Ultravox
Ultravox in 2009, playing a "Return to Eden" tour concert in Duisburg, Germany
Background information
Origin	London, England
Genres	New Wave, synthpop, post-punk
Years active	1974–1988 1992–1996 2008–present
Labels	Island Records Chrysalis Records EMI Polygram
Associated acts	Tiger Lily, John Foxx, Billy Currie, Cowboys International, Faith Global, Neo, Ajanta Music, Midge Ure, Slik, The Rich Kids, Visage, Thin Lizzy, Helden, Big Country, Humania, Huw Lloyd-Langton Group, Blitz
Website	www.ultravox.org.uk
Members
Chris Cross Warren Cann Billy Currie Midge Ure
Past members
John Foxx Stevie Shears Robin Simon Mark Brzezicki Tony Fenelle Gerry Laffy Neal Wilkinson Jackie Williams Sam Blue Vinny Burns Tony Holmes Gary Williams

Ultravox are a British New Wave rock band. They were one of the primary exponents of the British electronic pop music movement of the late 1970s/early 1980s. The band was particularly associated with the New Romantic and New Wave movements.

The band have been led by two different frontmen who never played together in the band at the same time. From 1974 until 1979, John Foxx was frontman and main driving force behind Ultravox. Foxx left the band to embark on a solo career. Following Foxx's departure, with the three remaining members in hiatus, Midge Ure took over as lead singer, guitarist, and frontman. Ure revitalised the band and drove it to commercial success lasting until the middle 1980s when the New Romantic and New Wave music scenes waned. Ure left the band in 1987 after establishing a solo career and the group disbanded for a while. A new line-up, led by sole original band member keyboard player/violinist Billy Currie, were formed in 1992, but achieved little success. The band's best-known line-up of Currie, bassist Chris Cross, drummer Warren Cann and Ure reformed in 2008 and have toured together since.

History[link]

Early years – Tiger Lily: 1974–1975[link]

The band were formed in 1974 on the initiative of vocalist and songwriter Dennis Leigh, a then Royal College of Art student, and were originally known as Tiger Lily. An initial but incomplete lineup comprised Leigh plus Chris Allen (bass guitar) and Stevie Shears (guitar),^[1] with Warren Cann (drums) and Billy Currie (violin) joining later in 1974.^[2] The group released one single in 1975, Ain't Misbehavin', which contained a cover of the Fats Waller song, as A-side. Later, the band went through a series of name changes including The Zips, Fire of London, London Soundtrack, and The Damned, using this last name for a few weeks before discovering that another band had already taken it.^[2]

Experimental years: 1976–1979[link]

Ultravox![link]

On the strength of their live act, the band signed to Island Records in 1976. The group had still not finalised their band name, wanting to make a good and lasting choice. In 1976, while working on the late stages of their debut album, the band conceived the name "Ultravox!" (the exclamation mark was a reference to krautrock band Neu!, produced by Conny Plank, who later produced two Ultravox albums). At the same time, the singer chose John Foxx and the bassist chose Chris Cross to be their respective stage names.^[2] In February 1977, Island released their eponymous debut album, Ultravox!.

Like many other bands that formed Britain's punk and New Wave movements, Ultravox! drew inspiration from the art-school side of glam rock. Musically, Ultravox were heavily influenced by Roxy Music, The New York Dolls, David Bowie and Kraftwerk.^[3] Their debut was co-produced by Steve Lillywhite, and Brian Eno (who next co-wrote and performed with Bowie on Low). Ultravox! sales were disappointing, and neither the album nor the associated single "Dangerous Rhythm" managed to enter the UK charts. Relations within the band were on an occasionally tenuous footing during this time as Foxx declared that he intended to live without emotions, a sentiment he wrote into the début album track "I Want to Be a Machine".

Ultravox returned later in 1977 with the punkier Ha!-Ha!-Ha!. Sales of both the album and its lead single, "ROckWrok", were poor, both failing to register on the UK charts. "ROckWrok" had a punk-lyric chorus, with the words "Come on, let's tangle in the dark / fuck like a dog, bite like a shark". (Despite this, it got airplay on BBC Radio 1). Although Ha!-Ha!-Ha! was dominated by guitars and electric violin, the final track, "Hiroshima Mon Amour", was a prototypical synthpop song. One of the first tracks by a British band to feature a drum machine (a Roland TR-77 with preset patterns), the song signalled a new direction for Ultravox. The energy, anger, and popular appeal of punk was fading in 1978,^[4] and the more creative UK punk-genre talent sought new directions—calling themselves British New Wave instead of punk rock artists. "Hiroshima Mon Amour" remains a critic's and fan's favourite from the group's initial period. Ultravox! also performed it on the Old Grey Whistle Test later in 1978.

