This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (April 2008)

Coordinates: 55°09′07″N 2°59′56″W / 55.152°N 2.999°W / 55.152; -2.999

Langholm
Scottish Gaelic: Langaim
Scots: Langholm
Muckle Toon
Langholm and the River Esk
Langholm  Langholm shown within Dumfries and Galloway
Population	2,311 (2001)
Language	English
	Southern Scots
OS grid reference	NY364847
Council area	Dumfries and Galloway
Lieutenancy area	Dumfries
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	LANGHOLM
Postcode district	DG13
Dialling code	013873
Police	Dumfries and Galloway
Fire	Dumfries and Galloway
Ambulance	Scottish
EU Parliament	Scotland
UK Parliament	Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale
Scottish Parliament	Dumfries
List of places: UK • Scotland •

Langholm  /ˈlæŋəm/, also known colloquially as the "Muckle Toon", is a burgh in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, on the River Esk and the A7 road.

History[link]

The town grew around the textile industry, but is now best known as the birthplace of Hugh MacDiarmid and Thomas Telford. The population in 2001 was 2,311.

The town was an important centre for the Border Reivers.

Transport[link]

A branch of the Carlisle to Hawick railway line to Langholm was completed in 1864, but closed 100 years later. The last regular passenger train was on 13 June 1964, although a special ran in March 1967 - complete with restaurant car; the freight service continued until September 1967. The X95/95 bus line runs through Langholm. The A7 road runs through the town.

Education[link]

Langholm Academy is a combined primary and secondary school.

Sport[link]

In 1858 Langholm Cricket Club was founded. The club play their matches on the picturesque Castleholm Ground. They currently play their matches in the Border League, finishing mid table for the 2009 season. The 2010 season started against Gala at home on 24 April.

In 1871, Langholm RFC was founded, being the oldest Rugby club in the Borders. Langholm RFC play in Scottish National League Division 1 and in the Border League.

Langholm also has a minor football team, Langholm Legion, who also play on the Castleholm

The town also has a karate club, Langholm Shotokan Karate Club, which is part of the JKS Scotland.

Ceremonies[link]

The ritual is celebrated each year by the locals as what they deem 'The Ridden Stoor'.

Arts & leisure[link]

The unused Episcopalian church on the Castle Holm in the burgh has been converted into the Armstrong clan museum.

The town is home to a music and arts festival, a food festival and the Langholm walks.

Each year many visitors come for the annual Common Riding, which takes place on the last Friday of July.

Langholm has both a pipe band and a brass band (known as the Town Band - or colloquially as The Toon Ban'). The Town Band is the oldest surviving brass band in Scotland.

The town is also home to the Eskdale and Liddesdale Archaeological Society.

There is also an active Archive Group with a steadily increasing collection of information, much now on-line.^[1]

Geography[link]

Whita hill with obelisk

Langholm is surrounded by four hills. The highest is 300m Whita hill, on which stands an impressive obelisk commemorating the life and achievements of Sir John Malcolm (1769‑1833), the distinguished soldier, statesman, and historian.

The others are Warblaw (in Langholm it is pronounced Warbla), Meikleholmhill (a knowe of which is known as 'Tinpin') and the Castle Hill.

Press[link]

The local newspaper is the Eskdale & Liddesdale Advertiser, which is part of the CN Group Ltd. The paper covers news from Langholm and its surrounding areas (notably Canonbie & Newcastleton) and is commonly referred to locally as 'The Squeak'. Established in 1848, the newspaper was the first penny newspaper in Scotland.

Industry[link]

Langholm has long been home to a thriving woollen milling trade and at one stage there were 22 mills in the town. There has been consolidation and closure since then, but many people still earn their living in the trade. The Edinburgh Woollen Mill, seen on many a high street, is based in Langholm.

Another local business is Border Fine Arts, set up in the early 1970s. It makes figurines of local wildlife, each one hand painted by local people. The company trades around the world.

