Last July, I reported on Bobbi Style’s brainchild, the Access 2 Foundation. In a nutshell, Bobbi is breathing life into his dream of providing disabled-accessible music studios to all musicians. Since July’s post, he has been tirelessly rolling forward (literally!), not only gaining financial and physical support, but also opening his first Access 2 studio near his home in Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada.
Some of the funding is a result of the hard work of musicians that have committed to donating their time and talent to create tracks for sale. Proceeds are then channeled into the Access 2 project. Bobbi, himself a wildly gifted singer/songwriter who started out as a vital part of the 80s goth/new wave scene (and continues to record to this day), has loaned his enormous talent to several tracks that are now available for purchase on iTunes.
Do yourself a huge favor; if you haven’t already done so, check out the whirlwind known as Bobbi Style. Then, do two very positive things with your money: purchase some great music for your library, and help support a worthy project created to ensure that all musicians have the chance to keep our world full of the music we love.
I never imagined that I would begin 2012 by writing a memorial for my dear friend Marilyn Hamilton from Kitchener Ontario. “Sistahmar,” as she is known to her multitude of Marsbar Theatre friends and fans, left this world on December 31, 2011 at 8:50 AM. The only word that even comes close to describing how it feels to lose this precious friend and soul sister is “devastated.”
I had the privilege of meeting Sistahmar nearly 4 years ago when I stumbled into the Marsbar Theatre Chatroom. After listening to David Marsden‘s free-form, “anything goes” broadcast (streaming live over the Internet from 94.9 The Rock) and hearing the tales he spun about the chatroom regulars, I decided to take a walk on the “dark side” and check it out for myself. Upon entering the room, I was warmly greeted by the Roving Ambassador herself, launching what was to be a close and ironclad friendship.
Over the years, we have laughed, cried, loved, gossiped, shared, planned and even plotted together via telephone and email. The minute we realized we both had the same birthday, the unbreakable bond was forged. Marilyn fondly referred to me as her “evil twin sister,” a badge I wear with fierce pride, while she will always be my “partner in crime.”
Although the news of Marilyn’s passing was much like being hit by a speeding train, I have managed to find some solace in the pain and sadness. I believe she has finally been reunited with her beloved husband Bob, who predeceased her about 8 years ago. She missed him sorely, and instead of her loss becoming easier as time went on, it actually became more difficult. I imagine the two of them walking arm-in-arm along the banks of the lake they enjoyed so much in years gone by, pausing for a moment to share a whisper, steal a kiss, and have a giggle or two. There they wait patiently until they are finally reunited for eternity with all of the friends they loved so much, and who loved them, in this lifetime.
For my dear friend and soul sister Marilyn Hamilton who slipped from this world and into eternity, leaving a hole the size of the universe in each of our hearts: May you finally rest in peace. The light you gave to my life and so many others will never be extinguished, the joy you brought will always be remembered. Thank you for a friendship that transcended distance. I will always love you.
Gary Numan – Are “Friends” Electric? Montage – via YouTube user Knightvision 1228:
Gary Numan gave phenomenally great performances billed as “Back To The Phuture” last weekend at the Troxy in London and the Manchester Academy. In Manchester on April 1, Gary Numan and band shared the stage with Recoil, Motor, and DJ Mark Jones. At the Troxy, on April 2, other artists included legendary John Foxx, Mirrors, Motor, DJ Daniel Miller, and DJ Mark Jones.
There are some fantastic fan videos of various songs Gary Numan performed, including one that he penned just that week (“Obelisk/Everything Comes Down To This”). I’ve linked to some of the better ones below. Enjoy!
Quite often, listening to David Marsden and Ed-FM introduces me to fabulous music that I missed out on the first time around. Both DJs are committed to promoting underrated musicians, unearthing gems to share with their listeners. As a result, we are are always the winners.
Benjamin Russell is one such criminally underrated artist. I first heard his rare and obscure 80′s song “Miracle” on Ed-FM’s Retrospect show from CFRC. A while back, I attempted to research and write a “Criminally Underrated” article about Mr. Russell, but wasn’t able to find either ”Miracle” or much information, at all. Lucky for me, he recently left a comment on one of the playlist postings; it lead to some correspondence, culminating in today’s interview. So, sit back and take a few minutes to experience this uber-talented, charming, and endearing musician.
Q – When did you know that you wanted to be a musician? A – When I was about 2 years old, I heard “rock’n'roll” on the radio, loved it, and tried changing the channels to get the songs I liked. Ever since then, I dreamed of being the one making music, but never thought I could do it until my sister got a guitar and learned to play. I figured if she could do it, so could I. I never looked back.
Q – What/who inspired you to choose music as your profession? A – It was the crazy days of the late 60′s, early 70′s when there were no rigidly defined genres. You had bands like King Crimson who did the heaviest rock imaginable, but they had sweet beautiful music on the same record. Elton John’s first record was all over the place. When I heard Dylan doing” Tambourine Man” and “The Sounds of Silence” by Simon & Garfunkel, I realized I didn’t need a band to get started, so I jumped in.
Q – What artist(s) influenced your music back in the beginning, and now (if different)? A – I’ve always tried to be original, but I listen to everything I can. As Elvis Costello says, “It’s not IF you steal, it’s WHO you steal FROM.”
But my thefts always get filtered through my bent sensibilities. The best example is MIRACLE. My producer actually tried to get me to cover “Let the Music Play” by Shannon with the idea that our version would come out in Canada before hers and we’d basically steal the sales. But I just couldn’t do it. To appease him, I sort of turned it inside out and put my thing into it and that’s MIRACLE. Can you hear Shannon in there?
One HUGE influence was the B52′s. I can clearly remember walking down St. Laurence in Montreal and passing an open door with a jukebox playing “Planet Claire” and it was like a switch went off in me! Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams”, Gary Numan’s “Cars”, XTC’s “Respectable Street” – those were the magnets drawing me away from The Clash when I was doing my “Pop Modern(e)” album for TGO.
Q – Who do you currently listen to? A – I’ve got a long list and it just keeps on growing. I still love most of what I’ve loved since I was a kid, but there’s amazing new stuff every day. As I’m writing this, I’m listening to The Black Keys new CD. I really like the last couple of Kanye West and Lupe Fiasco CDs. K’naan is a big fav. Adele, Ray Lamontagne, Keane, Kenna. Geez, there’s just so much good music! One of my new discoveries is pretty old stuff, but it’s new to me – Shostakovich – I’m enjoying his string quartets. The guy had to write this stuff in secret because it wasn’t state approved in the Soviet Union. I relate to the underground aspect and the emotional intensity.
Q – Which comes first – the music or the lyrics, and why? A – That’s changed from when I first started writing songs. In the beginning, it was always words first, then music. But now I hear stuff in my head, try to grab it before it flies away, and often it’s the music first. Sometimes I have these amazing dreams where I’m writing a song and playing it for someone at the same time. I wake up and just write it all down – it’s like words and music spontaneously erupting together!
Q – Have you been recording steadily over the past 20+ years, or have you taken a break? A – I have never stopped writing and recording. Simultaneously with me being nominated Most Promising Male Vocalist in the nationally televised CASBY Awards, I had “irreconcilable differences” with TGO, my label, and had to get a lawyer to get out of the deal.
To be fair, I don’t think Tony Green knew what he was getting into when he signed me. I’m fiercely independent artistically, and I was naive enough to think I could get away with it while suckling at the teat of the mainstream industry. I’ve made 9 albums since my 15 seconds of fame in the 80′s. The newest one, ROCKHILL has some stuff on it that my fans from back then seem to like, STARVED, DECEMBER, DEEP MAGIC, QUIET, GHOST.
Q – What do you think of the availability of music electronically? A – Artistically it’s the best thing that’s happened to me! Now I don’t need to bend to label pressure and can do exactly what I want.
It’s not just that you can distribute online. Technology makes it easier to make music. I’m hearing amazing stuff from people that no one’s ever heard of. Back in the 80′s I had a huge investment in synths, drum machines and racks of gear. My laptop all by itself blows that stuff out of the water. But I’m perverse – now that technology is easy, the challenge for me is to play acoustically without it.
Q – If you could perform anywhere in the world, where would it be? A – Somewhere with palm trees, maybe the Acropolis or Delray Beach. Seriously, I love to perform and if you put me in front of an audience who loves music, I’m happy.
Q – Now the tough question: If you were on a desert island, which 10 albums would be must-haves? A – That’s not hard. The island would be made of all my favourite music – you could just pile up all the albums from the floor of the ocean and make me my own private atoll.
