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Telekon
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Telekon
Telekon is the second solo studio album by the English new wave musician Gary Numan. It debuted at the top of the UK Albums Chart in September 1980, making it his third consecutive (and to date, final) No. 1 album. It was also the third and final studio release of what Numan retrospectively termed the "machine" section of his career, following Replicas and The Pleasure Principle (both 1979).
In contrast to Numan's previous album The Pleasure Principle, Telekon featured heavy use of guitars and a richer, more complex sound with a broadened use of different synthesizers in combination with viola and violin. The album's sound ranges from heavier tracks such as "I'm an Agent" and "The Joy Circuit" to more sombre, melancholic songs such as "Sleep by Windows" and "Remember I Was Vapour". Lyrically the album mixed dystopian themes on tracks such as "I Dream of Wires" and "The Joy Circuit", with more personal lyrics such as "Remind Me to Smile" and "Please Push No More" that dealt with Numan's feelings about his sudden fame and relationship with his fans. Several songs such as "Remember I Was Vapour" and "Please Push No More" suggests a goodbye, hinting at Numan's retirement from live work a few months later. "The whole album's got that little hint of goodbye in it", Numan confirmed in a 1981 interview, "In 'This Wreckage' the Japanese writing says 'I leave you'."
In an interview with Smash Hits magazine in November 1979 Numan hinted on initial plans that his next album Telekon was going to be about telekinesis.
The recording of the album was reported to be nearly finished already in December 1979, but the release was held back to September 1980 due to Numan's one album a year contract with Beggars Banquet. The sessions also yielded the song "A Game Called Echo" which was not included on the finished album.
Telekon was released in September 1980. To boost initial sales in the UK, on first release the album came with a free single, in a plain black sleeve, including two live recordings from 'The Touring Principle' tour; "Remember I Was Vapour" and "On Broadway". A year later, in an attempt to further boost sales, the album came with a free poster in the UK using a photo taken from the main Telekon photo-shoot. The cassette release included the singles "We Are Glass" and "I Die: You Die" which were not on the vinyl LP.
A number of Dutch releases were pressed on coloured vinyl. The US, Canadian and Australian releases replaced the track "Sleep by Windows" with "I Die: You Die". The album was released on vinyl and cassette in Japan.
Telekon was preceded by the two singles "We Are Glass" and "I Die: You Die", which were only included on the cassette release of Telekon and on later reissues. The album's opening number, "This Wreckage" succeeded the album and upon its release in December 1980, the single peaked at No. 20 in the UK. Numan later admitted that, regardless of its merits as a song, it was a "bloody stupid single". The live version of "Remember I Was Vapour", released as a bonus single with the UK album, was released as a 12" single in Germany with the studio version on the B-side. "Remind Me to Smile" was released as a US single with "I Dream of Wires" on the B-side. "Remember I Was Vapour" was also released as a 7" single with "On Broadway (Live)" as the B-side.
From September to November 1980, Numan toured the UK and North America in support of Telekon. The tour was followed by three "farewell concerts" at Wembley Arena in April 1981 with guest Nash the Slash.
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Telekon
Telekon is the second solo studio album by the English new wave musician Gary Numan. It debuted at the top of the UK Albums Chart in September 1980, making it his third consecutive (and to date, final) No. 1 album. It was also the third and final studio release of what Numan retrospectively termed the "machine" section of his career, following Replicas and The Pleasure Principle (both 1979).
In contrast to Numan's previous album The Pleasure Principle, Telekon featured heavy use of guitars and a richer, more complex sound with a broadened use of different synthesizers in combination with viola and violin. The album's sound ranges from heavier tracks such as "I'm an Agent" and "The Joy Circuit" to more sombre, melancholic songs such as "Sleep by Windows" and "Remember I Was Vapour". Lyrically the album mixed dystopian themes on tracks such as "I Dream of Wires" and "The Joy Circuit", with more personal lyrics such as "Remind Me to Smile" and "Please Push No More" that dealt with Numan's feelings about his sudden fame and relationship with his fans. Several songs such as "Remember I Was Vapour" and "Please Push No More" suggests a goodbye, hinting at Numan's retirement from live work a few months later. "The whole album's got that little hint of goodbye in it", Numan confirmed in a 1981 interview, "In 'This Wreckage' the Japanese writing says 'I leave you'."
In an interview with Smash Hits magazine in November 1979 Numan hinted on initial plans that his next album Telekon was going to be about telekinesis.
The recording of the album was reported to be nearly finished already in December 1979, but the release was held back to September 1980 due to Numan's one album a year contract with Beggars Banquet. The sessions also yielded the song "A Game Called Echo" which was not included on the finished album.
Telekon was released in September 1980. To boost initial sales in the UK, on first release the album came with a free single, in a plain black sleeve, including two live recordings from 'The Touring Principle' tour; "Remember I Was Vapour" and "On Broadway". A year later, in an attempt to further boost sales, the album came with a free poster in the UK using a photo taken from the main Telekon photo-shoot. The cassette release included the singles "We Are Glass" and "I Die: You Die" which were not on the vinyl LP.
A number of Dutch releases were pressed on coloured vinyl. The US, Canadian and Australian releases replaced the track "Sleep by Windows" with "I Die: You Die". The album was released on vinyl and cassette in Japan.
Telekon was preceded by the two singles "We Are Glass" and "I Die: You Die", which were only included on the cassette release of Telekon and on later reissues. The album's opening number, "This Wreckage" succeeded the album and upon its release in December 1980, the single peaked at No. 20 in the UK. Numan later admitted that, regardless of its merits as a song, it was a "bloody stupid single". The live version of "Remember I Was Vapour", released as a bonus single with the UK album, was released as a 12" single in Germany with the studio version on the B-side. "Remind Me to Smile" was released as a US single with "I Dream of Wires" on the B-side. "Remember I Was Vapour" was also released as a 7" single with "On Broadway (Live)" as the B-side.
From September to November 1980, Numan toured the UK and North America in support of Telekon. The tour was followed by three "farewell concerts" at Wembley Arena in April 1981 with guest Nash the Slash.