Metal Rhythm

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I must admit that one of my reasons for wanting to get back into the charts was revenge. I wanted to get back at everyone who had put the knife in. In fact the Metal Rhythm album is one of the most aggressive of my career. I poured out my nerves and frustration into my music, making it very psyched-up, raw and uncompromising. [5]

Metal Rhythm was released in September 1988 and although its edgy, industrial-funk sound met with favour from fans and some positive reviews in the UK music press, it sold poorly. The album charted at No. 48, while its singles, "New Anger" and "America", charted at No. 46 and No. 49 respectively. [6] Numan later recalled:

I think IRS expected to have success with me straight away. I remember the managing director of the UK division, Steve Tannet, leaping around his office when he played the first single from the album, "New Anger". I was happy about his enthusiasm but a little embarrassed at the sight of such a chubby man dancing around. IRS had chosen the title track after listening to the finished album and felt it particularly strong from the very beginning. Steve was full of it, the song was going to be a big hit, it would do this, that and the other. He forgot about that in October when it reached 46 in the UK charts. We were up in his office a few weeks after the release and he said, 'Of course, you chose the wrong single there, we never wanted that one at all.' 'Hello, 'I thought, 'Earth calling Tannet.' He flatly denied that he'd chosen the single and danced around his office. It was record company bullshit supreme. [7]

For its American release, and against Numan's wishes, the record label changed the album's title to New Anger, changed the artwork colour shade from black to blue, remixed several of its tracks and even replaced two tracks ("Hunger" and "Young Heart") with tracks originally recorded for Numan's sixth solo studio album Berserker (1984).

Numan released two more albums with I.R.S. – The Skin Mechanic (1989), a live album from the Metal Rhythm tour, and the studio album Outland (1991) – before quitting the label and reactivating Numa Records.

Numan supported Metal Rhythm with an 18-date UK live tour (September–October 1988) from which the live album The Skin Mechanic was released in 1989. Culled from two shows at the Dominion Theatre, London in September 1988, The Skin Mechanic charted at UK No. 55, and was followed by a 1990 video release of the tour.

Track listing

All tracks written by Gary Numan.

All timings are approximate and will vary slightly with different equipment.

1988 Illegal Records UK CD release (ILPCD035)

  1. "This Is Emotion" – 4:05
  2. "Hunger" – 4:30
  3. "New Anger" – 3:22
  4. "Devious" – 4:19
  5. "America" – 3:32
  6. "Voix" – 5:00
  7. "Respect" – 4:10
  8. "Young Heart" – 5:04
  9. "Cold Metal Rhythm" – 4:28
  10. "Don't Call My Name" – 3:42

1999 EMI UK CD reissue (7243 5 22133 2 0)

  1. "This Is Emotion" – 4:05
  2. "Hunger" – 4:30
  3. "New Anger" – 3:22
  4. "Devious" – 4:19
  5. "America" – 3:32
  6. "Voix" – 5:00
  7. "Respect" – 4:10
  8. "Young Heart" – 5:04
  9. "Cold Metal Rhythm" – 4:28
  10. "Don't Call My Name" – 3:42
  11. "I Don't Believe" – 3:22
  12. "Children" – 3:10
  13. "My Dying Machine" (William Orbit Mix) – 6:33
  14. "Devious" (Andy Piercy Mix) – 3:37
  15. "America" (Remix) – 2:50

1989 IRS US CD release as New Anger (IRSD-82005)

  1. "Devious" (Andy Piercy Mix) – 3:37
  2. "America" – 3:32
  3. "Cold Metal Rhythm" – 4:28
  4. "This Is Emotion" – 4:05
  5. "Don't Call My Name" – 3:42
  6. "Voix" – 5:00
  7. "Respect" – 4:10
  8. "New Anger" – 3:22 (Listed as 'remixed by Andy Piercy' but is identical to the UK version.)
  9. "My Dying Machine" (William Orbit Mix) – 6:33
  10. "A Child with the Ghost" – 4:04
  • "A Child with the Ghost" was originally released on Numan's sixth solo studio album Berserker (1984), as was the original version of "My Dying Machine"
  • "America (Remix)" was released as a single on both vinyl and CD. The CD version contains three bonus live tracks – "Respect" and "New Anger" being recorded on the Metal Rhythm tour at the Dominion Theatre, London on 28 September 1988 and "Call Out the Dogs" recorded on the Exhibition tour at the Hammersmith Odeon in London on 25 September 1987.

Personnel

Adapted from the Metal Rhythm liner notes. [8]

Musicians

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References

  1. "Music Week" (PDF). p. 40.
  2. "Music Week" (PDF). p. 44.
  3. AllMusic review
  4. "HOHOKAM Harlequin Tears". Archived from the original on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 24 March 2008.
  5. Praying to the Aliens: An Autobiography by Gary Numan with Steve Malins. (1997, André Deutsch Limited), p.220
  6. Roberts, David, ed. (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). HIT Entertainment. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.
  7. Praying to the Aliens: An Autobiography by Gary Numan with Steve Malins. (1997, André Deutsch Limited), p.220
  8. Metal Rhythm (CD booklet). Gary Numan. I.R.S. Records. 1988.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Metal Rhythm
GaryNumanMetalRhythm.jpg
Studio album by
Released26 September 1988
RecordedLate 1987–Mid 1988
Genre
Length39:41
Label
Producer Gary Numan
Gary Numan chronology
Strange Charm
(1986)
Metal Rhythm
(1988)
Automatic
(1989)
Alternative Cover
GaryNumanNewAnger.jpg
US Release cover.