Both Numan's music and his transgressive public image are known for his sense of alien coldness and embrace of avant-garde influences. Becoming of the founding fathers of electronic-based pop music, Numan's reach extends far beyond his lone American hit, “Cars,” which still stands as one of the defining new wave singles. That seminal track helped usher in the synthpop era on both sides of the Atlantic, especially his native England, where he was a genuine pop star and consistent hit-maker during the early 80s. Even after new wave had mostly petered out, Numan’s influence continued to make itself felt. His dark, paranoid vision, theatrically icy persona, and clinical, robotic sound were echoed strongly in the work of many goth rock and (especially) industrial artists during the past several decades. For his part, Numan just kept on recording, and, by the late 90s, he’d become a hip name to drop. Prominent alternative rock bands have covered his hits, with Numan himself playing live with Nine Inch Nails briefly to much acclaim, and a goth-flavored brand of industrial-type music christened darkwave looks to him as its mentor.
Numan was born Gary Anthony James Webb on March 8, 1958, in Hammersmith, West London, U.K. A shy child, music brought him out of his shell; he began playing guitar in his early teens and played in several short-lived bands. Inspired by the amateurism of the punk movement, he joined a punk rock group called "The Lasers" in 1976. The following year, he and bassist Paul Gardiner split off to form a new group, dubbed "Tubeway Army", with drummer Bob Simmonds. They recorded a couple of singles under futuristic pseudonyms (Valerium [or Valerian], Scarlett, and Rael, respectively) that attempted to match their new interest in synthesizers. Scrapping that idea, Webb rechristened himself Gary Numan and replaced Simmonds with his uncle Jess Lidyard. Thus constituted, "Tubeway Army" cut a set of "punk-meets-Kraftwerk" demos for Beggars Banquet in early 1978. That work ended up being released several years later as 'The Plan'.
That summer, Numan sang a TV commercial jingle for jeans, and toward the end of the year the group’s debut album, 'Tubeway Army', appeared. Chiefly influenced by Kraftwerk and David Bowie’s Berlin-era collaborations with Brian Eno, the album also displayed Numan’s fascination with the electronic, experimental side of glam rock (such as in some works by Roxy Music and Ultravox) and Krautrock (such as in some works by Can). He also drew much influence from transgressive science fiction writers such as Philip K. Dick, people who challenged conventional thinking through exploring the affects of new technology.
The group’s second album, 'Replicas', was released in early 1979. Its accompanying single, “Are ‘Friends’ Electric?", was a left-field smash, topping the UK charts and sending 'Replicas' to number one on the album listings as well. The record also included “Down in the Park", an oft-covered song that stands as one of Numan’s most 'gothic' outings.
Numan had become a star overnight, despite critical distaste for any music so heavily reliant on synthesizers, and he formed a larger backing band that replaced "Tubeway Army", keeping Gardiner on bass. "The Pleasure Principle" was released in the fall of 1979 and spawned Numan’s international hit “Cars”, which reached the American Top Ten and hit number one in the UK; the album also became Numan’s second straight British number one. He put together a hugely elaborate, futuristic stage show and went on a money-losing tour, and also began to indulge his hobby as an amateur pilot with his newfound wealth.
Numan returned in the fall of 1980 with "Telekon", his third straight chart-topping album in Britain, and scored two Top Ten hits with “We Are Glass” and “I Die: You Die”; “This Wreckage” later reached the Top 20.
In 1981, Numan announced his retirement from live performance, playing several farewell concerts just prior to the release of "Dance". While "Dance" and its lead single, “She’s Got Claws”, were both climbing into the British Top Ten, Numan attempted to fly around the world, but in a bizarre twist was arrested in India on suspicion of spying and smuggling. The charges were dropped, although authorities confiscated his plane. His retirement proved short-lived, but when he returned in 1982 with "I, Assassin", some of his popularity had dissipated - perhaps because of the retirement announcement, perhaps because the charts were overflowing with synthpop, much of which was already expanding on Numan’s early innovations (which were starting to sound repetitive). "I, Assassin" was another Top Ten album, and “We Take Mystery (To Bed)” another major hit, but in general Numan’s singles were starting to slip on the charts; the title track of 1983’s "Warriors" became his last British Top Twenty hit (excluding reissues and collaborations).
