Record Collector Presents… Gary Numan

When Gary Numan landed on Top Of The Pops in May 1979 with his android classic Are ‘Friends’ Electric?, he changed the face of the charts and propelled himself to instant fame. It’s the landmark moment that gave the UK its first genuine synth-pop superstar.

Record Collector Presents… Gary Numan examines his career in depth, returning to the early years immersed in the underground punk scene, the formation and rise of Tubeway Army and on through his mighty tenure as a solo artist. We explore Numan’s catalogue in its entirety, taking in the fabled ‘Machine Trilogy’ through his wilderness years and on to his rebirth into the industrial arena.

Inside, we speak to the man himself about his journey thus far, coping with Asperger’s and how his concerns around artificial intelligence have formed the focus of his upcoming album. Our other exclusive interviews include a chat with long-term band member Rrussell Bell, who remembers touring with Gary; Bill Sharpe on his hit collaboration; and right-hand man, producer Ade Fenton – an indispensable player in Numan’s recent resurgence. Also in this edition, we revisit the Numa record label roster, Gary’s many collaborations, speak to some of the contributors to 1997’s Random tribute album and offer up an excerpt from Nash The Slash’s book in which Numan waxes lyrical about his enigmatic touring partner.

Plus, there’s everything a collector could wish, be it our Top 100 commercial collectables, our rundown of the rarest of the rare holy grail items, worldwide cassettes and posters, as well as collector profiles and the usual comprehensive selected UK discography.