Pop legend Gary Numan moving to America over fears of yobs (From The Argus)
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Pop legend Gary Numan moving to America over fears of yobs
1:00pm Sunday 21st August 2011 in News
Eighties pop legend Gary Numan is fleeing Sussex over fears of rampaging yobs.
The electro pop pioneer says his family do not feel safe in the leafy village of Waldron, near Uckfield, so he is moving them to the United States.
He said the recent riots, which at their closest were 40 miles north of his home, had been the final straw.
Fellow villagers said his concerns were “absolutely astounding”
and described a rural setting more in line with Downton Abbey than downtown Los Angeles.
But Mr Numan, 53, insists his wife, Gemma, and their three children, Raven, Persia and Echo, have been subjected to vile insults while walking the streets of Wealden.
He told the Daily Record: “We live right out in the country. It is very rural and there are no big cities. You would think it would be the most peaceful place in the world and it is very pretty and relatively affluent. Yet the other day my wife was walking down the High Street and a bunch of kids between 12 and 14 were telling her what they would like to do to her. She had my children with her. You’ve got to be kidding.”
Mr Numan, most famous for his hits Cars and Are Friends Electric, went on say: “The day after the riots, I got onto the lawyer and said, ‘let’s do it – get on with it’. I do love being English and I am not anti the country but I have got to think of the children.
“America clearly has its own problems, but Santa Monica is great. It has beautiful beaches and the Pacific Ocean. There is not one bit of trouble and not one surly or aggressive person there. Everyone is friendly.
You ask the teenagers there for directions and they are polite and helpful.
“Do that here and you are as likely to get stabbed as you are to get directions. The fact is the English are pretty miserable.”
A comparison of crime statistics for the two areas shows that for the last available month Wealden had 30 incidents of crime and anti-social behaviour, compared to 317 offences recorded for the city of Santa Monica.
The American city recorded 14 assaults with a deadly weapon compared to none in Wealden. There were 16 counts of grand theft auto, compared to zero vehicle crimes in Wealden.
Wealden District councillor Dick Angel said: “I can’t say I’ve ever heard of him, so it wouldn’t be much of a loss. I think it’s absolutely astounding he could say this.”
Uckfieldmayor John Carvey said: “It seems quite strange to me to think you will be safer in America than you would be in a sleepy village like Waldron.”
Father David Charles, the priest in charge of All Saints church in Waldron, said: “There’s only a couple of hundred residents and they are mostly retired. If there are any gangs roaming about I’ve certainly missed them.”
Comments(58)
Nick Brighton
says...
1:12pm Sun 21 Aug 11
John Steed
says...
1:13pm Sun 21 Aug 11
Westerner
says...
1:20pm Sun 21 Aug 11
Raven? Persia? Echo?
Lucky7
says...
1:51pm Sun 21 Aug 11
still waiting wrote:Of course not!! ;-) I have nothing against Santa Monica - it is lovely. Full of drug addicts and winos crashed out on the grassy areas near the beach, a pier selling nothing you actually want, plenty of tourists and wealthy middle class hippies and actors. Or is that Brighton?
So, nothing to do with minimising tax then? That's allright. Just wondered..
MPC1000
says...
2:12pm Sun 21 Aug 11
I would imagine that the point he's making is that even in his little village there are now feral youth, and he's had enough!
If I had the money I'd be off too. And excellent investigative journalism - comparing the crime figures from the CITY of Santa Monica with the VILLAGE of Waldron. Priceless..
MuammarQaddafi
says...
2:25pm Sun 21 Aug 11
Ballroom Blitz
says...
2:57pm Sun 21 Aug 11
I'm surprised he has stayed this long, to honest. I wouldn't have.
Don't know that I would choose the USA as a substitute, though. That's one of the few countries that I would never want to live in.
And yes, I have been there and worked there.
Morpheus
says...
3:46pm Sun 21 Aug 11
myselfishgenes
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4:45pm Sun 21 Aug 11
mikimac
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4:48pm Sun 21 Aug 11
SaudiMail
says...
5:06pm Sun 21 Aug 11
2. Were the press waiting outside his house for this announcement or did he contact them for the free publicity?
3. How many people remember his 'hits'
4. Sure you can find more interesting stuff than this to report. Who cares what he does?
Bladesboy Returns
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5:12pm Sun 21 Aug 11
mikimac wrote:I wish most of the contributors to this site would leave
Urmmmmm...who cares?
Angryoldman
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5:26pm Sun 21 Aug 11
multiple personality moron with no life
says...
6:08pm Sun 21 Aug 11
many names at once, europe
says...
6:16pm Sun 21 Aug 11
most sensible comment ive read on this site
saw him down the dome years ago - absolutely brilliant, a proper musician with a quality band, not like this pop x factor toot nowadays, he was original
Rita Snatch
says...
6:17pm Sun 21 Aug 11
Angryoldman wrote:He did!
I thought he died years ago.
:: ::
This sounds like a very poor effort of self-resuscitation - he is failing at that in a similar fashion to his 'musical career'!
He sounds an awful man; fancy giving your children such awful names ..... HELLO ECHO, HELLO ECHO, HELLo echo, hello echo, hello ec, hell, hell.....
myselfishgenes
says...
6:21pm Sun 21 Aug 11
Bladesboy Returns
says...
7:56pm Sun 21 Aug 11
multiple personality moron with no life wrote:Send us a post from the States, you waster. Interesting how with the benefit of hindsight and with delusion, people like you create and actually believe in an argument such as this. LOL
He's achieved more in his life than most of the slag off merchants that talk sh*t on here every day, a lot of electronic music wouldn't have come about without his influence. In their day Tubeway Army were a ground breaking band and he's made more tunes than just the 'Cars' single he is always judged by.
hubby
says...
8:15pm Sun 21 Aug 11
y,Norway,Sweden etc etc are all countries where family values are far more important than in the UK.
I chose Spain when my kids were seven.They are now 16,speak three languages and have grown up to respect their elders,the law and their teachers.
They may well have been the same had we stayed and they had gone to Longhill.I can't prove oyherwise of course.From what I have seen and heard though we did the right thing.
Bladesboy Returns
says...
8:27pm Sun 21 Aug 11
hubby wrote:Lets hope their 'learned' skills are stronger than yours.
He didn't have to move to the US.France,Spain,Ital
y,Norway,Sweden etc etc are all countries where family values are far more important than in the UK.
I chose Spain when my kids were seven.They are now 16,speak three languages and have grown up to respect their elders,the law and their teachers.
They may well have been the same had we stayed and they had gone to Longhill.I can't prove oyherwise of course.From what I have seen and heard though we did the right thing.
Bladesboy Returns
says...
8:27pm Sun 21 Aug 11
hubby wrote:Lets hope their 'learned' skills are stronger than yours.
He didn't have to move to the US.France,Spain,Ital
y,Norway,Sweden etc etc are all countries where family values are far more important than in the UK.
I chose Spain when my kids were seven.They are now 16,speak three languages and have grown up to respect their elders,the law and their teachers.
They may well have been the same had we stayed and they had gone to Longhill.I can't prove oyherwise of course.From what I have seen and heard though we did the right thing.
multiple personality moron with no life
says...
9:14pm Sun 21 Aug 11
Bladesboy Returns wrote:how am i a waster? it's not with hindsight that i make my comment, im old enough to remember Tubeway Army when they released the Replicas album and have seen and heard the pathetic, rubbish and poor quality dross that has since been accepted by your generation as music. you show your immaturity and young age by calling me a waster because you have no decent argument and because you say LOL. grown ups fill the gaps with proper words. it's time you put your dummy back in your mouth and got your nappy changed.
multiple personality moron with no life wrote:Send us a post from the States, you waster. Interesting how with the benefit of hindsight and with delusion, people like you create and actually believe in an argument such as this. LOL
He's achieved more in his life than most of the slag off merchants that talk sh*t on here every day, a lot of electronic music wouldn't have come about without his influence. In their day Tubeway Army were a ground breaking band and he's made more tunes than just the 'Cars' single he is always judged by.
Rita Snatch
says...
9:19pm Sun 21 Aug 11
hubby wrote:Spanish girls are so rude! They refuse to follow polite requests, they are arrogant and obnoxious. How can you say that the Spanish behaviour is superior to any other nationality - including British? You need to open your eyes and ears matey!!!
He didn't have to move to the US.France,Spain,Ital
y,Norway,Sweden etc etc are all countries where family values are far more important than in the UK.
I chose Spain when my kids were seven.They are now 16,speak three languages and have grown up to respect their elders,the law and their teachers.
They may well have been the same had we stayed and they had gone to Longhill.I can't prove oyherwise of course.From what I have seen and heard though we did the right thing.
Heath Herb
says...
9:36pm Sun 21 Aug 11
ScotlandTheBrave
says...
11:18pm Sun 21 Aug 11
MPC1000 wrote:Actually they compare the CITY figures with the DISTRICT of Wealden NOT with the village of Waldron, excellent investigative reading sunshine!
Sigh.... You lot are hilarious - someone has the temerity to criticise the UK (the same country you slag off every day) - how dare they!?
