(R)evolution

by Gary Numan (contributor)

Gary Numan is one of Britain's most important and respected musical artists. He has been lauded by everyone from Prince ('His album Replicas never left my turntable . . . There are people still trying to work out what a genius he was') through the Foo Fighters and Nine Inch Nails to Lady Gaga ('[He] proves music has always been really inventive for the masses').(R)evolution is Numan's long-awaited memoir; one that charts his two lives. The from growing up in west London, where he was expelled from school and beaten up daily for looking different, before discovering his first synthesiser and conquering the music world in rapid time; to the extravagance, the undiagnosed Asperger's and the slow decline of a career that faded into near obscurity. The a twenty-plus year renaissance, catalysed by the date with a super-fan, which has allowed Gary to rediscover his creativity, produce some of his best music and become the true Godfather of electro-pop.This will be the story of one man, several dozen synthesisers, multiple issues and two desperately different lives.

Genres: Music, Autobiography, Biography, Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography Memoir

Paperback

First published October 22, 2020

About the author

The English musician. was most known through the 80's but is still making new albums and touring to this day. His first chart topping hit was Cars.

He got his start in music when he sang and composed for the band Tubeway Army.

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading this no one can question Gary Numan’s work ethic and that he is constantly wanting to do more, re-invent and then do more again, it is exhausting the sheer amount of work, travel and concerts he has done, quite amazing, as is his discography
He also hasn’t seemed to enjoy great parts of it, he is constantly underwhelmed and seems to have had had major fall outs with pretty much everyone he has ever known or come into contact with, he also moans , a lot 😁😎
However this book told year by year from when it all started is fascinating stuff, the unexpected highs and lows, the good, the bad and the ugly and his aeroplane flying (which I thought I may find boring) was mesmerising
Not a kiss and tell book but it does feature many pop stars he met and worked with and surprisingly how he was sometimes treated by them
His love for his fans and family is well know and the book clearly shows that on many occasions
Even after 440 pages and knowing so much more about him I would still say he is a very private man who is very hard to work out such is his personality and emotion
A great read though by one of my icons of the 80’s, rich in musical history and his personal memories it leaves you wanting more ( like looking up his back catalogue which is vast ) and with a good respect for this legend

9/10
5 Stars

[Marc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What a rollercoaster ride of a life our Gazza has had. From the highs of two number 1 singles and albums in the same year, to the low of being totally shunned by the music industry and not getting any airplay from Radio 1 for years. Only the support of his die-hard fans kept him afloat, alive and same throughout this time, and it was only once he hit his 50's that things improved. From fighting depression, the loss of his mum to cancer, the constant disappointments of IVF with his wife Gemma and then the total happiness of the births of his three daughters, Raven, Echo and Persia, and his resurgence as an artist that was roundly accepted by a more receptive music press and recognition as an inspiration to many of his contemporaries and even artists 30 years his junior, he has ridden this fairground ride with optimism, grace and humility.
Now a well selling and heavily touring musician with legions more fans who appreciate his older work, as evidenced by sell out nostalgia tours, and his new work too, evidenced again by a number 2 album in 2018.
I have followed him since the start, and although fonder of his older, more classic songs, have found much to like in his new material.

A unique talent and a bloody nice bloke to boot.

Carry On Sir Gazza!

[Lord Zion · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was a fan of Gary Numan growing up but, apart from dipping in to some greatest hits, I must confess he wasn't on my musical radar as my tastes had moved along. Still, those classics are still classics and hit that emotional centre that music can zone in on when it helped you grow up.

Having said that, I always had a lot of time for GN. He was the first guy I saw wear eye-liner and prompted me to do the same, until this very day. (For anyone reading this wondering what a grown chap is doing wearing make-up, I was in various rock bands for 20+ years, so I do have my excuses..!). I also appreciated the fact that he may not be the best singer or musician but certainly knew what to do with the skills he did have. I must also add that, in my own musical career, some of my stuff was compared to his - something I remain proud of.

Enough about me. This is an honest book. Clearly written by GN, it touches an emotional core and you can imagine him wondering how much he should reveal about himself and his life at times. Brutally honest, in places, and I can imagine some getting their knickers in a twist over some of it.

I know some of the ins and outs of the music industry (back to me) so can relate to a lot of the book. I find it endlessly fascinating that someone as successful as Gary Numan can be even more skint than I have been in my own musical career. Incredible when you consider the amount of ubiquitous classics he has written! He deserves better. I also found it quite shocking that, even in the later part of his career, he'd occasionally be playing a show to one man and his dog. We all go through that, but not when you are GARY NUMAN! FFS.

