ALBUM REVIEW: “A Perfect Circle” by Gary Numan

Jul 23

Jul 23 ALBUM REVIEW: “A Perfect Circle” by Gary Numan

“Micromusic” The VHS video of Gary Numan’s 1981 farewell concert at Wembley Arena. I still have my original video, which I have seen literally thousands of times over the years, possibly the biggest influence on my musical journey through life. It’s a year and performance seared into my memory. A true music mega star in the making…… who suddenly decided to retire from live performance !

Rising to public attention in 1978 initially with Tubeway Army, Gary Numan went on to have a string of hits with albums such as “Replicas” and “The Pleasure Principle” in 1979, and “Telekon” in 1980. An artist unlike anything that had come before – robotic almost like an automaton with harsh fully electronic sounds that stood out from everything on offer at the time.

Then, in April 1981, at the age of just 23, Gary Numan walked offstage at Wembley Arena after completing three extravagant, no-expense-spared retirement shows, seemingly putting an end to a meteoric career. But in that very moment, as he left the stage, he knew he had made a massive mistake. Retiring at the peak of his fame was a decision that would haunt him for years to come. The weight of it would linger, shaping his career and identity for the next four decades.

He carried on recording and returned to live shows, setting up his own record label ‘Numa Records’ and releasing the brilliant 1984 album “Berserker”, “The Fury” in 1985 and 1986’s “Strange Charm” (along with the live albums “White Noise” and “Ghost”.

Re-singing with a record label, Gary continued to write and release new material, but almost retired, dissatisfied with producing music to meet the demands of music execs and not what felt right.

So it was time to so solo again and start afresh. Gary’s music had been a huge influence on many new artists, including the likes of including Nine Inch Nails, with Trent Reznor citing Numan as a key influence in shaping industrial music.

By the mid-1990s, he was embracing a darker, more visceral sound with the album “Exile” (1997) including tracks like “Innocence Bleeding” and “Dead Heaven”, which signalled a new era in his musical journey. With new found energy and drive, Numan has written a string of incredible albums, each better than the last from 2000’s “Pure’ through “Dead Son Rising” 2011, “Splinter (Songs from a Broken Mind)” 2013, “Savage (Songs from a Broken World” 2018, to 2021’s most recent offering “intruder”.

But that 1981 Wembley performance still weighted heavy on Numan, and in May 2022, he returned to lay the demons to rest, and he was met by the roar of a crowd that to welcome home a hero.

“A Perfect Circle” out this Friday (25th July) is just that, the completion of a journey, a homecoming for a true British musical legend.

The performance had a number of tracks from the latest “Intruder” album, but also delivered a star studded journey through the highs of Numan’s 40+ year career. Indeed, the album opens with the title track Intruder from his most recent album. Bathed in a swirling mix of complex layers synth tones, the atmosphere develops as the band take to the stage before exploding in a wall of sound and lights. You can watch a video of Intruder from the show below:

His early work had an almost robotic simplicity to it, but what I find most extraordinary about Gary Numan, is that he hasn’t dwelled on the past and lived on his big hits (he has refused to be involved with any kind of 80’s retro tours) and is constantly striving to create new and boundary pushing material. And he has brought the old material on that journey with him, adapting and developing them to suit his changing vocal style and modern styles. Gone are the (beautiful) classic Polymoog preset #1 ‘Vox Humana’ sounds, replaced by complex layered synth tones, rich in tone and texture.

At no point does it feel like old vs new material, but the whole sonic soundscape melts together with ease. The old favourite anthems are there, such as Cars and Down in the Park to his more recent material like My Name Is Ruin and Ghost Nation. The 20-song tracklist includes fan favourites like Metal, Pure, Are ‘Friends’ Electric?, and Everyday I Die.

Its great to see one of my favourite tracks, the quirky Jo the Waiter making the final cut with it’s simple acoustic guitar start a stark contrast to the rest of the set.

Love Hurt Bleed from “Splinter (Songs from a Broken Mind)” released in 2013 is another highlight of the set. A real heavy industrial edge to it, the intro section would not be out of place in a Rammstein album.

A number of special guests make an appearance, including his daughters, Persia and Raven who join Gary on backing vocals for a section of songs including Is This World Not Enough, A Black Sun and the beautifully haunting, and eastern influenced sounds of My Name Is Ruin’.

With such a long and hit-packed career pulling together a ‘short’ set of just the 20 songs that balances old favourites and new wonders, some have to be sacrificed. The show doesn’t include such hits as Crazier(perhaps my favourite Numan song), Stormtrooper in Drag, Music for Chameleons (I, Assassin), The Iceman Comes (Warriors), My Dying Machine (Berserker). But to fit them in, something else would have to be excluded, and what do you take out eh ?!

Of course the album aahs to end with his eponymous hit Are Friends Electric and the emotion, and crowd reaction can clearly be heard in the recording.

Numan has released a fair few live albums over the years. My favourite has always been 1984’s “White Noise” from the Berserker tour, and this release, “A Perfect Circle” is up there with it. The sound quality is exceptional, crisp, clear and heavy, with lots of bass and depth to it.

Reflecting on the Wembley show, Numan describes it as “a glorious moment, a victory for determination and ridiculous optimism.” It was a personal milestone for Numan, who, after years of disappointment, had finally climbed back to the summit. “I cried like a baby,” he confesses, overwhelmed by the magnitude of the moment. “The crowd lifted me – carried me – through every spectacular second of it. I don’t think I’ve ever been happier or more grateful.

“A Perfet Circle” is a standout recording of one of the most iconic performances in many years from a performer that experienced the highs and the lows through his career and has come through them all – an icon… a legend… a huge influence on many of todays top performers.

As a live album, there are no weak spots, I may be biased as a long time admirer of Numan, but as a record of something so special ? Its spot on – a perfect 10 from LiveWire Music.

“A Perfect Circle” is out this Friday 25th July 2025 and can be ordered now HERE.