Becoming Ultravox[link]

In early March 1978, Stevie Shears, whose style of guitar playing was considered a limiting factor, was sacked from the band after they toured England^[5] and joined Cowboys International in 1980. He was replaced by Robert Simon (ex-member of Ian North's Neo), who during his first days with the band changed his performance-name to Robin Simon.^[6] Some time in 1978, the group also dropped the exclamation mark, becoming simply "Ultravox". The new line-up performed live at the Reading Festival along with Radio Stars, Penetration, Sham 69, The Pirates and The Jam, playing early versions of "Slow Motion" and "Quiet Men" on 25 August 1978.^[7]

Their third album, 1978's Systems of Romance, was recorded with producer Conny Plank (the producer of German electronic outfit Kraftwerk) and engineer Dave Hutchins at Plank's Studio in rural Germany. Musically, the album was markedly different from Ultravox's earlier work, bringing synthesisers to the forefront of the group's sound. Despite praise from some critics, the album was a commercial failure. Since none of the albums to date had generated much income, tensions within the band—particularly between Currie and Foxx—threatened the band's viability.

Island dropped the band after an attempt to market the album in the United States failed to generate sales. That appeared to be the final nail in their coffin, but Ultravox undertook a self-financed US tour at the beginning of 1979. Splitting after their final gig, near San Francisco, Foxx declared his intention to go solo. Simon remained in the US and briefly joined The Futants, an American punk band from New York. He later returned to England and teamed up with Howard Devoto to replace guitarist John McGeoch in the band Magazine. The remaining members made their way back to a Britain in the midst of a "winter of discontent". Island dropped the three Ultravox albums from its catalogue, and released a compilation of highlights from the group's first three albums in 1980, called Three into One.

Foxx subsequently signed to Virgin Records and released his album Metamatic in 1980. Billy Currie, all but broke, was then recruited by the rising star Gary Numan to do a presentation at the Old Grey Whistle Test show with his band Tubeway Army and to play on his début solo album, The Pleasure Principle, and its subsequent tour; he was a hero to Numan who had inwardly digested Ultravox's albums and had seen them play live several times. Currie's ARP Odyssey solo on 'On Broadway' is a highlight of his participation in Numan's 1979 UK tour. Warren Cann went to work for Zaine Griff, while Chris Cross did some shows with James Honeyman-Scott (of The Pretenders) and Barrie Masters, (from Eddie and the Hot Rods). Cann also undertook some session drumming, most notably on The Buggles' number one single 'Video Killed The Radio Star'

The Midge Ure years: 1979–1988[link]

With the band seemingly over, Ultravox were then revitalised by Midge Ure, who joined the band as vocalist, guitarist and keyboardist. He had already achieved minor success with semi-glam outfit Slik and Glen Matlock's The Rich Kids, and in 1979 he was temporarily playing with hard rock band Thin Lizzy. Ure and Billy Currie had met whilst collaborating on the Visage project, a studio-based band fronted by New Romantic icon and nightclub impresario Steve Strange. Encouraged by Visage drummer and mutual friend Rusty Egan, Currie asked Ure to join Ultravox. Ure filled both John Foxx's and Robin Simon's posts for Ultravox's next album, Vienna, which heralded a major change of direction and would become their most successful to date, far surpassing any of the previous Ultravox (or Foxx's) albums, and one of the most important and critically acclaimed albums of 1980. As with Systems of Romance, it was produced in Germany by Conny Plank. Ure knew of Ultravox's past, being a fan of Systems to the point where the new four-piece outfit (Ultravox mk. III, often called "the classic line-up") played songs from that album on tours with Ure singing Foxx's lyrics. Released on Chrysalis Records in June 1980, the Vienna album produced the band's first UK Top 40 hit with "Sleepwalk", whilst the album itself peaked at #14. A second single, "Passing Strangers", failed to reach the Top 40, but the band achieved a substantial hit with the third single, the album's title track (inspired by Carol Reed's 1949 film The Third Man). Accompanied by a highly distinctive video, the single became Ultravox's biggest ever hit, peaking at #2 in early 1981 (famously kept off the top spot by Joe Dolce's comedy song "Shaddap You Face"). On the strength of the single, the album then re-entered the chart and reached #3 in early 1981. A fourth single from the album, "All Stood Still", peaked at #8.

This was soon followed by Rage in Eden (1981), with the band returning to Conny Plank's studio for what turned out to be a difficult recording session. Whereas the Vienna material had been performed live a great deal prior to a three-week recording process, Rage in Eden took over three months. The album featured a long track in three parts on the second side, leading some critics^[who?] to decry the band as "the new Genesis". The album was another success for the band and peaked at #4 in the UK, while two singles from the album, "The Thin Wall" and "The Voice", both reached the UK Top 20.

