Tubeway Army “Replicas”
Tubeway Army “Replicas” 1979. Beggars Banquet Records. Today, March 8th, is Gary Numan’s 60th birthday (b. 1958). Numan fronted the ice cold pre-industrial synthpop Tubeway Army before finding long-lasting success as a solo artist (I still love “Cars”). Replicas is science fictiony (influenced by Philip K. Dick) and heavy on synth and drum machines (influenced by Kraftwerk and John Foxx-era Ultravox). Tubeway Army released two singles from Replicas: “Down in the Park” and the utterly amazing “Are ‘Friends’ Electric” which hit #1 in the UK where it remained for four weeks (and notably covered by The Dead Weather as the b-side for “Hang You from the Heavens”). Also notable are “You Are In My Vision,” “The Machman” and “Me! I Disconnect From You.” Replicas had a lasting influence on synth rock: the industrial bands of the 80′s and 90′s evolved the sound and kept the dark nihilistic attitude (i.e. Nitzer Ebb, Nine Inch Nails, Marily Manson, etc.).
Daily (maybe) pulls from the vault: 33-1/3, 45, 78, old, older, classic, new, good, bad. Subjective. Autobiographical. Occasionally putting a record up for sale.