He doesn't hide behind his ego and doesn't shun the potential embarrassment that some of the situations he has been in has no doubt caused. He is to be admired for this book, along with the music he has written. More-so, for sticking with it when it seemed the world didn't want to know. The world seems to have woken up a bit more and, certainly, after reading this book, I have sent some support his way by purchasing some more CDs. The new stuff is pretty awesome.

If you've ever been a fan, this is a great read. Gary's interesting life makes this a good read for those not familiar with him or his work. I should add, I liked the layout. It doesn't dwell too much on the 20 years prior to him becoming GARY NUMAN (always the worst bit of autobiographies) and I liked the linear style with each chapter being a year-in-his-life.

Thanks for the re-awakening, Gary, and considerable success for your future.

[Thomas Stroemquist · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first half of this is easily one of the best artist autobiographies I've ever read. Numan writes well and gets quite personal. I was amazed by his early years with the amazing success he made and his incredible output in a very short span of time and his subsequent struggles to repeat it. A fascinating and sometimes contradictory person and an amazing musician. The second half slows down quite a bit and, even if happenings are often dramatic, it's told a bit too matter-of-factly and even if I never struggled to press on and wanting to read all of it, the initial fascination vaned a bit. Still highly recommended and a must if you are a fan.

[Frazer Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honest, unpretentious, and at times very (dryly) funny, (R)evolution manages to capture the many highs and lows of Numan’s career and personal life in unflinching detail. Part cautionary tale about stardom, part inspiration manual for creative endeavours, and wholeheartedly humble, here’s to many more chapters to come.

[Paula Corker · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. Enjoyed this. Not the best writing. Not the best narrating. Not the most interesting story. But it’s his story. Warts and all. Honest and real.

[Anita · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5
Some parts were really good , others very dull

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must for any Gary Numan fan. The style is such that you feel as though you are sitting by a fire, and Gary Numan is telling you his life story. It is fascinating.

[Lisastrawberry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this life tale of one of my favorite British New Wave artists. It was fantastic to get his take on shows I attended (notably the one where he received an award from the Moog Foundation and the one in Liverpool where his daughter Persia sang on stage for her first time, during "My Name Is Ruin"). His emotional account of his mother's battle with cancer was especially moving to me. Thanks, Mr. Numan, for allowing us into your world.

[Steve Cann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as a birthday present from my son and, being a die-hard Numanoid since 1979, I have to say I absolutely loved it.
I've read a great many autobiographies over the past 30 years or so - ranging from Shirley Temple to Johnny Rotten! I admit I was unsure at first as to how Gary might tackle the mammoth task of documenting his remarkable life - but have to say he's done an excellent and very thorough job, and this is easily one of the best autobiogs I've ever read.

It was fascinating reading about his childhood and early life, and the things that shaped him for what was to come. Unlike with many other autobiogs I've read, where the writer doesn't feel supported or encouraged by their parents (or is even undermined by them), it was great to read how Gary's were so supportive in that respect.

It was fascinating reading how he described his meteoric rise to fame in 1979 - and how he ultimately struggled to cope with his new-found pop star status. And then of course, how the bubble of fame seemed to burst and fade, almost as quickly as it was given to him - and the leaner years where he fought problems with record companies, lack of airplay, and a largely hostile press.

I was amazed to find out more about his flying exploits too - some of which sounded truly terrifying! And of course how he found the love of his life with Gemma, and how she helped to reshape and reinvent his career after hitting rock bottom.

This is a wonderfully honest, sensitive and candid account of Gary's life - each chapter representing a chronological year. He pulls no punches as we share his various ups and downs, his music-making, and the often grueling tour schedules of his rollercoaster life.
It's the story of someone who is rightly regarded now as a living legend, and a true pioneer of electronic music.
This book is an absolute must for any serious Numan fan - but I really think anyone who's interested in the world of music or entertainment would enjoy it equally too.
Thanks so much Gary for sharing your world!

[Corvus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before writing a review of Gary Numan's memoir, (R)evolution, I decided to catch up on his later releases. To be honest, my interest in this memoir was due to knowing him as a great electronic and goth/industrial adjacent pioneer. But, unlike many who, as detailed in the book, always wanted him to stick to the early hits, I found some of his early stuff a bit too upbeat for me. The saxophones and backup singer style are just not my cup of tea. I've come to find that most of what Numan released after the mid 90s is right up my alley as well as more of his earlier stuff than I realized. He's put out a massive amount of music throughout his career.

