Gary Numan actually wrote this song after a road rage incident. He was able to lock himself in his car and stay protected and get away by driving up on the sidewalk. Hence the line “here in my car I feel safest of all, I can lock all my doors. It’s the only way to live, in cars.”

@ocnbrze2003

Жыл бұрын

yep kzread.info/dash/bejne/gHVhz9iaYqe-lZc.html

@cartercarter645

Жыл бұрын

Crazy - Thank you for the insight- all this time I did not know that!!

@tompickles9798

Жыл бұрын

I concur

@watchmanschannelofdespair

Жыл бұрын

Me three.

@Kim-dm4yb

Жыл бұрын

Yes same here, thank you!

This was the very first synth song that brought on the ‘80’s. It’s actually from 1979 and was absolutely revolutionary at the time. ✌️

@t.j.payeur5331

Жыл бұрын

Pop Musik by M was first...

@Lionize728

Жыл бұрын

The band the Cars did it in 1978

@vh1984ful

Жыл бұрын

@@t.j.payeur5331 ❤it

@J_Gamble

Жыл бұрын

Bowie in the 70s was doing synthesizer work with eno et al. if not exactly synth-pop

@FlamesCagney

Жыл бұрын

TVOD by The Normal was out in 78. Didn't get as much popular airplay. . Also Kraftwerk was doing electronic stuff in early 70s

Gary Numan is without a doubt one of the nicest, most humble and polite artists ever. Always friendly and no ego whatsoever

@jethro1963

Жыл бұрын

I saw an interview with him a few years ago and you are right, he was very impressive. He was very quiet and humble which I still remember being surprised because I didn't think he would be that way.

@kennethgodwin7769

Жыл бұрын

Nu wave?

@christinavuyk2026

Жыл бұрын

What a lot of tosh 😂😂😂

@karldonald8150

Жыл бұрын

@@christinavuyk2026 behave you lol 😆

@MsAppassionata

Жыл бұрын

@@christinavuyk2026 ??? Do you know the man?

As a 54 year old 80's child! This song was so so groundbreaking I cannot even explain to you when this came out! As a child I would have to sit by the radio with me cassette recorder trying to record it to play it over and over again! It is still to this day one of my favorites with easily one of the best OUTROS in music history!!! I love your channel!

@michelleboyer9506

Жыл бұрын

Completely understand as I’m 54 too, so probably have some of the same musical influences

@baronvonsatan

Жыл бұрын

I'm merely 50 but YES. YES. This. I mean, this song was a *shift* that I can't even explain.

@adjman48

Жыл бұрын

As a fellow 54 year old, completely agree

@PVCswede

Жыл бұрын

55 next week and YEP! 🙋‍♀️

@CourtneyEvans

Жыл бұрын

54 here too and yes, simply one of the best songs EVER. Gary Numan is one of the grandfathers of Synth. It was astonishing to my 11 year old ears. One of my favorite songs of all time and definitely in the top 10 of ALL of my favorites. It is in many of my playlists so it's always on repeat. I literally just listened to it today. Yes, in my car 😄

Gary Numan wasn't just another 80s synth pop performer. He was one of the pioneers.

@theodoreritola7641

4 ай бұрын

ACTUALLY THE LATE70s I LOVE THE TRUTH This song was the number 1 song in the UK in 1979 The 80s had not started yet Cars was wrote in 1979 recorded in 1979 So how can it be 80s

This was so futuristic when it came out. Gary Numan was at the cutting edge of new wave at the time.

@TonyTerranova-ji4et

6 күн бұрын

Other Great Garry Numan Is Are Friends Electric 2 Down in The Park 3 Complex 4 Conversation 5 I I Die You Die 6 Remind Me To Smile 7 I Dream Of Wires 8 The Joy Circuit 9 This Wreakage 10 Slow Car To China 11 We Are Glass 12 Cry The Clock Said 13 Subway Called You 14' She Got Claws

In my opinion, THIS SONG is THE gateway song to the 80's!! Release August 21st, 1979!! What a CLASSIC!! When J said no words for so long ... cracked me up because all I could think of is we were all dancing our a$$es off during that time!! 😂

@ikemreacts

Жыл бұрын

I was a kid. This was my older brother's song and to be honest, it scared me. He was so alien and the sounds so strange - but I loved it.

@planetbetter

Жыл бұрын

Oh wow. 1979. I would have thought 1981 b/c they played it on mtv. But I guess we are all getting old (er). Great song.

New wave, post-punk, dance-punk, alternative, synth-pop, etc! We GenXers loved this! Filled the dance floors during the '80s. "Are Friends Electric" is another good one from Gary Numan. It was a new sound to us back in the days as kids. Yall are right! It was like alien music to us back then lol. Electronics and different. RIP the drummer , Cedric Sharpley, the mixed race guy. Passed way from a heart attack about 10 years ago. Great drummer. Check out DEVO, too. Similar to them.

@loriweinstein2223

Жыл бұрын

One of the best 80s songs in my opinion 🎉

This is actually the grand daddy of popular electronic music. This came out in 1979 when pop was dominated by disco and punk. Very important milestone for electronic and new wave.

@nancysmith8626

Жыл бұрын

Yes. This.