I would imagine that the point he's making is that even in his little village there are now feral youth, and he's had enough!
If I had the money I'd be off too. And excellent investigative journalism - comparing the crime figures from the CITY of Santa Monica with the VILLAGE of Waldron. Priceless..
wippasnapper
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11:57pm Sun 21 Aug 11
Wivvy Dave
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12:15am Mon 22 Aug 11
themachman
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5:36am Mon 22 Aug 11
themachman
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5:39am Mon 22 Aug 11
left UK
says...
9:15am Mon 22 Aug 11
Laws are to soft in the UK, so hence, no respect.
anonymous coward
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9:38am Mon 22 Aug 11
What a ****.
anonymous coward
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9:40am Mon 22 Aug 11
What a ****.
birthofanorange
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10:56am Mon 22 Aug 11
Ashles
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12:03pm Mon 22 Aug 11
That's naive to the point of idiocy.
Go live there if you like the climate or the atmosphere or the ocean - but it's quite ridciulous to assume there won't ever be any trouble there at all.
I wonder where he'll run to next if there is any trouble within 40 miles of Santa Monica?
Mullet Man
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12:36pm Mon 22 Aug 11
Skidrow
says...
12:58pm Mon 22 Aug 11
5:39am Mon 22 Aug 11
The population of Santa Monica is 90,000 (US 2010 Census). The population of the entire Disctrict of Waldron is 11,500 (2007 Census). Your comparisons of the two are amusing. Santa Monica is remarkably safe. With Hollywood, Rodeo Drive, movie studios to do soundtracks, TV studios and some of the best venues in the world, Numan will have more access to advance his career than ever before, without the high taxes or risk of staying bored in Waldron.
Er... Surely the comparisons were made by Numan, as was the choice to live in Waldron in the first place?
Tailgaters Anonymous
says...
1:16pm Mon 22 Aug 11
SaudiMail
says...
1:57pm Mon 22 Aug 11
Archer Maggott wrote:So literacy isn't his strong point.
Mullet Man wrote:What he actually said was:
A simpler solution for him would be to sleep in his vehicle if is biggest hit was anything to go by, as he very clearly stated "here in my car, I feel safest of all"
Here in my car
I feel safest of all
I can lock all my doors
It's the only way to live
In cars
Here in my car
I can only receive
I can listen to you
It keeps me stable for days
In cars
Here in my car
Where the image breaks down
Will you visit me please?
If I open my door
In cars
Here in my car
I know I've started to think
About leaving tonight
Although nothing seems right
In cars
Here in my car
I see order break down
So I'm leaving this town
for Santa Monica
In cars
Gazza
says...
2:42pm Mon 22 Aug 11
I can see Russell topping himself over this sad news so I hope Gary will sit down again with his family and think hard about moving abroad and may be save a life.
I remember back in the late 70’s early 80’s Mod’s, Punks, Rockers all having a good punch up at the local disco’s over music tastes then all meeting up together in the pub later on that evening for a pint and a joke. Then the new romantics would turn up in the pub wearing their highly polished shoes, black suites and holding a new released 12-inch single under their arms from a new band they saw on Thursday evenings Top Of The Pops introduced by Simon Bates (Thompson Twins) Yeah.. The talking point on this band was ‘’ are they twins’ I’ve heard there not twins but triplets. Then along came Howard Jones. The talking point about Howard was’ is he related to Miss Jones from rising damp.
Are ‘’ Not Friend. Rioters… song
It's dangerous outside
And the foul language peeling off their tongues
There's hoodies outside
In long hoodies, grey snood, smoking a joint
Now the happiness fades out
And I'm wondering what I'm doing in a county like this
There's a kick on the door
And just for a second I thought I was safe
So now I'm scared
Now I can’t think for my family
About walking country lanes
And *issues*
And things that I just don't understand
Like looting all night
Or rioting and arson all the time
I don't think human life means anything to them
So I bolted the door
pushed the panic alarm button’’ in the hallway
"locked the family in the safe room"
A mobile phone screen lit a shadow on a wall near the bed
You know I hate what’s happening
But, `Rioters' are sc-m?
Society’s broke down
And now I've no one to love ‘’but my family
If I find out your reason
For the rioting and hate
And it hurts
And I'm angry
And I should never have stayed
And I missed the good times
So it's time to leave
You see my family means everything to me
clarkebrighton
says...
2:59pm Mon 22 Aug 11
WELL PAST HE'S SELL BY DATE !!
WHO CARES NOT NEWSWORTHY.
Grendel
says...
6:33pm Mon 22 Aug 11
hubby
says...
