Fun facts: Gary's mother Beryl designed the leather costume with the now-iconic double-red bars. He wore it throughout 1980 during his concert tour. The object Gary is carrying throughout is.... part of a vacuum cleaner.
OMG, I haven't heard this song in probably 40 years! Takes me back to my teens. I saw Gary live a couple of times, he was my idol, the black boiler suit (I had 1 myself) 🤭 the black eyeliner and pale complexion, the non expression on his face, I thought he was so cool. Thank you for reviewing this, it has brought back so many great memories ❤
i don't think he's underrated only in North America they ignored the out there but brilliant artists from the U.K. i got the impression back in the day some sort of jealous reason from their music industry maybe .
At this time , Gary & John Foxx were doing this best & influencing lots of kids to get " a new toy " 🎹 . The guitar sound is very similar to Ultravox. Excellent song .
Yeah, and you can also tell that the music behind Steve Strange with Visage was created by members of U-vox and Numan's band, as this sounds a lot like their song 'Visage' and some others from their debut album 🙂
I was well into Numan then, still am. Where I lived it was a time when there were so many gangs, followed different bands. Mod's, heavies, skinheads, funkers, rocker-billys etc. I was in the youth club on a Thursday evening watching TOTP's and John Foxx came on (underpass), and they all said what a rip off of Numan! lol. Little did they know.
He was a big deal in Australia, and on Countdown. I got to meet him and asked if he had taken care of James Freud well. ''He was fine, he was fine'' was how he answered me. Nice man. I also got to see him and his band play at the Palais Theatre in Melbourne, 1980. James Freud was his opening act. This song and its video were very big hits in Australia in 1980. I'm sure Countdown played the clip more than once.
Wowzers.. I was there too! We're about the same age, but you were a Countdown kid and I was from the Crystal/Seaview Ballroom crowd and St. Kilda lot. We would have been sworn enemies back then. I was there to see both James Freud And The Radio Stars and Gary Numan. Awesome concert!
@@Win_Lose116 Hey Win.. Yeah, it was a great concert. James Freud was a bit ordinary, but Numan was mind blowing. Those were different times. That's for sure.
This song was written as a reaction to the TREMENDOUSLY harsh reaction he was getting from the British music media at the time, particularly the New Music Express. He went #1 three times without their blessing and they completely trashed him - so this song was his response to them and the fact that when they criticize artists harshly, they're criticizing a human being WITH FEELINGS.
Back in the day i didn't like him much, but ye was really popular, i saw a programme about him years later about his battle's with Asperger's syndrome, turns he a really nice bloke, 🏴✌️
I also saw him and James Freud at the Palais Theatre. Perhaps one day do James Freud's ''Enemy Lines'' or 'James Freud & Berlin's 'Automatic Crazy'' (produced by Gary Numan).
Great artist, I liked a number of his tracks both with Tubeway Army and solo, I was never a Numaniod (what his fans call themselves), other tracks by him which I recommend are: "Down in the Park" as Tubeway Army, "She's Got Claws", "I Die, You Die", "I Dream of Wires", "We Take Mystery (to Bed)", "Me! I Disconnect from You", "My Name is Ruin", "In a Dark Place", "Jagged". There are many more but these are good ones to continue with.
I liked his early stuff, but i discovered him in the last years again with his great last three albums ("Splinter - Songs from a Broken Mind", "Savage (Songs from a Broken World)" and "Intruder "). My favorite song from his later career is "My Name Is Ruin" (feat. Persia Numan). By the way: What about a tribute song to Joe Egan (founding member together with Gerry Rafferty of Stealers Wheel)! Thanks! 🐈
Recommendation for your next reaction: his middle years were largely hit and miss but there's some REALLY good diamonds in that rough. Do a RU-vid search on this song - originally from 1996 but recorded live with an orchestra just a few years ago. (Interestingly it's about a similar topic, it's a critique of BBC radio for refusing to play his music) Gary Numan & Skaparis Orchestra - My Breathing
I should say firstly that I totally support your right to hold an opinion , even one I do not share . Period . ✊ However ….. 👀… I fell for the hype when that Bawbag John Foxx had his moment in the sun and like a proper dumbass I spent money I could not afford at the time on his Magnus Opus .. Underpass ! What a bunch of abs shite it was , the guy was a total phookin fraud in MY opinion , the very definition of the Emperor’s new clothes , classless , talentless W⚓️who rightly disappeared from view once it became obvious he was a massive tool that couldn’t actually sing nor put together any semblance of coherent music of his own . I have a deep personal , off the rails dislike of the guy and his “ work “ but that doesn’t in any way undermine the obvious regard you hold him in . Music is such a subjective art form that there’s room for everyone’s taste in there .. I just happen to despise the guy , you think otherwise and that’s absolutely cool ✊ 👍🏴
Another theme you might be interested in is Jazz feel type bands like Matt Bianco HITS like, get out your lazy bed , half a minute, sneaking out the back door with a grin , or curiosity killed the cat's ,back down to earth , or Hue and cry's Labour of love , just a thought you might enjoy .
PETER SHILLING - " Major Tom (Coming Home ) " Remastered 5 minute Full version 1980s Synth Pop New Wave Classic/ and also " A Different Story (World Of Lust And Crime) " Official Video " 1989 Synth Pop New Wave. 2 Incredible and Timeless Classics 🎸🎹🔥💯 Groove Music 🎵🎶
I'm going to make a request for such an underrated band. Could you please play Stationary Traveller by CAMEL. They are a British prog band from the Canterbury scene from the 70's. The guitar is sublime
Andy Latimer on guitar, if I remember correctly 🙂 I was surprised as a child and when looking through my Big Bro's LP collection to come across a cover that reminded me of the same-name cigarette brand 😄
An artist who actually based his music on ideas rather than self absorption! Dystopian stuff, inspired by the works of Philip K Dick and JG Ballard. You won't get that from Taylor Swift