@frauleinmona

Жыл бұрын

You bet! Beautifully worded! Gary Numan is called "The Godfather of Electronica"!! 😁

@kbrewski1

Жыл бұрын

@@frauleinmona Edgar Froese of Tangerine Dream, the boys in Kraftwerk and even Wendy Carlos (Switched on Bach) would strenuously disagree with that.

@frauleinmona

Жыл бұрын

@@kbrewski1 Sorry, but that's not the title that *I* (although I agree) gave him. That's the title that the *music industry* gave him!😁

@kbrewski1

Жыл бұрын

@@frauleinmona I would bet my house that Numan grew up listening to and probably idolized Edgar Froese of Tangerine Dream and Kraftwerk. They were using synths in incredible ways 8-10 years before Cars. If some writers said "synth pop" or "techno pop" that would be more accurate, but not "Electronica".

This song is a perfect example of the transition from Punk to New Wave - when the Punks discovered synths.

@kbrewski1

Жыл бұрын

When the Punks realized 3 chord guitar rock alone wasn't going to last without some technical proficiency.. ..

@mperezmcfinn2511

Жыл бұрын

Literally. Gary wrote it on guitar, but when he went in to the studio and saw the synth he decided to use it instead.

@brenod8821

Жыл бұрын

​@@mperezmcfinn2511 that moog synth, changed his life on day! Good bye to Tubeway army, welcome Gary Neumann and synths

@mperezmcfinn2511

Жыл бұрын

@@brenod8821 My band just acquired one over the weekend. And now we're a bit overwhelmed by all of our options.

It's actually from 1979, but one of the songs that set the tone for what was coming in the 80's. The theme is really about paranoia and isolation. It's not so much about loving cars, but using one as a bunker. That's why he sings, "Here in my car I feel safest of all." It was inspired by an incident of road rage where someone tried to attack Gary. He was able to lock himself up in his car and get away.

Gary Numan was a synthpop pioneer. Mega respect.

@pumasgoya

Жыл бұрын

New Wave. No one would ever call it synth pop.

@simonpsychosis2812

Жыл бұрын

@@pumasgoya There's always one, in the replies. ALWAYS. Though, to be fair, I get what you're saying.

@pumasgoya

Жыл бұрын

@@simonpsychosis2812 because people that weren't around start changing the names of things.

@simonpsychosis2812

Жыл бұрын

@@pumasgoya I understand what you're saying (and there is definitely some truth there). But, I WAS around then. And, I don't remember ever having arguments over minuscule genre differences (which definitely seems to be more of a modern thing). Either way though- the man was certainly a pioneer.

@jeffreekoch9298

Жыл бұрын

When I was a kid during the '80s we just called this new wave 😆 or even punk, it had the influence from it. Modern rock and alternative were other names for it. Honestly nvr heard of synth pop until recent yrs, I think the kids the past few yrs or whatever came up with that . But I get what it means or refers too.

This actually came out in 1979. Damn, I love Gary Numan, one of the pioneers of synth music. He has been consistent and dependable, keeping his sound intact but still evolving. His 2021 album, Intruder, is phenomenal. For your second Gary song, I HOPE you do "Are 'Friends' Electric?" It has one of the best synth riffs of all time, and is high on my list of the greatest songs ever recorded. Gary was only 21 years old when he recorded "Cars"!

@BillGraper

Жыл бұрын

In the USA, it hit the top 40 at the end of March 1980. I've always known it as an 80's song. I'm not sure about other countries.

@shyphyre

Жыл бұрын

That just means that it could have been released in the USA during the end of 1979/start of 1980, right at the dawn of the 80's

@Tejaye777

Жыл бұрын

Was just going to say that. Technically it was a 70s song.

@marc3981

Жыл бұрын

Are friends electric? holds up still. Great tune.

@robabiera733

Жыл бұрын

Definitely helped lay the groundwork for the 80's. Very much influenced by Kraftwerk, as was Human League. "Autobahn" is a must-listen. You might also give "Electrical Language" by Be-Bop Deluxe a try - another late-70's band that has a proto-80's sound.

Gary Numan was perfect synth-pop! It was one of the first big New Wave hits to make a splash towards the end of 1979.

@kbusby4824

Жыл бұрын

Too true.

@carltonbakerii8274

Жыл бұрын

"Down In The Park" is my favorite of his.

@JoeMon491

Жыл бұрын

@@carltonbakerii8274 Foo Fighters do an AMAZING cover of Down in the Park, Marilyn Manson has a decent cover as well. Love all 3, but if I'm being honest Foo Fighters is my favorite.

@paulwagner688

Жыл бұрын

80s synth pop. I lived for it. Gen X represent.

@paulwalsh2344

Жыл бұрын

@ MAGNETO I know you want to categorize Gary Numan as synth pop, and admittedly "Cars" kinda maybe bears out that argument, but he was more new wave in that his songs had more of an edge which would have come out of the punk movement that preceded and was contemporaneous with his early music. It's so much more of being an outsider than the pop-y schlock that I associate with synth pop. He was more avant-garde, like the prototype of cyberpunk.

