Gary Numan — The Pleasure Principle
A seminal record which I didn’t grow to love until far too late in my life, The Pleasure Principle stands tall as one of the most influential albums of all time.
All reliable sources pin the origins of what we now know as electronic music, to the German band Kraftwerk. In the early to mid 70s this quartet was innovating the fabric of music itself. Improvisational musicians who began to embrace the nascent tech of audio modulation. Kraftwerk popularized electronic music to a small band of loyal devotees across Europe, one of those being Gary Anthony James Webb or as we know him, Gary Numan. Numan was born in London in 1958 and later in life lived in Surrey for school. Numan first became known on the scene with his band Tubeway Army. They would release two albums, a self titled LP in 1978 as well as the better known Replicas in 1979. While enjoying the moderate underground success of Replicas, Numan began recording a new album to be released in 1979. He eschewed the Tubeway Army players and recruited a new band for what would become The Pleasure Principle. The name of the album is based on Rene Magritte’s painting of the same name, with the cover even being a modern take on the piece. For this new record, Numan worked to make an unique sound by removing the electric guitar which had been present in his previous work and opting for the Polymoog Synth. The album produced the international hit single “Cars” which propelled Numan to fame after reaching no. 1 in the UK. The Pleasure Principle would also reach no. 1 in Canada and no. 9 in the US. The album is certified platinum.
Opening with “Airlane” Numan sets the tone with this instrumental work. Referencing the paths aircrafts take, Numan revealed his early interest in aviation, he would later in life become a pilot. “Metal” follows next and establishes Numan’s fascination with sci-fi, machinery, and dystopias. The song is written from the point of view of a machine which has gained sentience. Numan was inspired to write this after reading in the paper about advancements in robotics. Musically, the song sounds almost guitar driven, however this is a production trick created in the studio. Thematically this could be Numan easing listeners into his new full electric sound, with tongue in cheek. “Complex” takes the album to a bit of a downbeat, besides the drums, the only other traditional instrumentation used on this album is the viola present in this song. The string arrangement meshes well with winding synth licks to create a sorrowful composition. Lyrically the song is about fame and the effervescent nature of fans. “Films” is a weird little song which again uses a synthesizer to replicate this time a funky bass line. The song is about Numan’s social awkwardness and seeing life as a film he doesn’t enjoy. “M.E.” again takes place from the perspective of a machine, this time, the last one on earth. M.E stands for Mechanical Engineering. This song is the most “rock” feeling on the album but is still Numan quirk all the way down. Side B begins with “Tracks” a synth piano led track and my favorite on the album. This song is about an older person wishing to swap places with their younger self. The music weaves an enchanting and repetitive trance over the listener and the lyrics respond in kind with three verses with simple repetition and progression. “Observer” is similar to Films where Numan explores his then undiagnosed Asperger’s Syndrome. He again feels like he is watching the world from afar and not an active participant. “Conversation” continues many of the albums themes of likening emotionless humans to machines. There is not much to say about a song as ubiquitous as “Cars.” The song was inspired by Numan’s experience being chased by some thugs, and feeling safe while speeding away in his car. The album ends with the uber Numan-esque but unremarkable “Engineers.”
Must Listen To: Tracks
Something about the piano interlude in this grandiose electronica record is a welcome reminder of how musically talented Numan is. This is of course woven into the grander tapestry of a full synth ensemble and the song like many on the album has a driving sense to it which keeps the pace brisk and enjoyable.