10:12pm Mon 22 Aug 11
Bladesboy Returns wrote:Yours are so good you repeated yourself.LOL.
hubby wrote: He didn't have to move to the US.France,Spain,Ital y,Norway,Sweden etc etc are all countries where family values are far more important than in the UK. I chose Spain when my kids were seven.They are now 16,speak three languages and have grown up to respect their elders,the law and their teachers. They may well have been the same had we stayed and they had gone to Longhill.I can't prove oyherwise of course.From what I have seen and heard though we did the right thing.Lets hope their 'learned' skills are stronger than yours.
I suppose another option would have been Tideway.That bastion of education and etiquette.
Spanish children are far,far better behaved and have much better manners than British thugs.
My experience is ten years living in Spain.I am guessing that yours is ten minutes at a bus stop near to Churchill Square.
Simon seagull
says...
9:54am Tue 23 Aug 11
lfcrule1972
says...
1:04pm Tue 23 Aug 11
Mysterious and spooky,
They’re all together ooky,
Gary and Gemma Numan!
From: http://starcasm.net/
archives/21248
Now they are off to Santa Monica, I think they will fit in just fine...
mickage
says...
1:54am Wed 24 Aug 11
Plus those horrible little grubby English chavs are disgusting. He won't have any contact with people like that in santa Monica.
MuammarQaddafi
says...
3:44am Wed 24 Aug 11
mickage wrote:No, but he might become a neighbour of Christian Bale, who is known to have a short way with wallies.
He could have just said he's leaving because Waldron is stultifyingly boring and and Santa Monica will be so much more fun, with more sun and L.A. energy and you can fly back & visit England a couple of times a year for old times sake.
Plus those horrible little grubby English chavs are disgusting. He won't have any contact with people like that in santa Monica.
I thought
says...
5:50pm Thu 25 Aug 11
SaudiMail wrote:Love the last verse!
Archer Maggott wrote:So literacy isn't his strong point.
Mullet Man wrote:What he actually said was:
A simpler solution for him would be to sleep in his vehicle if is biggest hit was anything to go by, as he very clearly stated "here in my car, I feel safest of all"
Here in my car
I feel safest of all
I can lock all my doors
It's the only way to live
In cars
Here in my car
I can only receive
I can listen to you
It keeps me stable for days
In cars
Here in my car
Where the image breaks down
Will you visit me please?
If I open my door
In cars
Here in my car
I know I've started to think
About leaving tonight
Although nothing seems right
In cars
Here in my car
I see order break down
So I'm leaving this town
for Santa Monica
In cars
Bladesboy Returns
says...
10:47pm Thu 25 Aug 11
hubby wrote:If life is so good in Spain then why are you trying to remain in contact with the life, I presume, you wanted to leave behind?
Bladesboy Returns wrote:Yours are so good you repeated yourself.LOL.
hubby wrote: He didn't have to move to the US.France,Spain,Ital y,Norway,Sweden etc etc are all countries where family values are far more important than in the UK. I chose Spain when my kids were seven.They are now 16,speak three languages and have grown up to respect their elders,the law and their teachers. They may well have been the same had we stayed and they had gone to Longhill.I can't prove oyherwise of course.From what I have seen and heard though we did the right thing.Lets hope their 'learned' skills are stronger than yours.
I suppose another option would have been Tideway.That bastion of education and etiquette.
Spanish children are far,far better behaved and have much better manners than British thugs.
My experience is ten years living in Spain.I am guessing that yours is ten minutes at a bus stop near to Churchill Square.
Interestingly, I have property in Spain and simply let it, rather than use it - not a great investment based on recent market movements - however I would rather enjoy good old Brighton and don't find the need to contribute inane comments on to the Spanish web sites.
I travel extensively for pleasure purposes and you remind me of some of the people I met recently in Oz, who found that since emigrating from the UK the grass was not greener.
Perhaps you should review your life, however in the interim, why don't you find an online forum where your comments may be useful?
I thought
says...
11:57pm Thu 25 Aug 11
In Santa-a-moni CAR Do Do Dodo DO DO
I must go for a Drive tomorrow..
papa_melons
says...
10:07am Fri 26 Aug 11
I thought wrote:alternatively, step away from the hallucinogenics
I find myself singing CARS! at random moments since reading this and the comments and even that made up last line..
In Santa-a-moni CAR Do Do Dodo DO DO
I must go for a Drive tomorrow..
pebble counter
says...
11:57pm Fri 26 Aug 11
pebble counter
says...
11:57pm Fri 26 Aug 11
MPC1000
says...
11:37am Tue 30 Aug 11
Is it true you now hate England and want to leave?