PURE NEW WAVE!!! 😂 Awesome groove for the dance floor, black ripped jeans, safety pins, spiked wristbands and super black eyeliner🖤🖤🖤 After this big hit his projects slowly declined until he was actually planning on throwing in the towel but then he had another fairly successful piece, so thankfully kept at it. Later when many performers who had been influenced by him were gaining their own success, he began to enjoy a resurgence in popularity. There's a couple vids on KZread of him in an outstanding performance with Nine Inch Nails, and it's clear by the crowd reaction how beloved he is.

This was the first record I ever bought, in 1979. I was 11 years old. I'm 55 now and I'm picking up the 15th keyboard of my collection tomorrow. I think that says it all.

@filifolia

10 ай бұрын

Almost thought it was my man writing this 😆

And so the shift in music began.😊❤️

@annother3350

Жыл бұрын

@Sam We'll have to disagree

@ninawildr4207

Жыл бұрын

Nah it was with KRAFTWERK

@JRcomments

Жыл бұрын

The Cars debut album the year before set the 80's tone before this.

@petercourtien4581

Жыл бұрын

@@JRcomments And The Police, and Blondie and Squeeze. They were all part of the late 70s. You could tell a change was coming.

@kbrewski1

Жыл бұрын

@@petercourtien4581 Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and U2 also were products of the late 70s.

This was a huge hit! Sad news today of Jeff Beck passing. He was once part of The Yardbirds, he was a renowned guitarists.

@CW-mx7eb

Жыл бұрын

OMG. Hadn't heard. One of the best guitarists ever...

@anthonysteinberg4853

Жыл бұрын

Jeff Beck passed?!?! What a loss. Need to do a tribute to him.

@susanbezio6708

Жыл бұрын

Bacterial meningitis

@josephmilitello647

Жыл бұрын

I recommend the Jeff Beck-Eric Clapton instrumental guitar duet "Because we ended as lovers"

@quentinrussell584

Жыл бұрын

We must have some Jeff Beck please!

Absolute legend Gary Numan is

This is 1980 and Gary virtually started the synthetic sound because all the others followed him! Gary moved over to being a pilot in the 90's. I saw him at several air shows flying a US Harvard fighter painted to look like a Japanese Zero which he performed display "dogfights" with British Spitfires and Hurricanes in. I have to say, he was an awesome "influencer" of the 80's but he was an even better pilot!

@fightersweep

Жыл бұрын

Absolutely. Such a good pilot that he was appointed by the Civil Aviation Authority as a air display pilot evaluator to assess other display pilots. Such a shame that the press gave him a hard time as a pilot which was completely undeserved. He used to occasionally fly a Russian Yak 11 that I helped out on at Earls Colne in Essex. He did a cracking private display for us once as we were hosting a re-union of returning USAAF veterans and volunteered to put on a show for them in the Yak. It was a blistering display. Still got it on a VHS tape somewhere.

@TanjoGalbi

Жыл бұрын

He still writes and performs music too. His last album, Intruder, was made in 2021.

@urquhart43

10 ай бұрын

Virtually in England.. The Germans had been doing synth sounds from the mid 60's and pretty much gained notoriety with bands like Kraftwerk Tangerine Dream and others in the early to mid 70's

@theodoreritola7641

4 ай бұрын

ACTULYY THERE WE SONGS INTHE MID 70s WITH SYTS And cars was relesed in late 1979 It was the number 1 song in late 1979 in the UK And friends electric came out in 1978

When Gary first turned up on our TVs we had never seen or heard anything like it before. This was a MASSIVE hit, and he's still going strong now. His daughters are talented too (he married his biggest fan !)

@1177kc

Жыл бұрын

This and Blondie Rapture, breaking new ground

@dennisglenn9475

Жыл бұрын

Never, really? He was a cheap Bowie copy!

@toniscandella4746

Жыл бұрын

@@dennisglenn9475 he really wasn't, not even slightly similar to Bowie except for eyeliner. Numan constructs songs in a completely different way, its lazy to just go Bowie because its odd.

@SpamMouse

28 күн бұрын

@@dennisglenn9475 Dave Bowie was a Folk Singer long before Spiders From Mars etc !

One of the very first "new wave" songs to get played on mainstream FM radio stations, ushering in that genre of music, coming in right at the very end of the disco era. Others at that particular time were Blonde, Devo, The Motels, The Go-Go's, The Clash, The Cars...😎

This song, along with "Pop Muzik" by M and "Video Killed the Radio Star" by the Buggles, were the songs that bridged the 70s to the 80s. Great times!

Gary Is Also An Accomplished Aerobatic Stunt Pilot & Trainer..He Is Still Putting Out Great Music..Gary Numan "My Name Is Ruin",, "And It All Began With You" & "Intruder"

I would put this song in the same category as bands like DEVO. It's the epitome of the "New Wave" sound.

@stevemurrell6167

Жыл бұрын

New wave synth.

One of the most iconic synth riffs ever. It may be "weird," but I think it still holds up today. Gotta love it!

@velocirshtr3756

Жыл бұрын

This has the weirdest and unorthodox pattern. Count the beats. It’s not an 8 bar loop! It’s actually 6!