Numan discussed his process for many releases, describing some of the later stuff (from Pure onward) as darker and that is certainly the case. I'd also go as far to say that this is his best material. The sound is much more evolved and shows a maturity with electronic media as well as the ability to grow with the technology. I also just love the darkness that comes with a lot of artists' later work who started from a more pop place (Kite comes immediately to mind.) Now that I've started from the end, let's get back to the beginning.

(R)evolution is an interesting memoir and one I chose to listen to as the author himself was reading it. It stands out from many musician stories, especially that of pop stars, in how he chooses to gloss over many of the more wild days and instead focuses on family and career. I don't know if that's just what is most important to him now, or if he is deliberately choosing not to highlight things he's admittedly embarrassed of. I can't help wondering what he meant when he said he was a bad partner or what he was ashamed of when he and other stars interacted with groupies. I get it, though. He also discussed a documentary team doing their best to agitate him in interviews and focus on a small part of his career for entertainment value. I can't blame him for resisting that portrayal, but I would totally read a memory from his former partner.

Based on this memoir, Gary Numan is a nerdy scifi fanatic on the autism spectrum (he uses the term Asperger's,) whose creative expression was truly unique and individual, composing his own material, moreso than many famous pop artists. I never realized how many scifi stories he wrote before then writing songs and albums based on those stories. I love it. I also loved hearing about how gay clubs were a haven as they were when I was a young rivethead/goth kid long before I understood my own gender and sexuality. This sort of crossover always makes me happy even though there can be conflicts and problems with straight folks in gay bars. Perhaps the difference is coming together over subculture and performance rather than the spectacle or exploitation that comes with cishet bachelorette parties or other voyeurs seeking comedic entertainment which is something both lgbtq folks and dark subculture folks deal with.

Something baffling to me is how bad he was with money. I know it's common for people who get a lot of money and fame quickly to screw it up. But, my dude, maybe don't buy a castle if you're in so much debt. I was a little frustrated by how he spoke about his money troubles, maybe because I'm poor and meticulously plan every cent. But, there's also a reality that you could never pay me enough to be famous. I would rather die. So, I know it costs a certain amount to have any privacy or life once you're in it. Also, many of his struggles with money were because of his creative and elaborate set designs for live shows, which seems very wholesome as it's clear that he always wanted the fans to have the best possible experience.

A lot of the book is about things I find boring like trying to have kids, Gemma (his wife) and his endless struggles with IVF, as well as both of their multiple plastic surgeries. It was unexpected again because of my own biases of what I think musicians must be like. Me finding them boring is irrelevant to the books value, just personal taste.

He has interesting takes on mental illness, particularly depression. I liked seeing a middle ground take on the often polarized debates around mental health drugs. In his eyes, depression is curable with a course of meds, but you can also become dependent on the meds and turn into someone you're not. I don't agree with this across the board (some people recover better with no meds, some with lifelong meds, some never recover despite all efforts and hard work, etc) but it's a valuable perspective.

There are sections where he mentions musicians he either worked with or who covered his stuff and generally does not have anything negative to say (with the exception of Bowie who deserved it for acting like a giant baby which he apparently later regrets.) But, some of them like Marilyn Manson have since been outed as serial predators and I felt a little frustrated that there was no mention of that. There also was some glossing over discussions of racism around not liking hip hop despite earlier in the book being flattered by some artists crediting him as inspiration. On public social media Numan has been supportive of BLM and pride along other things, so maybe he doesn't know the details or just made a creative choice not to talk shit.

What I really enjoyed was his discussion of how he processes music. He thinks of music with every possible sense, as a multidimensional exercise. Each album was composed not just for how it sounds, but how it feels, how it looks when performed, how he would move when performing. He discusses wanting to be a pop star from a young age but also having crippling stage anxiety. He partly credits his Asperger's for how he decided to perform as well. Watching him, you would not know, but he would basically think of how things should be and practice movements and expressions he thought were supposed to go along with it. Perhaps this sort of thinking is why he was able to become one of the early electronic music pioneers despite being told that synths were going nowhere, which is hilarious to think back on given the state of music today- most of which contains at least one synth instrument or computerized processing of some sort.

