Last Thursday, I was reminiscing K-Tel and disco. This week, it'll be music video and New Wave/synthpop. But in doing so, I have to confess that despite all of my fond memories for the music of my youth, I hadn't heard Tubeway Army's "Are 'Friends' Electric?" until last night, and I'm left wondering what other goodies I've missed out on from the New Wave days.
However, I have been fully aware of this song by Gary Numan who was part of Tubeway Army initially before going solo. His "Cars" is most likely one of the great anthems of New Wave and synthpop as we were heading into the 1980s with MTV and men wearing cosmetics. Released on August 21st 1979, I've read on the Wikipedia article for Numan's big hit that it was actually born out of a road rage incident that the singer-songwriter had unfortunately gotten himself into in London. That is certainly one example of making a positive out of a negative.
That whole New Wave aesthetic was thoroughly crystallized in my pop cultural self partly because of those amazing thrumming synths and that cover of Numan in suit and eye makeup on the cover of his solo debut album "The Pleasure Principle" which came out in the month following the release of the single. So, it was with YMO on one side of the Pacific and Numan (among other synthpop acts such as Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and the Human League) on one side of the Atlantic that my interest in synthesizer music was piqued.
Along with the music, that video also told me that the music-listening public was headed into a new age with Numan himself looking glacially eerie and slightly alien with those intense hooded eyes and his nasal delivery. I additionally have to note the identical suits (including skinny ties) on the backup musicians (kinda Kraftwerk) and those tube lights. Yep, those were the days!
"Cars" hit No. 1 on Canada's RPM chart and in the UK, while it peaked at No. 9 on America's Billboard. However, Wikipedia has pointed out that "Cars" was his only hit in Canada and the US although he had some more success in the UK. Still, what a song to be remembered for!
Now, just four days following the release of "Cars", it's noted that these two singles in Japan got their due.
Spectrum -- Tomato Ippatsu（トマト・イッパツ）
Chage & Aska -- Hitorizaki（ひとり咲き）
Numan really got me interested in synth and electronic music with his Pleasure Principle. I picked up both Tubeway Army albums, and Numan's Telekon, Dance, and I, Assassin albums in my youth. I did see Numan a couple times in Boston, one show was the Pleasure Principle tour in 2010, and his Intruder tour. There's a great podcast "Electric Friends" with interview clips, insights into songs and albums. His influence cannot be discounted.
ReplyDeleteJean Michel Jarre's Oxygene and Equinox. Wendy Carlos' Switched-On Bach and Brandenburgs. I picked up YMO's first album. I also discovered Vangelis from watching Sagan's Cosmos series. I also found Isao Tomita's version of Holst's The Planets which I used Mars for a video project in college. It was crude animation made with an Apple IIc, for 1986.
I also got into the British New Wave and Synthpop bands in the 80s which I still listen to. I didn't realize how extensive EDM has become so big until I saw the documentary Under the Electric Sky (EDC 2013).
Hello, SamuraiX47. Numan was also one of the non-Japanese acts that got me into technopop and New Wave back in those darling 80s!
DeleteI picked up YMO's first album on audiotape at an underground Osaka record shop in 1981. I could have gotten one of Tomita's albums at my local record shop here in Toronto, but I was just a little too spooked out by the album cover. 😁
Numan has a story about his trip to Japan with the band Japan:
ReplyDeleteThe band Japan asked Gary Numan to be a guest performer on their 1981 tour in Japan. He arrives at their hotel, and they ditch him. He jumped in a cab and chased them to the first venue only to realize they changed their minds. He decides to see Queen at the Budokan. Somehow, Numan is taken backstage. He explains, "I was adopted by Freddie. The band took me out after the show to a sushi restaurant – but I don’t really like sushi, so Freddie sent his chauffeur out to get a McDonald’s"
Well, I hope the Big Mac was good...along with the hotel.
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