Gary Numan North American Fan
Club
A brief history of The Numan
Experiment………
NAGNFC Timeline:
1988
The only way I knew there was even a new Gary Numan album out was through the adverts within the pages of America's bi-weekly record collecting bible Goldmine. When news of a new album appeared in the large full-page ad for record store Music Machine, I would drive all night after work to their shop in Baltimore to pick it up the very next morning. Goldmine was therefore the best way for an American, circa 1988, to find out about Gary's new stuff.
1989
The months dragged by without any Numan news. The last I heard of Numan were from a stack of videos I'd purchased from the UK and transferred to NTSC. How long could a true Numan fan go on this way?
I noticed ads in the back of Goldmine advertising quarterly or bi-monthly fanzines for various musicians. Then it struck me like an epiphany. Goldmine gets tons of readers worldwide! I could start a fan club for Gary Numan! What's the worst that could happen? At best I might get the occasional tidbit of news. At worst, I'd make a few friends.
To be honest I wasn't expecting anything from my ad. Like the letters that poured in gushed, I thought I was the only big Numan fan left for thousands of miles. But the failure of my initial effort wouldn't be from lack of trying. I made sure my ad would be the largest and boldest of any ad in the back section. And further, I would not only charge less than everyone else advertising a fan club, I would make mine monthly to keep it fresh and lively.
To get 12 issues and a membership card mailed to you, the cost was $12/year in North America or $17/year overseas. This barely covered the postage. I gave more tapes away in trivia contests than tapes with interviews and live stuff I sold for $5 to cover only the cassette and postage. I lost money as a tribute to Gary's losing his own from his extravagant tours for his fans.
There were many other tributes and quirks about the NAGNFC that remain to this day. In the spirit of Gary's multi-faceted music and images over the years, there would be several types of fonts making up the NAGNFC header title and the body of the typeface within the fanzine. Also, every page of the fanzine was copied on a different colored sheet of paper. I soon learned pastels work best! Even though the NAGNFC Archives show Fanzines in mostly black & white, the original fanzines were copied onto several different color sheets making up each issue. Eccentric from the very beginning. This also explains why the NAGNFC links on the Main Menu to the left have always been different colors. To match Gary's uniqueness, the NAGNFC Fanzines looked like nothing else.
The first ever paragraph in Issue 1 of the NAGNFC included these words which ring just as true today:
"The main reason I started a fan club was to bring Numan lovers from everywhere together with the help of a publication that will inform with updates."
To my amazement, I received my first letter with a check for $12.00. It was from Stan Siekierski in Woodside, Bronx, New York City. Then two more arrived, followed by even more. Virtually every letter was the same: "I can't believe there's a Fan Club for Gary Numan! I thought I was the only Numan fan left in America! I can't wait to get my first issue"
This is the actual first rough draft of the first NAGNFC Fanzine header in 1989, then known as the GNNAFC. The numbers represent the types of fonts that would be applied from sheets of press-on letters. How far we've come!
1990
By the start of 1990, I was mailing Fanzines to 15 readers, which I thought was rocking! Some said that brown envelope in their mailbox each month made their day.
News of the NAGNFC spread like wildfire. Relative quiet turned into a near daily barrage of letters from Numan fans eager to share their Numan stories, items for the fanzine, or sign up for new memberships. My room was fast becoming the hub of a massive Numan Network.
Despite the unexpected popularity of the Fanzine, I was just able to keep up with the workload. I dutifully assembled a new Fanzine Issue each month applying much of the typeset, layout and pictures by hand. I also kept up with the contests, enthusiastic correspondence and new memberships. The most mundate part of it all was typing up all the mailing labels to slap on all those brown paper envelopes. But it was a rush that so many were getting so much from this project.
By the summertime when the NAGNFC had 50 subscribers who pooled all our resources, we now had timely Numan news and even recent pictures. After learning about the numerous Numan Discos in the UK, I decided to hold North America's first Numan Convention.
To make sure it was easy for everyone to attend, I held it near the center of the continent in Cleveland, Ohio. Others charged big bucks for tickets to such events. I didn't charge anyone to attend. Numan fans would be spending enough to get to Cleveland. A friend in Cleveland helped with the location, and I arrived bearing prizes for the Numan karaoke and a large stack of free pizzas. There was a DJ from England spinning Numan tunes by request and Ron Rutledge who mastered Gary's US IRS recordings was in attendance. One couple met at the event and today have been married over 10 years. The NAGNFC also became Cupid in 1990.
1991
Membership explodes to over 100 paying subscribers. The NAGNFC reports that Gary Numan would be covering Prince, much to the disbelief of some NAGNFC readers in the UK. The quality of NAGNFC news was questioned. By the end of the year, Gary would release two Prince covers.
The second NAGNFC North American Gary Numan convention was held, this time in Syracuse, NY. We took over an old church, pushed aside the pews for space, cleared the stage, and featured electronic band Digital Demons, an English DJ, exclusive Numan paintings, good food and a fog machine. The old church protested by blowing a dozen fuses by the end of the night.
1992
The NAGNFC partners with future Numan DVD executive producer Paul Green and his audio UK Numan Fanzine Noise Noise. To save each other postage, we would send each other one of our own Fanzines, which would then be copied and distributed in each other's countries. The NAGNFC makes several appearances in Noise Noise.
