Gary Numan - Cars [1979]
The Pleasure Principle
"Gary Numan - Cars" Video
Amateur Video
A one-hit wonder with zero personality and an all-consuming synthesizer lends his minimal talents to the thankfully short-lived trend of "synth-pop."
What the fuck was "synth-pop" or "techno rock" anyway? Remember the "success" of Neil Young's album Trans? Luckily, Neil continued to evolve after his failed experiment in this short-lived genre. Numan wasn't so lucky. One critic claimed that Numan looked like "a replicant gone AWOL from the Blade Runner set." Although the video was actually once considered cutting edge, today it seems about as "fresh as a Foghat concert" - to quote a line from the comedy Kingpin. I bet some total lunatic is rotting away in an insane asylum right this very minute, chanting this insipid tune over and over and over. And you're probably singing it right now as we speak-ha!
Whatever happened to Gary Numan? Does anyone really care? Believe it or not, there's a handful of fan sites dedicated to this mediocre "singer" who didn't even make it into the pages of the Rolling Stone Album Guide. The guy still retains a cult following, mostly overseas. Oh yeah, goth rocker Marilyn Manson has claimed Numan as an influence and even recorded one of his songs, "Down in the Park." Thanks a lot, Gary!
User Comments - Add a Comment
Tim Dagwell - 2003-09-20 16:32:27
The reviewer must be American (as I am), to not know that Numan is one of England's best selleing artists. His 1979 albums "Replicas" and "The Pleasure Principle" (with Cars)and his 1980 "Telekon" were ALL #1. He has had no less than 10 Top Ten singles also.
kam6 - 2004-09-08 01:51:21
I think this video is great indeed. For any vintage synthesizer aficionado, it shows what Polymoogs are capable of!!
chris242 - 2004-11-22 09:14:12
Considering that you gave a Nickelback song of all things a good review, I'm not surprised you bashed this classic song and video.
Obviously you lack taste.
Franny8871@aol.com - 2005-01-15 19:53:41
nonsense your a bafoon. numan is a PURE genius. listen and learn.
noelle - 2007-03-24 11:01:11
this is a brilliant piece of social history and i bet you never learned to fly tour own dakota aircraft !
Medusa63 - 2007-11-08 13:24:57
I think was one of the best songs of the 80's! I agree that it still sounds awesome today.
hifi - 2008-09-09 12:50:57
Inescapable, irresistable, electronic ditty from back in the day. Still sounds fresh to this day
Holybosy@comcast.net - 2003-09-13 21:13:41
Once again the critic running this site proves that he is either a very old man, or a very young man. And the quote from Comedy Kingpin, most likely was not pointed at CARS from Gary Numan. Id like to point out that this song is SO MUCH loved by everybody, that it is STILL being used to this day in Car Commercials, and a heavy metal band by the name of FEAR FACTORY covered it. So once again the critic running this site proves to not know what he's talking about.