Crusaders Games

Gary Numan

Gary Numan is a favourite music artist of mine since i heard ‘Are Friends Electric’ on Top of the Pops in 1979 and bought the album ‘Replicas’. There have been high and low points since then, but his ongoing musical journey has been a part of my life, and with the release of his latest album ‘Intruder’ in May 2021 it will be 19 solo studio albums, and 21 if you include his two Tubeway Army releases. So here are my rankings of the albums, it was awesome to see and hear him on tour in 2022, and the amazing acoustic events in 2023.

Pleasure Principle (1979) 

The third album and the first in his own name, Pleasure Principle was the follow up to Replicas and is one of the greatest synth albums, with an amazing use of swirling chords and deep bass note rhythms. Cars was of course the huge single success, but the whole album has a consistent keyboard sound and it remains one of my favourites of all time.

Replicas (1979)

The second album, Replicas was released under Tubeway Army and is a thematic album, based on a futuristic sci-fi world featuring robot relationships with human. Are Friends Electric was such an influencial release on my love for electronic music, and the album contains story led songs, with an album cover cleverly ties with the theme and lyrics.

Telekon (1980)

The fourth album, Telekon was the next release after The Pleasure Principle, featuring great build up tracks such as I Dream of Wires and Aircrash Bureau, with a strong influence of classical string-like chords. The two single releases of the time, We Are Glass and I Die You Die, are not even on this album but have been added to later releases.

Splinter (2013)

Jump forward decades to the ninteenth release of Splinter : Songs from a Broken Mind and we have an amazing return to top form throughout this album, which had been building through his previous releases. This album is themed on horror of a broken mental condition, echoed through the artwork images and lyrics.

Dance (1981)

The fifth album, Dance was the start of a fretless bass period, which ultimately led to a reducing commercial popularity. However this album remains a great one, mixing lengthy songs at over nine minutes such as Slowcar to China with more standard length pieces. She’s Got Claws was a more commercial single style, but this release moved towards a more funky groove approach.

Intruder (2021)

Intruder is the twenty first and latest release and a great mix of darkness and melody, where the theme is planet earth crying out to mankind over it’s devastation and destruction. Now and Forever and The Gift are among my favourite tracks, and the highest points on this album exceed those on his more recent releases. It is a great companion to Splinter.

I Assassin (1982)

The seventh album continuing with a fretless bass sound, strong rhythmical grooves interspersed here with occasional saxophone and soaring chords. There are plenty of stand out moments for an album that blends well as a whole, and has grown more on me over time. The 1930’s Rust feels like it forms the backdrop a old detective movie.

Berserker (1984)

The eighth album continued a return to form before he started to produce records with more mixed results. This is a heavily programmed wave synth with repeating drum and bass rhythms, and was one of his last iconic looks as the bold blue and white iceman. This album is industrial and has host of amazing tracks in Berserker, My Dying Machine, The Secret and The Hunter.

Savage (2017)

Album number twenty was Savage, another themed album which focuses on the dying earth, post Armageddon. This album features his daugher on backing vocals here and there, and has great tracks such as The End of Things, It All Began With You and My Name Is Ruin. Initially rated slightly higher on the list, but was bettered by the next release.

Tubeway Army (1978)

The debut album and forerunner to Replicas with a more raw sound at the back end of the punk era. This has more electric guitar driven tracksm but keyboards are important plus sci-fi influences which would be more fully formed in the next album. I can remember listening to this at school in the classroom on cassette.

Dead Son Rising (2011)

This eighteenth album was put together initially by producer Ade Fenton, building from off cut track sessions and creating full songs. It was intended as a filler album between Jagged and Splinter and ended up as a mix of instrumentals and vocal tracks, but overall is another good album from the more recent era, fitting in well alongside the Jagged album in particular.

Jagged (2006)

The seventeenth album at turn of the century continues on from Pure, again considered pretty dark and menacing compositions, and an album i really liked a lot on its release, but has been bettered since. This release is not overly well recorded and really needs a remaster.

Pure (2000)

The sixteenth and heaviest album in terms of its guitar rock, and lyrically explores menacing themes from the shadows and dreams, but also covers the severe emotions from loss. Walking with Shadows is a dark and almost hypnotic pulsing song which tells the story of a girl in a coma being menaced by dark entities. This album is not for the faint hearted and has a threatening vibe.

Warriors (1983)

The sixth album and the first release that i did not completely love at the time, however over the years it has grown on me. Saxophone features quite prominently here, as well as female vocalists, and the album is boosted by the excellent The Iceman Comes, My Centurion and the funky Rhythm of the Evening.

Exile (1997)

The fifteenth and follow up to Sacrifice, another dark album with a good and evil theme, featuring heavy bass rythms and looping electronics. Prophecy, Angel Wars and Absolution are stand out tracks and musically this is one of my favourites of his albums. Lyrically though i find it harder to enjoy.

Strange Charm (1986)

The tenth album contains the excellent My Breathing, and The Sleeproom, and a sound called more industrial and featuring female backing vocals, and heavy drum beats. A mixed bag of tracks but there are a couple of his best ones on here.

Sacrifice (1994)

Album fourteeen and the start of a return to better form with a darker and more brooding album that he produced himself. A rhymical approach, with looping and repeating electronics, and with better lyrics. Love and Napalm and Magic are great tracks.

Metal Rhythm (1988)

Metal Rhythm, the eleventh has some catchy songs including Respect, America, Voix and Hunger, and is an album that has recently become one i listen to a lot more.

The remaining albums in a rough ranking order that are not often played :  The ninth album The Fury (1985) / number twelve Outland (1991) / and thirteen Machine & Soul (1992)