8:27 a.m. - March 15, 2008
Atoning For My Past Mistakes, Kinda
You know, sometimes I make mistakes. And now, I'm man enough to recognize the fact, ask for forgiveness and move on (though the moving on part is hard for a man with OCD like me).
But, how can you ask for forgiveness to an artist when you were wrong about an album they made back in 1979 and 1980?
Well, I guess confessin' my sins in this public forum is the best way.
Now, I didn't really slag him, but I thought that this particular album was just a novelty based on his later work which hit MTV while I was in high school. His later work was a bit darker, and moved in a difficult direction that I wasn't ready to handle.
And I really didn't know the backstory, didn't know about his UK success before the record in question, so...
I really thought "Cars" by Gary Numan was a typical 80's one-hit wonder. File him with Nena and Dexy's Midnight Runners.
(Well, I didn't know the backstory of those bands either, nor their UK and / or European successes. Let's just say I was a bit provincial in my youth.)
When looking (not listening, just LOOKING) at the tracks of The Pleasure Principle, you get the sense that it is a kind of novelty. "Films", "Metal", "Conversation". All one-word titles like "Cars".
But I saw clips of "Down In The Park" and "Are Friends Electric" on MTV and I wondered. iTunes first had a couple of vintage live cuts, then some older albums, and then, The Pleasure Principle was available.
But I didn't bite, even though I liked the aformented two songs.
But then, I read a review talking about the deep grooves inside of that album.
Grooves? Gary Numan? What?
Yep, The Pleasure Principle has got some funky grooves. It's Kraftwerk mixed with a pinch of Funkadelic. Also, he uses live percussion and bass guitar instead of a drum machine and synth bass for many tracks, which gives the song a sonic kick and breaks the ice a bit.
Of course, Numan's voice re-freezes the ice, but then it goes back to thawing with the grooves in the record.
So, Gary Numan, I was wrong. You are not a one-hit wonder, and The Pleasure Principle is a classic album that everyone must hear and own.
Don't believe me? Here's a Peel Session (BBC live) cut of
"Conversation", probably the KEY track of the record.
Now, admit your mistakes, and ask forgiveness! Heh. Maybe a recording artists will read your blog and write you back!
(Mr. Numan, you can contact me at your leisure!)
