Released November 1984

NU 5

7 inch vinyl 45 r.p.m.

NUM 5

12 inch vinyl 45 r.p.m.

Numan Music, 1984

CLICK THE HIGHLIGHTED SONGS TO HEAR A SAMPLE

SIDE A

§1 Pump Me Up [Extended] (6:09)

SIDE B

§1 The Picture (4:18)

§2 Pump Me Up [Edit] (4:00)

All tracks written by Gary Numan

Produced by Gary Numan

Caroline Munro, Vocals

Gary Numan, Keyboards and Backing Vocals

Rrussell Bell, Guitar

Martin Elliott, Bass

Tessa Niles, Backing Vocals

Pat Kyle, Saxophone

Mike Smith, PPG Wave

Ian Herron, PPG Wave

Paul Ashby, Sleeve Design

Recorded at Rock City Studios, Shepperton, Middlesex, England

Marketed and Distributed by Precision Records & Tapes Ltd.

ZIG20006 (Italian Remix)

12 inch vinyl 33 r.p.m.

Zig Zag Records, 1985

SIDE A

Pump Me Up Remix (5:45)

SIDE B

Pump Me Up Instrumental (4:45)

Written / Produced by Gary Numan

Caroline Munro, Vocals (Track A only)

Gary Numan, Keyboards and

Backing Vocals (Track A only)

Rrussell Bell, Guitar

Martin Elliott, Bass

Tessa Niles, Backing

Vocals (Track A only)

Pat Kyle, Saxophone

Mike Smith, PPG Wave

Ian Herron, PPG Wave

Paul Ashby, Sleeve Design

Rimini Studios, Italy

Concept Mix by Massimo Carpani

Remixed by Massimo Carpani

Mario Flores, Sound Engineer

LAST UPDATED 08 NOVEMBER 2008

Comments: Ex-bond girl and star of several Hammer horrors, Caroline Munro covered this

Gary Numan track (titled "Pump It Up" on the album Berserker) as part of her ongoing efforts

to ignite a recording career that began with her pilot effort at age sixteen, "Tar and

Cement" (b/w "This Sporting Life," DB 8189, 1967). This rare promo single was produced by

Mark Wirtz for EMI and featured Steve Howe of Yes and Eric Clapton, as well as Ginger Baker

and Jack Bruce of Cream. The b-side has a couple of noteworthy attributions as well:

progressive rock guitarist Steve Howe (Yes; Asia; Tomorrow) contributes his virtuoso skills, and

Bob Stanley (keyboardist and songwriter for Saint Etienne) compiled the recording. Because

the 7" vinyl record was one of the earliest efforts by Cream as well as Munro's first record, it is

now highly sought as a collectible treasure. For those less interested in their rarity and more

interested in their sound, however, both tracks off the single are readily available on CD,

most notably on the Dream Babes compilations.

In a collaboration with first husband, the American producer, actor and musician Hamilton

Judd, whom she married in 1970, Caroline released a scarce single on the RCA label, "Love

Songs" (b/w "Sound Of The Sun" RCA Victor PB5021 EX 1977). But it was not until several

years later, near the end of her impressive filmography of cult-status sci-fi/horror and

fantasy, that Munro rekindled her ties to the recording industry by appearing in two early

Eighties music videos: Adam Ant's 1982 "Goody Two Shoes" (as the coquettish reporter) and

Meatloaf's 1983 "If You Really Want To." Soon after, in 1984, Caroline's fianc__(c), director/

writer George Dugdale, was working on Edmund Purdum's holiday slasher, Don't Open 'Til

Christmas. (The movie's tagline read: "...t'was the night before Christmas, and all through

the house, not a creature was stirring...they were all dead!") In a bold cameo, Caroline was

invited to sing "Warrior of Love," which she co-wrote and which went on to receive nominal

attention as a disco club hit.

