Gary Numan

He’s the electropop legend beloved of Kanye West, Trent Reznor, Prince, Lady Gaga and The Mighty Boosh’s Vince Noir. 2011 has been a bumper year: he’s on the new Battles album, he’s delivered a great new album of his own (‘Dead Son Rising’) and he’s visiting a town near you on his December tour. Step up to The Fly’s Q&A plate, Gary Numan.

What’s a Gary Numan tour like these days?
This one? It’s a carbon copy of what we did in September.

You shouldn’t admit that!
Well, the tour was done in two stages. We had the September part of it set up first, then we decided to add some shows around the ATP festival in December.

What are the ‘wow’ moments of the show?
For me, it’s most pleasing to play new songs, because it had been a long time since I’ve done a new album.

You toured your classic LP ‘The Pleasure Principle’ earlier this year. Is that not so pleasing, then?
Well, It’s not top of my list of things I want to do. I’m not really into the whole retro thing. But even at those shows, you still get 40 minutes of new stuff.

Don’t you like your old material?
Some of the songs were written when I was 19 and they’re full of the poor-little-me angst that a teenager has. To sing them at 53 is a tad embarrassing.

Are there any classic album shows that you would go and see?
If Depeche Mode did ‘Songs Of Faith And Devotion’ I’d be there at the drop of a hat. I’m an absolute hypocrite – I don’t want to do it myself but I’d jump up and down if some other people did it.

Your new album’s been very well reviewed. Are you back in fashion?
I’ve been lucky because some quite major people [see intro!] have said some very kind things about me. It seems to have cemented the thought that it’s alright to like me.

Hasn’t that always been the case?
I’ve always had a pretty hard time of it, even when I first got famous. I was probably the first big pop star to come out of the whole punk-era anti-establishment thing, but I was very insensitive to the mood of the time. I was bragging about having loads of money, a brilliant car, a big house.

Perhaps you should have been a rapper.
Yeah, they get away with the diamond rings and all the rest of it. I have Asperger’s and I’m ridiculously blunt at times. I’m gifted with knowing how to put my foot in my mouth.

Like announcing your retirement from performing live in 1980? Presumably you weren’t expecting to still be doing it three decades later…
I couldn’t see beyond 30 at that point. Everyone said I’d have five minutes in the spotlight and then disappear and I accepted that was the way it would be.

Early retirement is a very hip hop thing to do too.
It’s a good thing to do. But there was no need to make such a big fuss about it. Ego I guess: you don’t just want to slip away; you want everyone to know you’re slipping away. And then it bites you on the arse a few years later when you realise you’ve made a huge mistake.

Had you heard of Battles before they approached you to sing on ‘Gloss Drop’ track ‘My Machines’?
I hadn’t, but I checked out their Jools Holland performance and it was the best one I’ve ever seen.

When filming the Battles video, how long did that poor guy spend falling down the escalator?
Well, I was there for five or six hours and he did it for another five or six hours after that, well into the morning. He must have been a falling-down-stairs specialist. Very talented.

Some of your latest material contains elements of a sci-fi fantasy story you’re working on. What’s it about?
It’s set in a pre-technology age: sword fighting and magic. It’s an ambition of mine to write stories. I suppose my vision of contented old manhood is me with a pipe quietly writing stories.

So you’re a fantasy fan. Have you ever played World Of Warcraft?
No, but I watched people playing Dungeons & Dragons one once though. I didn’t understand the rules.

Are you still flying stunt planes?
Not since the kids came along. One by one, I saw most of my stunt pilot friends killed in crashes. You know at some point you’ll make the same mistake that the others did.

Do you miss it?
Well, I did it for a long time and I got quite good at it – I became an evaluator for other pilots. It’s difficult to get accepted in those circles if you’re a famous pop star. People don’t trust a pilot with blue hair.

Is it true that you’re moving to California because of last summer’s riots?
No, we started looking into moving last autumn. It’s nothing to do with the riots. There are little shits causing trouble everywhere. I just think it would be a good environment for the children and there’d be good opportunities for me.

Such as?
Well, much as I love it, there’s a limit to how long I can run around on stage trying to look aggressive and menacing without looking like a funny little old man. A natural transition for me would be to move into film music, and it would help to be in Hollywood.

And Trent Reznor is helping out, by vouching for your visa application?
Yeah! Not bad, eh. I was really grateful to him for doing that.

How will you maintain your famously pasty complexion living in California?
I won’t – my wife says I look far more handsome when I’m brown. I do like the sun, I just don’t like being in it.

Gary, in the age of Facebook and Twitter, are friends electric?
I suppose so! But I’m not sure if it’s a good thing or not. I think we’ll have robot friends one day too.

Really?
Yeah. You know, I’ve never understood the constant desire to make robots that walk. I’ve fallen over enough times to know there must be a better way.