Telekon

by Gary Numan

Overview

Gary Numan's follow-up to the flawless The Pleasure Principle was 1980's Telekon. Although it was another mega-hit back home in England (his third consecutive number one album), Numan could not follow up his massive new wave hit "Cars" in the United States, where he was unjustly slapped with the one-hit-wonder tag. Telekon would also turn out to be the last true classic Numan album, as monetary problems and an unfocused attempt to try different musical forms (as well as a short-lived retirement) would steer him away from his original vision. Although Telekon was indeed a strong album, it could have been even stronger if it included the U.K. Top Ten singles "I Die: You Die" and "We Are Glass" (both were recorded during the Telekon sessions). Numan experimented with funk for the first time in his career ("Remind Me to Smile"), but there were still plenty of chilling synth excursions to keep the Numan faithful satisfied -- "This Wreckage," "The Aircrash Bureau," "I'm an Agent," and "I Dream of Wires" are all choice cuts. The 1998 Beggars Banquet re-release eventually did include both the U.K. singles, as well as several other rarities, including a bare "piano version" of "Down in the Park." [Note: In addition to bonus tracks, all of the Gary Numan/Beggars Banquet re-releases contain classic photographs and informative liner notes by Numan biographer Steve Malins.] ~ Greg Prato

Product Details

Release Date:	06/23/1998
Label:	Beggars Banquet
UPC:	0607618001926
Rank:	105239

Tracks

1. This Wreckage
2. The Aircrash Bureau
3. Telekon
4. Remind Me to Smile
5. Sleep by Windows
6. We Are Glass
7. I'm an Agent
8. I Dream of Wires
9. Remember I Was Vapour
10. Please Push No More
11. The Joy Circuit
12. I Die: You Die
13. A Game Called Echo
14. Photograph
15. Down in the Park
16. Trois Gymnopedies (1st Movement)

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Gary Numan   Primary Artist,Piano,Guitar,Vocals,Polymoog,Keyboards,Mini Moog,Drums (Snare)
Denis Haines   Piano,Vocals,Keyboards,Whistle (Human),Vocals (Background)
Russell Bell   Guitar,Violin,Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Cedric Sharpley   Drums,Percussion,Drums (Snare),Vocals (Background)
Paul Gardiner   Bass,Vocals (Background)
Christopher Payne   Piano,Viola,Polymoog,Keyboards,Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Graeme Myhre   Engineer
Gary Numan   Arranger,Composer,Producer
Nick Smith   Engineer
Erik Satie   Composer
Jess Sutcliffe   Engineer
Geoff Howes   Photography
Steve Malins   Liner Notes
Steve Smith   Engineer
John Dent   Remastering