No, that’s utter rubbish. I love England and I love being English. I think this has come about from some rather off the mark misquotes being printed when I talked recently about possibly moving to America. I have never been abused in my local high street, which I think one newspaper quoted me as saying, I’ve never had any trouble of any kind since I’ve lived here in Sussex and I’ve been here for many years now. But, I am thinking about moving to America.
I do worry about the way England is changing and, because I love it so much, it’s quite painful to witness some of those changes. We do have something of a thug culture. I see it when I tour and when I travel around the country with the family. Gangs everywhere, roaming the streets drunk and loud, violence and unpleasantness seems to have reached even the quietist country villages and just a gentle walk with your children seems to have an element of uncertainty about it. My wife was recently out with our three young children and was surrounded by a gang of teenagers loudly telling her what they’d like to do to her sexually. It didn’t seem to matter that she was with a 7, 5 and 4 year old, all frightened and upset. This seems a common thing, all over the country. In some places even worse, with beatings and stabbings a daily occurrence.
And then we have the recent riots. It makes us look like a country of ignorant savages, beating up people already injured, pretending to help while stealing their things, hitting old men, killing them. It’s disgusting. Is this the best place to bring up three little girls? Two years ago I wouldn’t have entertained the thought of moving anywhere else but now I’m not so sure.
Added to that I have a career to think about. As I grow older I need to think about what I do with my musical future. A move into film work seems an obvious step in the coming years but in the UK we have no meaningful film industry to speak of. Certainly not one big enough to be able to give me a meaningful career as a music writer for films. So, where does give you the opportunities to consider that as a realistic option?
I have made no firm decision about leaving the UK but the thugs and the riots are helping me towards one. Leaving here would be the hardest thing but it’s not only me I have to consider. I have a family and, to be perfectly honest, I would move them to the moon if I thought it would give them a better life. Everything I do is towards giving them the best life I can. If I see somewhere that seems safer, happier and will give them a better life than the UK, I’l take them there if I possibly can.
*Kitty*
says...
7:32am Wed 31 Aug 11
I thought
says...
4:15pm Wed 31 Aug 11
MPC1000 wrote:Excellent post, in the Good Ol Days (and indeed in Newspapers) They would have contacted Mr Numan to ascertain whether this story was true or an Anna (complete tosh..) as it is known or even LOOMES (As above but poorly written and so wide of the mark as to be surreal) before printing. Alas! Those days (for the Argus) are long gone..
From his own site:
Is it true you now hate England and want to leave?
No, that’s utter rubbish. I love England and I love being English. I think this has come about from some rather off the mark misquotes being printed when I talked recently about possibly moving to America. I have never been abused in my local high street, which I think one newspaper quoted me as saying, I’ve never had any trouble of any kind since I’ve lived here in Sussex and I’ve been here for many years now. But, I am thinking about moving to America.
I do worry about the way England is changing and, because I love it so much, it’s quite painful to witness some of those changes. We do have something of a thug culture. I see it when I tour and when I travel around the country with the family. Gangs everywhere, roaming the streets drunk and loud, violence and unpleasantness seems to have reached even the quietist country villages and just a gentle walk with your children seems to have an element of uncertainty about it. My wife was recently out with our three young children and was surrounded by a gang of teenagers loudly telling her what they’d like to do to her sexually. It didn’t seem to matter that she was with a 7, 5 and 4 year old, all frightened and upset. This seems a common thing, all over the country. In some places even worse, with beatings and stabbings a daily occurrence.
And then we have the recent riots. It makes us look like a country of ignorant savages, beating up people already injured, pretending to help while stealing their things, hitting old men, killing them. It’s disgusting. Is this the best place to bring up three little girls? Two years ago I wouldn’t have entertained the thought of moving anywhere else but now I’m not so sure.
Added to that I have a career to think about. As I grow older I need to think about what I do with my musical future. A move into film work seems an obvious step in the coming years but in the UK we have no meaningful film industry to speak of. Certainly not one big enough to be able to give me a meaningful career as a music writer for films. So, where does give you the opportunities to consider that as a realistic option?
I have made no firm decision about leaving the UK but the thugs and the riots are helping me towards one. Leaving here would be the hardest thing but it’s not only me I have to consider. I have a family and, to be perfectly honest, I would move them to the moon if I thought it would give them a better life. Everything I do is towards giving them the best life I can. If I see somewhere that seems safer, happier and will give them a better life than the UK, I’l take them there if I possibly can.
The Argus,, Do not read it you are uninformed
Read it you are misinformed.
Kemptownist
says...
9:57am Fri 2 Sep 11
Kemptownist
says...
9:57am Fri 2 Sep 11
still waiting says...
1:06pm Sun 21 Aug 11