Numan and Beggars Banquet subsequently parted ways, and Numan formed his own Numa label, kicking things off with "Berserker" in late 1984. Sadly, longtime collaborator "Paul Gardiner" died earlier that year from a drug overdose. 1985’s "The Fury" became the final Numan album to reach the British Top 30. Over the next few years, Numan collaborated occasionally with "Shakatak’s" Bill Sharpe, releasing four singles and one album from 1985-1989.
Following 1986’s "Strange Charm", Numan signed with IRS, but the relationship was fraught with discord from the start. IRS forced Numan to change the title of 1988’s "Metal Rhythm" to "New Anger" for his first North American release since 1981 (and also remixed several tracks), refused to release his soundtrack for the film "The Unborn", and would not fund any supporting tours for "New Anger" or 1991’s "Outland". When his contract expired, Numan returned to Numa for 1992’s "Machine + Soul".
1994 brought the release of the industrial-tinged "Sacrifice", the first glimmering of Numan’s return to critical favor and underground hipness. Over the next few years, bands like "Hole", "The Foo Fighters", and "Smashing Pumpkins" covered Numan songs in concert, and Marilyn Manson recorded “Down in the Park” for the B-side of the “Lunchbox” single; moreover, "Nine Inch Nails" cited Numan as an important influence. With his fan base refreshed and expectations raised, Numan delved deeper into gothic, metal-tinged industrial dance on 1997’s "Exile". However, he didn’t truly hit his stride in this newly adopted style until 2000’s "Pure", which was acclaimed as his best work in years and expanded his cult following into new territory.
In 2003, Numan enjoyed fleeting chart success once again with the "Gary Numan vs Rico" single “Crazier”, reaching No.13 in the U.K. chart. Rico, who is an up and coming artist from Glasgow, also worked on the remix album "Hybrid" which featured reworkings of older songs in a more contemporary industrial style. In 2004 Numan took control of his own business affairs again, launching the label Mortal Records and releasing a series of live DVDs as a precursor to his highly anticipated new studio album, "Jagged" which was released on 13 March 2006. An album launch gig took place at "The Forum, London" on 18 March 2006. Numan announced a UK tour commencing in April 2006 and plans to tour other countries, including the USA, during the year in support of the release. Numan also to launched a "Jagged" website to showcase the new album.
Numan contributed vocals to four tracks on the April 2007 release of Ade Fenton’s debut solo album "Artificial Perfect" on his new industrial/electronic label Submission, including songs “The Leather Sea”, “Slide Away”, “Recall” and the first single to be taken from the album, “Healing”. The second single to be released in the UK was “The Leather Sea” on July 30, 2007.
In 2008, he released a double CD remix album "Jagged Edge", based around 2006’s critically acclaimed "Jagged", co-produced with Ade Fenton. The pair are currently in the studio working on Numan’s 18th studio album "Splinter", due for release in 2009.
While Numan is known for his electronic music innovations, he prefers real instruments. He explained in an interview with Songfacts: "I didn't go the technology route wholeheartedly, the way Kraftwerk had done. I considered it to be a layer. I added to what we already had, and I wanted to merge that. There's plenty of things about guitar players, and bass players, and songs I really love that I didn't particularly want to get rid of. The only time I did get rid of guitars was on Pleasure Principle, and that was in fact a reaction to the press. I got a huge amount of hostility from the British press, particularly, when I first became successful. And Pleasure Principle was the first album I made after that success happened. I became successful in the early part of '79 and Pleasure Principle came out in the end of '79, in the UK, anyway. And there was a lot of talk about electronic music being cold and weak and all that sort of stuff. So I made Pleasure Principle to try to prove a point, that you could make a contemporary album that didn't have guitar in it, but still had enough power and would stand up well. That's the only reason that album didn't have guitar in it. But apart from that one album they've all had guitars - that was the blueprint."
