RADIO HEART FEATURING GARY NUMAN - ALL ACROSS THE NATION - A COLLECTION RADIO HEART FEATURING GARY NUMAN

This newly mastered 2CD collection captures all of Gary Numan’s collaborations with Radio Heart during the period 1987 – 1994 and includes the entire Radio Heart album, the four singles that featured Gary Numan plus their associated remixes, the Gary Numan written B-Sides plus two previously unreleased versions of "Radio Heart" including a new version recorded in 1994 featuring Gary Numans vocals. This is the first time this material has been available on CD since 1999 with all tracks newly mastered by Phil Kinrade at Air Mastering and presented in Deluxe Gatefold 7” sized packaging featuring sleeve notes from compiler Steve Thorpe along with a selection of photos and memorabilia.
Gary Numan’s involvement with Radio Heart came about in 1986, as his own Numa Records was winding down, Matt Nicholson who formed part of the label’s management suggested Numan provide vocals on a song "Radio Heart" written by his brother Hugh who along with third brother David had already formed a band called Radio Heart. The single released in March 1987 was an upbeat, anthemic pop song that found itself placed firmly on the BBC Radio 1 playlist and reached #35 in the UK Singles Chart. Gary recorded two further songs with Radio Heart which were also released as singles, "London Times" in June 1987 and "All Across the Nation" in November 1987, both also charting. ‘All Across The Nation’ featured an atmospheric Roland D50 synth piece on the B-Side composed by Numan called ‘River’, which showed the first signs of his interest in writing for film soundtracks which was to follow a few years later.
The album ‘Radio Heart’ originally saw a limited release late in 1987 featuring all three tracks with Gary Numan and with Hugh Nicholson as vocalist on the rest of the material, whilst also notably featuring Elton John playing keyboards on two of the album's tracks, "Strange Thing" and "The Victim".
Focussing on his own solo career through the early 90s, Gary was on his Dream Corrosion tour in 1993 and was approached afresh by Hugh Nicholson who had written a new song ‘Like A Refugee (I Won't Cry)’ about the plight of young Africans seeking refuge in Europe. Gary listened prior to his show at Birmingham Town Hall on 27th October and immediately laid down his vocals the following day over the newly finished backing track featuring Italian percussionists Dadadang who utilised thunder drums and uilleann pipes to give the track an ethnic, folky flavour.
‘Like A Refugee (I Won't Cry)’ this time billed as numan & dadadang, entered the chart on 14th May 1994 peaking at #78 and alongside the Radio Heart songs can be seen now as a rare example of Gary Numan joining the commercial mainstream (similar to that of his Sharpe & Numan partnership).
Radio Heart has been long overdue a CD reissue and new mastering and this collection offers a comprehensive look into this part of Gary Numan’s fascinating career as well as collecting everything by Radio Heart in one place.