The NAGNFC partners with a dealer in Italy to get the Italian 7" My Dying Machine picture disc distributed and available here in North America. This proved a popular move, especially as I sold them at cost for $9.00 each.
A fair amount of rare U.S. 12" pressings of the My World Storm (Renegade Soundwave Mix) were sold through the NAGNFC. These were also sold at cost for $9.00. Numan's 12" subsequently charts on the U.S. Billboard Dance Chart between Aretha Franklin and DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince.
1993
The NAGNFC holds steady at 120 paying subscribers for the monthly NAGNFC Fanzine. Production costs and postage started to vastly outweigh the cost. Dues were increased to $17/12 issues in North America, and $25/12 issues overseas. I seriously consider hiring a secretary for the NAGNFC Mail Room as all mailing labels were still typed by hand, every brown envelope personally licked by me.
1994
The NAGNFC celebrates 5 years of keeping Numanoids of the World in the know. Wealthy consumers began to purchase computers to dial up Numan info on 16k modems. The proprietor of the online Numan Digest wrote to assure me they were no competition. I replied I wished there were dozens of Numan groups. Only 5 years ago, there was no way to get info about Gary Numan outside, and sometimes inside the UK. More Numan info could only be a good thing.
I took a month off, extended everyone's membership by one month, and traveled to the Arctic to find myself. Under the northern lights I fell in love with a young local woman there. I'm presently writing a book about my experiences there called Polar Opposites. In future months, I spent as much time as I could in the Arctic with her.
1995
Having spent weeks at a time in the snows of the frozen north, NAGNFC Fanzines were more delayed and sporadic. After 54 Fanzines, and a lost Issue 55 that was completed and never mailed (but will appear online in the NAGNFC Archives soon), production of the NAGNFC Paper Fanzines were halted forever. The first chapter of Gary Numan's oldest and most widespread fan service had come to a close.
1997
In January 1997, I purchased a computer to play the new Devo game Adventures of the Smart Patrol. Inspired by Gary Numan's brand new site NuWorld, I decided to rekindle the NAGNFC flame once more. But this would be a new version, totally online and retaining the elements that made the NAGNFC Fanzine popular and informative. The best part of all? No more membership dues! The second chapter of the NAGNFC was born...
1998
And just in time. In 1998, Gary made plans to embark on his first North American Tour in 16 years. This is the year NAGNFC Preshow Parties were born. These parties would eventually be held in five countries. They are a way for fans to get to know each other rather than going inside as strangers. Numan goodies are won at free raffles and dozens of group photos have been snapped.
1999
The NAGNFC celebrates 10 years of timely news, causing friends to be made and even matching up lovebirds at the first NAGNFC Numan Convention that later married.
2000
Hits on the NAGNFC website reach 50 per day, even though the web address for the NAGNFC is http://members.aol.com/polarebear/polarebear/index.html. Joey Lindstrom of Canada, proprietor of the popular Numan site The World Wide Webb, offers free webspace for Numan sites. This generosity gives the NAGNFC a much better web address.
2001
The NAGNFC website, now a dynamic online presence for Numanoids worldwide, features the best source of ticket and preshow party info for Gary's North American Pure Tour.
A large newspaper contacts me to do a report of the NAGNFC with pictures as a fun, quirky, offbeat piece. However, I would be on tour with Numan during the interview dates.
Kudos from attendees of the Pure Tour for the NAGNFC were very gratifying. Offers for places to stay were appreciated. NAGNFC Preshow Parties were held coast to coast from America to Canada.
2002
The first NAGNFC Preshow Parties are held in the United Kingdom.
2003
Hits to the NAGNFC Website average 100 per day.
I am interviewed about the NAGNFC in the United Kingdom for an extra feature on Gary's Hope Bleeds DVD, but all interviews except from all but Gary and his band end up on the cutting room floor.
2004
The NAGNFC celebrates 15 years of exclusive Numan pictures, giving away prizes, and of achieving 125 hits per day.
2005
The old NAGNFC Paper Fanzine is featured in Paul Goodwin's Numan discography book Electric Pioneer, available in 2005 at chain bookstores around the world. Plans surface for a sequel book devoted to Fanzines. The North American Jagged Tour prevents me from timely active involvement and the project is later dropped.
NAGNFC operations are conducted from Canada after I move to the Great White North. Good thing I called it the NORTH AMERICAN Fan Club!
2006
More NAGNFC Preshow Parties occur during the North American Jagged Tour. I am interviewed for the Miss Divine website in New York City.
2007
NAGNFC Operations are moved back to the United States as daily hits to the website reach 150 per day.
2009
NAGNFC Preshow Parties occur in Australia for the first time, with more in the UK later in the spring.
The NAGNFC is involved in humanitarian efforts to help the victims of Australia's largest natural disaster, which initially threatened Gary's visit.
As the NAGNFC celebrates 20 years of informing and entertaining Planet Numan, here are the numbers:
** 230 hits per day to the NAGNFC Website
** 174 NAGNFC Issues in the can
** Exclusive pictures featured from over 70 Numan shows
** Thousands of interviews, mixes and cover versions downloaded
** Over 60 Riveting Chapters written
** Dozens of NAGNFC Preshow Parties held from Sydney to London
** Hundreds of Numan prizes given away at the preshows and the website
** Hundreds of fans who've helped the NAGNFC cause
Thank you
and drive safely.
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