Oh, you mean… I have to pick 10?!!! Whatever I picked I would seriously regret later because I would be missing something desperately. Assuming I’m not allowed to pick my own music (I make music I love, after all…)
1) Bob Marley & The Wailers – Rastaman Vibration
2) The Clash – London Calling
3) Beethoven’s 9 Symphonies by Herbert von Karajan (it’s a box set – that’s not cheating is it?)
4) Elvis Costello – Get Happy
5) Harmonium – Cinquieme Saison
6) XTC – English Settlement
7) Yma Sumac – Voice of the Xtabay
8) Art of Noise – The Seduction of Claude Debussy
9) Adele – 19
10) Chilliwak – Chilliwak
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In case you’ve been under a rock for the past thirty years, or simply have never come across the term, Numanoids are Gary Numan fans. A rare and close-knit group, they are loyal, honest, caring, and kind, brought together from all over the world to support and honor a musician who has accomplished much during his more than 30 years in the business.
As a relatively new Gary Numan fan, I have been extremely fortunate to be embraced by his hard-core circle of fans, making contact through the blogosphere, YouTube, FaceBook, MySpace, and other online sources. Most Numanoids have been with him since the very beginning, the Tubeway Army days. Others, like me, have made the connection with Numan because of his dark wave/Gothic/industrial genre of music that he began to embrace in the early 90′s, connecting fully with the release of 1994′s Sacrifice album.
Rob Stuart (Canada)
Rob Stuart shares that he has been a Numanoid since 1978 (age 13). Musically, he had never heard anything like Gary Numan before. He says, “I remember hearing ‘Are “Friends” Electric?’ for the first time on my little AM radio during the top 20 count-down in England on a Sunday afternoon and being totally transfixed by the voice, the music! I knew I had to save my pennies and immediately buy the album. Once I saw the cover art I was completely hooked. Who was this alien, androgynous looking man?”
When asked what Gary Numan’s music means to him, Rob recalls, “It meant so much to me at that age that I started a band as soon as I immigrated to Canada (age 14). We called ourselves ‘The Plastic Omniums’ and played our first gig at a high school battle of the bands contest. All the other bands played Zeppelin and Rush covers while we got up there with our synths, a reel to reel tape deck, and a drum machine and played three songs: Opening with ‘Airlane’ from The Pleasure Principle album, then a cover of ‘Are “Friends” Electric?’ and closing with an original number called ‘Red Shift Expanse.’ I distinctly remember two-thirds of the kids in the audience booing while the others cheered. The cool kids got it! I still have a recording of that show.”
Rob cites Replicas as his favorite Gary Numan album, with the first self titled album Tubeway Army not far behind. He feels that Replicas is a modern-day masterpiece from start to finish. As for his favorite songs, the list is pretty extensive: “My Brother’s Time,” “The Machman,” “M.E.,” “Pure,” “You Are In My Vision,” “A Question Of Faith,” “The Iceman Comes,” “Fadeout 1930,” “Every Day I Die,” “Are ‘Friend’s’ Electric?,” “A Subway Called ‘You,’” “The Aircrash Bureau,” “Bombers,” “My Shadow In Vain,” “Crazier,” and many more.
Rob’s most exciting Gary Numan moment was very recently when he met Numan in Toronto in October 2010. He tells us, “We had a fairly lengthy discussion about doing a remix contest of his music. He told me he didn’t see the point in it. I told him that many of his fans are musicians and would love a chance to remix his work, and that it was a great way to promote his music, especially on social networks. Lo and behold, a couple of months later, he has the ‘Back to the Phuture’ remix contest for ‘Scanners.’ I was happy that he took my suggestion. You can hear my remix here: http://soundcloud.com/rob-stuart
Rob continues, “I was also very proud to be on the same CD as Gary Numan once in Future Music Magazine Issue 101, Aug 2000. GN was on the cover being interviewed about the release of “Pure” and (my group) SLAVE to the SQUAREwave had the song ‘Heavy Bones’ featured on the free CD that came with the magazine.”
Asked what his favorite way to express his love for Gary Numan is, Rob states, “Doing cover versions of his music either live or recorded. Here is a cover I did of ‘Films’ back in 1995.”
Electronic Dream Factory – “Films” via YouTube user Akito01:
He also shares, “Like all of my musical heroes (Bowie, Eno, Kraftwerk, Underworld, Tangerine Dream), Numan is an innovator, an original. And like all super-talented artists he is humble and down to earth. He’s not afraid to try something new and hang them out there. Sometimes it doesn’t work, but when it does, it’s life-changing and timeless.”