Notable people[link]

The Clan Armstrong Trust Centre

"Here comes Langholm, birthplace of Hugh Macdiarmid."

In 1972, astronaut Neil Armstrong, a descendant of the clan, was welcomed to the town, and made the first freeman of the burgh. He happily declared the town his home:

“My pleasure is not only that this is the land of Johnnie Armstrong, rather that my pleasure is in knowing that this is my home town and in the genuine feeling that I have among these hills among these people.” ^[2]

The BBC [1] have a video clip of the visit.

Langholm is the traditional seat of Clan Armstrong, which is currently represented globally by the official Clan Armstrong Trust. Home of the Clan Armstrong line is Gilnockie Tower 2.3 km (1.4 mi) north of Canonbie.

Langholm is also home of Christopher Murray Grieve (known as Hugh Macdiarmid), the Scottish poet, who was a leading light in the Scottish Renaissance of the 20th century. Unusually for a communist, he was a committed Scottish nationalist and wrote both in English and in literary Scots. The town is home to a monument in his honour made of cast iron which takes the form of a large open book depicting images from his writings.

General[link]

The 'Langholm Project' is a reference to the Joint Raptor Study, a scientific study undertaken in the 1990s on Langholm Moor into the effects of raptors on red grouse populations. This was a large scale project involving a range of organisations including Game Conservancy Trust, CEH (or ITE as they were then known) and Buccleuch estates. The project was followed by a two year study on the effects of supplementary feeding of harriers, which ended in 1999. The findings of the study and the effect on the moor have been the subject of much debate. In 2007 the Scottish Government announced a further 10 year project with the following aims:

• aim to establish a commercially viable driven grouse moor. Within the time frame of the project, it is the intention to sell driven grouse days producing an annual income in excess of £100,000.
• aim to restore an important site for nature conservation to favourable condition
• seek to demonstrate whether the needs of an economically viable grouse moor can be met alongside the conservation needs of protected raptors, especially the hen harrier.

The Langholm Project is a joint venture between Buccleuch Estates, Scottish Natural Heritage, Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, RSPB and Natural England.

References[link]

1. ^ Langholm Archive Group. Retrieved 21 May 2010.
2. ^ http://www.dgstandard.co.uk/dumfries-news/local-news-dumfries/local-news-annandale-eskdale/2009/07/24/armstrong-lands-home-at-langholm-51311-24224663/

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Langholm

• Langholm Cricket Club
• Langholm Online
• The Langholm Walks and Walking Festival
• Search the local paper archive
• The Buccleuch Centre
• The Eskdale & Liddesdale Advertiser
• 2007 Press release regarding new Raptor and Grouse project
• The Langholm Page
• The Langholm Project
• Centre Stage Youth Theatre

Sandi Thom
Thom performing live in 2011
Background information
Birth name	Alexandria Thom
Born	(1981-08-11) 11 August 1981 (age 30) Banff, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Origin	Macduff, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Genres	Pop, folk, R&B, rock, blues
Years active	2004–present
Labels	RCA, Sony (2006-2009), Guardian Angels (2010-present)
Website	www.sandithom.com

Alexandria "Sandi" Thom (born 11 August 1981, Banff, Aberdeenshire) is a Scottish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. She became widely known in 2006 after a series of webcasts and the success of the single "I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)". Thom has released three studio albums: Smile... It Confuses People (2006), The Pink & The Lily (2008) and Merchants and Thieves (2010).

Life and career[link]

1984–2004: Early life[link]

Thom was born in Banff, Aberdeenshire.^[1] She attended Robert Gordon's College in Aberdeen. At the age of 17, Thom became the youngest student to be accepted at the prestigious Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (LIPA).^[2] In 2003, Thom graduated from LIPA^[3] with a BA (Hons) in Performing Arts.