Ultravox teamed up with producer George Martin for 1982's Quartet, which peaked at #6 in the UK and contained four Top 20 hit singles. It also became their most successful album in the U.S., peaking at #61. The band undertook a major world tour known as the Monument Tour, which was recorded and released as a live LP and video in 1983 and once again hit the UK top ten.

1984's Lament continued the band's run of top ten albums and produced three top 40 hit singles, including the international hit "Dancing with Tears in My Eyes" (UK #3). However, this album was the last to feature the "classic" line-up of the band. Towards the end of 1984, a "greatest hits" compilation spanning the band's 1980s output was released entitled The Collection. It was preceded by a new single, "Love's Great Adventure", which enjoyed massive radio airplay that autumn, which saw the single eventually peak at #12 in the UK, and was accompanied by a popular Indiana Jones-style spoof video. The Collection went triple Platinum and reached #2 in the UK album chart, the band's highest ever peak.

By that time the band was specialised in delivering electronic, majestic songs as their main asset; far gone were the quirky, hysterical experiments of Foxx times, and also the delicate but energising Vienna style. Between 1982 and 1986 Ultravox became a factory of machine-made driving electronic tunes with power-melodies and strong delivery, backed by massive live shows.

At this time, Ure also co-wrote and helped produce the 1984 Band Aid single "Do They Know It's Christmas?". The group also appeared at Live Aid the following year and played four of their hit singles ("Vienna", "Reap the Wild Wind", "Dancing with Tears in My Eyes" and "One Small Day"). Later in 1985, Ure scored a #1 solo hit with "If I Was" and his solo album The Gift reached #2 in the UK.

Ultravox reconvened in 1986, but Warren Cann was sacked from the band at the beginning of sessions for their U-Vox album. Cann emigrated to the US and retired from music to become an actor. Big Country's Mark Brzezicki took his place. The U-Vox album is widely regarded as the band's creative low point with even Currie (and later Ure) describing it as "unfocused". Although it continued their string of top ten albums in the UK, the declining performance of its singles prompted both Ure and Cross to leave the band. In 1987 Ultravox decided not to continue, after the U-Vox tour early that year, and officially split up in 1988.^[8] Ure subsequently concentrated on his solo career with varying levels of success, and Cross retired from music altogether and returned to his former career as a psychotherapist. Billy Currie and Robin Simon reunited in 1989 as the short-lived Humania, performing live shows but never making a release until 2006, when Currie released a Humania-recorded album, Sinews of the Soul.

Since 1979, Ure and Currie had also been part of the Visage ensemble on a part-time basis whilst simultaneously being in Ultravox. During Ure and Currie's tenure, Visage had released two successful albums and had a string of hit singles (the most notable being "Fade to Grey"), but Ure decided to leave in 1982 in order to concentrate solely on Ultravox. Currie remained with Visage for a while longer, but he too had left them by 1984.

Ultravox vocalist Midge Ure in concert, April 1984

First re-formation: 1992–1996[link]

Without any other original members, Currie reformed Ultravox again in 1992 with vocalist Tony Fenelle to record Revelation, and later Sam Blue replaced Fenelle in a new five-piece Ultravox line-up, lending his voice to their final release, Ingenuity (1994).

Current re-formation: 2008–present[link]

Warren Cann, Chris Cross, Billy Currie and Midge Ure reformed Ultravox again for a UK tour in April 2009, entitled "Return to Eden".^[9] This would be the first time the classic line up of the band have performed together since Live Aid in 1985. The tour played at venues across the UK. Since success from touring the UK they have extended the tour to Germany and Belgium.

In September 2008, both Vienna and Rage in Eden were released in digitally remastered 2-disc format with the second disc containing previously unreleased material. Quartet and Monument were released in February 2009, also in two-disc editions. The second disc in the Monument package is a DVD containing the concert video that was previously only available on VHS tape. The other Chrysalis-era releases are planned for similar future releases. A live CD and DVD of Ultravox sell-out Roundhouse show was released on 5 April 2010. The DVD features a documentary filmed on the build up to and during the reunion tour, much of it filmed by Midge Ure.

An anthology of unreleased Ultravox material was planned in mid 2008, but has not been scheduled for release.^[10] The track-listing is currently being compiled.

Speaking to the Sunday Mail, Midge Ure stated that the reunion was only a one-off, and there would be no new material from the group. He said: "We're not trying to recapture our youth and won't be writing new songs or recording another album. This is about celebrating our music and our anniversary."^[11]

On Jonathan Ross's show on BBC's Radio 2 on 21 February 2009, Ure discussed the tour, with all four members of the most successful incarnation of the band on board. He mentioned that this reunion was not planned in light of the previously mentioned events, but rather was spontaneous and happened very quickly with the band members talking and communicating online (using email and Skype). The interview did not reveal whether or not new material would be recorded as a result of the reunion tour. Ultravox returned to performing live with their Return To Eden II tour during the spring and summer of 2010.