Meemz (Belgium)
Meemz has been a fan of Gary Numan’s for as long as he has been active in the music scene – since 1979. What initially attracted her to him, as she recalls, was Numan’s voice, music, and appearance, being “different.” And, as for his music, Meemz states, “His music touches my heart and soul any time, good or bad.”
Meemz lists the following albums as her favorites: Jagged, The Pleasure Principle, Telekon, Replicas, Sacrifice, Exile, and Pure. Her favorite songs include, “Jagged,” “Haunted,” “Rip,” “Metal,” “Seed of a Lie,” “Crazier,” “Crawl,” and, in her own words, “so many others.”
The most exciting Gary Numan moment for Meemz was the first time she met him at a concert in Bristol in 2009. An accomplished artist, she not only had the thrill of meeting Gary Numan up close and personal, she also presented him with a portrait that she had painted.
In addition to painting numerous portraits featuring Gary Numan, Meemz also does some very clever photo edits. Along with these creative endeavors, Meemz professes the best way to show her love for Gary Numan is “being and staying a Numanoid for as long as I live and far beyond.”
Finally, Meemz states, “I like his old and new stuff, and hope he’ll be making music as long as he can. When I talk to people about Numan in my country (Belgium), I can’t explain what it really is, the feelings us Numanoids have about him. It’s not only his music and all, but just the person that he is. He’s really one of a kind and we love him for it.”
Vikki (UK)
Vikki has been a fan for 32 years, the entire duration of Gary Numan’s career. When she was only 10 years old, she first saw Numan on the British music show Top of the Pops. Her initial reaction was to fall in love with the song he was singing, “Are ‘Friends’ Electric,” all the while thinking, “Ewwwwwww, he’s weird!” Needless to say, that first impression eventually yielded to a more mature, long-term, and undying love.
When describing the impact of his music, Vikki says, “His music means a lot of things to me. Because I’ve been a fan for such a long time each album reminds me of a different time in my life. Pure is my divorce album!” She also lists Jagged as a favorite. When pressed to list her favorite Numan tracks, Vikki’s reaction is, “Too many to mention. But off the top of my head: ‘Sleep by Windows,’ ‘Haunted,’ ‘Jagged,’ ‘Observer,’ ‘The God Film,’ and ‘My Breathing.’”
Recalling her most exciting Numan moment, Vikki observes, “Has to be the first time I saw him live, October 1983. He was ill, so I didn’t get to meet him. I was gutted!”
Vikki expresses her love for Gary by shouting/writing NUMMMAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN! wherever and whenever possible. She adds, “Plus, wearing Gary Numan t-shirts – you cannot wear a Gary Numan t-shirt without someone making a comment or singing ‘Cars!’”
In closing, Vikki shares these anecdotes:
“I once lost my mum whilst out shopping. A record stall was playing “Are ‘Friends’ Electric?” and I just had to stop to listen to it. Of course my mother carried on walking and I lost her.”
“And, one thing I must add; Gary Numan fans are the nicest people you could ever meet. I took my friend to see him back in 2009 and she was gobsmacked at how nice people were. I’ve never been to a Numan gig where I haven’t got chatting to someone and shared some great moments. I once spent an evening with the band drinking before they went on stage. All my friends kept coming up to me saying ‘why are you sitting with the band?’ A roadie called Gary (who was miffed because he was called ‘Gray’ in the tour programme) fancied me so I got in with the crowd.
“I also came very close to sharing the tour bus with Gary Numan. His support band Hohokam invited us back to the hotel (nothing smutty!) but some security guy said we could walk as the hotel was only down the street. I still hate that man! Oh, and once my mum had a go at Beryl and his security guard which was very embarrassing!”
Kristin Harris (USA)
Kristin Harris, graphic and video designer, has been a full-blown Numanoid since late 2006.
When asked, “What drew you to Gary Numan?” her reply: “His newer music captured me first. I’ve never heard anyone like him. I was drawn to his beautiful voice and loved how atmospheric his music was. I eventually ventured on to YouTube and once I saw him in action, I was completely hooked. His looks don’t hurt either.”
