麻豆社

Janice Long takes the electronic pioneer, who David Bowie once credited with writing two of the finest songs in British music, back to some West London haunts and looks at influences and highlights from Gary Numan's Tubeway Army and solo career, which spans nearly four decades.

Gary was born Gary Webb in Hammersmith. His Dad drove buses at Heathrow Airport and his Mum bought him his first acoustic guitar at the age of five.

School didn't go so well, but he was always obsessed with music and machines, specifically airplanes and racing cars.

Gary and Janice return to Heathrow to talk about childhood and plane spotting and the site of a record shop in Earls Court where Gary signed a deal for his punk band in 1978. Gary mentions discovering a Moog synthesizer in the studio and arguing, successfully, with his record company to re-interpret all the punk recordings as electronic numbers.

They discuss his visits to the Hammersmith Odeon, the pressure of his number one singles and albums, world tours and retirement on location at Wembley Arena.

The story comes up to date with Gary's move to California and his 22nd studio album.