Overall, I enjoyed this peek into Numan's life, career, and creative processes as well as the experience of a multi-decade time capsule. I'm also glad that it inspired me to add a slew of great albums to my music library.

This was also posted to my blog and storygraph

[Staci Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

If you’re only a casual fan of Gary Numan, like I am, then you will learn a lot. But you might learn way too much! This is a very long autobiography that seems geared towards super fans, who wanna know about every single concert and every single video and every single album. However, I learned a lot about Gary which I didn’t really know much and he seems like a really interesting and Talented person. I liked the juxtaposition between talking of his accomplishments, but also his vulnerabilities so overall, I recommend it, but it is a really long read. I think super fans will enjoy this more than casual fans.

[Markbarthrop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the book, but did show how difficult he can be at times, and stubborn.
Mainly liked the story i hadn't read in the last book, by Steve Mallins, i.e the story from Exile onwards.
I don't usually get through a book in a day, but i read this in 2 sittings on the same day. Like having a chat with an old mate.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I pre-ordered this, but it took a while to arrive and then sat on my shelf for a while.

I'm not a HUGE Gary Numan fan, more casual I would say. So I didn't know that much about his life. It wasn't that long ago that I found out he has aspergers too, and I can really tell that from this book. Not just in the parts where he mentions it and talks about his traits, but in the book as a whole too. Since the two last books I've read were musician's biographies too, I noticed that this one is kinda different. How he writes and what he writes about isn't very typical I would say. Also several times he talks about doing something that's very new to him, and he masters it instantly - which is something that I can do too.

The book's chapters take you through year after year of his life pretty much, all the way from his birth up until 2020. He does skip over things, but also goes into details about other things that you wouldn't have expected. I think this book is a great look into his mind and feelings about his many experiences. He's done a lot in his life, from being incredibly successful to very low in the dumps. But it's not over yet! I've read this just after the music video for the song Intruder was released, and I'm excited to hear the album.

Definitely a must-read for every Gary Numan fan.

[Sam Head · Rating 3 out of 5]

What makes an autobiography good? I don’t know whether autobiographies can be viewed as good or bad based on how they’re written as that’s not really the point of them. I mean, if you’re reading the life of someone you’re interested in, surely you’re going to like it otherwise you wouldn’t have read it, no? Anyways, I like Gary Numan, I’m interested in his life, and thereby enjoyed this book. I’m not sure it IS well written but as I say, is that something I should really be concerning myself with when it comes to autobiographies. The only thing I would say is he focuses an awful lot on his and his family’s health, which is all well and good in shrewd doses - it is his life after all - but presumably people came to the book to read up on his career, so some of the hypochondriacs could have been swapped out for occupational observations I think.

[Hamster · Rating 5 out of 5]

He actually wrote it himself

Wow. Great read from a musician performer who actually wrote the whole book himself. What a life he has had. First saw Gary Numan perform forty years ago in Wellington New Zealand at The Majestic.
Love how he wrote about the good and bad which we all have in life. Highly recommended.

[Rodman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Candid and often very funny, a heartfelt memoir from an artist best know for cold synthesizer music about machines.

[Lawrence · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://gnomeship.blogspot.com/2022/0...

[Googoogjoob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good, as far as celebrity autobiographies go- informative in sketching the outlines of Numan's career, and it gives a strong sense of him as a person.

The book has a year-on-year format, and Numan naturally focuses on the things that he remembers and cares about most, which means that, sometimes, he gives more space in a chapter to discussing his love of flying (and later boating), or his frustrating, painful (but ultimately rewarding) attempts to have a child with his wife Gemma, or to how his Asperger's has affected his life and career, than he does to his recording or touring activity; and his original commercial peak (1979-81) is over by a third of the way into the book, with quite a bit of space dedicated to the decade-plus creative/commercial wasteland he found himself in afterwards.

Numan is blunt and honest. He's frank about how he feels and felt. This includes times he felt slighted or let down (by his record labels, by other musicians, by himself), which might come across as petty in a book like this, but he's never really angry or vindictive about it- just honestly explaining how he felt, and he's equally quick to praise those who have been kind or helpful to him. He's similarly frank about the mistakes and poor decisions he made that led to various career setbacks, with the benefit of hindsight. He's also willing to be openly frustrated with, or even critical of, people he likes and cares for, including family and close collaborators- again, without any real malice, just a forthright honesty.