Kristin goes on to explain that Gary Numan’s music is her escape and it has inspired her in her creative work. It’s difficult to pick just one of Numan’s albums when citing a favorite. When pinned down, Kristin chooses Jagged (closely followed by Pure, Exile, and Hybrid). Her favorite singles are “Haunted,” “The Fall,” “Crazier,” “Jagged,” “Pure,” “Replicas,” “Films,” and the song “Slide Away” from Ade Fenton’s album, as well.
Kristin recalls her most exciting Gary Numan moment: “Meeting him for the very first time in July 2007. He is so lovely and down to earth. Also, getting to work for him on the t-shirts. That was a huge honor.” She finds that the best way for her to express her love for Gary Numan is through her music videos and graphics. She also promotes his music using her favorite films and TV shows.
Paula is another lifelong Numanoid who has been a fan since 1979-80. His “distinctive style and amazing electro sounds” are what first drew Paula to Numan and his music. She goes on to say, “I had never heard anything like it before. He wasn’t like other bands of that time; he stood out from everyone else. I was looking for someone to blow me away with a unique style and sound, and found just that in Gary Numan. I remember thinking, ‘this man has come along in the music world, years before his time.’”
Paula continues, “Gary once said, ‘I am just an arranger of noises.’ I say to that, ‘Yes, Gary, you show us just how music is meant to sound.’ The machines rocked in 1979, and continue to do so to this very day.”
When asked what Gary Numan’s music means to her, Paula is very direct in her response: “His music is everything that makes my world tick. He has an album for every mood I’m in, and his music makes me smile, laugh, and cry. You can’t help but connect with his music and lyrics in some form or another.”
Paula pushed back a bit when asked about her favorite album. Stating that it was impossible to narrow the choice down to just one, she settles on her favorite top three: first, Telekon, “a masterpiece in its own right,” Exile, and Pure. She also settled on her top three singles: “The Fall,” “Every Day I Die,” and “My Shadow In Vain.”
Paula shares that her most exciting Gary Numan moment was meeting him in 2009, at Bristol, after waiting over 20 years for just that moment. She had met him back in the 80′s at one of his airshows, but that was only a very brief “Hello Gary” moment. “In Bristol I had a whole 10 minutes with him. I was so excited, we waited for over an hour for him to appear. He was so kind and sweet, and I asked him if he would sign my photo of him. It was an old photo of Gary when he was very young; a fan club photo. I said, ‘You look so young in that photo, Gary.’ He laughed and said, ‘I know (with a grin on his face). My wife keeps finding old photos of me, just to remind me of how old I’m getting.’ And we both laughed. He then put his arm round me so I could have a photo taken with him. It was an amazing moment in my life, and one I won’t forget.
Paula has chosen to put together her own Gary Numan website, “Pure Numan,” (http://www.pure-numan.com/) in order to pay him homage. It is her way of showing the love and respect that she has for the man who not only changed the music world, but has given his fans the best music and live stage shows possible.
Paula shares, “I have been a big fan since the very beginning, and feel like I’m growing old with him. But to put it in a nutshell, I couldn’t think of anything better than being a true fan. I’ve met along the way some fantastic people, and I wouldn’t change any of it for all the money in the world.”
Richard Cubbon (Canada)
Richard is another lifelong Numanoid, following Gary Numan since around 1978-79. Of that time, he recalls, “I was just getting into Kraftwerk and Jean Michel Jarre and heard “Bombers” from a friend of mine. I loved the use of the early synths in a way that no other bands were using them, like on the first Tubeway Army album. I was playing bass at the time and loved the hollow sound of the Moogs and that sort of swayed my intrumental choice towards synths. I got my first synth around the time that Replicas came out over here, and that led me towards more synths and learning how to produce the hollow sounds with that thick Nuclear Reactor sound.
Explaining what Gary Numan meant to him, Richard says, “Gary Numan’s music and the lyrics always meant something special to me. I never fit in with any group growing up, and the songs took on a special meaning to me.”
Asked which album is his favorite, Richard explains that it’s a tie between The Pleasure Principle and Telekon. The same goes for naming a favorite single: Richard finds that it’s a tie once again, this time between “Sleep by Windows” and “Airlane.” But when it comes to his most exciting Gary Numan moment, the answer is direct and without hesitation. It was seeing the Telekon tour back in 1982.
Richard adds, “I always tell everyone who likes any type of music that involves synths, electronics or processors, there are three bands that had the most impact on music we listen to today: Gary Numan, Kraftwerk, and Jean Michel Jarre. To me, it’s in that order of importance, too.”
