Happy Birthday Gary Numan

Happy Birthday Gary Numan

Born on this day in 1958

To celebrate I thought a wee revisit to one of his classic albums would be a cool thing to do. Been a few years since I have sat down and listened to it. Have also included a video of a live performance of the album and b-sides from his Spring Tour in 2008.

Replicas - Tubeway Army

Beggars Banquet

Produced by Gary Numan

Released April 1979

UK Chart #1

US Chart #124

Side One

Side Two

Gary Numan – keyboards, guitars, vocals
Paul Gardiner – bass guitar
Jess Lidyard – drums

Singles on Replicas

7"

A-Side: Down In The Park

B-Side: Do You Need The Service?

Released 16th March 1979

Did Not Chart

12"

A-Side: Down In The Park

B-Side: Do You Need The Service? / I Nearly Married A Human 2

7" Limited Edition Picture Disc

A-Side: Are Friends Electric?

B-Side: We Are So Fragile

Released 11th May 1979

UK Chart #1

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Gary Numan

Replicas - Live

Spring 2008

 

They say that confession is good for the soul so I better get this out of the way as soon as possible. Back in 1978 I saw Tubeway Army live not long after their debut single That's Too Bad had been released and I was not impressed. I told my friend who had gone to the show with me that clearly this was a band who were not destined for great things and I would not be surprised if we never heard of them again!

Fast forward a year (after a further single, Bombers, and even a Debut Album with tracks like Listen To The Sirens and Everyday I Die) and they were still around! Surprisingly, although I had disliked the singles and the Debut Album, when I heard the version of Down In The Park on their John Peel Session in January 1979 (three months before it was released as a single) it really caught my attention. I could hardly believe that it was the same band such was the departure in sound!

I had to confess to my friend that clearly I was wrong about Tubeway Army as I purchased the single when it came out and also the album Replicas. Where I had assumed that the band wouldn't last (well I was kind of right because Gary Numan shutdown the band name and begun appearing and releasing records under his own name!) here I am 38 years later still talking about them! And Gary Numan of course has gone on to make twenty odd studio albums between 1979-2013 and is still out playing live to packed houses across the globe!

Replicas remains a favourite release from Mr Numan even though I don't play it as much as others.