Replicas (album)

Background

A loose concept album, Replicas was based on a dystopian book Numan hoped to complete someday, set in a not-too-distant future metropolis where Machmen (androids with cloned human skin) and other machines keep the general public cowed on orders from the Grey Men (shadowy officials). While the album's setting and lyrics were directly inspired by the science fiction of Philip K. Dick, particularly his seminal work Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, the title was not. Although Numan's Machmen were similar to Replicants, the term used for androids in Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner (based on Dick’s book), Scott’s film came out three years after Tubeway Army’s album and Dick never used the word "Replicant" in his original 1968 novel. The album cover shows Numan as a Machman staring out from his room at a waning crescent moon hovering above "The Park" as a barely visible man stands outside while Numan's reflection stares back at himself.

Recording and music

Musically, Numan’s main influence was the commercially unsuccessful John Foxx-led incarnation of Ultravox. Tracks like "Speed of Life" and "Breaking Glass" from David Bowie’s Low were also cited, along with Kraftwerk’s The Man-Machine album, in particular the long and wistful track "Neon Lights".

The recording was a development of the sound of the first Tubeway Army album. While the tracks "The Machman", "You Are in My Vision" and "It Must Have Been Years" recalled the earlier album’s guitar-oriented rock, the rest were built solidly around an analog synthesizer, the Minimoog. Along with "Are 'Friends' Electric?", this included "Me! I Disconnect from You", the atmospheric "Down in the Park" (released as a single prior to the album and acquiring cult status though not commercial success), the multi-layered title track and the closing instrumentals "When the Machines Rock" and "I Nearly Married a Human", the latter featuring Numan's first use of a primitive drum machine; it made an appearance the following year in Carl Sagan's TV series Cosmos: A Personal Voyage.

Legacy

Replicas' synthesizer sound and occasionally nihilistic lyrics had a major impact on the industrial acts that came to prominence in the mid-1990s such as Marilyn Manson and Nine Inch Nails, both of whom covered Numan's songs on record. Both Manson and Foo Fighters released versions of "Down in the Park". "Are 'Friends' Electric?" was covered by a number of artists, and was most notably the basis for Sugababes' No. 1 hit "Freak Like Me" in 2002. Numan has continued to play tracks from Replicas on his live tours, with "Me! I Disconnect from You", "Are 'Friends' Electric?" and "Down in the Park" being mainstays, whilst "Praying to the Aliens" and "Replicas" have also lately become part of his live repertoire.

Reissue

The 1999 and 2008 reissue editions included several bonus tracks, including three single B-sides: "We Are So Fragile" (from "Are 'Friends' Electric?"), and "Do You Need the Service?" and "I Nearly Married a Human (2)" (from "Down in the Park"). "The Crazies", "Only a Downstat" and "We Have a Technical" were outtakes from the Replicas sessions.

Track listing

All songs written by Gary Numan.

1979 Beggars Banquet LP and MC (BEGA/C 7) and 1995 Beggars Banquet CD reissue (MUSCD509)

The lightbulb on the front sleeve artwork was removed for the 1995 reissue to allow for a larger print of the album title.

1. "Me! I Disconnect from You" – 3:23
2. "Are 'Friends' Electric?" – 5:25
3. "The Machman" – 3:08
4. "Praying to the Aliens" – 4:00
5. "Down in the Park" – 4:24
6. "You Are in My Vision" – 3:15
7. "Replicas" – 5:01
8. "It Must Have Been Years" – 4:02
9. "When the Machines Rock" – 3:15
10. "I Nearly Married a Human" – 6:31

1997 Beggars Banquet CD remastered reissue (TKCB-71194)

11. "Do You Need the Service?" - 3:40
12. "The Crazies" - 2:54
13. "Only a Downstat" - 3:36
14. "We Have a Technical" - 8:04
15. "We Are So Fragile" - 2:56
16. "I Nearly Married a Human 2" - 6:38

2008 Beggars Banquet "Redux" CD reissue (BBQCD 2057)

To coincide with Numan's 15-date Replicas Classic Album Tour in 2008, Beggars Banquet issued an expanded 2CD and limited 3CD version of Replicas, titled Replicas Redux.

Disc One

11. "We Are So Fragile" - 2:55
12. "Do You Need the Service?" - 3:39
13. "I Nearly Married a Human 2" - 6:38

Disc Two This disc contained a complete earlier version of the Replicas album, recorded in late 1978 and January 1979.

1. "Me! I Disconnect From You" - 3:24
2. "Are 'Friends' Electric?" - 5:25
3. "The Machman" - 3:08
4. "Praying to the Aliens" - 4:08
5. "Down in the Park" - 4:24
6. "Do You Need the Service?" - 3:42
7. "Only a Downstat" - 3:35
8. "We Have a Technical" - 8:00
9. "You Are in My Vision" - 3:22
10. "Replicas" - 5:02
11. "It Must Have Been Years" - 4:04
12. "When the Machines Rock" - 3:15
13. "The Crazies" - 2:54
14. "I Nearly Married a Human 3" - 6:24

Disc Three - Replicas - Mixes + Versions (GNCD 2008)
This disc of bonus tracks was only available for a limited time when Replicas Redux was purchased via Numan's official website.

1. "Are 'Friends' Electric? (Renegade Soundwave Mix)" - 5:15
2. "Replicas (Early Version 2)" - 5:05
3. "Down in the Park (Early Version 2)" - 4:23
4. "Are 'Friends' Electric? (Early Version 2)" - 5:28
5. "Replicas (Early Version 3)" - 5:00
6. "Are 'Friends' Electric? (Renegade Soundwave Instrumental)" - 5:14

Personnel