First time I heard this, like when I was 12 (1979, yes) I was just blown away. Especially by the ending, you know, those synthesizer washes. I almost felt like I could look through the very fabric of reality or something, like my vision was X-ray. It was just such a mesmerizing and keen feeling of like gazing into another dimension, some weird but cool future. I love the whole song, but the ending is just... WOW. Of all his music, THIS is THE song that put Gary Numan's name on everyone's lips. I remember my stepdad giving me some shit about the song, saying something like "what is with this stupid song? Here in my car, I'm picking my nose, blah-blah-blah-blah!" And I just shot back with "yea, it's about as dumb as 'sitting on a cornflake, waiting on the van to come, goo-goo-goo-joob'!" THAT shut his ass up. My mother laughed pretty hard at that one. He hated my music. But all the women in my life, they loved it. Aunts, sisters, etc. I remember playing The Cars 'Candy-O' at one of their (my parents') little get togethers and the women just really getting into the music. I think my stepdad was just a jealous jerk. Good review you two! 🤜💥🤛

I remember seeing this video on TV in late 1979. It was two years before MTV premiered. I was 7 years old, and used to all the bands on TV having long hair or poofy afros, usually with beards, or mustaches, or sideburns. Looking at these guys in their space outfits, with short hair and no guitars in sight, I was filled with the overwhelming impression that the 80s were going to be a whole lot different.

"Weird" it may have been, but it was also HUGELY popular, and still is. The song came from a road rage incident Numan was involved in where he had to drive up on the sidewalk to get away. He said being in the car made him feel safe. No word about the how any pedestrians felt. On the sound: "When I got to the studio, there was a Minimoog synthesizer in the corner of the control room waiting to be collected by a hire company, which, luckily for me, never turned up, and I was able to use it for two or three days. I’d never seen one before, and I loved it. It had been left on a setting that sounded amazing, this huge bottom-end, roaring, rumbling sound. I wouldn’t have known how to get that sound; I didn’t know anything about synthesizers. They were just a bunch of dials to me. Over the next day or two, I was able to experiment. I developed a massive passion for electronic music practically overnight. I very hastily converted my pure punk songs into electronic songs..." (quoted from "Mad World" by Lori Majewski) When they went on the British music TV shows, they deliberately didn't smile cheese-ily at the camera (like all the other acts of the time). Very work-like. Very serious. All business. On the long instrumental ending: "I used to think, What [expletive] am I going to do? I can’t dance - I dance like an idiot. When I play it live, even now, I’ll often put another keyboard on stage just to give me something to do with my hands. For a few years I stood on the side and had a drink, or I’d go and sit down. I’ve always had an uncomfortable relationship with the last two or three minutes of the song." (also from Majewski) Glad to see you still doing some 80s new wave once in a while.

@BretSnyder

Жыл бұрын

Yes, he wrote this following a road rage incident. The detail above is spot on.

"Are Friends Electric" is another great tune by Gary Numan. A true pioneer for what we were about to hear throughout the 80's.

@jamiefredrickson2560

Жыл бұрын

It is BETTER than cars. Like a lot of his underated songs

It was a hit in the US in 1980. My mom's best friend couldn't believe all the kids loved it as much as I did. She stopped kids in the mall (Greenbriar in Atlanta), and asked them did they know it and like it? They ALL said yes. It was a trip. We were all black pre-teens and teens. Listening to this made me have flashback to this incident that happened almost 43 years ago (it was Spring 1980). Great song...I played it the whole year. I had a little record player that would display neon disco lights that matched with the beats. This song gave me lots of lights!

How on earth have y’all never heard this riff?? 🤣. We freaking LOVED this song when it came out. The video was also unusual because videos weren’t really a thing yet. MTV etc didn’t exist yet. There were music shows like Soul Train and stuff, but this was very unusual for the time.

@LJW55

Жыл бұрын

Back in 1974 a 1hr programme was launched in Australia on our national TV broadcasting company the ABC, so nation wide. It was on at around 6pm on a Sunday evening and played all the up and coming music talent and their film clips/videos (as they were called back then) from around the world. This show lasted for 14 seasons/years up until 1987. We were treated to these types of clips plus live perfances of any touring bands/groups/solo artists every show.... Fantastic to be exposed to music from all over the world.

It was originally 1979, remember it very well, it was the first ever single I bought, I've still got it, it was written after a road rage incident happened to him, while in his car

This song was so cool and futuristic when it came out 40+ years ago. It has aged very well and still sounds futuristic and cool😍

@Johnny_Socko

Жыл бұрын

One thing that set Gary Numan apart was that despite being known as a "synth musician" he generally used live drums and percussion rather than a drum machine. I think that adds a certain layer of artistry that sets his music apart and keeps it sounding contemporary. (See also: Missing Persons)

Gary was a synth pioneer, first with his band Tubeway Army (their big hit was "Are 'Friends' Electric") and then solo. Although this was by far his biggest solo hit he's continued releasing albums and has a strong cult following. His style has got darker and more industrial over the years - he's been a huge influence on people like Trent Reznor.

When this first came out ( I was 13) I bought the Cars first two albums, their self titled debut and Candy-O only to find it wasn't their song. But I wasn't disappointed with what I heard from The Cars. All these years later I still make a playlist with Cars by Gary Numan followed by The Cars hits.

This song was HUGE in the dance clubs. Gary Numan is one of my favorites. He had lots of dance cuts and many were issued as 12 inch remixes, which were superb. Songs to check out: New Thing From London Town, My Breathing, God Only Knows, and I Am Dust. So glad you had a chance to hear Cars!

