After a fashion - Midge Ure and Mick Karn

The one-off collaboration between Midge Ure and Mick Karn, 'After a fashion', was released in 1983. I had a hard time finding the 7" single, but when I did, I thought I had it all. That is, of course, until I found this 12" single today. I didn't know a 12" single existed, but I'm glad I was able to buy it right away.

This 12" single features an extended remix that is just that: an extended version of the 7" single version. It seems to be a simple cut and paste job, with longer instrumental passages, an effect that is achieved by putting them in a loop. A charming little remix.

My collection: 12" single no. 529
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, February 26, 2010
Cost: 2,5 euro
Tracks: 'After a fashion (extended version)' / 'Textures'

If I was - Midge Ure

'If I was' was written by Midge Ure and Danny Mitchell. The track features Mark King from Level 42 on bass guitar. Ure commented about the track: 'This song is pure Danny Mitchell. I found a demo of it on a cassette Danny had sent me for his band The Messengers. I grabbed it with both hands, messed around with it, sprinkled it with fairy dust and the rest is history.'

Indeed: the single reached number 1 in the UK singles chart and number 16 in the Dutch Top 40. It was a hit all over Europe, launching Midge Ure's solo career with a bang.

My collection: 7" single no. 736
Found: All that music, Leiden, February 9, 1989
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'If I was' / 'Piano'

The kid's a punk - Slik

After the UK hits 'Forever and ever' and 'Requiem', Slik tried to make it a hattrick with the song 'The kid's a punk'. Unfortunately, this attempt was unsuccessful: the single flopped.

I have to say that buying this single was a gamble: I bought 'Forever and ever' not so long ago and liked that song so I hoped this would be just as nice. It isn't, but the B-side does make up for it: it's very out of style for the band, but a very infectious tune.

My collection: 7" single no. 3717

Found: Record fair, Den Haag, May 23, 2009

Cost: 2 euro

Tracks: 'The kid's a punk' / 'Slik shuffle'

Answers to nothing - Midge Ure

Having already written about the 12" single of 'Answers to nothing', there's not so much to add here. Except this: the 7" single contains the original version of the track, which is the same as the album version. And a limited edition was available on clear vinyl. I'd already bought the normal version when I found the clear vinyl pressing. Obviously, I bought that one as well.

My collection: 7" single no. 2375

Found: House of Rhythm, London, July 1, 1995

Cost: 1 pound

Tracks: 'Answers to nothing' / 'Honorare'

I see hope in the morning light - Midge Ure

The single 'I see hope in the morning light' was released in 1991 as the second single from Midge Ure's third solo album 'Pure'. The ethnic sounds of this track couldn't persuade the record-buying public: it was his first solo single not to chart in any territory.

I bought my copy on the strength of Ure's name, having never heard this song at all. I must admit I didn't play it much myself.

My collection: 7" single no. 2363
Found: House of Rhythm, London, July 1, 1995
Cost: 50p
Tracks: 'I see hope in the morning light' / 'The man I used to be'

Cold cold heart - Midge Ure

Midge Ure released his third solo album 'Pure' in 1991. It was a collection of traditionally influenced songs. 'Cold cold heart' was the first single released from the album, which managed to get to number 17 in the UK singles chart. It was also the last single by Ure to make the top 40 in the UK.

Personally I lost track of Midge Ure after his excellent 1989 album 'Answers to nothing'. I picked up this single in 1995 on the strength of his name, but I didn't think it was one of his better songs. Hearing it again, I have to say I like it better now.

My collection: 7" single no. 2434

Found: Concerto, Amsterdam, August 19, 1995

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Cold cold heart' / 'Flowers'

That certain smile - Midge Ure

'That certain smile' was the second single to be taken from Midge Ure's debut solo album 'The gift'. It was preceded by the number one hit 'If I was'. By comparison, the second single did worse, only peaking at number 28 in November of 1985.

I didn't know this song when I bought the single. Of course I was familiar with Midge Ure, so I had some confidence when I saw this release. Housed in a gatefold sleeve and pressed on clear vinyl, it was also a very attractive package. There was no doubt in my mind that I wanted to have this single. And I was pleasantly surprised when I heard the track: it's an uplifting, uptempo track.