Hoping, then, that a record deal

with a cutting edge, new label like Numa would help to

her ride this momentum toward pop stardom, she

accepted Numan's offer to re-record the vocals for a song

from his recent album. Says Numan, "to be honest, I was

probably the wrong person to come to." Poor timing

coupled with some managerial inexperience put Munro's

record into immediate obscurity. As Numan now admits,

Numa Records at that time was already on unstable

ground due to a debacle with Radio One and its refusal

to play the singles from his Berserker album.

Regardless, Numan rarely tries to exonerate himself for

the label's stalled sales and unimpressive record of

promotion, particularly where his own recording is

concerned: "To be honest it's my failing, as the owner of

my own record label . . . Numa Records has never been a

very good label for selling Gary Numan records, and so,

the lack of awareness of my later work . . . is very much

down to me, I'm afraid. We do try very hard with Numa

but we don't have the money or the expertise to really

compete with proper labels." [To read the full Beggars

Banquet interview, click HERE.]

One might argue, then, that the general equanimity that existed at Numa Records between Gary Numan and acts

like Caroline Munro, Grey Parade and Steve Braun made the signed artists fare no better and no worse than

Numan, himself. However, one small showcase of Caroline's promotion that did reach Numan's audiences occurred

in 1984, during Numan's guest appearance on the U.K. television program The Main Attraction. While Gary's

performance of "This Is New Love" received a proper introduction from Lulu (the show's hostess), others in his

entourage received no mention whatsoever. Taking the place of Karen Taylor on backing vocals on that one

occasion was the Bond girl herself, Caroline Munro.

Prior to 1984, Caroline Munro graced at least half a dozen album covers for pop compilations in the U.K. and

Europe; ironically, none of these albums included her own recordings. (Click HERE for a full list of these albums.)

When her chance arrived on Numa Records, the sleeve to Caroline's single once again capitalized on her enduring

sex appeal as well as her recognizable status as Britain's leading B-movie bombshell, with science fiction films like

Starscrash still in the public's recent memory. The red PVC outfit, however, came at the insistence of Gary Numan,

himself. Munro confesses that her provocative posture on the cover is actually an

uncomfortable contortion, the result of her prohibitively restrictive dress that

allowed no movement of any kind, including walking. To this day Munro holds the

distinction of being the only female artist to be showcased on the Numa label

(excepting back-up vocalists Tessa Niles and Karen Taylor, the latter performing

lead vocals on another Numa single). Although this might have secured her status

as the label's token diva, it still would have been nice to see more female artists

promoted on Numa in the event the label had been more prosperous. Few would

disagree, though, that the cover image is consistent with the theme of the song

within and is one of the more memorable record sleeves from Numa.

In "Pump Me Up," Munro's vocal style easily compares with her American Norma

Jean counterpart, giving these lyrics about flesh machines a certain lurid

legitimacy. However, the music of the song doesn't mesh as well with Munro's

voice as one could have hoped. I take as evidence of that Numan's decision to

perform guest vocals in his own song. It seems an unfortunate choice of material

for a first effort with a new label, and a clear opportunity missed to pair her with

Steve Braun on "Love Could Be So Good." I think she could have done an equally

competent job as lead vocalist on John Webb's single, "Experiment of Love."

Ultimately, though, Munro does not quite make "Pump Me Up" her own song--a

cover version made too soon, and a song already too deeply engraved with the

insignia of Numan's own vocal style and lyrical themes.

The Massimo Carpani remix of the Zig Zag release,

"Pump Me Up," is a good alternative dance

arrangement to the Numa release, executed with the same Italian disco sensibility of

the "My Dying Machine" remix. And, like that other Carpani remix, the "Pump Me Up"

remix sports a fine instrumental version on the B-side that is more the Berserker album

version sans vocals. The record's disappointing engineering, however, sounds almost

monaural at times and begs for a digital remastering that, perhaps, will lead to its re-

release on CD at some point in the future. Of the original release and its remix, though,

only the regular NUM 5 single features the B-side track, "The Picture," written and

produced by Gary Numan and every bit a Numan ballad conceived in the style of "Empty

Bed, Empty Heart."