As others here are saying, this isn't the eighties; it's the late seventies, and even though it sounds weird to y'all, it was a huge, huge hit in 1979. You would hear it blasting out of cars and it was a favorite dance tune at my high school dances that year. This was his first and biggest hit in the US, but he had a few hits in the UK in earlier years, with a similar sound. A couple of months after this song hit big in the US, he released another song that sounds even cooler, in my opinion, but wasn't as big a hit, "Metal." For an artist with a similar sound and vibe, try John Foxx, who had a UK hit in 1980 with a song called "Underpass" that would probably strike you as at least as weird as this one.

@thebrilliantmrpedro

Жыл бұрын

It's a song that became a template for 80s songs. Incredibly, it is modern sounding. Made perfectly.

@stvsmith1791

Жыл бұрын

He started out as a punk rock artist, then he accidentally discovered the Moog. 3albums worth listening to front to back end to end or on shuffle - "replicas", "pleasure principle" & "Telecon". Some poprockwieirdness, couple nice ballads and a cover of Eric Satie's "troia gymnopedies", a classical music um, ... classic.

@rolandechosmith5526

Жыл бұрын

Them saying its weird just means they dont understand alternative music and they prefer commercial crap....

@stevemillar4248

Жыл бұрын

I'm stoked that you referenced John Foxx's Metamatic album! "Underpass" is gold, but "Plaza" is right up there with "Are Friends Electric" at the pinnacle of that genre of music. Unbeatable. I used to have the weirdest Alice In Wonderland-type dreams, falling asleep to those iconic Moog tones with Foxxy dropping oddball observations like "I remember your face from some shattered windscreen..." Cheers for reminding me!

@mikefodge5249

Жыл бұрын

This was dance club music back then ...tell me that beat doesn't make you want to dance !!! Def. Not chill music. ...

New wave, post punk! When punk rockers started experimenting with synthesizers. 😆 See B-52s, Devo, Lene Lovich, Flock of Seagulls, Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, Adam and the Ants, Missing Persons, The Cure, Metric, Interpol, etc too!

This was the sound of the late 70s. The beginning of New Wave. it may have influenced some 80s music but this was definitely late 70s during the peak of the synth explosion.

This song was revolutionary when it came out. The new sound after disco started saying Adioś

@foamrob6577

Жыл бұрын

Same with Punk

@KetoKassy

Жыл бұрын

I still LOVE disco. In fact, I never heard a song from the 70's that had the word "boogie" in the title that I didn't absolutely love.

This song has SUCH a great hook to it...I think I was 8 when it was released. Once you hear it, it's unforgettable. Glad you dove into this one!!

I LOVE this song. This takes me back to the summer of 1980. This song was everywhere back then. This was pre-MTV. The beginning of the new decade.

Ah. Those quirky 80s and the new wave synth bands. So much creative work being done in those few short years. Some good and some not so good, but always quirky. Lived it then and live it now. Loved those 80s!

One thing that makes me a bit sad when people hear music that came out before they were born, is that, even if they like it, there is so much lost in the experience of hearing it, compared to if they heard it when it was completely new. What I mean is that, and I tell my adult children this frequently, is they missed out on those sounds being brand new. People making innovative music on brand new instruments/technology - everything was completely fresh and exciting! Even things like social climate come rushing back to me when I hear old music - all your old friends, the way people used to relate to each other, etc. is tied to the music, and unfortunately, younger people miss that experience, even if they like the song. Obviously no one is at fault, but it makes me sad.

@andymageen5308

Жыл бұрын

Each generation have to create their own version of that experience, and they do. We were very fortunate to live in a really creative time musically. ✌️

@terrigaines1812

Жыл бұрын

Hear, hear!

@emmahowells8334

Жыл бұрын

Absolutely agree.👌

@analuisahering2043

Жыл бұрын

I hear you ❤️

@billquantrill4960

Жыл бұрын

Agreed.

80s British synth pop. Such memory. Amirite all y'all Gen X? This ain't weird. This IS the 80s.

When this hit the UK in 79 it changed a lot of peoples lives for ever. More conventional than Are Freinds Electric but no guitars was had only been done by Kraftwerk in the past. There were other bans of the time doing the Electronic New Wave thing but Numan beat all of them to have hits (which pissed off a few of them) . Numan was sampled by many Hip Hop artists who took his back track, played it on loops and free rapped over the top in the 80`s and since then many different artists have referenced Numan as their key influence

Huge influence on early hip hop artists and he even recorded a new version of one of his songs (Metal) with Afrika Bambaataa. Has also been sampled A LOT.

Just heard one of my favorite guitar heroes - the legendary Jeff Beck passed away at 78. Time to play something by Mr Beck! Beck turned down being one of the Rolling Stones, had Rod Stewart as his first singer in the Jeff beck Group; played with Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton and so may others, Beck was famous for having some great female bass players in his solo live recordings. A few videos you could play are "Beck's Bolero" with Jimmy Page joining him on stage at Ronnie Scott's; Joss Stone singing "I Put A Spell On You" with Beck on lead guitar from American Idol. Beck doing instrumental versions of Beatles songs "A Day In The Life" and "She's A Woman".

