Gary Numan

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Synth artist from late 1970s and early 1980s. Made three great albums with his band Tubeway Army. Hit a rough patch in 1980s and 1990s but came back on track in 1990s with albums like Dawn. Kicked open the door for Trent Reznor (NIN), Marilyn Manson, etc.
Some have speculated that he has AS because of his lyric content: feeling isolated from humans, feeling like/identifying with a machine, a robot.

Favorite albums:
Replicas
The Pleasure Principle
Dawn

Favorite tracks:
"Are 'Friends' Electric?"
"Me, I Disconnect From You"
"Down In The Park"
"Conversation"
"Remember I Was Liquid"
"Bombers"
"When The Machines Rock"
"I Nearly Married A Human"
"Films"
"We Are Glass"
"Jo the Waitress"
"You Are In My Vision"

Numan does indeed have AS and has been DX'ed with it.

"Cars" is one of my perinal favorites.

Gary Numan only made two 'official' albums with Tubeway Army, Replicas and their eponymous debut.
He released 'Machine and Soul', 'Exile', and 'Sacrifice' (Dawn is the US special editition) as studio albums during that '90s.
I used to be obssesed with Gary Numan and I recieved an E-mail from him.
I think in his teens he was misdiagnoised with ADHD or something simlar and was considered by his head teacher to be one of the worst behaved pupils he had meet in 25 years of teaching.
Has anyoone read 'Praying To The Aliens', his autobiography?

I stand corrected. When The Pleasure Principle was recorded, Cedric Sharpley replaced Jess Lidyard on drums, so it wasn't Tubeway Army. Also, Billy Currie from Ultravox guested on violin and Chris Payne joined on viola. I think I have that right.

I think you do to. I was abit confused when you said 'Dawn', but then again that is only the US special edition, I was half ready to be really pedantic.

I think you do to. I was abit confused when you said 'Dawn', but then again that is only the US special edition, I was half ready to be really pedantic...

He was diagnosed by his wife apparently. I don't know what her qualifications as a diagnostician are.

Maybe he does have AS. I guess his image is pretty aspie-ish.

Yes all 27 of his images are aspie-ish and they ate me alive. your an apple. i am plate.

Well, I think out of all the 'famous aspie' I think I identify with him the most. The impression I got was that he knew alot of people during his teens but was seen as clown with an erratic edge and penchant for sci-fi imagery, planes and Bowie.
In the respect that I am quite well known (not respected though) in my home town, yet seen as pretentious akward and obssesive we are similar, also if you change sci-fi imagery for romantic poets (only a minor interest) and a Bowie fetish for Morrissey then you have me.
Academically he didn't really achieve well in school, yet he was still smart.

So what is Numans' greatest album?

I would say it was 'Exposure'. Of course I am aware that this may not be legitimate for nomination as it is only a greatest hits, however it was my introduction to his 'Nuworld'
and it honestly changed the way I listen to popular music and it is undoubtedly a testament to this creative musician. The reworkings of 'Everday I Die" and "My Shadow In Vain" are utterly sublime.

I read 'Praying To The Aliens'. I have to admin that no other rock autobiography (and I've read a few.....) made me think 'I actually think like that myself'. He's been interviewed about AS as well - but I don't know how accurate his diagnosis was.

Was he not misdiagnosed with ADHD as a teenager?

Yeah, my dad has all his records, and when I lined them all up and looked at them, he didn't look directly out at you, which was a big relief, to myself at least, that tends to bug me, and I found it very strange, and after reading this thread, yeah, that DOES make sense. After all, the lyrics 'Here in my car, I am safest of all, I can lock all my doors, there's no way in or out" are Aspie lyrics at their best!

Well, no surprise that I should find Numan mentioned here; I got into his music back in '86, and his music has constantly kicked my butt. By the way, for the ultimate in autistic point-of-view as song lyric/poetry, try the lyrics from "Films":

I don’t like the film
I don’t like the film
Play it all back
Play it all back
And I don’t like the scenery
And I don’t like the set, so
Pull it all down
Pull it all down
But I like the actors
And I like the show

We’re so exposed
We’re so exposed
Anything can happen
Anything can happen
And don’t let them see
And don’t let them know
And you wonder why
And you wonder why
Turn off the lights
Turn off the sound

I knew Gary was one of us long before he made it public. He seems to have come to terms with himself, however, as his more recent albums are more geared towards addressing religion. But his early albums, especially Telekon and The Pleasure Principle, are virtually Asperger manifestos.