The Plan
By Gary Numan / Tubeway Army
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Track listing
- A1 This Is My Life
- A2 My Shadow in Vain
- A3 Critics
- A4 Mean Street
- A5 Thoughts No. 2
- A6 Bombers
- B1 Basic J.
- B2 Ice
- B3 Something's in the House
- B4 Friends
- B5 Check It
- B6 Steel and You
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Review
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3 Issues
- Release view [combined information for all issues]
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The Plan [p] 33 rpm, Promotional demo
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The Plan Remastered
6 Reviews
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1
That's Too Bad (single version)
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2
Oh! Didn't I Say
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3
Out of Sight
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4
Bombers (original version)
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5
My Shadow in Vain (original version)
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6
This Machine (original version)
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7
Thoughts No.2
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8
Something's in the House (original version)
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9
Check It
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10
The Monday Troop
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11
This Is My Life
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12
Mean Street
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13
Ice
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14
Crime of Passion
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15
The Life Machine (original version)
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16
Critics
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17
Do Your Best (original version)
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18
Basic J
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19
That's Too Bad (original version)
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20
Bombers (single version)
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21
Blue Eyes
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22
O.D. Receiver
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23
Fadeout 1930
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24
Don't Be a Dummy (Lee Cooper advert)
While there's a punk feel to the material, Gary Numan's writing didn't really fit into the punk thing at all, going beyond the usual 3-chord structure of punk and deeper in lyrical content. Recorded before his discovery of the synthesizer, however, the album is a great collection of guitar-based fare that already shows him on his way to the machine persona with which he was so successful.
The remaster is even more of a treat for Numan fans, with many early singles and non-LP tracks included. "That's Too Bad", Tubeway Army's first single and the one that got them signed, is fast-paced with a definite punk edge. The second single, "Bombers", adds a little more atmosphere and groove to the mix. There are also a couple acoustic numbers included for good measure, plus a Lee Cooper ad.
I visit my sneaker.
Gary Numan (vocals, guitar, synthesizer), Paul Gardiner (bass), Jess Lidyard (drums)
production credits not given
1999 Beggars Banquet BBL 55 CD
acquired some time at some place
RYM review 25 Sep 2005
production credits not given
1999 Beggars Banquet BBL 55 CD
acquired some time at some place
RYM review 25 Sep 2005
Published
BBL 55CD CD (1999)
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Who would have known? Great unreleased before the minimoog stuff!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Plan_(Tubeway_Army_album)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Plan_(Tubeway_Army_album)
Published
BBL 55CD CD (1999)
Good document of an age, even if the guitars are a bit repetitive
Published
It's easy to understand why certain artists chose to establish their own record companies. The ability to control your own material, what the public get to hear and the condition it goes out in must be very tempting – even when weighed against the frightening cost of founding, maintaining and managing your own company. If Gary Numan had had his own way The Plan might never have seen the light of day. Ironic really given that Beggars Banquet themselves didn't feel it appropriate to release the album when originally recorded in 1978. The problem was that in the short period of time it took to lay down the fifteen tracks the band believed would form the basis of the album, they'd actually moved on significantly in terms of their own musical motivators. The gravitation towards the clinical synthesised sound that would see the band break new ground had come about rapidly and the record company felt it would only cause confusion to release an album of basic rock 'n' roll – Numan himself readily agreed.
Move on six and a half years when Tubeway Army was no more and Numan was, again, in a totally different place musically and Beggars Banquet decided a cash-in was the order of the day. Numan disagreed but having little artistic control could do nothing about it. grudgingly he agreed to write sleeve notes for The Plan but his frustration is apparent: "These songs were recorded in the early part of 1978, the intention was not to release them in this form, if at all…."
So did Numan worry that The Plan would taint his musical reputation? Was he right to be concerned? Absolutely not. If I was Numan back in '78 I'd have been more worried about the comparisons being made between himself and Billy Idol. Now that is something to make you consider throwing in the towel.
I can understand the reasoning behind holding the original album back. Cultivating a fanbase on the back of spiky punk like "This Is My Life", "Ice" and "Mean Street" only to risk losing it again on the back on synth pop would have been commercial suicide. But, as a retrospective look at the roots of the band, The Plan is something of a triumph. Particularly interesting are the songs that would eventually appear on Tubeway Army's debut album: "My Shadow In Vain", "The Life Machine", "Something's In The House", "Do it Again" and "The Machine" (the last two of which would be re-titled "Friends" and "Steel And You" respectively). To hear these as predominantly guitar based tracks is strangely dislocating – as though performed by a completely different band.
The Plan isn't the Tubeway Army most people would expect to hear. As such I'm not sure what Beggars Banquet really hoped to gain. Numan's fanbase was still loyal enough to ensure the album was a minor hit but, afterwards, there was nowhere else for the label to go. Maybe short-term gain was enough. Certainly it's enough for me. The Plan is a decent album, but I prefer my Tubeway Army to be a little more synthetic.
Move on six and a half years when Tubeway Army was no more and Numan was, again, in a totally different place musically and Beggars Banquet decided a cash-in was the order of the day. Numan disagreed but having little artistic control could do nothing about it. grudgingly he agreed to write sleeve notes for The Plan but his frustration is apparent: "These songs were recorded in the early part of 1978, the intention was not to release them in this form, if at all…."