On 20 January 2011, via their official website, Ultravox.org.uk, the band announced that a new studio album is nearing completion.^[12] The band are to release a fan store exclusive superdeluxe EP on CD and 7 inch single via Townsend Records on 14 March. The EP is to be called Moments From Eden and feature 4 new live tracks.^[13]

It was announced in March 2012 that the new studio album called Brilliant will be released on 28th May 2012.

Legacy[link]

Along with acts like Visage and Gary Numan, Ultravox was one of the early influences on Detroit Techno. In his book Energy Flash, Simon Reynolds quotes Adam Lee Miller of Adult: �?I always get a kick when people say the first “techno” record was Cybotron’s “Alleys Of Your Mind”...To me, it was just a New Wave record. It sounds particularly close to “Mr X” by Ultravox.' ^[14]

Discography[link]

Studio albums

• Ultravox! (1977) (as Ultravox!)
• Ha!-Ha!-Ha! (1977) (as Ultravox!)
• Systems of Romance (1978)
• Vienna (1980)
• Rage in Eden (1981)
• Quartet (1982)
• Lament (1984)
• U-Vox (1986)
• Revelation (1993)
• Ingenuity (1994)
• Brilliant (2012)

Band Members[link]

Timeline[link]

id:bass value:brightgreen legend:Bass
id:drums value:yellow legend:Drums
id:leadvocals value:red legend:Lead Vocals
id:vocals value:red legend:Lead Vocals, Guitars
id:guitars value:blue legend:Guitars
id:keyboards value:darkblue legend:Keyboards, Synthesizers, Piano
id:lines value:black legend:Studio Albums

at:25/02/1977 color:black layer:back
at:14/10/1977 color:black layer:back
at:08/09/1978 color:black layer:back
at:11/07/1980 color:black layer:back
at:11/09/1981 color:black layer:back
at:15/10/1982 color:black layer:back
at:01/04/1984 color:black layer:back
at:01/06/1986 color:black layer:back
at:17/06/1993 color:black layer:back
at:01/04/1994 color:black layer:back
at:28/05/2012 color:black layer:back

bar:cross text:"Chris Cross"
bar:cann text:"Warren Cann"
bar:currie text:"Billy Currie"
bar:ure text:"Midge Ure"
bar:foxx text:"John Foxx"
bar:shears text:"Stevie Shears"
bar:simon text:"Robin Simon"
bar:brzezicki text:"Mark Brzezicki"
bar:fenelle text:"Tony Fenelle"
bar:laffy text:"Gerry Laffy"
bar:wilkinson text:"Neal Wilkinson"
bar:blue text:"Sam Blue"
bar:burns text:"Vinny Burns"
bar:holmes text:"Tony Holmes"
bar:williams text:"Gary Williams"

width:10 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4)
bar:cross from:start till:31/12/1988 color:bass
bar:cross from:01/01/2008 till:end color:bass
bar:cann from:01/01/1974 till:01/01/1986 color:drums
bar:cann from:01/01/2008 till:end color:drums
bar:currie from:01/01/1974 till:31/12/1995 color:keyboards
bar:currie from:01/01/2008 till:end color:keyboards
bar:ure from:01/01/1979 till:31/12/1988 color:vocals
bar:ure from:01/01/2008 till:end color:vocals
bar:foxx from:start till:01/06/1979 color:leadvocals
bar:shears from:start till:01/03/1978 color:guitars
bar:simon from:01/04/1978 till:01/06/1979 color:guitars
bar:brzezicki from:01/03/1986 till:31/12/1988 color:drums
bar:fenelle from:01/06/1992 till:31/12/1993 color:vocals
bar:laffy from:01/06/1992 till:31/12/1993 color:guitars
bar:wilkinson from:01/06/1992 till:31/12/1993 color:drums
bar:blue from:01/01/1994 till:31/12/1995 color:leadvocals
bar:burns from:01/01/1994 till:31/12/1995 color:guitars
bar:holmes from:01/01/1994 till:31/12/1995 color:drums
bar:williams from:01/01/1994 till:31/12/1995 color:bass

References[link]

External links[link]

	Book: Ultravox
Wikipedia books are collections of articles that can be downloaded or ordered in print.

