I wonder if John ever read The City and the Stars by Arthur C Clarke?

I've just started reading it for the second time after a gap of six years. I first read this book in the summer of 2001. I'm not a big reader, but when I get into a book, then I really get into it, and this was no exception. More visual than any science-fiction move I've ever seen and more atmospheric than my wildest dreams of the future, The City and the Stars had a profound effect on me. I've based many of my songs around scenarios from the book.

But what is extra special about it to me, is the fact I associate it with Metamatic. I think I was in the middle of the book when the Edsel reissues came out – and this was the first time I had heard the album.

The futuristic cityscapes and tiny details that many of the songs on Metamatic focus on just seemed to match so perfectly with elements of the book; most significantly the first half of the story, which is city-bound (and ridiculously ahead of its time - it was written in the 50s).

I doubt very much that John was thinking of this novel when he wrote the album, but for me, the connection, albeit most likely by coincidence, is just so amazing.

The book always makes me think of the album – and vice-versa.

Well worth a read.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Alex S:
I doubt very much that John was thinking of this novel when he wrote the album


I wouldn't be at all surprised.
Not read it myself, but it sounds exactly the kind of thing that could be regarded as an influence.
He may not have been thinking of it directly, but oftentimes things permeate our conscience and we refer to them later, without having a clue where they came from.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_City_and_the_Stars

Info about the book here and a picture of the cover by Chris Moore, which I love...

Actually, I should retract my earlier statement of John probably not having read that particular book! Knowing John's love of literature - especially such a highly regarded novel in its genre - he probably did read this one, perhaps when he was young.

Listening to "This City" this morning, and so much of it relates perfectly to the book.

It needs to be made into a film. With a John Foxx soundtrack

It's strange how music and literature can be forever intertwined with each other - dependent on when you first encountered them. I remember (many years ago) someone lent me a copy of the William S Burroughs book Naked Lunch as well as the Brian Eno and David Byrne album My Life in the Bush of Ghosts .

Even now, all these years later, there's no way that I can read any of the Naked Lunch without motifs from America is Waiting, Jezebel Spirit and / or Mea Culpa coming to mind...

Rob

Hmm, I can easily imagine the effect My Life in the Bush of Ghosts had on you whilst reading Naked Lunch!!

I might have mentioned this before, but not long after I bought My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, I had a rather disturbing nightmare, and throughout the last part of the dream before I woke, the track "Regiment" was playing non-stop, getting louder.

I've always felt slightly uncomfortable with that track ever since.

No will whatsoever. No will whatsoever.

I read The City And The Stars on my holiday after reading Alex's posting. I agree with everything Alex has written. A wonderful atmospheric book, full of suspense, fear, discovery etc.

I particularly liked Arthur's take on the Jesus/religious theory which appeared about halfway through the book.

Other sci-fi novels I read were, Philip K. Dick's UBIK & FLOW MY TEARS THE POLICEMAN SAID. Now I know where Philip Oakey got the name JASON TAVERNER from.

Ilektrik!
Flow my Tears is one of my absolute favourite novels,it would make an amazing film.Ive always chuckled to myself over the years re:The Future using Jason Taverner's name!!Wondered how many people got the joke.
Also Mr Gary Webb used the line "Flow my tears the new Police song" in an early Tubeway Army song-I think its Listen to the Sirens

It was indeed 'Listen To The Sirens' and is the very first line from Numans 'Tubeway Army' album from '78.

I was sad to finsh reading The City and the Stars recently. This was only the second time I had read it and it was so much better than I remembered it - and I already loved it!

It is such a visual book.

I've recently been in touch with artist Chris Moore who painted the amazing cityscape on the book cover, and I ordered an A2 signed print of it - which looks wonderful

Too bad the book han't been made into a film yet... although it's so epic it would go on for hours!

I've since started to read Philip K Dick's "The Penultimate Truth", but so far I'm finding it a difficult read.

A lot of the lyrics from 'Tubeway Army' and 'Replicas' were taken from 'Naked Lunch' and 'Nova Express' also. It was Numan's love for these books that got me reading them. I started reading Ballard becuase of all the mentions he got in almost every interview with Foxx in the 80s (mostly from the interviewer/reviewer rather than Foxx repeating himself).

Without Sylvian, I probably wouldn't of had read Satre, looked closely at Chagall or Picasso, No Foxx - no Duchamp, Surrealism, Psychedelia, Ernst, Ballard, Auster, No Numan - no Burroughs etc etc,

Isn't it strange, when you think back, where our REAL education came from?

My 300th post! wo-hoo! where's the champagne? Hmmm....think I'll nip down the pub during lunch for a swift Guinness

I'm having the same problem with Philip K.Dick novel VALIS. I've had the book for 3 years or so & everytime I try & read it I find that I'm just not in the mood for it.

How did I miss this thread?
I have read and reread all of Arthur C. Clarke's novels and they are classics.
Alex, if you get the chance read Childhood's End. probably my favorite.

As for Philip K. Dick, he is one of my all time favorite authors and have read all of his work numerous times. His recurring themes of government intrusion, paranoia and loss of identity that permeate all of his work are particularly relevant today. He was underappreciated while he was alive and I am glad to see that more people (and Hollywood, for better or worse)are taking notice of him.

And I had read Flow My Tears The Policeman Said years prior, so can you imagine the look on my face when I heard Gary Numan singing those words!

I think I discovered PKD shortly before I discovered Numan, and I'm pretty sure I picked up on that reference.

Anyone remember Future Life? It was a more science and space-oriented spinoff from Starlog Magazine in the late 1970s (originally just called Future). In 1980 they had an article on Numan, looking at the SF elements in his music, and if you scroll down a little you can read it on this web page .