who recorded another success and not least with the release, under his own name, of the single "Cars". Single that will be a hit on both sides of the Atlantic. The album "The pleasure principle" was released immediately and in turn was a hit. Fans flock to the point of creating a community called "Numanoids" ...
The successes followed with the release in 1980 of the album "Telekon" which produced the top hit "We are glass". Followed in 1981 by the album "Dance" which would produce the hit "She's got claws". Album in which some renowned musicians from groups such as Japan, Models and other Queen will have participated, just that…!
The same year, another hit with the single "Love needs no disguise" but the wheel begins to turn for the artist who sees his career start to falter.
The proof with the album "I, Assassin" which came out in 1982 and which knows only a relative success. Ditto for the album "Warriors" which came out in 1983.
The album "Berserker" which came out in 1984 still drives the point home despite the eponymous single which made it a more than honorable journey. The album divided fans, critics poured out, and the album ended up being the least profitable of all the artist's albums.
The album "The fury" which came out in 1985 raised the bar a little, but it was especially his collaboration with Bill Sharpe of Shakatak that allowed him to record another notorious success with the enormous single "Change your mind".
1986 temporarily put him back in the saddle with the release of the album "Strange Charm" from which the 2 flagship singles "This is love" and "I can’t stop" will be extracted.
It will be these last notorious solo successes. He had a last major success in 1988 with the single "No more lies", single which was once again the result of his collaboration with Bill Sharpe.
The release of other albums will not prevent the slow and inevitable decline of this extraordinary artist. Artist who will stay as one of the most emblematic and innovative figures of the 1980s.
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others ...) :
Listen to the sirens (Tubeway Army) 1978
Something's in the house (Tubeway Army) 1978
Bombers (Tubeway Army) 1978
Down in the park (Tubeway Army) 1979
Are friends eletric ? (Tubeway Army) 1979
Cars 1979
Complex 1979
We are glass 1980
I die : you die 1980
This wreckage 1980
She’s got claws 1981
Love needs no disguise 1981
Slowcar to China 1981
A subway called You 1981
Music for chameleons 1982
We take mystery (To bed) 1982
White boys and heroes 1982
A dream of Siam 1982
Warriors 1983
Sister surprise 1983
Berserker 1984
My dying machine 1984
Your fascination 1985
Call out the dogs 1985
Change your mind 1985
Miracles 1985
I still remember 1986
This is love 1986
I can’t stop 1986
New thing from London town 1986
Radio heart 1987
London times 1987
New anger 1988
America 1988
Voices 1988
No more lies 1988
I’m automatic 1989
Heart 1991
My world storm 1991
Emotion 1991
The skin game 1992
Machine and Soul 1992
A question of faith 1994
Deadliner 1994
Desire 1994
Absolution 1995
Dark 1995
Dominion day 1998
Rip 2002
Listen to my voice 2002
Walking with shadows 2002
In a dark place 2006
Blind 2006
Haunted 2006
Big noise transmission 2011
The fall 2011
When the sky bleeds he will come 2011
I am dust 2013
Here in the black 2013
Love hurt bleed 2013
The end of things 2017
And it all began with you 2017
When the world comes apart 2017
Betrayer 2021
Saints and liars 2021
Intruder 2021
Clips :
1978...an interesting first title but which still shows that there is still a little work to be done before being able to eventually join the big leagues...
1978 ... we already detect in this young singer an obvious potential but it remains to be seen what exactly he will do with this famous potential ...
1978...afterwards it is clear that we must give time to time and it is certain that young Gary cannot take off like that overnight...
1979...the main thing for him from now on is to start talking about himself and if possible in the best possible terms...
1979...then comes THIS title ! The title of the big take-off and especially of the sensational arrival on the international music scene. A resounding arrival that allows the artist to land his first planetary mega hit, just that !
1979...and 2 ! He repeats the feat in the process and becomes de facto one of the phenomena of the moment. A year 1979 which will inevitably remain exceptional for the artist. HU-GE !
1979...it was clear that he could not continue on such a level of success with this title which closed the year. A title that will still fare more than well...
1980 ... an entry into the 80s in the best possible way. The artist is now on a dynamic that nothing and nobody will be able to stop ...
1980...a BIG year which saw him produce top hit after top hit. Thanks to a style and sound so typical of the early 80s across the Channel and which will remain as one of the most beautiful musical showcases of this decade...
1980...everything that comes out now is classified, certainly at distinct levels, but still. The main thing for the artist is that he is now racing at the head of the leading pack...
1981 ... paradoxical as it may seem, what made his success will begin to isolate him somewhat. Because his very particular style will change very little in the years that will follow ...
1981 ... which will surely remain as one of his most emblematic titles. Whose success however will be limited in the Charts. Like what...
1981...some titles will go completely under the radar like this one when they are far from deserving. They deserve at least a little relight...
1981...same for this one. A year 1981 which will not remain as its best on the Charts side, that it is clear. Astonishing turnaround...
1982...he will have climbed too quickly and too high at first glance and the descent is violent to say the least...
1982 ... on the tempo side, the pace picks up a bit. And finally gives a little Dance side to its titles. We are not going to complain, on the contrary !
1982...there is quality in all that, it's clear, but it was overtaken by the competition without realizing it...
