Tubeway Army
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Tubeway Army (1977-1979) were a London-based punk/new wave band formed by Gary Webb.
They were the first band of the post-punk era to have an 'electronic' hit, with their single Are 'Friends' Electric? and its parent album Replicas topping the UK charts in mid-1979.
Following this success, Webb released all his subsequent records under the artist name Gary Numan.
Line up
The band comprised Gary Numan (Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards), Paul Gardiner (Bass, Backing Vocals), Jess Lidyard, Gary's uncle (Drums).
Gary Numan was the driving force of the band, writing the material and producing the recordings; subsequent albums were issued under his own name once their Replicas album became successful. Paul Gardiner continued as his bass player.
History
Numan had fronted London band Mean Street in 1977 (their song Bunch Of Stiffs appeared on the Live at the Vortex compilation, and was the B-side of the Vortex 7"). Leaving this band acrimoniously, he rechristened himself 'Valerian' and formed Tubeway Army with his childhood friend Paul Gardiner (playing bass as 'Scarlett').
The band began playing gigs on the punk scene in London, and secured a record deal with the independant Beggars Banquet label.
They released two singles in 1978 (That's Too Bad b-w Oh! Didn't I Say, and Bombers b-w Blue Eyes & OD Receiver). These failed to chart.
Soon after, the Tubeway Army LP was released on blue vinyl. Webb had now adopted the name "Gary Numan". The album saw his first tenative use of the miniMoog synthesizer, which he had come across by accident in the recording studio during the album sessions. Lyrically the record displayed many dystopian and sci-fi theme, Numan being a fan of authors such as Philip K Dick (e.g. the opening lines of the song Listen To The Sirens are a direct lift from the title of the Philip K. Dick book Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said.)
Discography
Singles
- That's Too Bad (1978)
- Bombers (1978)
- Down in the Park (1979)
- Are 'Friends' Electric? (1979)
Albums
- The Plan (demos recorded in 1977, first released in 1984)
- Tubeway Army (1978)
- Replicas (1979)
Beggars Banquet have re-released and re-mastered these recordings numerous times. Current CD editions supplement the original album tracks with all single A and B-sides, 12" bonus tracks, studio out-takes, and recovered bootleg live material.