I Dream of Wires

For Gary Numan's 1980 album Telekon, he channelled his anger and frustration when dealing with the harsh words of the music press of the time. But he was also still inspired by the sci-fi writings of Philip K Dick.

For the album track 'I Dream of Wires', Gary imagines a man who was once called 'The Sparkle', and is now the last electrician alive. It's a fascinating idea for a futuristic story, and is pure Gary Numan.

This episode looks at the writing and meaning of the song, its brilliant cover version by Robert Palmer and more.

Clips used:

• Gary Numan - 'I Dream of Wires'
• Robert Palmer - 'I Dream of Wires'
• Gary Numan - 'I Dream of Wires' (live, 1981)
• Gary Numan - (R)Evolution (audiobook)