So did Numan worry that The Plan would taint his musical reputation? Was he right to be concerned? Absolutely not. If I was Numan back in '78 I'd have been more worried about the comparisons being made between himself and Billy Idol. Now that is something to make you consider throwing in the towel.
I can understand the reasoning behind holding the original album back. Cultivating a fanbase on the back of spiky punk like "This Is My Life", "Ice" and "Mean Street" only to risk losing it again on the back on synth pop would have been commercial suicide. But, as a retrospective look at the roots of the band, The Plan is something of a triumph. Particularly interesting are the songs that would eventually appear on Tubeway Army's debut album: "My Shadow In Vain", "The Life Machine", "Something's In The House", "Do it Again" and "The Machine" (the last two of which would be re-titled "Friends" and "Steel And You" respectively). To hear these as predominantly guitar based tracks is strangely dislocating – as though performed by a completely different band.
The Plan isn't the Tubeway Army most people would expect to hear. As such I'm not sure what Beggars Banquet really hoped to gain. Numan's fanbase was still loyal enough to ensure the album was a minor hit but, afterwards, there was nowhere else for the label to go. Maybe short-term gain was enough. Certainly it's enough for me. The Plan is a decent album, but I prefer my Tubeway Army to be a little more synthetic.
Published
BBL 55CD CD (1999)
ADVERTISEMENT
-
A1
This Is My Life
-
A2
My Shadow in Vain
-
A3
Critics
-
A4
Mean Street
-
A5
Thoughts No. 2
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A6
Bombers
-
B1
Basic J.
-
B2
Ice
-
B3
Something's in the House
-
B4
Friends
-
B5
Check It
-
B6
Steel and You
The Plan is basically a collection of demos recorded prior to Tubeway Army's self-titled debut album in 1978. Punkier than leader Gary Numan's later material, however, the album was not released, as Numan thought he could come up with a better debut. He returned to the studio and re-recorded some Plan tracks along with new material and released Tubeway Army. The Plan was later released in 1984, though, basically as an attempt by Beggars Banquet to capitalize on Numan's later success.
While there's a punk feel to the material, Numan's writing didn't really fit into the punk thing at all, going beyond the usual 3-chord structure of punk and deeper in lyrical content. Recorded before his discovery of the synthesizer, however, the album is a great collection of guitar-based fare that already shows him on his way to the machine persona with which he was so successful.
Gary Numan (vocals, guitar, synthesizer), Paul Gardiner (bass), Jess Lidyard (drums)
all songs written by Gary Numan
production credits not given
not in my collection in this form, but all tracks present on The Plan remaster
highs - Bombers, Thoughts No. 2, Check It, The Monday Troop, Ice, Crime of Passion, The Life Machine, Out of Sight
lows - Something's in the House, Mean Street, Critics, Do Your Best
like this, go for: Tubeway Army, Replicas, The Plan
all songs written by Gary Numan
production credits not given
not in my collection in this form, but all tracks present on The Plan remaster
highs - Bombers, Thoughts No. 2, Check It, The Monday Troop, Ice, Crime of Passion, The Life Machine, Out of Sight
lows - Something's in the House, Mean Street, Critics, Do Your Best
like this, go for: Tubeway Army, Replicas, The Plan
Published
_The Plan_, consisting mainly of songs Numan recorded before his 1978 debut, is a real "ear opener" for people who only associate him with the song "Cars." It also includes single versions for a couple of songs--"That's Too Bad," and "Bombers." Although his later synthesizer stuff was definitely revolutionary, I find this early demo music very exciting. It has a lot of punch--very guitar centered, cynical, sneering lyrics. It definitely shows who his primary influences were--The Sex Pistols, and David Bowie. Highlights include "Mean Street," "Bombers" (original and single versions), and "Ice."
Published
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3 Apr 2023
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1
That's Too Bad (single version)
-
2
Oh! Didn't I Say
-
3
Out of Sight
-
4
Bombers (original version)
-
5
My Shadow in Vain (original version)
-
6
This Machine (original version)
-
7
Thoughts No.2
-
8
Something's in the House (original version)
-
9
Check It
-
10
The Monday Troop
-
11
This Is My Life
-
12
Mean Street
-
13
Ice
-
14
Crime of Passion
-
15
The Life Machine (original version)
-
16
Critics
-
17
Do Your Best (original version)
-
18
Basic J
-
19
That's Too Bad (original version)
-
20
Bombers (single version)
-
21
Blue Eyes
-
22
O.D. Receiver
-
23
Fadeout 1930
-
24
Don't Be a Dummy (Lee Cooper advert)
29 Mar 2023
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1
That's Too Bad (single version)
-
2
Oh! Didn't I Say
-
3
Out of Sight
-
4
Bombers (original version)
-
5
My Shadow in Vain (original version)
-
6
This Machine (original version)
-
7
Thoughts No.2
-
8
Something's in the House (original version)
-
9
Check It
-
10
The Monday Troop
-
11
This Is My Life
-
12
Mean Street
-
13
Ice
-
14
Crime of Passion
-
15
The Life Machine (original version)
-
16
Critics
-
17
Do Your Best (original version)
-
18
Basic J
-
19
That's Too Bad (original version)
-
20
Bombers (single version)
-
21
Blue Eyes
-
22
O.D. Receiver
-
23
Fadeout 1930
-
24
Don't Be a Dummy (Lee Cooper advert)
19 Mar 2023
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