THE MYSTERY OF ZUMA RECORDS CLICK ICONS TO ENLARGE.
LOVE, YOU MADE A FOOL OF ME RELEASED 1984
CREDITS	LYRICS
COMMENTARY
Zuma-Numa-ZOOM	Broken Hearts Club
The Nicholson Brother	Zuma: The Evidence
The Radio Heart Band	Three Scenarios
The Radio Heart Album	Concluding Remarks
ZOOM 4  7 INCH VINYL 45 R.P.M. ZUMA RECORDS, 1984 CLICK THE HIGHLIGHTED SONGS TO HEAR A SAMPLE A 4:37 LOVE, YOU MADE A FOOL OF ME B 3:06 I WONDER IF I'M MAKING IT All tracks written and produced by Hugh Nicholson Produced by David Nicholson Published by Catrine Music Recorded at Rock City Studios, Shepperton, Middlesex,U.K. Marketed and distributed by Precision Records & Tapes Ltd. Zuma Records 37 Richmond Hill Court Richmond Hill Surrey, England LAST UPDATED AUGUST 27, 2006
Click the icons to enlarge. Every now and again, another perplexing mystery scuttles out from the pre-dawn of Numa records.  Not that every act on the label didn't possess its certain share of rumor and occasional legerdemain.  Some, however, are as tantalizing as the face on Mars--and with explanations sometimes equally mundane.  This particular Numa enigma was first brought to my attention in early 2005 by Lewis Llewellyn, a moderator on the AFEnet forum, who spotted this single for auction on eBay:  Hugh Nicholson's "Love, You Made A Fool Of Me" b/w "I Wonder If I'm Making It" (Zuma Records 1984 ZOOM 4). While the B-side track would later be included in two CD compilations by the band that originally composed it (see below), the A-side track is a first-time release unique to Nicholson as a solo artist. Before discussing the controversial features of the single, permit me to outline a little bit o' history about its songwriter and the controversial Numan - Nicholson alliance. Experienced music entrepreneur Matt Nicholson, one of three brothers in the Nicholson music family, was hired by Gary Numan and his father Tony Webb in 1983 and charged with the general oversight of the newly forged Numa Records as well as the job of shepherding the budding Numa acts.  Together the triad formed the label's management team for the next two years, virtually until Numa reorganized to become a label exclusive to Gary Numan's releases.
In the previous decade, though, Matt Nicholson managed his two musically talented brothers and their cohort, musician-songwriter Ian McMillan, in a successful band calling itself Blue.  Launched in 1973, Blue capitalized on the Elton John sound to create a kind of hybridized folk rock.  Recognizing their potential, Elton John signed the group to his own label, Rocket Records, and now and again secretly produced some of their work.  By the time Blue had released their third album on the Rocket label, Another Night Time Flight (subtitled "The Elton John Years,"), there was virtually nothing clandestine about Sir Elton's contributions, as the album openly co-credits producers Clive Franks and Elton John, the latter also performing backing vocals on some of the tracks under the pseudonym Redget Buntaven.  (I did say "virtually nothing.") menu
Although reports are somewhat sketchy, it appears that sometime during his tenure with Numa records, Matt Nicholson pitched the idea of a collaboration between his brothers and Gary Numan, perhaps as a personal favor to Matt.  This may also be where some rationale for these strange bedfellows begins to coalesce: both men held an abiding respect for the spirit of stewardship in the music business, the integrity of the verbal contract, and the wisdom of creative non-interference that seemed to characterize the music scene of the 70s with its own brand of noblesse oblige. Just as the Nicholsons had been mentored by Elton John and might have now sought to "pay it forward," Gary similarly expressed his desire to honor the many people who helped launch his career by creating a label that would play the role of big sibling to a number of little groups and artists needing a bit of guidance and an opportunity to show their quality.   Additionally, both men were keenly experienced in running the business of a musical family (with Nicholson possessing just a few years more experience than the Webbs).   With such similar history behind them, it's no wonder why Matt Nicholson found a home at Numa, and why the nepotism of promoting his own brothers did not rouse suspicions.  However, a compatible management style between the Webbs and the Nicholsons could not guarantee a compatible musical style between Gary and Hugh. Consequently, the fruits of their musical collaboration, Radio Heart, were far from financially successful.  Released in 1986 on the NBR label (Nicholson Brothers Records), Radio Heart, a self-titled EP masquerading as a full album, was actually a loose confederation of session musicians hired by the Nicholsons to perform a number of up-tempo renditions of original compositions by Hugh.  In Peter Gilman's recorded biography Images (Volume 9), Gary Numan explains exactly how he came to be involved with Hugh Nicholson and Radio Heart: menu
