The King of Synthpop Gary Numan drops into the Empire for a one-off London gig this summer following his showing at the Lovebox Weekender. Numan's career is enjoying something of an Indian summer on the back of the Sugababe's #1 hit Freak Like Me, which sampled the infectious synth loop from the godfather of electro's 1979 single Are Friends Electric (making it even better than the Tubeway Army original, he claims). Thanks too must go to the runaway success of The Mighty Boosh, whose lead character Vince Noir (played by Noel Fielding) is something of a Numan fanatic. Tagged 'the Bowie of the 80s' - which Numan found "flattering in a way, a bit worrying in another" - the post-punk-electronic pioneer was somewhat eclipsed by the likes of Duran Duran and Depeche Mode following his breakthrough hits Cars and Are Friends Electric. But in a display of reinvention that has won him plaudits from the likes of Dave Grohl, Trent Reznor of the Nine Inch Nails and Marilyn Manson, Numan transformed into a harder and darker package in the 90s. The new millennium saw a fresh, mellower Numan, the one-time Thatcherite marrying a member of his fan club, having three children called Raven, Persia and Echo, and writing an autobiography called Praying to the Aliens. After 30 years in the business, Numan still has a major influence on current musical trends and is now working on an 18th studio album, Splinter, out early next year. He may no longer be the sinister, moody, bleak, morbid and glumly gothic persona of his early incarnation, but Numan will always be remembered as the man who replaced the guitar with the synthesiser - and did so wearing black.
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Shepherd's Bush Empire
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Europe
Shepherd's Bush Empire, Shepherd's Bush Green, W12 8TT
14th February 2007
Number 1 in 26 countries, 8 million copies sold wordwide, and one of the most bombastic videos... More
Chas 'n' Dave's Christmas Beano
Shepherd's Bush Empire, Shepherd's Bush Green, W12
14th December 2006
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The Bush Hall
310 Uxbridge Road, Shepherd's Bush, W12
The Bush Hall is one of the capital’s most unique venues and its grandiose high ceilings have played... More
The godfather of shock-rock Alice Cooper concludes the UK leg of his 2009 Theatre of Death World Tour with this date at the Hammersmith Apollo. ...More
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Visit the studios where Newsround is recorded and play with the props of your favourite CBBC programmes on the CBBC Interactive Tour behind-the-scenes at BBC ...More
K West oozes luxury – its sleek design runs from the striking exterior to the rooms’ understated sophistication to the spa’s calm coolness. With K ... More
Located in London’s fashionable Kensington, near the tranquil delights of Holland Park, stay in one of over 600 beautifully decorated guestrooms. Providing all the facilities ... More
In the shadow of the Westfield Shopping Centre, the £2 million Shepherds Bush Library easily competes with the sharp architectural lines and bright lights of ...More
Handmade wooden beds, matresses and furniture that are a class above your average flat packed homeware. All the timber is ethically sourced and fairly traded, ... More
Adjoining Chez Kristof and owned by the same team this delightful deli and cafe is a much-loved spot where you can sample some wonderful ingredients ...More
Despite the silly name, this is a great vegetarian restaurant, set over two floors on trendy, scruffy Goldhawk Road. The place has a laid-back feel ...More
An excellent authentic Syrian restaurant. It’s cheap and the décor isn’t up to much but don’t let that fool you, there’s some skilled hands at ... More
This school teaches about 800 students from 40 different countries, offering general and exam focused English language courses for adults.
Students prepare for the Cambridge exams ... More
A plush and wonderfully relaxing health and beauty centre using the ancient Indian healing system Ayurveda. It offers a wide range of treatments including detoxification, ... More
One of four West London bars owned by Jordan Swinscoe and marketed under the House Bars name, Priory House is a Mediterranean tapas restaurant in ... More
This unique club under Shepherd's Bush Green in a former public toilet has escaped a threatened closure early in 2009. Thanks to the untiring efforts ... More
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