My collection: 7" single no. 1762

Found: House of Rhythm, London, October 20, 1992

Cost: 1 pound

Tracks: 'That certain smile' / 'The gift (instrumental)'

Download: Album 'The gift', including both tracks

No regrets - Midge Ure

As a big fan of Ultravox, even at an early age of 11, I got very worried when Midge Ure released this solo single. Sure, 'No regrets' was a beautiful song, as skillfully performed as any Ultravox track, but did it mean that my favourite group was falling apart? Fortunately, it didn't: Ultravox were going to release a few albums yet.

I found out later that 'No regrets' was a cover of a song originally performed by the Walker Brothers. And even though I really like that version a lot, I have to say I'll always prefer Midge's synth-driven cover. The B-side delivers exactly what the title promises.

My collection: 7" single no. 329

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1985

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'No regrets' / 'Mood music'

Download: here

Do they know it's Christmas? - Band Aid

The song that embodied the Christmas spirit in the Eighties was Band Aid's 'Do they know it's Christmas?'. The project initiated by Midge Ure and Bob Geldof started when the two met up and worked out this song Bob had written in a rather rudimentary way. They phoned up the musician friends they knew and before you knew it you had a media spectacle of unprecedented size.

I bought the single as soon as it came out, although, strangely, I didn't like the song that much. There were just so many of my eighties idols participated that I felt I couldn't pass up on this historic single. Two decades later, it's somehow reassuring (or troubling) that everything has stayed the same in Africa: it's still a continent of war, hunger and drought.

My collection: 7" single no. 249

Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1984

Cost: 6 guilders

Tracks: 'Do they know it's Christmas?' / 'Feed the world'

Download: 12" single 'Do they know it's Christmas?', including both tracks (password: burningtheground-djpault.blogspot.com )

Answers to nothing - Midge Ure

I discovered Midge Ure's second solo album 'Answers to nothing' while on holiday in pre-war Yugoslavia. I owned a tape walkman and after a week on holiday I was desperate to hear something new. So I bought a tape of this album on the assumption that Midge Ure from Ultravox was certainly capable of making some interesting music. I wasn't disappointed.

As it turned out, the 7" and 12" singles drawn from this album were mainly available in England, and that's where I bought this 12". 'Answers to nothing' was a great title track and I was very curious to hear the extended version. Again, I wasn't disappointed: clocking in on 8 minutes, this is an excellent remix.

My collection: 12" single no. 103

Found: Record exchange, London, 1990

Cost: 1 pound

Tracks: 'Answers to nothing (extended version)' / 'Honorare', 'Oboe'

Download: here

If I was - Midge Ure

Midge Ure had a very successful career as lead singer with Ultravox, when he started his solo career. He'd already released 'No regrets', a cover of the Walker Brothers song, but his career really took off with this, 'If I was', the first single from his debut solo album 'The gift'. It reached number one on the UK singles chart for one week in September 1985.

The 12" extended mix of 'If I was' features an amazing instrumental break, which - as I found out later - also appears on the album version of the track, but is edited from the single version. As an extended mix, it's faithful to the tension and build of the original track.

My collection: 12" single no. 74

Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1989

Cost: 4,95 guilders

Tracks: 'If I was (extended mix)' / 'Piano', 'The man who sold the world'

Download: here

After a fashion - Mick Karn & Midge Ure

Obviously, my parents weren't thrilled that I spent most of my time at home watching music TV stations like Music Box and Sky Channel, while I should actually be making homework. But it was obvious that I was never going to do that while there was so much going on in music at that time. While I was hoping for my favourite clips to show up, I learned a lot about the UK music scene. I would run into videos like this and then find out that the songs were actually very interesting. I often couldn't get the singles in the Netherlands, and so I just kept them on my mental want list. I bought 'After a fashion' in 1994, a decade later.

My collection: 7" single no. 2086

Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, March 26, 1994

Cost: 3 guilders

Tracks: 'After a fashion' / 'Textures'

Download: here

Forever and ever - Slik

Slik were formed as the Glasgow band Salvation in 1970. After several personnel changes they changed their name to Slik in 1974. One of the members of the band was Midge Ure, who would achieve great successes when he joined the band Ultravox in the late Seventies. His first success, however, came when Slik released the single 'Forever and ever'. It was a number one hit in the UK in February 1976. Shortly after that, it made number 2 in the Netherlands.

I bought my copy yesterday at the 30th edition of the international record fair in Utrecht. It's not a single I've been searching for for years, but I wanted to have it nonetheless.

My collection: 7" single no. 3458

Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 22, 2008

Cost: 0,5 euro

Tracks: 'Forever and ever' / 'Again my love'

Download: here