1982...frankly a shame because it was all going really well but he let himself get too carried away by the enormous successes of 1979...
1983 ... the years go by and there is still that somewhat dark side that made its success in the early 80s. A style that now seems a little outdated ...
1983... suddenly he stagnated at the same level and could no longer catch up with the front runners. He will have to ask himself the right questions and quickly...
1984 ... another title among the most emblematic of the artist even if this one will not pay more than that in the Charts. Still just as quirky, still just as out of the ordinary...
1984...even if he cannot catch up with the competition he still manages to maintain himself at an average level in the Charts. It's already that...
1985...and it's not this kind of inconvenience that risks slowing him down in his adventure. He still has things to offer, that's for sure...
1985...so he says to himself that remaining solo is not necessarily the solution and he will become more and more associated afterwards...
1985 ... the associations benefit him, that's clear. He signs here one of his best titles. Dance at will, finally !
1985 ... the style evolves somewhat, that's obvious. Little but enough to produce pieces that will qualify as more affordable for ordinary people ...
1986...as soon as he goes solo again, the results in the Charts are immediately felt. We are not talking about a clear and massive decline but all the same...
1986...a new title which allows him to somewhat regain favor with the public. Like what, you should never despair...
1986 ... pieces more in tune with the times and which allow him to become trendy again. One day down, one day up ...
1986...he still made real efforts to evolve with the times, it is clear. A career managed in the best possible way...
1987...that's what I said, associations bring him luck. Once again the proof with this title which will undoubtedly remain one of its flagship titles. HU-GE !
1987 ... we take the same and we start again. And once again, it works with the fire of God. We definitely want more !
1988...he reaches 10 years of career here and can still boast of having an already flattering prize list. Which is not the case for everyone who started at the same time as him...
1988...and it's far from over so we can easily imagine that he will still have the opportunity to add a few more stars to this famous list...
1988... back in duo mode and as for the previous times it works perfectly. One of the rare artists to have done as much solo as with 2...
1988 ... an end of the decade without glares but still in the 'move'. A decidedly astonishing career outside the standards and traditional circuits ...
1989 ... only one title for this year 1989 but which works perfectly. The bias for Dance is now obvious ...
1991...a new decade of the 90s which begins very gently. Is this new decade one of rebound or, on the contrary, one of slow but irreversible deceleration...?
1991...for the moment we would rather be heading towards stagnation and maintaining the same levels of success as at the end of the 80s...
1991...a third title which will go completely under the radar. The singer is struggling at the start of the 90s, it is clear...
1992...yet he is absolutely not discouraged and tries to continue the adventure without taking into account whether there is success or not...
1992...they still manage to classify his titles which can only encourage him to continue the adventure as far as possible...
1994... the quality level remains sufficient in any case to allow him to remain at the high level. Hope it lasts...
1994...he will produce fewer and fewer titles so most of those that will be presented here from now on will not even be officially released...
1994...it would still have been a shame not to bring them back into the light because some would really have deserved to come out into the open...
1995 ... a decade of 90 which will see him almost disappear and interspersed with a few rare appearances. Come on, a little last for the road ...
1995...a virtual disappearance from the Singles charts but he still managed to remain in the Chars albums. It's already that...
1998 ... he will succeed in classifying certain titles in extremis but there will be almost none left in this case. Hard law of the trade...
2002...and another decade on the clock, one ! He will go all the way and he will be unexpectedly rewarded with this title of not inconsiderable success...
2002...the other titles from 2002 will not be officially released. We will therefore discover them as real novelties...
2002...and it would have been a shame once again to miss it, as they say. Because the weight of the decades hardly alters his talent and quality is always essential...
2006...the only title to be officially released in the middle of the decade. Only one title but which allows him to show that he is still there !
2006...here is a new release which shows that he is absolutely right to continue to believe in it, like all the other unpublished releases elsewhere...
2006...we still have to remember that it started almost 30 years ago, which is no small thing. Exceptional longevity for a truly unique artist...
2011...he begins his 5th decade here with the firm desire not to give up. A desire to believe in it until the end which undoubtedly commands respect...
2011...him in any case is still there which is not the case for a bunch of artists who started at the same time as him...
2011...not only is it still there but it still has things to offer that hold up well. Good job as they say...
2013...of course they offer things from his very personal universe which makes certain titles inaccessible to ordinary mortals...
2013...afterwards we won't rzmake him again as they say. He's never done anything like the others and that's not going to change now...
2013... the only big problem is that it is not likely to attract the younger generations under these conditions...
2017...in any case he is making real efforts to try to evolve his style and his sound in accordance with the latest musical trends...
2017...especially since he feels less and less alone because more and more artists of his generation are trying to come back too...
2017...with each title we say to ourselves that it may be the last and each time he comes back no matter what. To the delight of his core fans, of course...
2021...he will have gone through the 70s, then the 80s, then the 90s, then the 2000s, then the 2010s and here he is starting this new decade 2020. Incredible but true !
2021...neither the weight of decades nor the absence of major success will have prevented him from believing in it until the end. And in principle he is absolutely right because in music everything is always possible...
2021... so we imagine that this title will surely not be the last. It remains to be seen now with which musical project he intends to return…
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