Media related to Ultravox at Wikimedia Commons

• Ultravox at WorldMusicDatabase
• Ultravox at Rolling Stone
• "The Story." Warren Cann interviewed by Jonas Wårstad. Gives a detailed history of the band. (text)

v t e Ultravox Warren Cann Chris Cross Billy Currie Midge Ure John Foxx Stevie Shears Robin Simon Mark Brzezicki Tony Fenelle Gerry Laffy Neal Wilkinson Jackie Williams Sam Blue Vinny Burns Tony Holmes Gary Williams Studio albums Ultravox! Ha!-Ha!-Ha! Systems of Romance Vienna Rage in Eden Quartet Lament U-Vox Revelation Ingenuity Brilliant Live albums Live In Concert 1981 Monument Future Picture Return to Eden: Live at the Roundhouse Compilations Three into One The Collection Slow Motion Rare, Vol. 1 Rare, Vol. 2 The Voice: The Best of Ultravox Dancing with Tears in My Eyes Extended Ultravox The Island Years The Very Best of Midge Ure & Ultravox The Best of Ultravox Finest The Very Best of Ultravox Extended Plays Retro Moments from Eden Singles "Dangerous Rhythm" "Young Savage" "ROckWrok" "Quirks" "Frozen Ones" "Slow Motion" "Quiet Men" "Sleepwalk" "Passing Strangers" "Vienna" "All Stood Still" "New Europeans" "The Thin Wall" "The Voice" "Reap the Wild Wind" "Hymn" "Visions in Blue" "We Came to Dance" "One Small Day" "Dancing with Tears in My Eyes" "Lament" "Heart of the Country" "Love's Great Adventure" "Same Old Story" "All Fall Down" "All in One Day" "Vienna 92" "I Am Alive" "There Goes a Beautiful World" Related Discography Tiger Lily Brian Eno Steve Lillywhite Conny Plank Visage Book:Ultravox

Midge Ure
Background information
Birth name	James Ure
Born	(1953-10-10) 10 October 1953 (age 58) Cambuslang, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Genres	New Romantic, soft rock, punk rock, hard rock, synthpop, New Wave
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, musician, producer
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, keyboards, synthesizer
Years active	1972–present
Associated acts	Slik, The Rich Kids, Visage, Thin Lizzy, Ultravox, Band Aid
Website	Official website
Notable instruments
Fender Stratocaster Yamaha SG 2000 Ibanez Roadstar RS125

James "Midge" Ure, OBE (born 10 October 1953, Cambuslang, Lanarkshire, Scotland) is a Scottish guitarist, singer, keyboard player, and songwriter. His stage name, Midge, is a phonetic reversal of Jim, the diminutive form of his real name.

Ure enjoyed particular success in the 1970s and 1980s in bands including Slik, Thin Lizzy, The Rich Kids, Visage, and most notably as frontman of Ultravox. Ure co-wrote and produced the charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?", whose reissue won an Ivor Novello Award in 2005 for Best Selling UK Single.^[1] Ure co-organised Band Aid, Live Aid and Live 8 with Bob Geldof. Ure acts as trustee for the charity, and serves as ambassador for Save the Children.

Career[link]

Early years[link]

Born to a working-class family in Cambuslang, he attended Cambuslang Primary School and Rutherglen Academy in Glasgow until he was 15 years old. After leaving school Ure attended Technical College and then began to work as an engineer, training at the National Engineering Laboratory, (NEL), in nearby East Kilbride. He started playing music in a Glasgow band called Stumble (c. 1969 – c. 1971), that included a girl-singing duet, Christine and Agnes. The band's line-up included lead guitar John McMenemy, Alan Wright on harmonica, Fraser Spiers on bass, Kenny Ireland on drums, Alec Baird on vocals Gordon Appacellie.

Salvation, Slik and PVC2[link]

Ure joined Salvation as a guitarist in 1972. The band had been formed in Glasgow in June 1970 by the brothers Kevin (vocals) and Jim McGinlay (bass guitar). Jim McGinlay decided to turn Ure's name backwards to "Midge" to avoid any confusion caused by two members of the band having the same first name. Ure has since presented himself in the music scene as Midge Ure.^[2] The band performed covers as house band in the Glasgow discothèque Clouds, the venue for major bands playing on tour in the city. The band also comprised Billy McIsaac on keyboards and Kenny Hyslop on drums.

In April 1974, Kevin McGinlay left to pursue a solo career,^[2] so Ure assumed vocals in addition to his guitar duties. In November 1974 the band changed their name to Slik, with Bay City Rollers writers Bill Martin and Phil Coulter providing songs. In 1975 Ure turned down an offer to be the lead singer of the Sex Pistols, stating that he felt at the time that Malcolm McLaren had "his priorities completely wrong!", a position he later reversed.^[3][4]

Although Slik were rising in popularity in early 1976, achieving a number one single in February with "Forever And Ever", the band were soon to be out of step with the rising punk rock scene. In early 1977 Jim McGinlay decided to quit the band, being replaced by Russell Webb.

Slik terminated their contract with Martin and Coulter, realising their boy-band image was hindering their chances of success. They changed their name to PVC2 and adopted a more punkish style. Ure's only release with the band under this name was the "Put You In The Picture" single.