GN: It started when Numa [Records] finished.  Matt Nicholson, who used to run it, left and went off to start his own little thing.  His brothers were songwriters .  .  .  They wrote some songs, and "Radio Heart" was the main one of them, and they got me to do the vocal on it.  What Matt said was going to happen was, he was going to get all the top session players in-- [laughter] top this and top that-- [laughter] and do it, and I was going to come in and do the vocals.  And what it actually turned out to be was .  .  .  I mean, they were all ever such nice people.  Matt's brothers did most of the recording of it, and then Tim Summerhayes, who was engineering it--who worked with me before--said, "This really isn't happening."  [laughter]  "You'll have to get someone in to bring it up to date.  And so they did.  They got Ade Orange in, who'd since--or already had been, actually, even by that point, a part of the band--and he came in and really saved it, and did a brilliant job of it.  And that's the version I heard.  And so I went in and did the singing, and it all started with that, really.  I can't remember exactly why we got involved.  It was a little bit like the Sharpe-Numan thing, in a way.  It was an attempt to get to a different kind of an audience that wouldn't necessarily listen to my stuff, for whatever reason. PG: Did you agree to make a Radio Heart album? GN: No.  What we said was, "You write the songs that you want to be on it, and what we'll do is, have a listen to those songs, see what ones we like, and we'll do the ones that we like, and other people can do the others."  And it would be a bit of a collection, really, of various singers.  And when we heard the songs that they wanted us to do, I wasn't particularly keen on them--all of them--but I'd done three singles when it actually came time to talk about the album with them.  The first one had done reasonably well, the second hadn't.  And I really didn't like them [the songs], as I said, so we said, "Well, we're only really happy with the three songs that we've done."  And the next thing you heard was that the album was out, and it had a great big picture of me on the front.
Fan reaction to Radio Heart was the most negative it had ever been, and the Nicholson brothers would be quickly branded as the musical team responsible for the least Gary Numan-like album of his career (with Numan's own Machine and Soul usurping that position six years later). menu
Given the fast turnaround of the project, one senses that the Nicholsons perhaps called in a favor in order to feature Elton John's keyboard virtuosity on one of the tracks.  (For the record, these are not the same tracks on which Gary performs.)  And, following a slough of singles releases in black vinyl, shaped and picture discs, promos and collector's editions, the Radio Heart album skulked its way onto the record racks like a gryphon at a cat shelter--one-half Hugh Nicholson (performing what must have been intended as guide vocals only), three-eighths Gary Numan (singing one of the most socialist songs of his career), and one-eighth Elton John (on piano looped into to the mix sometimes like an ill-fitting toupee).  Unfortunately, although Radio Heart was neither intended to be released as a Gary Numan album nor promoted as an Elton John collaboration, the sleeve artwork took the name-dropping a little too seriously and the album had to be withdrawn after a few legal short-hairs were tugged.  It's not entirely known who was responsible for this mistake, and we should not be quick to judge Matt Nicholson, much less vilify him.  However, embarrassment has a more lasting effect than blame, and soon after the Radio Heart album was withdrawn Matt Nicholson broke ties with the Webbs never to reestablish them.  (Incidentally, nearly twenty years later, Matt would be embroiled in another music lawsuit, this time as plaintiff over the name of a boy band calling itself Blue.) Matt's departure didn't stop Hugh Nicholson from maintaining ties to Gary and keeping the dream of the Radio Heart project alive.  Over a decade later the album was properly released on CD under the attribution "Nicholson/Numan."  In the interim, however, Hugh and David Nicholson (the third brother) forged yet another, more successfully cooperative Numan-Nicholson venture using the moniker Dadadang; this produced in fact what many Numanoids consider their favorite Numan video:  "Like A Refugee," featuring Gary performing in front of masked drummers and staged on the battlements of Chitalta, Bergamo, Italy.  Initially released as a CD single, "Like A Refugee" was later included in a second incarnation of the Nicholson/Numan CD, this time called The Nicholson & Numan Sessions (1987 - 1994) and packed with bonus instrumental demo versions of the featured tracks.
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But, let's now rewind back to 1984, before that tortuous, decade-long journey into creative conflicts, legal entanglements and financial boondoggles.  A new seven-inch single has just been issued in a glossy jacket.  On its obverse side it is tastefully imprinted with minimalist artwork in green and gold, and occupying its utilitarian backside are the song lyrics to the title track.  Within, however, is a two-track vinyl 7-inch concealing a safely arranged slow-dance A-side with instrumental moments reminiscent of Roy Orbison and lyrical patches presaging the song "Radio Heart." The contrasting uptempo B-side is spared comparisons to mid-80s American sitcom themes only because of its crossover dance hall appeal; I confess, however, that I find myself humming Joey Scarbury's "Greatest American Hero" immediately afterward.  All in all, one might at first glance mistake this ZOOM 4 release for a garden variety Blue single having little to do with Numa Records except for what the well informed already know about Matt Nicholson.  However, several curious features stand out on closer scrutiny. Firstly, the single was marketed and distributed by PRT (Precision Records and Tapes Ltd.), the same distributor used by Gary Numan for the singles of the Numa artists and his own records and albums.  Granted, this is not compelling evidence of conspiracy unto itself, since PRT was not an exclusive distributor for the Numa releases.  However, given Matt Nicholson's involvement in Numa as a manager/producer, and given the timing of the release, the coincidence points to a strong likelihood that there is a close connection between the single and Numa Records.
