I first bought The Pleasure Principle, the album by Gary Numan that features the song “Films”, when I was living at the Shape Shoppe loft. This was probably around 2002 and we had a foosball machine in the kitchen/dining room area. It was in the kitchen/dining area, because that was where we did most of our hanging out and that was because the stereo was in there.
I particularly liked playing The Pleasure Principle album while foosball games were happening because it has an awesome retro-futuristic sound that got me psyched up. We had discovered Brian Eno and were into a lot of his albums, but had pretty much burned them out by listening to them so much. When I heard Gary Numan’s record I was instantly hooked in the same kind of way, because the production was so cool, but also his voice sounds a lot like Eno’s. He’s not as wordy as Eno and I liked that simple, straightforward vocal delivery amidst a wall of synth and effected bass.
I was into electronica music (I don’t like that term, but it’s effective) but hadn’t really heard anything that was based on electronics, but felt like a “band”, i.e. Gary Numan’s band has live drums. Most everything from Kraftwerk to Aphex Twin to John Michel Jarre has synthetic drums and sounds really cool, but this music sounds organic and futuristic at the same time. I’m not sure anyone has been able to capture that kind of thing since. Cheers.
Best, Peter – ACA
ah yes. this track is the finest of the bunch so far. there is nothing like nice angsty square and triangle waves to warm the heart. i love the fairly random lyrics (they sound like something david byrne might have penned) with the over-the-top melodrama of the music.
i’m hooked now pete. looking forward to the next.
yes! nice one man. i’m a little behind now. but, again, excellent ideas, production, and delivery. the sounds on this one are terrific. and the delivery of the vocals is great, and funny to me. very matter of fact, exacting, and high.
Wow, Peter. As far as the covers go, this is the closest thing I’ve heard to a carbon-copy that you’ve done. The synths sound superb. Even production-wise, you’ve really gone pretty darn far here. Very cool stuff.