The Rich Kids[link]

By October 1977 Ure had left PVC2 to join former Sex Pistol Glen Matlock in The Rich Kids. Ure moved to London and soon found himself immersed in a scene he had previously only read about in the pages of the NME.^[3] Musical tensions within the band led to Ure's departure. Having acquired a synthesiser, Ure, alongside band-mate Rusty Egan, wanted to integrate the new instrument into the band's sound. With Matlock and Steve New preferring to remain with the traditional guitars and drums approach, the band split. The Rich Kids were renowned for their high-octane energetic live shows, including a show at the London College of Printing. In January 2010, The Rich Kids reformed for one night only, for a benefit concert for Steve New who was fighting terminal cancer (and died on 24 May 2010). Although it had been over 30 years since they played together, the press reports praised the gig, with energetic performances of "Ghosts of Princes In Towers, and "Hung on You". The Rich Kids were joined on stage by Mick Jones and Gary Kemp. Ure also played an acoustic set of Ultravox and Visage songs.

Visage[link]

In 1978, Egan and Ure formed Visage with lead vocalist Steve Strange, and utilised their new synthesiser when they recorded a cover of the Zager & Evans classic "In The Year 2525" for promotional purposes. The line-up was expanded in 1979 with the addition of Magazine members Dave Formula, John McGeoch and Barry Adamson, and Ultravox keyboardist Billy Currie, and the band signed briefly to Radar Records for the release of their first single "Tar". Egan and Ure also formed the short-lived band The Misfits, whose career was curtailed by an approach from Thin Lizzy. Though Visage's first single was unsuccessful, they signed with Polydor Records in 1980, and their second single, "Fade to Grey", became a hit.

Thin Lizzy[link]

Ure already knew Thin Lizzy singer Phil Lynott. In early 1979, Ure received co-writing credit for "Get Out Of Here" on the album Black Rose. In July 1979, Ure stepped in to help Thin Lizzy complete a US tour following guitarist Gary Moore's abrupt departure. Ure contributed guitar parts to "Things Ain’t Working Out" and "Dublin" for the 1979 Thin Lizzy remix compilation The Continuing Saga of the Ageing Orphans. Thin Lizzy then toured America and Japan. In 1980, during the second part of this tour, Ure switched to keyboards, replaced by Snowy White as guitarist. At the end of the tour Ure decided to leave Thin Lizzy. Ure felt his energies were better committed to another group: Ultravox. Ure continued to collaborate with Lynott, providing the chorus to "Chinatown" and co-writing Lynott's biggest solo hit, "Yellow Pearl".

Ultravox[link]

1979 had seen Ure and Billy Currie form a close bond playing together in Visage. The pair decided to resurrect Currie's former group, the synthpop band Ultravox. The group had been presumed defunct since guitarist Robin Simon quit and lead singer John Foxx had left to pursue a solo career. In April Ure joined the band as singer and guitarist to complete the "classic" Ultravox lineup of Currie (keyboards, violin), Chris Cross (bass) and Warren Cann (drums). Although Ure had spent the latter half of 1979 on tour with Thin Lizzy, Ultravox found time late in the year to tour in the USA. During this time the band wrote a number of songs which were included on their first album with Ure.

The album, Vienna, was recorded in 1980. Although it was the band's fourth album, it was the first one to chart and was only a minor success upon first release. However, when the title track "Vienna" was released as a single in early 1981, it became a huge hit and spent four weeks at #2 in the UK singles chart and was the 5th highest selling single in the UK that year. The album itself re-entered the album chart and peaked at #3. Inspired by the 1949 film The Third Man, the promo video for "Vienna" was directed by Russell Mulcahy,^[5] utilising cinematic techniques and became quite influential. In an interview, Ure recalled the way that "music video changed after that. All these things that became video clichés – cropping the top and bottom off the screen, shooting on film as opposed to videotape, making it look like a movie ... we were quite a groundbreaking act for a while."^[3] The same year that Ultravox released the Vienna album, Visage also released their debut album which made the UK Top 20 and featured the hit single "Fade to Grey" (co-written by Ure and Currie with Chris Payne), also influential in the direction of the New Romantic electropop music scene.^[6]

Ultravox (Midge Ure) in concert, April 1984

In 1981, Ultravox recorded their second album with Ure as frontman, Rage in Eden, which was also a Top 5 hit in the UK. After its release, Ure and Currie reconvened with Visage to record the band's second album, The Anvil. Released in early 1982, it was a Top 10 hit, but Ure left the band soon after its release, citing creative differences with frontman Steve Strange. The same year saw Ultravox record and release their third album with Ure, Quartet, with production by Beatles' producer George Martin. The album became their third Top 10 hit and featured four Top 20 singles. This period also saw Ure work as a producer for other artists, amongst them Steve Harley, The Skids and Strasse, and in 1982 he also released his first solo single, a cover of the 1968 Tom Rush song "No Regrets" (based on the 1975 hit cover version by The Walker Brothers), which made the UK Top 10.