Furthermore, there is the unmistakable similarity between Numa and Zuma, the latter made by simply tipping over the letter "N".  The first Zuma Records release, "Don't Wanna Make You Cry" b/w "Moonlight" (ZOOM 1) was actually a Blue single, and though some sources put the date of its release in 1982, others quite adamantly record its release as 1983, which would make it squarely coincide with the formation of Numa Records. Further coincidence is added by the fact that "Love, You Made a Fool Of Me" was recorded at Gary Numan's Rock City Studios in 1984, where virtually all the Numa artist singles were recorded; however, neither the single's label nor its sleeve make any mention of Gary Numan or the Webbs. Just as mystifying is the appearance of the stare-down insignia of the Numa Records label at the bottom of the reverse side of the sleeve, printed without any of the customary business information--contacts, phone numbers and addresses--issued on actual Numa releases.   The research into the background of this single raises more questions than it provides answers.  I've contacted Hugh Nicholson several times with an earnest invitation to comment on this single and his connections to Numa Records.  So far, no reply has been forthcoming.  However, Gary Numan does attest to the likable character of the Nicholson brothers, so any duplicity on their part seems improbable.
Matt Nicholson continued to maintain a website for the company he began after leaving Numa records, The Record Label, which is now completely inactive, following (perhaps coincidentally) the lawsuit and subsequent court settlement with boy band Blue. The Record Label website's major client was brother Hugh Nicholson and Hugh's band-mate from Blue, Ian McMillan.  On the business end of things, The Record Label website promoted past and current CD releases (including the Radio Heart material), upcoming performances, and music mastering and production services.  However, also featured on the site were a worthwhile history of Blue's legacy and an overview of the solo careers of Hugh and Ian.  Fans of Radio Heart and Gary Numan would have been especially interested in the site's Numan Scrapbook chronicling the Radio Heart releases and performances. Alas, with the dismantling of the site, these interesting resources have also been removed. More importantly, though, despite all that was thoroughgoing about The Record Label website, nowhere on it was there ever any mention of the ZOOM 4 Nicholson single, much less an explanation of Zuma Records or the use of the stare-down Numa insignia. Should anyone have information that would help to explain this single and its seeming resemblance to the Numa label, please contact me.  I'll be glad to credit you on this page for any and all information, pictures and media you care to share.  Write me at Karl.Sherlock@gcccd.edu. Thank you!
© 2006 – 2009 Karl Sherlock / Numa Records:  TFY menu
LYRICS
SIDE A LOVE, YOU MADE A FOOL OF ME LYRICS BY HUGH NICHOLSON Love, you made a fool of me. When I held out my arms You disappeared. Now at the end of each night I lie awake Wondering how long can I take it Till I break. It's not good for me. You'll never set me free. Love, why be so cruel to me. When I cry out your name You turn away. From the daybreak to the setting Of the sun (a setting sun leaves only one love) I keep thinking of the two of us as one. It's no good for me. You'll never set me free. Tears that fall from lovers' eyes Fall soft upon a lover's lies. No, tears can't wash away All the love, that struggles to be free From the pain inside of me. Love, you put a spell on me. You cast a shadow on everything I do. As I sit here wondering when you're gonna call I see your shadow creep across the empty wall. Guess I'll wait in vain. You'll never call my name.	SIDE B I WONDER IF I'M MAKING IT LYRICS BY HUGH NICHOLSON I don't want to be Believing anymore. I get sick to death Of people sayin' "yes" And showing me the door. Many other nights Stuck inside my room. Sticking little pins In all the silly things My mind inside of gloom. Fire in the night. Is everything all right? Every little spark Explodes into the dark. I wonder if I'm making it. I wonder if I'm taking it the right way. I'm too busy faking it. I'm wonderin' if I'm making it the right way. One day at a time. Oh, it doesn't seem to fit. Every single day Is wearing me away. It makes me want to quit. Fire in the night. Is everything all right? Every little spark Explodes into the dark. I wonder if I'm making it. I wonder if I'm taking it the right way. I'm too busy faking it. I'm wonderin' if I'm making it the right way. Somewhere in the dark I can see the light, Shining like a star Or a headlight of car That's driving through the night. And suddenly it storms And everything goes wrong. Every little thing Just ties me up with string. I wonder if I'm making it. I wonder if I'm taking it the right way. I'm too busy faking it. I'm wonderin' if I'm making it the right way. [repeat chorus]
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