The official website can be found here: www.garynuman.co.uk
This Is Love
Gary Numan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This is pain disguised as a dream
Memories
Are guaranteed to break your heart.
Look at me
I woke up and found me alone
If you'll ever think of me.
I won't cry
Now you're gone
I won't cry.
I should take
Your picture
From the wall.
This is love
What's it for?
It takes everything.
Gary Numan's lyrics in 'This Is Love' are a reflection on the agony that comes with loving someone deeply. By the title, one might expect a love-song, but instead, it is an acknowledgment of the pain that comes hand in hand with loving someone. It speaks of how memories that are carefully nurtured with love can end up being the reason for heartbreak. Love and pain are so intertwined that it's difficult to tell them apart, and Numan notes that in the line "This is pain disguised as a dream."
The song also talks about the aftermath of a relationship's collapse, and how it can leave you feeling helpless and alone. The realization that someone you believed would always be there is suddenly gone can be gut-wrenching, and the question of whether they'll ever think of you again is significant. Moreover, it discusses the pain we experience when we remove remnants from past loving relationships that we aren't ready to let go of. Numan sings, "I should take your picture from the wall." It's a plaintive observation to which anyone who has grappled with the thorny business of letting go can relate.
In summary, 'This Is Love' is ardent and sorrowful, mourning what was and what could have been; a true nostalgia anthem that questions the reason for love when it appears to bring endless suffering.
Line by Line Meaning
This is love
Love is not just a feeling, but a complex mixture of emotions that cannot be fully understood or described.
This is pain disguised as a dream
Love can sometimes feel like happiness, but it also has the potential to bring immense pain and hurt.
Memories
Reminiscing about the past can be bittersweet, as the memory of happier times can be a stark reminder of a love that has been lost.
Are guaranteed to break your heart.
Nostalgia can be emotionally taxing, as memories of a past love can resurface the pain and sadness of its departure.
Look at me
Addressing an audience or individual, pointing to the universal nature of love.
I woke up and found me alone
The realization that a loved one is no longer there can be a paralyzing shock, making one feel abandoned and alone.
I wonder
Contemplation and questioning about the future of that love.
If you'll ever think of me.
Disbelief and uncertainty about whether or not that loved one will ever remember them in the same fondness.
I won't cry
Despite the pain, determination not to show vulnerability or raw emotions in front of others.
Now you're gone
Emphasis on the sudden and permanent absence of what was once there, leaving a void.
I should take
Self-reprimand for holding onto something that has already left, by removing the physical reminders of the past love.
Your picture
The act of disposing something can serve as a symbolic way to begin moving on from a love that has ended.
From the wall.
Taking the first step towards erasing the physical remnants of a love gone by.
What's it for?
Questioning the purpose or meaning of love and the pain that can come with it.
It takes everything.
Demonstrating how love can exact an emotional cost that takes a toll on one's heart, mind, and soul.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Gary Anthony Webb, Gary Anthony James Webb
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@hannahpatrick1103
This is love, what's it for? It takes everything.
An apt ballad from GN 4 me, I lost my hubby beginning of year, & amongst other GN ballads have played them ever since he passed. Together with an honest heartfelt letter given by my son after hubby. died, telling me 2 move on, & not let his memory stop me from being happy. A very fitting song. Thanks Gary ❤️❤️❤️
@ianliverpool6623
Love this song , the 80s sometimes could be depressing and tough. Gary is a Legend
@mikeydashank3897
My favorite Numan ballad 🥺
@garyeaton6172
Mr Bond, your the best Gary
@goldwillow12
Gosh.. That's beautiful
@64mung
This is the first time I saw this. Cool track & vid. Thanks for posting.
@wainexx
loved the song , and at that time had a personal meaning , the memories
@stuckelectric
have always loved this video ..very underrated ballad....
@Keeferboy
In his autobiography he talks about this time in his life when radio refused to play any of his music. Somebody got in touch with him and told him to turn on the radio. He couldn't believe they were actually playing this song. He was so happy. After the song finished, the DJ apologized and told the listeners that he was forced to play this "depressing" song.
@rainbowrotcod
that is morbidly hilarious.