After the live album Monument in 1983, Ultravox released their fourth studio album with Ure, Lament, in 1984. The album was another Top 10 success and contained the Top 3 hit "Dancing with Tears in My Eyes". The band released their first "greatest hits" album at the end of the year, featuring all the singles from 1980 onwards. The album peaked at no.2 in the UK and was later certified triple platinum.

After Ure's successful debut solo album in 1985, the fifth and final Ultravox album with Ure, U-Vox, was released in 1986. Although another Top 10 hit, the album (and singles) fared less well than their earlier releases.

In 2009 Ure and the other members reformed Ultravox for the Return to Eden tour to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Vienna album, followed up the next year with a second round of the tour. In late 2010 Ultravox started working on their sixth album fronted by Ure.

Band Aid[link]

In 1984, Ure co-wrote the Band Aid hit, "Do They Know It's Christmas?" with Bob Geldof. Ure was rehearsing with Ultravox for an episode of the Channel 4 music show The Tube when host Paula Yates handed him the phone. It was her then husband, Geldof, who proceeded, recalls Ure, "to rant on about the Michael Buerk BBC news report on the Ethiopian famine." Geldof provided the initial lyrics, with Ure working the musical theme on a small keyboard in his kitchen. The second half was composed by Ure, with the bridging chorus only assembled in the studio when the artists had gathered. Ure has described the song as one of the worst he has ever written, commenting that "the momentum the artists gave it in the recording studio is what made it".^[7]

At the studio recording, Ure also took on the production duties for the song. Although Trevor Horn had been approached to fulfill this role, he needed more time to fulfill his obligations than was available.^[8] Ure stepped into the breach, with Horn providing his studio, remixing the track and producing the 12" version. Ure and Geldof jointly set up the Band Aid Trust, and he remains active as a Band Aid Trustee to this day. He also co-organised the Live Aid concert of 1985 along with Geldof and Harvey Goldsmith. Geldof and Ure have been honoured with two Ivor Novello awards for writing the song.^[9]

Solo career[link]

Midge Ure during Here and Now Tour 2011

After working on the Band Aid project and during a hiatus from Ultravox, Ure pursued a solo career in 1985. The single, "If I Was", was a UK number one single, and his debut album, The Gift, reached #2. After returning to Ultravox for what would be their final album together, the band effectively disbanded in 1987 and Ure concentrated solely on his solo career but with less success. The albums Answers to Nothing (1988) and Pure (1991) failed to make the UK top 20. If I Was, a career retrospective, was released in 1993, while in 1998 the single "Breathe" was a hit in Europe, boosted by its use in a Swatch TV ad campaign. The video was directed by Dani Jacobs.^[10]

In 2005, Ure organised Live 8 concerts with Bob Geldof with the aim of pressing G8 leaders into taking action to end world poverty. Later that year he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to music and charity. He has also received five honorary degrees in recent years. He was made an Honorary Doctor of Arts in 2005 by the University of Abertay Dundee for his artistic and charity work over the past 30 years.^[11] He was made a Doctor of Music by University of Edinburgh in 2006.^[12] In 2007, he received from the University of Paisley his third honorary doctorate, for his contribution to Scottish culture and charity work.^[13] In 2008, Glasgow Caledonian University awarded him his fourth honorary doctorate, for his musical and humanitarian achievements.^[14] He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Bath in December 2010.

Ure is an Ambassador for Save the Children and in recent years he has gone back to Ethiopia and visited Sierra Leone in that capacity.

Ure continues to perform his own songs, along with popular Ultravox songs, in concerts both solo, acoustic and with a band. Ultravox briefly reformed in 2009 and undertook a successful tour (as well as appearing at the Isle of Wight 2009 Festival) to celebrate, in their own words, the "anniversary of their classic line-up". Ure stated in a BBC interview in April 2009, "we are not trying to get our youth back, nor the hair that's fallen off already".^[15][16] Further concerts in the UK and Europe were scheduled in 2010.

