I was very
unsure about buying this single at all. I don't really rate Rip that highly
for a start off. Add to that the fact that it is over two years old at the time
of release and there are no new songs included as extra tracks and it becomes
an even less exciting prospect. Combine this with the way Gary slagged off half
of his fan base because they dared to have opinions that weren't entirely sycophantic
and you have a barrage of good reasons for not parting with any money.
However, my obsession with Numan has not entirely died and I was curious about
the remixes of old songs that were included on the CDs and it is the first time
there has been a video on a Numan release so I was slightly torn.
I really didn't
care for the way that he has been all but begging fans to phone Kerrang!
music TV station to vote for his video and asking anyone interested to buy the
single in its first week of release so that it could (possibly) gain a chart
position. To me, this seems two-faced in the extreme. One minute he is saying
how little he cares about the charts and how he is just going to do his own
thing etc., and the next he is desperately trying to achieve some chart success.
Make your mind up man!
During the first week that the single was available, it was announced that it was in fact a limited edition of just 5,000 copies, although it was not clear whether this was 5,000 of each CD or in total. This made me think I wanted it slightly more than I really did - which I suppose was the whole idea. However, feeling a bit petty about it all, I decided that I would not buy it until at least the Sunday, just so that my purchase would not help the single into the Top 40. I knew that my one purchase would make very little difference but I did not want to feel I had helped it into the chart.
I eventually bought the copy that had the video on it for just over two quid with my discount card - spend the money wisely Gary! As luck would have it, a friend of mine turned up at our house the day after and he had bought the other one and didn't want it so gave it to me. Can't say fairer than that can you? Well, I suppose he could have given me a tenner to take it off his hands but that would be pushing my luck a bit.
So, the chart came out, and despite neither of my copies helping it, the single entered the Top 30 at number 29. Now at this point, I was a little disappointed... I just kept thinking to myself that if I had bought it earlier and bought both copies plus a couple of spares for some of my friends who live abroad, it might just have made number 26, which would of course have made everything alright! Que sera sera...
Rip is the
same as the album version so, er, no change there. The video would not play
automatically in the computer as these things should. I have bought quite a
number of CD singles that have videos on them over the last few years and have
not had trouble with any of them. There was a section on the NuWorld website
for anyone having problems with the video so it was nothing to do with my PC,
more of a case of shoddy workmanship by whoever put the CD together. Suppose
I should be used to that by now...
Anyway, the video could indeed be opened directly using a viewer installed on
the computer, but there were no interactive menus or additional information
pages or other bonuses that many other releases have. I am sure there are many
fans out there who could have made a better presentation than that (myself included
- if I could be bothered) and if ever another single is released with an enhanced
section included, they would do well to get some people in who actually know
what they are doing. I don't think that the video is actually that good. Gary
mimes quite badly through the verses, looking as if he is shouting the words
but sounding as if he is whispering them.
A Prayer For The Unborn (Andy Gray Edit) is, as the title suggests, a shorter version of the remix track that was included on the Pure Tour Edition CD that was released in February 2001. Apart from some really nice heavy synth sounds, which remind me so much of Music For Chameleons, I don't rate the remix highly at all. The original version of the track is of course excellent and I would personally have preferred a version of that or a live version from the Pure Tour.
M.E. (New Version) - snappy title Gary - is one of His own attempts at updating some of the old favorites. I think his vocal on it sounds quite good but I think the music, particularly in the verses is lacking the impact and sounds hollow to me. There is a new synth line in the instrumental section between verses which could have been made by Nogbad the Bad accidentally walking across Gary's keyboard just as He hit the "record" button in the Alien studio.
The second CD has two old Numan tracks that have new vocals by Himself with the music produced by Mark Gemini Thwaite (not sure about the spelling of that surname). Both tracks are called "Metalmorphosis Mix" after their respective titles.
Are 'Friends' Electric? was recently made popular again thanks to a rather excellent version done by the girlie band Sugababes. This version should just about kill off any enthusiasm for the song. It is, in my opinion, one of the worst versions I have ever heard. People sometimes say how much they hated Kipper's version that came out as Generator or how bad the Renegade Soundwave remix was. Compared to this trash they are pure listening pleasure. This is awful. The only bit I slightly like is the 7.4 bit where Gaz has some effects on his voice. I am at this time unsure which I hate more, this or the one done by Moloko on the Random CD of cover versions. This is definitely the worst to ever have himself singing on it.
This Wreckage starts off with some distorted guitar effects - at least that's what it sounds like to an untrained ear such as mine. I like the way the original synth line has been reproduced using a different sound which is backed up by the guitars. It is a bit more up tempo than the original with the drums more prominent. The new vocals sound mostly good as well, the only bit I am not too keen on is the Japanese section which doesn't seem to have the same impact as it did in the original. This is definitely the best out of the three "new" tracks.
So, on the whole, I'm not too impressed but then again you can't get much for a couple of quid these days so I'm not upset about it. It did make me glad that I didn't buy the "Exposure" CD just for the updated tracks. I would like to hear My Shadow In Vain as it is one of my favorites but if it has had the same kind of treatment as some of the tracks here, I think I would just be disappointed by it.
To give another opinion about the tracks, I have here some quotes from an e-mail I received from my old mate Ade Eyeudye...
"It started and I thought, "oh, some group I don't know has used a part of the Are 'friends' electric song" Then the git started 'singing'. Oh Jesus, oh Christ, oh what the f--k is this mess. What in the name of bloody hell has he done to it?! Oh my good Christ!!!"
"HA HA HA!!!!!!! M.E.!!!!!!! Is Gemma in the bloody studio telling him what to play and how to do it or what?!! This is too funny, I'm staying here to see what happens next! Oh god, what's this...no, it can't be!! AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This just gets better for the Numanarchists!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh f--k, this is the funniest evening I've had for ages!!!!!! Yes Gary, you are a bloody wreckage mate! Oh Christ, this is brilliant! The Japanese bits are hilarious! Jesus Gary, time to give up. "No, I don't like the old stuff, I don't like looking back, I just want to look forwards to tomorrow" what the f--k is he doing these for????!!"
So there you have it. I'm sure there are people out there who like it all - or at least say they do... At the end of the day, it's all down to opinions and we must each have our own. If you don't, you may just as well call yourself Mr. Smith or something.