Munro sings feelingfully on this moody and remarkably raw song. The effect is a

credible and very moving ballad whose lyrical content is made all the more interesting

because its musical style is more tailored to Munro's voice. Martin Elliott's bass solo is brilliant in its soulfulness and

completes the ballad like the languid couplet at the end of a sonnet. There are rumors that Gary Numan has

morgued a version of "The Picture" on which he performs the vocals. (Would, that the Powers That Be could see fit

to release this as a bonus track at some juncture!) It is my feeling that Munro's version would nevertheless set the

standard for the song.

Caroline Munro Dugdale (her full name since her marriage to George

Dugdale in 1988) indulged in a minor hiatus from her career in order to

raise her two children; however, she still makes appearances in film and

television, The Absence of Light in 2004 being her most recent. Her

appeal as a celebrity of cult horror continues to garner the greatest

interest. Although Munro declined the eponymous role of the 1996

Roger Corman film, Vampirella, because of its scenes of gratuitous

nudity, she nonetheless popularized the image with a series of sexy

glamour photos; in consequence of these and her involvement in the

1974 cheeseball Hammer classic, Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter, she

became one of the featured celebrities of the 1997 Vampyria

convention at the Hippodrome in London, appearing alongside Inkubus

Sukkubus, a popular pagan goth band in the U.K. Munro continues to

maintain a modest recording career in her own right, but in stark

contrast to Inkubus Sukkubus with songs like "Everything I Need," a

Country Western ballad. In fact, with the exception of "Pump Me Up,"

Munro's recording career--which she describes as an "on and off affair

with music but [I] certainly love everything about it"--has almost always

showcased her talent for Easy Listening vocals. Her latest recording

project, under the moniker "Wilson

Munro," is a collaboration with Gary Wilson

which resulted in the CD single "Let It Be Me" (including "Everlasting Love" and

"Cruising"). If Wilson's name sounds at all familiar it's because he played drums on

Larry Loeber's "Shivers Up My Spine" single--a little souvenir picked up from Caroline's

brief time with Numa Records. Munro states that she is looking forward to recording

more songs with Wilson in the near future.

Sincere thanks go to Vern at the AFEnet Forum for kindly volunteering the interesting

details about Munro's dress on the cover of "Pump Me Up" and a recent snapshot of

her. (You are too modest, my friend.) Credit for information about Caroline's cameo

on The Main Attraction goes to Paul Goodwin; thank you, Paul! Caroline Munro

quotations have been taken from her October 2001 webzine interview in Horror-

Wood. Additional information about Munro's disco song, "Warrior of Love," has been

taken from Holger Haase's on-line tribute site for Hammer horrors, Hammer Glamour

(highly recommended). Thank you, Holger, for providing an excellent scan of

Caroline's rare cassette tape!

Further details of Caroline Munro's career, including pages dedicated to a variety of

images and collectibles, can be enjoyed at her Official Caroline Munro website.

Anyone who would like to contribute additional information about Caroline Munro's

association with Numa Records can reach me at Karl.Sherlock@gcccd.edu. I will

gladly acknowledge your input on this page.

PUMP ME UP

Send in someone else;

I'm tired of romance.

They call me, "the game,"

and anyone can play.

(Look down, look down, look down.)

Won't you come in and play with me?

They call this "the house."

We have need without feeling.

Do you want the shame?

I can't escape from the sound.

(Look down, look down, look down.)

Won't you come in and play with me?

My heart beats slowly.

I'll tear your heart to pieces.

I'm the face of love,

and this love burns cold.

(Look down, look down, look down.)

Won't you come in and play with me?

THE PICTURE

So they call this love, and

who would believe

how it hurts and how it burns.

So they call this love, and

who would believe

that I'm scared and I'm alone.

Chorus:

I could tear your picture,

try to change the memory,

but I miss you.

Now I have this feeling,

such a desperate feeling,

I need you. (Yeah.)

So they call this love, and

who would believe

how I need, and how I feel.

So they call this love, and

who would believe

that I'm tired, and I'm lost.

Chorus:

I could tear your picture,

try to change the memory,

but I miss you.

Now I have this feeling,

such a desperate feeling,

I need you. (Yeah.)