Covers[link]

The sixteen year old Australian-born classical-crossover soprano Grace Bawden, released a version of "Dear God" which she recorded at age 14, and released in November 2008 on her self-titled EP. The track was then included on her Gifts of Grace debut album released in September 2009.^[17] One reviewer wrote: "'Dear God', an eighties pop song by Ultravox's Midge Ure is another bizarre choice, and the song is given a just as bizarre arrangement that sounds completely different from the original, but it works".^[18]

Personal life[link]

This biographical section of an article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (July 2009)

Ure resides in the village of Box, Wiltshire near Bath. Ure has been married twice: to actress and writer Annabel Giles (with whom he has one daughter, Molly) and to Sheridan Forbes (with whom he has three daughters, Kitty, Ruby and Flossie). Ure's two main passions are music and cooking. He was able to indulge the second of these in the 2007 Celebrity MasterChef series, winning his heat and progressing to the final on 15 June, alongside Nadia Sawalha and Craig Revel Horwood. Although all three competitors greatly impressed the judges, the trophy was won by Sawalha.

Ure is a recovering alcoholic, something he openly admits and discusses in his autobiography If I Was.

He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Bath in December 2010.

Solo discography[link]

Albums[link]

Compilations and live albums[link]

• Live in Concert – (1999, Strange Fruit, SFRSCD086) – Live album recorded at the Manchester Apollo, 12/11/1991.
• If I Was: The Very Best of Midge Ure & Ultravox – (1993, Chrysalis Records Ltd) (#10 UK Albums Chart) – Compilation album.
• If I Was: The Very Best of Midge Ure & Ultravox – (1993, Chrysalis Records Ltd, f2 21995) – US version with three bonus tracks.
• No Regrets: The Very Best of Midge Ure – (2000, EMI Records Ltd, 528 5622) – Compilation album comprising studio and live sets.
• A Glorious Noise – 'Breathe' Live – (2001, Environment Records, ENVCD 001) – Live album. Released exclusively via the web site.
• The Very Best of Midge Ure & Ultravox – (2001, EMI Records Ltd, 535 8112) (#45 UK Albums Chart) – Compilation album.
• Little Orphans – (2001, Environment Records, ENVCD 002) – Unreleased tracks. Released exclusively via the web site.
• Intimate Moments: 12–22 April 2002 – (2002, Environment Records, ENV03) – Live album. Released exclusively via the web site.
• One Night in Scotland: 21 Nov 1988 – (2002, Environment Records, ENV04) – Live album. Released exclusively via the web site.
• Once Upon a Time in America – (2003, Environment Records, ENV05) – Live album (CD & VCD). Released exclusively via the web site.
• Septemberfest – (2004, Environment Records, ENV06) – Live album (CD & VCD) recorded in Germany 1996. Released exclusively via the web site.
• Re*Live – (2005, Hypertension, HYP 5235) – Live album recorded in 2003 from the UK 'Sampled, Looped and Trigger Happy' tour.
• Duet – (2006, Environment Records, ENVCD 009) – Live album with Troy Donockley. Released exclusively via the web site.
• A Live Christmas – (2007, Environment Records, ENVCD 010) – Live album recorded at Wembley Arena 23/12/1985. Released exclusively via the web site.
• Intimate Moments 2 – (2008, Environment Records, ENV10) – Live album (CD & DVD-R) recorded in Germany 2006 / 2007. Released exclusively via the web site.^[19]

Singles[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Midge Ure

• Official website
• Midge Ure discography at Discogs
• Listings of all Ultravox albums and music sampler
• Final Rich Kids concert, and photos
• Honorary Degree from University of Bath

v t e Ultravox Warren Cann Chris Cross Billy Currie Midge Ure John Foxx Stevie Shears Robin Simon Mark Brzezicki Tony Fenelle Gerry Laffy Neal Wilkinson Jackie Williams Sam Blue Vinny Burns Tony Holmes Gary Williams Studio albums Ultravox! Ha!-Ha!-Ha! Systems of Romance Vienna Rage in Eden Quartet Lament U-Vox Revelation Ingenuity Brilliant Live albums Live In Concert 1981 Monument Future Picture Return to Eden: Live at the Roundhouse Compilations Three into One The Collection Slow Motion Rare, Vol. 1 Rare, Vol. 2 The Voice: The Best of Ultravox Dancing with Tears in My Eyes Extended Ultravox The Island Years The Very Best of Midge Ure & Ultravox The Best of Ultravox Finest The Very Best of Ultravox Extended Plays Retro Moments from Eden Singles "Dangerous Rhythm" "Young Savage" "ROckWrok" "Quirks" "Frozen Ones" "Slow Motion" "Quiet Men" "Sleepwalk" "Passing Strangers" "Vienna" "All Stood Still" "New Europeans" "The Thin Wall" "The Voice" "Reap the Wild Wind" "Hymn" "Visions in Blue" "We Came to Dance" "One Small Day" "Dancing with Tears in My Eyes" "Lament" "Heart of the Country" "Love's Great Adventure" "Same Old Story" "All Fall Down" "All in One Day" "Vienna 92" "I Am Alive" "There Goes a Beautiful World" Related Discography Tiger Lily Brian Eno Steve Lillywhite Conny Plank Visage Book:Ultravox