This was his second number 1 single in the UK in 1979.

love your reaction, imagine how we felt when we first heard it back in late 70's/early 80's. nothing like this at that time. it was a massive air-play on radio, and was just so different (and still is).

He started with Tubeway Army, found quick success then went on his own, loved him in the beginning, re-discovered him recently and the last three albums he released are excellent. He married a fan who “stalked” him, still married with a family, one his daughter’s now sings on his albums.

So ahead of his time. Ushered in the industrial sound that really became popular in the late 80 through the 90s with bands like Nine Inch Nails. Gary Numan's excellent song "Metal" sounds even more ahead of its time. It must have sounded insane when it came out in 1979. His other big hit is the song "Are 'Friends' Electric?". It's by a band he was in, "Tubeway Army". And speaking of Nine Inch Nails, you definitely need to react to "Closer". Brilliant song. You'll need to do some editing with that one though, as the clip (which you really should watch) and the vocals are definitely NSFW.

I’ve been obsessed with Gary Numan’s music since I was a kid. He’s awesome!

"There haven't been words for so long"

This song is one of the cross overs from rock and to creative party music Gigantic hit at the time it seemed a natural progression to what was happening

That riff will stay in your head forever. You may not think about it for a while, but it indubitably reappear in your conscious unexpectedly.

This song hit the airwaves my soph year of high school. It was so different that it captured everyone's attention. There was nothing like it. It was a huge hit. I consider myself so fortunate to have been born in 1964, so I could be there from the beginning of New Wave. I was an immidiate fan and today, it's still my favorite genre.

Love Gary Numan. I remember watching him on TOTP’s and thinking he was amazing.

When I was studying music production in college I had to re-create this song. I got the best marks in the class. Love this song.

So Iconic. Music would suck today if it wasn't for Gary Numan. He was outside the box!!!

For me, this song kicked off the 80s. I was 12 and hanging out with a ton of buddies at a sleepover. Many years later, Fear Factory and Gary hooked up to do a new version. It freakin ruuuuuuules.

Yes!!! Heard this in 79 in my girlfriend's car driving home from high school, changed my whole music listening...

Remember, we wanted to dance in the 80s... and something to dance to is the most important thing.

My gosh this TOTALLY brings me back to being a young girl sitting in my tv room being glued to Mtv and playing atari. Best days EVER. I love this song bc of this. It sounded so cool back then.

There is a clear difference between music from the late 70's and the early 80's...This song is a perfect example...!

@mperezmcfinn2511

Жыл бұрын

I couldn't agree more. For me this will always feel like the line of demarcation between the end of the 70s and the birth of the 80s.

@vaportrails7943

Жыл бұрын

Uh…not sure what you mean. This was squarely at the leading edge of “New Wave’, along with DEVO and so forth, which spanned the late 70s into the mid-80s or so. So I don’t know what huge distinction you see from 1979 to 1980.

@mperezmcfinn2511

Жыл бұрын

@@vaportrails7943 As in, this wasn't Boston or KC and the Sunshine Band. We didn't have MTV, so you couldn't always see what bands looked like. Cars was a huge hit, therefore, this video played on music shows alongside Rod Stewart and Donna Summer. Very few New Wave bands had been on TV at that point. And while those that had (the Cars, the Police, Blondie) may have looked different, with shorter hair, skinny ties, and no facial hair, they at least played familiar instruments, in familiar looking configurations. And even groups of that ilk were far and few between. For 7 year old me, this looked like a harbinger of the coming 80s. In the future there would be short hair and synthesizers. MTV would arrive in 1981 with all kinds of New Wave groups. But in 1979, this was like, "hey look, the 80s are here, but they're a year early."

@vaportrails7943

Жыл бұрын

@@mperezmcfinn2511 Yeah, that’s how it seems to me.

Ah 1979! Man that takes me back. If you think this sounds weird now, just think what it felt like when it first dropped - ground-breaking and life changing at the same time as it sounded like NOTHING anyone else was doing! Gary's life changed the first time he heard a Moog synth, ours changed when we heard what he did with it 😎❤🤖 He does industrial rock these days and I love that too, but this era of his music is what takes me back to being a kid again 👍👍❤❤

This track is still in my playlist today, the opening bars just grab you and carries you through the whole song, we had never seen anything like Gary before back in the day, and it still stands up today in my opinion.

I saw him live in Dublin Ireland last year, he was absolutely incredible and the synths were out of this world.

@chadleabo

Жыл бұрын

Truth! He and his band are amazing.

That was an '80s club song for the new wave/goth movement.

This is '79 ushering into the '80's. He and others set the tone for the '80's run of music. A great reaction and knowing it is weird in its layout.

Can’t believe it took you this long to listen to this track. This song was HUGE in the late ‘70’s. I’ve seen marching bands at football games playing this tune.

I was 12 back then but let me tell ya, this song was a phenomena. The Monkees were the first group to feature a Moog synthesizer (Star Collector, Daily Nightly) way back in the late 60s. However, Gary Numan really put it on the map. U can't imagine being a kid and jamming out to this song with ur friends. Now as far as the topic of cars, i think its a commentary about the automobile being an integral part of our everyday lives.

