1996 marks the 10th Anniversary of the formation line-up changes.
line-up changes. "Oh, I think what happened," Gordon oflerc, " is that when you start
of Vancouveq British Columbia's terror-
tech masters, NUMB. So, why haven't
i! you ever heard of them hefore? since the
,g rclease of their debut limited-edition cassette, Blue Light , n
$ tStZ; Numb, and it's central creative force, Don Gordon, has
:;n lived in the shadows of local boys Skinny Prppy and Front
ii , Line Assembly. Equally as innovative as their Canandian
l' , counterparts, but lacking big-label support, Numb has
released five records on five different record
companies and has lived an existence of commercial
obscurity almost as bleak and foreboding as the music they
create. Cyberlogue caught up with Gordon before
N "( In regards to the variance in release dates) the up side to having that down time
NYC performance as part of the national Hard l{ired Tour,
N
featuring Die Krupps and Front Line Assembly. Much
!
i:..r smaller in person than the menacing menevolent monster
i:l
:j
suggested by his powerful perrcussive compositions, he
!:
openly and freely shed some light on the band's otherwise
.., dark world. Posessing sincere humility and self-assur-
ance, Cordon calmly accepts the hand Numb's been dealt.
"(Being a lesser-known band) doesn't phase me,"
Gordon admits. " I'm not siitting around feeeling like the
world has passed me by. It's more a thing of, you know,
some bad business decisions were made along the way.
When the first album came out, Third Mind Records and
New Rose werc both interested (in releasing the record).
Third Mind was a fledgling label at the time and New Rose
was a little more well -known, so it seemed like a wise deci-
sion (to sign to New Rose) at the time. Now, it's
obvious that Third Mind would have been better. But, we
couldn't have predicted they'd become so big..!'
The current re-release of Numb's classic sophomore
full-length album, Christmeister, on Metropolis Records
marks a circular conclusion to a past filled with adversity.
During a five-record spary Numb has employed no less than
three separate vocalists. Original singer Sean St. Hubbs left after
the self-titled debut, but--symbolizing the band's unpredictable
nature--has retumed to the fray as the drummer on their currcnt
tour. Vocalist Blair Dobson teamed with founding members
Gordon and Dave Flall (the original guitarist, who has also since
departed) fot Chistmeister. Considered by many to be Numb's crowning nxorded
achievement, the pressures and commitment of creating and recording their third mani-
festo, inevitably proved too much for Dobson, who left
shortly after its completion. Originally released by New Rose in fanuary 1990,
Christmeister is an unnerving sonic exploration, riddled with experimentalism,
and flushed out by driving guitar noise and rhythmic percussion. Surging towards the
top of U.S. and intemational dance charts, the title track and the follow-up, Bliss,
proved to be Numb's first viable forays into the industrial dance scene.
into these things, you think you're starting as a band. t think the one
thing that became obvious to me very fast (is that) people's abilities
or inabilities to make a committment change over time such that it's
not realistic to think you're going to hold on to somebody for
1... an
r
extended period of time."
When it is suggested that the band's wrstable line-up, coupled
. with the temporary nature of past label affililiations and the well-
,
i.
. documented down time between their records' Canadian, European
-both
and eventual domestic issue date, has negatively affected
the sales and visibility of Numb; Cordon provides an altemative
.* assessmmt of his situation.
" I ttlink the reason the band's never happened in the U.S.," Cordon responds,
,,is
because we never had a label that's been able to top (the records) with money.
I'M not talking about large sums of money, just to buy enough advertising.
between the records is that I think that I've been able to realize a series of recordings
that stand the test of time and are good cds to throw on and actually listen to all the
way through; as opposed to a collection of singles or a collection of dance tracks." Gordon
continues, "I'm really proud of the fact that they're like that. If somebody wants to get
high and listen to this thing, it'll take their head places. It's been like that since day one
and that's always been important to me.
"Besides, I think that a lot of that is starting to change," Cordon elaborates.
"(Metropolis Records--Numb's most recent label) has already made an offer on the next
record, and the album's not even recorded yet."
"So, I have a feeling that these things are gonna change," Coldon smiles.
The clever Canadian experimental-noise-monger has reason to be happy.
Participating in the Spring's Hard Wired Tour has exposed Numb to a wide national audi-
ence, something their previous lack of touring
prevented. Althoughit will take weeks to calculate thc effects on
record sales, the band's consistent visibility can yield only
positive results. Additionally, perhaps for the first time ever, Gordon has
aligned himself with a label that is not only proficient in the genre, but
also prepared for and capable of the sort of
publicity campaign that a band of this nature necessitates.
Having persevered for the past ten years, creating abrasive
aural soundscapes that are, at once, eerie and enticing; Don Cordon
has established himself as a true innovator in the intemational
industrial undergnrund. Iust perhaps, the resounding critical
acclaim gamered by last Fall's, Wasted Sky, and the recent reissue of
the classic Christnuister album, may finally be enough kr expose
State-side Rivet Heads to the beauty of being Numb.
tend)
/ / transmissron .../ / /..