One of my highlights from 2010 was getting to photograph Gary Numan last month when he played in Portland. He was one of my heros when I was growing up. Though in this country he is often remembered as a one-hit-wonder with 1979’s “Cars” the English and those how have followed his career know that he was and is one of the pioneers of techo and industrial music. Many younger artists cite Numan as an influence. Though I’ve seen him perform once before, this was the first time I was able to photograph him. I even got to do a short Q and A with him via email when I was writing a preview of the concert for Oregon Music News. The article is available here. I was only allowed ten questions for the article. The last question will make sense to anyone familiar with his music. I wish I could have asked a follow-up to his (very graphic) answer:
Q: Has having a family made your imaginings of the future any less dystopian?
A: No, it’s made it worse, unfortunately. I worry for them more than I ever did for me, and that was bad enough. I see very little to be optimistic about, especially in the U.K., which is just sliding downhill so fast it’s scary. It is no longer the country I have loved with a passion since the day I was born. It has grown new arms, new teeth, and it is tearing itself apart and eating the pieces. It’s all very disappointing and it has forced me to dramatically rethink my own future and the future of my family.