Richard expresses his love of Gary Numan by writing and playing music that is heavily Numan-influenced, and insists will always remain inside of him.
JaggedHaloUK (UK)
JaggedHaloUK has been a Numanoid since 1986. What started this decades-spanning love was a friend playing “I Can’t Stop.” JH UK was instantly hooked on the sound and image that the song and Numan portrayed.
When asked what Numan’s music means to him, JaggedHaloUK replies, “Everything, It’s very inspirational.” He cites these albums as his favorites: Telekon and Jagged, especially the track “In a Dark Place” from the latter.
As with many Numanoids, it’s very difficult for JaggedHaloUK to narrow down a list of favorite songs to one. He provides the following list, instead: “When the Sky Bleeds,” “Jagged,” “Haunted,” “I Dream of Wires,” and insists that “there’s so many more I could list.”
By far, JaggedHaloUK’s favorite moment as a Numanoid was meeting and chatting to Gary after a gig. He was also invited into one of the after-show parties at the hotel where Gary was staying during a tour, and also had a photoshoot with Gary’s official photographer, Ed Fielding.
When asked how he expresses his love for Gary Numan, JaggedHaloUK responds, “Recording my own cover versions of his songs and going to his shows. Also, searching for Numan clothing to wear at gigs.”
In addition, JaggedHaloUK states, “Being a Numanoid is a way of life almost; it changes the way you see things and how you react to the world. If it wasn’t for Gary Numan, I would never have gotten into music and that in itself has led to many happy memories of playing in bands and doing live gigs. I gained live music experience with a band I played synths in called the “hottest state” and have since worked with the fantastic Replicas, a Gary Numan tribute band, and I’m also busy in my studio recording more cover tracks for them. I’m also involved in the running of a Gary Numan fan site called “Pure Numan” (http://www.pure-numan.com) and I’ve been doing some music for the site.”
As if that wasn’t enough, JaggedHaloUK also has his own Gary Numan tribute website: http://www.jaggedhalo-uk.com. The pictures of him on his website were all taken by Ed Fielding, official photographer to Gary Numan.
Karl Lyndon Donald (Ireland)
Karl is a die-hard Numan fan, and man of few words, that I met on YouTube several years ago. He left some comments on several Gary Numan fan-video montages that I had done (and have since removed when Eagle records got on their legal high horse). Karl and I have kept in touch through FaceBook, and he has introduced me to countless other Numanoids. I am very grateful for that.
Karl reports that he has been a Numanoid since the beginning, around 1979. His first recollection was seeing Gary Numan on Top of the Pops and thinking he was really unique.
When asked what Gary Numan’s music means to him, Karl replies, “His music helped me through painful teenage years.” He cites The Pleasure Principle as his favorite Gary Numan album.
Karl’s favorite single is “Remind Me To Smile.” His most exciting Gary Numan moment was, in his own words, “Speaking to him for over an hour at Derry Airshow.” Karl’s favorite way to express his love for Gary Numan was to copy his hair color and style at the time.
I also happen to know that Karl has another very special way of expressing his feelings for Gary Numan. He has a huge tattoo on his back that is the well-known Numan facial graphic from The Tubeway Army LP. Any description of Karl as a loyal Numanoid would not be complete without a picture of this amazing tattoo.
Equal parts Genesis, Electric Light Orchestra, Moody Blues, Pink Floyd, and Queen with enough twists and turns to keep it interesting, Marillion is a lushly orchestrated music machine that has been cranking out professional, gorgeous music for over 3 decades.
Original core members were Mick Pointer and Steve Rothery formed .Marillion in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England in 1979 as Silmarillion, after J.R.R. Tolkien’s book of the same name. As the band’s popularity grew, the name was shortened to avoid any potential lawsuits. Front man Fish and bassist Diz Minnett joined also joined about the same time.
Over the decades, Marillion went through several personnel shifts, but the major change came in late 1988 when Fish departed and was replaced by Steve Hogarth. It ended up being a successful match-up, with the band going on to release another twelve albums for a whopping total of sixteen. Fans who have had the pleasure of listening to Marillion over the years are not only fiercely loyal, they are perplexed as to why the band did not enjoy the wild success that their influential contemporaries did. They definitely had the polish, talent, and tenacity to become worldwide household names.
