For our second On This Day feature, we start with a birthday. New wave, synth pop, goth rock legend Gary Numan celebrates his 66th today. He is probably best known for his solo number one ‘Cars’, but I’m going to link this to his slightly earlier chart-topper with Tubeway Army, the eerie, industrial ‘Are “Friends” Electric’.
Looking back, I think the period between 1979 and 1981 had some of the strangest, most un-commercial sounding #1s, and this has to be one of the strangest, most un-commercial sounding of the lot.
On this day in 2016, the world bid farewell to producer Sir George Martin. He is of course most famous for his work with the Beatles, but he also sat behind the desk on #1s for Billy J Kramer, Gerry & The Pacemakers, Cilla Black, and on the best selling single of all time, ‘Candle in the Wind ’97’. Here though is his first chart-topper, the completely unexpected, yet quite magical, ‘You’re Driving Me Crazy’, by the Temperance Seven.
While in 2003, March 8th saw the death of one of the first modern British pop stars, Adam Faith. He had two number ones, the second of which, ‘Poor Me’, also happened to be at the top on this day in 1960. I remember quite liking the dramatic strings and Buddy Holly-inspired vocals when I wrote my post on it, and it remains a striking number one record. Faith moved into acting, and remained on stage and screen right through to his death. And on the anniversary of his passing, it would be remiss of me not to quote his supposed final words: “Channel 5 is all shit, isn’t it?” Few truer words have ever been uttered.
The UK Number Ones Blog 
Indisputably the man who deservedly always tops polls of ’the greatest pop/rock producer ofd all time’, George Martin really is one of the towering figures in music. As for Gary Numan, ‘AFE’ was indeed a startlingly uncommercial record, but leaving aside the song, that instrumental hook is quite catchy. It’s a bit like ‘Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Mer)’, which Steve Harley never imagined would be such a massive hit and in effect become his pension, but an angry song that was characterised by that irresistibly hooky chorus – and no doubt the limited edition picture disc helped it get that all-important initial foothold i n the Top 75. By the way, I’ve only just been motivated to go and research to see what ‘AFE’ was all about. I’d never have thought the answer was ’a robot prostitute’ in a world many years from now.
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Yes, I remember learning that when I wrote the post. It does make sense if you interpret the title somewhat literally… Perhaps this is a more commercial record than I first thought too, because of course it was sampled to much success by the Sugababes in the early 00s.
I don’t really know Numan’s stuff at all – enjoying Are Friends Electric now.
A lot to talk about on this post. Numan…of course CARS…but I like this. I hate the 80s and the synths…but I like how he presented them.
George Martin… what a perfect match. Two more I would add to Martin is the band America and Jeff Beck…he produced highly successful albums for both of them.
Yeah I was sticking to the number one acts that he worked with. I’m sure there are so many more!
I’m surprised Sister Golden Hair either didn’t do anything there or wasn’t released…which is hard to believe since it was #1 here…