This is perhaps not entirely what casual fans of Numan's most popular music would want, but it does give a pretty well-rounded picture of Gary Numan the person. It's clear what he's passionate about (music, his family, planes), and also, by omission, what he's not very interested in (he's only really interested in religion as a theme that might be explored in his art, and he's evidently disinterested in politics, though he exhibits strong feelings about global warming and COVID in particular). Pretty good.

[Chris Everson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a huge Numan fan, following his entire output from 1978 onwards, and while his quality dipped after 'Beserker' up to and including 'Machine + Soul', for the most part his quality has been high. I feel his later stuff has been criminally overlooked, and am pleased his last 2 albums have gained the recognition he deserves. So.. I'm already a fan is what I'm taking a long time in saying.

The book charts his life from his birth in 1958 to 2020 and his latest album 'Intruder'. It's at turns self-aware and self-deluding. Mostly the former I must say. He knows he is a difficult person to deal with and says it many times, but on the odd occasion he seems to blame others... for example when he was younger, all of his friends just stopped having anything to do with him... while admitting that he was a bit of a pillock in those days... he still seems bitter and surprised.

On the whole though he seems quite down to earth and honest. You realise that for many years he was under extreme pressure and living on thin air much of the time. The stresses are evident. Another thing that is evident is the love he has for his family. I must admit I always thought of his wife as a bit of a plastic hanger-on, and while she's certainly the former, she is definitely not the latter and Numan definitely would not be her without her. It's just a pity that Numan dodn't do more to heal the dissent between his wife and his parents, which I am sure he could have if he so wished.

On the whole I enjoyed the book. It could have done with a bit less of his aviation stories, but one in particular was quite gripping. This book won't entice or win over any non-Numanoids, but for fans I'd say this is a must-read.

[Eddy Vermeulen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read for fans and even half-fans. I enjoyed reading it a lot.
A look behind the screens and very open & honest written autobiography.
Interesting to learn about music business but also less known side-activities of Gary like flying, aerial acrobatics, even a cameo in a film. Mr. Numan is clearly very creative but still calculated most of the time in his career buildup. It turns out to be a rollercoaster through both victories and disappointments. He is constantly looking for confirmation.
That goes hand in hand with some nasty character traits: a temper, obsessive, stuborn, all covered in the cloak of his Asperger syndrome (which was never formally diagnosed though). Gary is quite honest about this.
Also life itself plays a role and the trouble Gemma and him went through to get children is quite impressive and at moments also humoristic.
But above all, it is about music and I would advise everyone reading to keep a phone or tablet at hand to search for songs, videos and other recordings that are mentioned in the book: it will help understand. This is a book to read, listen to and view at the same time.

[Sara Giacalone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of course I am a Gary Numan fan, but I admit I haven't followed his career closely. He dropped off my radar for many years (to my chagrin, now). But when his new singles for Intruder were released earlier this year, I was gobsmacked. It was like he was writing about my pain after losing my husband from Covid in March (when in fact he is writing about the Earth's pain). Everything resonated with me. Then I went and downloaded Savage, his prior album, and it resonated even more. So, I wanted to read his autobiography to see what made him tick - where he found the depth of emotion he wrote about. Reading (R)evolution: The Autobiography was a very pleasurable experience overall and I'm so pleased he has found some love and light in this world. I'm delighted he has found issues in which he believes greatly; I'm glad he is working on his own demons. I'm so happy he is achieving a new renaissance in his career. If you like electronic music, or music in general, and are interested in the pitfalls of fame and the music business, then read this book!

[Nic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started listening to this via audiobook (1st experience of audiobook) however it was so engaging that I purchased it, put the audio aside, and continued reading.

I had heard his music growing up but became a fan of Gary Numan’s about 16-years ago when I came across the song/music, Cry The Clock Said, and Photograph. I played Photograph on repeat for months while I wrote a short story for University writing class; the music evoking the story’s main character. Photograph continues to evoke that character to this day. Cry The Clock Said, I’ve played daily/weekly to this very day; the song making it onto every playlist I create.

Gary Numan’s rise to success, then the 30 + year struggle to resurrect his early popularity and following, and his ever-evolving new music and brand, is mind-blowing. His passions for flying, family, and music, makes for interesting reading. Gary Numan is one of the most talented artists on the planet - if not THE most! I can only hope he will one-day make it back to Australia for a tour, as I’m obsessed with his music, old and new.

[Katrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was fourteen I was a huge fan of Gary Numan, deeply in love and wanted to marry him. I gradually outgrew him but no girl ever forgets her first love, so I was keen to read this book, and wasn’t disappointed. Gary’s honesty about the many mistakes he’s made in the past is refreshing. He had a lot to deal with - catapulted to fame at the age of 21 with two number one singles and albums in a year, followed by a swift decline in success. He was constantly ridiculed by the press, but doesn’t shy from discussing his difficulties, and describes everything with candour and humility. His Asperger’s diagnosis has clearly helped him make sense of his thoughts and feelings, and he shows great insight. It’s prompted me to explore his recent music, which is excellent. I still can’t forgive him for marrying a fan but I’m glad she makes him happy!

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was a good read. I have seen mixed reviews about this but i think it’s also depends on the individual person as well reading this. Much like Gary myself, I’ve grown up around airplanes and flying in general so while most people found parts of that book boring or a bit confusing at times about what he is talking about, it was really good to see that besides music, to see a musician not just talk a about music in their books. I laughed about times in his books in his flying days. However, there are some heavy times in this book as well and i think Gary goes perfectly into them as best as he possibly could in it. Gary is overall an amazing person and a brilliant person and it’s so good to see him back and striving into his career and on the path he’s back to because he’s had so many hardships in his life.

[Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read even if you are not an avid fan of the music of Gary Numan. It is not a particularly deep read but gives an overview of the life of Gary Numan - his music career from great success to obscurity and the long journey back to credibility, his passion for flying and his personal life. The details of his concerts and his writing and recording are probably the most interesting. There are many accounts of aspects of his life that seem trivial and not particularly worth documenting. Inevitably it lacks some objectivity. There is definitely room for an objective biography on this pioneer of electronic pop / rock music. However, I found his story fascinating. Sometimes I felt some empathy for him, but often I was less than sympathetic. One has to admire his hard work and determination if nothing else.

[Laurence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aside from Fear Factory's cover of Cars and I think NIN's cover of Metal I don't know Gary Numan at all.

Recently I read soneones autobiography and remember thinking so what? Why did they feel compelled to write this it seems like a huge ego exercise with no heart. Maybe that person didn't want to write an autobiography but was pressured into it. Or something.

The opposite is true here. Gary Numan puts across his side of what sounds like a tumultuous career, where the media or public may have judged him what he would consider harshly. OK fair enough. But what I liked about this book is the lows are brutal and relentless. It's not all sugar dust and rainbows. You can see where his strengths but also his faults are. He's not perfect. The scenes are selected to illustrate a point and are never to over inflate himself.

This felt very honest which is refreshing.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is something astonishingly relatable about this man. Perhaps it is because I am autistic too, but I feel similar to him in many ways as an artist.

He is clearly hard-working, caring, humble, and a unique individual. I look up to him tremendously as a fellow human being. Reading his story from his point of view these last six months has given me a lot to think about in my day to day life. He influences me from the bumper sticker on my car to my own art making process.

Although I’m a young fan (21 at the time of writing this), I own many of his releases on vinyl/cd and plan to continue following his creations until he is no longer able to. For weeks now, one of the things at the forefront of my mind is when I will be able to meet him. I have so many questions, bands to share, and selfies I would like to take with him.

[Britta Stumpp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gary Numan has had SUCH an interesting life. He is very candid here and it was a fascinating read. I've REALLY gotten into his music after seeing him live for the first time in 2023! (I was so impressed with him as a performer!) I love his new stuff! It was so nice to get a first hand account from the man himself about his own experiences. I am also checking out a new documentary, Resurrection, about him w interviews from John Foxx, Martin Mills, Trent Reznor, Dave Grohl, Jean-Michel Jarre and Hans Zimmer! Age has only improved Gary's music. Gives me hope that I too may be creating in my 60s! I love how straight forward he is about the impact his wife, Gemma, had on his recovery, his music & life. He really is a lovely man.

[Gordon Ralph · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been waiting for years for a autobiography From Gary Numan and boy it sure was worth the wait! I enjoyed this from start to finish!. He sheds a shocking light on the cut throat business of the music industry and some very eye opening moments from his private life!. An amazing busy life of a very very talanted man. Very indepth and personal at times and quite a few shocks too!I cannot believe his age (or mine!) he is still going strong and making brilliant enjoyable music ...what a great guy!....my only little gripe is i would have enjoyed seeing a few more pictures to go with the 450 odd pages ! :-)If you like his music old or new, this is a must read!.