Gary Numan is well aware that most Americans only know him for his "Cars" single. It's his only US hit, charting at No. 9, back in 1980. But when people call the electro pioneer a one-hit wonder, it drives me crazy. If "Down In The Park," "Are 'Friends' Electric?" "Me! I Disconnect From You," and "You Are In My Vision" (with Tubeway Army), "I Die: You Die," and "We Take Mystery (To Bed)" didn't chart in the US, it's not for lack of merit. Technologically advanced and emotionally nuanced albums such as "Replicas" (1979), "The Pleasure Principle" (1979), and "Berserker" (1984) sound just as contemporary and topical as Numan's most recent album "Splinter (Songs From A Broken Mind)" (2013). It just took audiences a while to catch up, aided by more recent covers from proteges like Nine Inch Nails, Foo Fighters, and Jack White.

I chatted with Gary Numan about his upcoming SXSW appearances, how "Splinter (Songs From A Broken Mind)" helped him work through his depression, his iconic albums, sampling, sex with operating systems, and his favorite apps.

Numan says that Splinter looks back at a time when he felt broken.

"Splinter (Songs From A Broken Mind)" is gorgeous on every level. Considering the title, I wonder if you consider yourse... [Read more]