80s synth star, Gary Numan, has decided to leave the UK for America.

His wife, Gemma, and their young children were recently confronted by a group of thugs in the middle of rural Sussex, causing Numan to worry about their safety:

"Gemma and the girls were in the local High Street and encountered a gang of boys aged between 12 and 14. The boys surrounded them and shouted obscenities about what they wanted to do to Gemma. They didn't care that she was with the children, who were scared and upset. I was furious when I heard about it. We're in the middle of the countryside so you'd think it would be the most peaceful place on Earth, but even in the quietest places, you can't avoid thugs."

Numan is now contemplating a new life in Santa Monica, California:

"I've always considered myself to be fiercely patriotic. I love Britain, its history and the down-to-earth attitude people have. Until recently, I'd never have entertained the thought of leaving, even though Gemma has wanted to move to the US for a long time."

Numan became hugely famous in the 1980's at the height of the electro New Romantic era. He was known for his moodiness on stage, singing songs such as 'Cars' and 'Are Friends Electric'. However, there were some underlying reasons for this.

Numan explains: "I never smiled on stage so I looked really serious, but it was because I hated my teeth and was incredibly nervous."

There was another reason for Numan's awkwardness, although he did not know it at the time. He has a mild form of Asperger's Syndrome, which makes basic human social interaction difficult.

Numan admitted, "I might say things in an abrupt way which makes me seem cold and uncaring." 

The multi-millionaire continues: "If I meet someone in a pub I won't know what to say to them and I'll find it very hard to make eye contact. I've learned to cope with it, but when I was young it definitely caused me problems."

Watch Gary Numan perform 'Are Friends Electric' on The Old Grey Whistle Test in 1979 below: