The Verse’s Nanette Hewitt previews Gary Numan ahead of his show at Brighton Dome on 16th October 2017.
Gary Numan came to musical prominence in the early 80s with his authentic synth-pop style, defining the new wave era of music. Numan’s sound epitomises futurism and his fascination with sci-fi is clear from the robotic, alien tracks he creates, coupled with his hobby as an amateur pilot. His work is inspired by the genre and the writer Philip K. Dick is a favourite of his. Coincidentally, Channel 4 are set to premiere a series called ‘Electric Dreams’ based on Philip K. Dick’s famous short stories on the 17th September 2017.
Born in Hammersmith on March 8th 1958, Numan originally formed Tubeway Army in 1977 with bassist Paul Gardiner and drummer Bob Simmonds. Their single, Are Friends’ Electric?, topped the UK charts and sent the accompanying album, Replicas to number one also. Following this, Numan replaced Tubeway Army with a larger backing band and released a new album, The Pleasure Principle, at the end of 1979 which is his most well-known work and includes his biggest international release, Cars, and a personal favourite of mine, M.E. Even if you aren’t a die-hard fan of Numan or synth-pop itself, you would still recognise these classics.
Gary Numan’s theatrical attitude to Industrial and Goth Rock paved the way for many contemporary artists over recent decades, from Lady Gaga to Nine Inch Nails. This 2017 tour celebrates the release of his 21st album Savage (Songs from a Broken World) which includes two great singles, When the World Came Apart and What God Intended. This new album is a narrative of the struggle of earthly survival, which channels a dystopian, post-apocalyptic mood.
Welsh-born singer Jayce Lewis will be joining Numan at the concert hall as his supporting act this October. He has previously toured with Gary Numan, both in the UK and America, so is no stranger to the crowds that will be attending. There are still a limited amount of tickets available to purchase at £31.50.
