In early 2008 Gary Numan celebrates his 30th year in music and turns 50. To celebrate this, the pioneering electronic album Replicas will be re-issued as Gary Numan & Tubeway Army - Replicas Redux on February 25, 2008.... more » The album includes the breakthrough single 'Are 'Friends' Electric?', which gave Numan his first simultaneous Number 1 single and album when Replicas joined it at the top of the charts a few weeks later. 'Are 'Friends' Electric?' originally charted as a picture disc and Beggars Banquet are promising a very limited edition picture disc of the track plus 'Down In The Park' as the flipside as recognition that both songs have remained influential for three decades. The new Redux re-issue also features for the first time a complete earlier version of the Replicas album recorded in late 1978 and January 1979, along with the original B-sides and further out-takes, adding up to 27 tracks across the two CDs.« less
In early 2008 Gary Numan celebrates his 30th year in music and turns 50. To celebrate this, the pioneering electronic album Replicas will be re-issued as Gary Numan & Tubeway Army - Replicas Redux on February 25, 2008. The album includes the breakthrough single 'Are 'Friends' Electric?', which gave Numan his first simultaneous Number 1 single and album when Replicas joined it at the top of the charts a few weeks later. 'Are 'Friends' Electric?' originally charted as a picture disc and Beggars Banquet are promising a very limited edition picture disc of the track plus 'Down In The Park' as the flipside as recognition that both songs have remained influential for three decades. The new Redux re-issue also features for the first time a complete earlier version of the Replicas album recorded in late 1978 and January 1979, along with the original B-sides and further out-takes, adding up to 27 tracks across the two CDs.
We have a random on the west side...still excellent 30 years
N. P. Stathoulopoulos | Brooklyn, NY | 03/09/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The 30th anniversary re-release of Replicas is a treat, offering the original versions of the album and b-sides from this era, as well as 'early versions' of the same material.
Interestingly, Disc 1 does not include all of the original b-sides, not sure why. It's missing original versions of The Crazies, Only A Downstat, and We Have A Technical, which are available on the previous Beggars Banquet re-issues of the album. Interesting gap. Disc 2, meanwhile, contains early versions of these songs, as well as the other b-sides, in addition to the album. The early versions are a real treat, remastered and crystal clear. Nothing is drastically different, but different enough to be very enjoyable for the fan, with extra instrumentation in some cases, and even more synths. Numan's unique voice is also mixed differently, giving the tracks a different feel.
Numan himself is selling a limited edition of this album through his own website, which contains a third disc of remixes and yet more early versions. That's the version to get as it has the most material for a few bucks more. (It has four additional early versions, and two Renegade Soundwave remixes).
The whole thing holds up remarkably well 30 years later, combining guitars and early synths with Numan's effortless ability to generate hooks and catchy tunes. Inspired by Philip K. Dick novels and sci-fi comic books, Numan was doing his own thing right from the teenage years, and he continues to be influential to legions of artists, yet he still doesn't get the due he deserves. Highly recommended rock album."
Worth the price for a few tracks alone
Said Head | MN, USA | 01/09/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"When I ordered this directly from Numan's site, I was lucky enough to get the 3rd dics, which contains even more versions of 'Are Friends Electric?' (including some remix material from the early 90's), 'Down In The Park', and 'Replicas'. If you can find a copy of that CD it is absolutely worth it.
I was a little disappointed in some of the material, but only because I expected some very different versions, but some of these earlier takes don't stray far from the album versions. I was also a bit put off by the fact that the tracks on the original album CD neglect to feature a few b-sides, which are instead put onto the second disc; I just thought it would make sense to keep the original 1 disc CD remastering the way it was originally, but it's not a big deal. Also, when I tried ripping the second CD onto my computer, it carried (or my dumb computer gave it) the same information as the first disc, and thus erased the information from the first disc, while keeping the same tracklisting and whatnot, so I had to burn the second disc onto a CD-r, re-rip the first disc, then rip the CD-r onto the computer and enter the info manually; again not a big deal but a little hassle.
The great things however are the great liner notes and photos, and of course the few early versions that stand out from their later mixes, but what stands out to me is the vocal version of 'When Machines Rock' and the third installment of 'I Nearly Married A Human'. But again, if you can get your hands on that third disc you can really get a better grip on how some of the more well-known evolved."
Numan was a genuine innovator
Pieter | Johannesburg | 05/29/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This enhanced version of the classic 1979 synth-rock album confirms Gary Numan's originality and innovative vision. Musically, Kraftwerk must have been a model, whilst thematically, David Bowie's work like Diamond Dogs and Aladdin Sane would have provided inspiration.
This type of synth music experienced a great flowering the next decade with groups like Eurythmics, OMD, Yaz(oo), The Human League and individual artists like Klaus Nomi. Although Bowie's Low and Suicide's debut album both appeared in 1977, Numan deserves the credit for bringing this genre into the mainstream.
The world it paints is bleak, a nightmarish landscape of aliens, alienation and fear, in melodious songs like Down in the Park and the arresting Are 'Friends' Electric? The second disc of earlier alternative versions is quite impressive, in some cases more striking than the familiar versions. Here, Only A Downstat and The Crazies must be singled out.
The packaging is impressive too with plenty of pics and information on the artist and the times. This reissue is well worth the price to enjoy again the first stirrings of the golden age of synthesizer music."
Easily Numan's best
Phil (San Diego, CA) | San Diego, CA | 06/30/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
""Cars" had entered the charts and I entered my local record shop to track down the album. The two music buffs behind the counter strongly advised me to go for Numan's previous album, "Replicas", instead. Great advice. Based on how much I enjoyed "Replicas" I followed up by eventually picking up Numan's first four albums. The only serious keeper in the bunch, though, was this album.
Key tracks are "Me I Disconnect From You", "Are Friends Electric", "Down In The Park", and "You Are In My Vision". For me this would suffice as a best of Gary Numan if it simply added "Cars", "I Die You Die", "This Wreckage" and "She's Got Claws".
The last two tracks on the original album were filler instrumentals, but among the ten tracks there was not a single loser. I was deeply disappointed with the followup, "The Pleasure Principle", and the debut with Tubeway Army, while consistent, didn't have any memorable standout tracks. "Telekon" was a step up from those, but when "Dance" proved to be somewhat thin that was about it for me. However, this gem from 1979, "Replicas" is strongly recommended.
Track Listings (13) - Disc #1