The core lineup of Steve Rothery (lead guitar, and the sole ‘pre-Fish’ original member), Pete Trewavas (bass), Mark Kelly (keyboards) and Ian Mosley (drums) has been unchanged since 1984. The band has enjoyed critical and commercial success with a string of UK Top Ten hits spanning their career, an estimated fifteen million total worldwide album sales and even an entry into the Guinness Book of World Records.
It’s not easy to define Marillion’s style and sound, other than big and beautiful. They have tended to evolve from LP to LP, keeping their sound fresh and contemporary. They have also maintained their most recent popularity by leveraging use of the Internet. For whatever reason, no matter how hard they have tried to prove themselves, Marillion was not well-received by the media. Despite that, they have outlived many of their contemporaries, and continue to be a strong and vital musical presence to this day.
Gary Numan gave his fans a taste of what’s in store from the upcoming and long-awaited album Dead Son Rising. He posted an announcement that segments from three of the album’s songs were available to preview on his site NuWorld.
The three songs are titled, “The Fall,” “Captured Underground Noise Transmission” (please, no comments about the acronym this title forms), and “When The Sky Bleeds, He Will Come.” All three are killer tunes, with Gary Numan’s signature Gothic/industrial sound apparent in each. There’s a full live version of “The Fall” on YouTube that we have been enjoying for some time. All of this begs the question, “When is the long-awaited album going to be released?”
Fans are hoping for a release prior to the Back To The Phuture shows scheduled for the Manchester Academy and The Troxy April 1 & 2. We have learned to live with a great span of time between releases because Gary is a notoriously detail-oriented perfectionist. No complaints there. His collections produced and released since 1994, although painfully few and far between, have been magnificently crafted works of which he deserves to be very proud.
Just a random aside – I posted a comment similar to this on David Marsden’s site in a discussion about what’s wrong with today’s music: The boss and I had an interesting non-work discussion the other day. He is a classically trained musician (as is my husband). I had the boss listen to “Angel Wars” by Gary Numan, and he made mention of the use of the tritone or “devil’s note” in the song. It seems that this tonal dissonance is used by many non-mainstream musicians, and it gives a more raw and cutting edge to the music. This tends to be the music I am most drawn to, because it evokes more than just an aural response – it actually resonates within the body, adding a physical piece to the overall experience.
If you haven’t experienced Sacrifice (1994), Exile (1997), Pure (2000), or Jagged (2006) with your entire being, you are missing out on some of the most cutting-edge and vital dark wave music made over the last 17 years. Successful as a punk, post-punk, then synth-wave pioneer, Gary Numan has never shied away from experimentation and reinvention. But, he really hit his stride when he crossed over to the heavier side of music. He bares his soul for all to see, building a safe haven for all of our darkest and deepest emotions to dwell as we lose ourselves in the hard-edged tunes born of his own emotion-riddled creations.
Am I anxious for more brilliant Gothic/industrial Gary Numan in the form of Dead Son Rising? Oh, yeah.
The Damned formed in 1976 with Dave Vanian, Captain Sensible, Rat Scabies, and Brian James, all former members of punk-genre groups. When Scabies and James initially decided to strike out on their own, they invited Sid Vicious and Dave Vanian to audition for lead vocalist. Vanian was the only one to show up, so he got the job. Thus began The Damned, a vital, eclectic, and important influence on the 80′s music scene.
The Damned released their first album, Damned Damned Damned, which was coincidentally the first album to be released by a British punk band. Not only was it a first, it garnered some minor hits, and worldwide recognition for the band. A US tour shortly followed (another British punk band ”first”), and The Damned began to set a solid foothold in the highly volatile late 70′s punk rock scene.
After recruiting a second guitarist known simply as Lu, the band released a second album which reportedly was not promoted properly and tanked miserably .The band broke up and ended their recording relationship with their label. They tentatively reformed without James, signed on with a different label, experimented with switching roles, and headed back into the studio to try for another successful album release. During this phase, Vanian changed from typical punk front man to a more melodic and Gothic flare, giving the band the reputation of being one of the first to give birth to the genre.
Machine Gun Etiquette featured a strong 1960s garage rock influence, with Farfisa organ in several songs. Recording at Wessex Studios at the same time as The Clash were there to record London Calling, Joe Strummer and Mick Jones made an uncredited vocal appearance on the title track. Fans and critics were pleasantly surprised, and Machine Gun Etiquette received largely positive reviews; Ira Robbins and Jay Pattyn described it as “A great record by a band many had already counted out.”