@fnjesusfreak

Жыл бұрын

I think the Beatles also used a Moog for a couple Abbey Road tracks?

@fredkrissman6527

Жыл бұрын

Wiki: "The Moog synthesizer was brought to the mainstream by Switched-On Bach (1968), a bestselling album of Bach compositions arranged for Moog synthesizer by Wendy Carlos. In the late 1960s, it was adopted by rock and pop acts including the Doors, the Grateful Dead, the Rolling Stones, and the Beatles. At its height of popularity, it was a staple of 1970s progressive rock, used by acts including Yes, Tangerine Dream, and Emerson, Lake & Palmer. With its ability to imitate instruments such as strings and horns, it threatened the jobs of session musicians, and was banned from use in commercial work for a period."

You two are my favorite reaction Channel! I love the chemistry and you both seem very genuine! I also like that Jay doesn't try to put up a front and act hard or like he doesn't like specific music, which a lot of males do that react! I also like your energy together. You two are a beautiful couple! You deserve the success you're getting!

@paulwalsh2344

Жыл бұрын

Yeah, Jay's come a long way since his first video with RomeLifeReactions reacting to "Thunderstruck"... And Amber... well Amber has always been adorbs...

Gary Newman was a driving force in punk music, when recording a new album there was one of these new age machines in the studio, he told his band this is what we are doing, changed the Banda name and litterly invented 80' s sound ...he invented 80's music .

This was a big hit... definitely revolutionary for the beginning of the 80s decade.

I loved this song in high school. It was a new sound then, took us out of disco, out of punk and into nuwave.

Gary Numan has some new stuff out that is fantastic, and his daughter does the backing vocals check out "My name is Ruin"

@annother3350

Жыл бұрын

great song

@Shrykespeare

Жыл бұрын

I know that one! Persia I think is her name. The whole album "Intruder" (2021) is fantastic.

It’s one of the definitive New Wave songs, kind of prog rock, using a lot of synths and tech, sci-fi premises. Exploring the relationship between humans and technology, in this case cars. The psychology of humans in cars, if that makes sense. If you haven’t done DEVO yet, there is some overlap in style. It was cool to be a nerd for a little while in New Wave. 😁 “She Blinded Me With Science” by Thomas Dolby is one you should definitely do if you haven’t. Edit - I see you’ve done both, so put it in that category.

This was a jam way back in 1979! New wave, synth pop, helped redefine the 80s forever! What a timeless classic! Still sounds great today! The sound is darker wave, gothic, post punk! Man I used to crank this one wayyy up while driving back then!👌😂👍

Give Numan's "Are Friends Electric" a listen, for more fascinating "weirdness".

This music was called New Wave Synth Pop and started to become popular in the late 70's and remained popular into the mid 80's. It was a mix of Disco, Pop, Punk and Funk and was very popular in clubs because of it's energetic danceable beats. Here is a list of other popular hits from this genre. Lipps Inc. - Funkytown M - Pop Muzik The Knack - My Sharona Soft Cell - Tainted Love The Fixx - One Thing Leads To Another Squeeze - Cool For Cats Blondie - Rapture Martha And The Muffins - Black Stations/White Stations OMD - Enola Gay Devo - whip It The Buggles - Video Killed The Radio Starr Donna Summer- I Feel Love Depeche Mode - People Are People Howard Jones - Things Can Only Get Better Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls Elvis Costello - Pump It Up Elvis Costello - I Don't Want To Go To Chelsea The Human League - Open Your Heart Depeche Mode - Just Can't Get Enough Ultravox - Sleep Walk Ultravox - We Came To Dance

@jeffreekoch9298

Жыл бұрын

Punk rock influences too

This song, along with “Pop Muzik” by M signaled the coming 80s New Wave sound back in the fall of ‘79. I was a freshman in college and this song blared from all the dorm rooms. Way different than anything that came before.

Gary Numan was and still is one of my favorite retro-futurist 80's artists and is still going strong and touring all over the country with a cult following. Weird, eccentric .... yes. Check out another 'weird 80's artist: Klaus Nomi "Total Eclipse" & any song by Kraftwerk

@billquantrill4960

Жыл бұрын

Watching Klaus Nomi sing Total Eclipse on Urgh a Musical War is a trip.

@paperbagfilms

Жыл бұрын

Yes. Definitely check out Kraftwerk. Funny story, first time I heard Kraftwerk was in a strip bar…

@dankofanz

Жыл бұрын

Definitely Kraftwerk.

I've had this song periodically in my head for 42 years.

When he and his band performed this on SNL, the director got surreal -- putting the song's lyrics on-screen -- in an "old west" style font. Yes, you read that right. Truly surreal.

You are correct. What Numan did was VERY new and groundbreaking. The wild part is this song is from 1979. It would go on the set the tone for the rest of the 80s new wave. "Cars" would also influence Prince's "Dirty Mind" single. He put his own genius spin on it, but you can hear the inspiration.

I loved this song when it first came out, and still love it today. We Are Glass, and Are Friends Electric, are synthesizer heaven, if you're inclined to give those songs a go.

This is an early 80s classic! You guys should check out more of his work, he is still making great music today.

