Gary Numan and Star-Struck Tom

Artrockers,
I'm not a big fan of conducting interviews by phone, but last night I spent a most enjoyable hour talking to Mr Gary Numan . And I can report that the 'Numan' is very 'Human'; chatty, disarming, humble, amusing, wistful, honest and perceptive. Not what I expected at all. What did I expect? Awkwardness, mumbling, an unwillingness to answer questions, a guy, in short, troubled by Aspergers and apart from the world. I couldn't have been more wrong. When will I learn? Every time I have to speak to somebody 'famous' who's music is important to me I go through all sorts of horror-scenarios involving them throwing a glass of something over me, walking out on the interview and having me beaten up by their inevitable heavies. And it's never like that, the 'stars' are generally polite, patient and grounded. I arrive a bag of nerves and leave thinking: 'What a nice person!' And I reliase that no matter how long I'm around this crazy business, and take it from me it's been a while, I never get over being 'star-struck'. I'm just a great big teenage fan flapping about, winding myself up about actually meeting the folks who have soundtracked my life.

I hope I never get over it, every time the 'big' interview comes up I become 16 again, and short of the fountain of youth or a time machine I know of no better way to re-discover the
adolescent me in his poster lined bedroom, the fan, surrounded by the images of his heroes.

If I ever lose that feeling I'll give it all up and never write another word about music, but I can't see it happening. I'm hoping to talk to Phil Oakey and John Foxx soon and I can assure you I'm already bricking it. Maybe they'll throw their drink over me...

Tom Artrocker