Ward was replaced by Paul Gray in 1980. After a couple of years and another album and EP release, The Damned added a full-time keyboardist, Roman Jugg, to fill in for Sensible who not only was splitting his time between guitar and keyboards, he was also splitting his time between The Damned and his own solo career. Captain Sensible made the jump to his solo career full time in 1984, leaving Jugg to take over the guitarist spot. Bryn Merrick was also added on Bass.
In 1985, the band decided to play up Vanian’s penchant for vampire-esque looks and music. They released Phantasmogoria, noted for its decidedly Gothic sound. The band found success with a non-album release of the single “Eloise” which charted in the UK Top Ten. In 1986, they released the album Anything, a commercial flop as a whole; but one very moody, elegant, and beautiful track, “In Dulce Decorum,” was included on the “Miami Vice II” soundtrack. This was my first introduction to the group, and remains my personal favorite.
The group broke up officially after releasing the aptly titled live album recording The Final Damnation.
“In Dulce Decorum” via YouTube user jebekijkthetmaar:
”In Dulce Decorum (Dub Version)” via YouTube user roberteitor:
“Eloise” via YouTube user eddieredblood:
“Alone Again Or” via YouTube user livingdeadpunk138:
“Grimly Fiendish” via YouTube user NightNursebetty:
“Neat Neat Neat” via YouTube user r200300418:
Discography
Damned, Damned, Damned (18 February 1977) Music for Pleasure (18 November 1977) Machine Gun Etiquette (2 November 1979) The Black Album (20 October 1980) Strawberries (1 October 1982) Phantasmagoria (15 July 1985) Anything (5 December 1986) Not of This Earth (11 November 1995) Grave Disorder (21 August 2001) So, Who’s Paranoid? (10 November 2008)
The Lords of the New Church formed in 1982, featuring legendary punk artists Stiv Bators (The Dead Boys) and Brian James (The Damned), along with Dave Tregunna (Sham 69) and Nicky Turner (The Barracudas). Wearing their punk roots proudly, they produced some of the edgier 80s tuneage, helping to balance out what could have been too much of a New Wave good thing. Their hard-to-classify music has been described as “darker and more melodic than traditional punk.”
Early on, the band found success with a single called “Open Your Eyes,” which charted in Canada’s Top 40. Another single, a parody cover version of Madonna’s “Like a Virgin,” was a less successful 1985 release, but is the band’s best known single to date. Because of how much I detest anything Madonna, if you want to hear that one, you’re on your own to find it.
Stiv Bators was notorious for his no-holds- barred onstage antics. During one such performance, Bators accidentally succeeded in hanging himself, declared clinically dead for several minutes. He managed to somehow fortunately make a full recovery, and the band went on to record two more albums.
In total, the band recorded three studio albums and one live album in their relatively brief 7-year career before ending with a flourish 1989. At a live performance, Bators fired the other group members onstage after an encore. The following year, Stiv Bators died tragically after being struck by a car in Paris.
Lords of the New Church reformed in 2003 with original members James and Tregunna, joined by frontman/vocalist Adam Becvare. They continue to tour and perform to this day, which is good news for people that missed them the first time around. Meanwhile, be sure to sample some of their original music which was an important and underrated part of history’s best musical decade.
Update: Mike Adamany from the group Lustkillers sent this information:
This past Fall, synth icon Gary Numan took the US and Canada by storm with his critically acclaimed Pleasure Principle tour. Celebrating the 30-year anniversary of the release of this superb LP, Numan decided to give his North American fans a chance to experience his perfectly-honed live shows by launching an aggressive trek from coast to coast. He had already stolen my heart, but meeting him October 17, 2010 only confirmed my beliefs; not only is he a gifted, cutting-edge musician, he is a sweet and humble man, as well.
While touring in California, Numan and his band (Ade Fenton – keyboards, David Brooks - keyboards, Richard Beasley – drums, Steve Harris – guitar, and Tim Muddiman – bass) performed at the KCRW studios. YouTube user leeleec79 has posted several videos which I have linked below. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.
Last July, I reported on Bobbi Style’s brainchild, the Access 2 Foundation. In a nutshell, Bobbi is breathing life into his dream of providing disabled-accessible music studios to all musicians. Since July’s post, he has been tirelessly rolling forward (literally!), not only gaining financial and physical support, but also opening his first Access 2 studio near his home in Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada.