Gary Numan was the singer of "Tubeway Army" who were in amongst the punk era of the late 70s and had a couple of hits such as "That's too Bad". The band were guitar based but went into a recording studio where someone had left a synth on and they played around with it and ended up creating a song called "Are Friends Electric?". Gary wanted to move into this type of music and the band split, leaving him with a solo career. The song "are friends electric" is credited to Gary Numan but is in fact a "Tubeway Army" song. Have a listen, you can see how he went from that to "Cars"

@andrewfairbrother259

Жыл бұрын

From memory, I think ‘Tubeway Army’ was just what Gary called himself at the time, there was no TA as such.

@karldonald8150

Жыл бұрын

@@andrewfairbrother259 some of the members of tubeway army , went on to form "tubeway patrol"

@ianlan3083

10 ай бұрын

Tubeway Army was a band. Webb, Gardener and Lidyard

@ianlan3083

10 ай бұрын

Tubeway Patrol? Never existed at all. No idea where you got that from.

As mentioned earlier, the 1979 music scene began breaking through the disco dance music that dominated the previous few years. You just listened to Roxanne, and have gone through a few from 1979 by Blondie. This song along with The Clash doing London Calling, Boomtown Rats with I Don't Like Mondays, was always on the playlist on the way to a club. Of course, once at the club, everyone waited for the B-52's

Ahhh yes my teen years in the early 80's roller skating to great songs like this ✌🎶🎵💜💜💜💜 no wonder why we all were so fit 😉🇨🇦

@ronnix23

Жыл бұрын

You beat me to it. That's exactly what I was going to say.

@KetoKassy

Жыл бұрын

You were fit because you hadn't ruined your hormonal balance yet by drinking soda and eating ultraprocessed frankenfoods for decades. Hormonal dysregulation from processed foods causes obesity. Eat less, Move more has been a failed dietary strategy for permanently losing weight for over 50 years. Read The Obesity Code by Dr. Jason Fung. It's the hormones. And, kill the calorie. Calories don't cause weight gain or loss. Constantly spiking the hormone Insulin by overdosing on sugar and processed grains is what causes weight gain. Any doctor that tells you different is a liar.

@patprescott1818

Жыл бұрын

@@KetoKassy this is a music reaction.....who are you to tell me about my life . Get lost.

Absolutely love this track! 🚗🚗🚗🚗 Its not weird. Its innovative. Very Bowie like. Nine Inch Nails asked Gary Numan to come on stage with them to perform this awesome track. That's an honor. 👍

@yvonnesanders4308

Жыл бұрын

Trent reznor on tambourine - that's how iconic this / numan is

@roland8578

11 ай бұрын

This is wrong.... Sorry..

@bigjoe330

11 ай бұрын

@@roland8578 l think you'd better educate yourself and do your research before you post ignorant comments Ro!

I was a 'Numanoid' wearing my black boiler suit and eyeliner!! Saw Gary live twice back in the early 80s. This song takes me back to my youth 💕

First year Gen-Xer here (born in ‘65) who went through high school from ‘79 - ‘83. Those were totally transformative years for music, and the “Synth-wave” with Gary Newman, Thomas Dolby, DEVO, etc., was a big part of it. Love to see the joy and genuine appreciation for other musical eras (especially for the 80s 😎) in your reactions. Thank you for doing what you do, and love and all the best to your growing family! 👍🏼❤️😎🙏🏼

@DaveMiller007

Жыл бұрын

Wow I'm also a 65 baby and relate completely to what you saying... Can't believe we getting so old so quickly as I was always the youngest amongst my friends

A song like this demands context to appreciate it. Basically, this was the end of the 1970s (1979), sort of a crossroads between disco and New Wave with jazz, early hip-hop and funk also lurking around the music scene. This very simple track somehow captured all those influences and more, kind of a futuristic vibe just as music was hitting the video era. Basically, it was a new sound the way Elvis, Buddy Holly and Bo Diddley were new sounds. So much of what came later started with this song. This was a big hit first on radio, then MTV in the early days. Gary Numan has always been a bit of an Avant Garde artist who has had a long and successful career, and this was the breakthrough mainstream hit that first attracted and built his audience.

As many have said, Gary was one of the first to experiment with synthesizers, emulators and samplers in the post punk era... Not only with huge impact on the Eighties New Wave, alternative pop scene from Depeche Mode onwards, but also down the decades through Electro, Detroit Techno, Chicago House, gothic dance, 2000's electroclash, to current EDM and he is still making albums on par with his early hits

As many people have said, and as Amber correctly observed, this was a breakthrough song for the New Wave that was to follow in the 80’s. Gary Numan was the pioneer of the English speaking world. Our local DJ used to open his show with this song when it came out. Big light show, it was awesome to this 17yo at the time.

'Cars' by Gary Numan is iconic from the 80's and in fact, his entire debut album, 'The Pleasure Principle' (which features 'Cars'), is really fantastic from one track to another. 'Metal', which is on the same record, is another great song with a really cool electronic beat to it. :)

Did ALOT of skating to this song! If you two are going to do electronic music you have to checkout the grandfathers of electronic music Kraftwerk "Trans Europe Express"

@richardupcott9026

Жыл бұрын

Or AUTOBAUN

@itcouldbeclark

Жыл бұрын

or Antenna