Thom has assisted charity appeals for Oxfam's work in Malawi.^[4][5][6]

[edit] 2004–2007: Signing with Sony and Smile, It Confuses People

In 2004, Thom moved to London to pursue her song-writing career, working with three co-writers: Jake Field, Duncan Thompson and Tom Gilbert.^{[citation needed]} Thom signed to Windswept Pacific Music in 2005, an independent music publishing company, and its UK arm, P&P Songs, and received 25,000 pounds.^{[citation needed]} She signed a record contract with the small record label Viking Legacy, who released her début single, "I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker (With Flowers In My Hair)" in late 2005.^{[citation needed]} The song failed to garner major airplay or sales and release of her début was delayed.^{[citation needed]}

21 Nights from Tooting was a "tour" consisting of twenty-one performances from the basement of her Tooting flat, from 24 February to 16 March. These were recorded and then webcast by professional hosting company Streaming Tank.^[7][8] Tickets were sold, but the venue had a capacity of "six people" ("10 including the band"). The MySpace post announcing the gigs was posted in the early hours of 22 February. Thom's website states that "the idea [...] popped into her head" after her car broke down travelling from a gig in York (on the 22nd) to one in Wales (on the 23rd) and following the very first live webcast she did at a gig in Edinburgh organized by her PR manager, Paul Boyd.^[9] Thom's first ever video webcast was at the Edinburgh Left Bank venue in October 2005.^[10] Prompted by a contact from Thom's manager, news services noted Thom's promotion efforts. In a story first published 5 March 2006, The Sunday Times ran a piece,^[11] This was quickly reported on by other news sources.^[12] The audience for the first day was around 60 or 70 and at its peak rose to a claimed 70,000.^{[13][dead link]} The 7 March Reuters story mentioned that "I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker" was being re-released the following week, with the album following in April. However, the publicity surrounding the tour led to major label interest, with music label representatives attending the gigs in question, and the release of the records was put back until a deal was signed.^[14]

Thom subsequently accepted an offer by Sony. This led to the single re-release being delayed until May, when it was released on Sony's RCA label. The news of this broke on 3 April 2006, the official signing itself being webcast. The single was placed on Music Week Daily's playlist that day.^[15][16][17] Paul Kelly of the Independent and others have questioned how she was able to sustain production of the webcast, and it viewership figures. Her manager, Ian Brown, in an interview with the Guardian, said the idea came from her, whilst her management and Music PR team, Quite Great Communications, claim to have conducted a large publicity campaign, including a million "virtual flyers" [unsolicited emails].^[18][19] Thom described Streaming Tank as "friends of my managers", since she could not have afforded commercial rates for the streaming.^[20] Craig Logan, the managing director of RCA said that the label was "drawn to" Thom after hearing of the webcasting,^[21] as has Thom herself.^[22]

Following her online webcast concerts from her basement in Tooting, "I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker" was re-released on 22 May 2006, on RCA Records UK. The song had been gaining in airplay exposure, and on download sales it achieved #15 in the general charts (and #7 in the official downloads chart). The physical release had three formats: two CD versions (one featuring the radio mix and "A Light As Bright As Ours", another featuring the radio mix, the album version, a further remix, "May You Never" and the video), and also as a 7" vinyl record backed with "No More Heroes". In the week of 22 May, the song reached #2 in both charts. She performed on Top of the Pops on 28 May, making her major terrestrial television début, and on 4 June, the song replaced the deleted "Gnarls Barkley" single "Crazy" at #1 in the singles chart. Her début album, Smile... It Confuses People was released in the United Kingdom on Monday 5 June 2006, and débuted at number one in the chart dated 11 June, selling over 700,000 copies worldwide. The song was later nominated at the Brit Awards for Best British Single. In the Republic of Ireland, "I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker" entered the singles chart at #10 (week ending 25 May 2006), and rising to #2 in the following week (ending 1 June), and then to #1 the week after, but was then knocked off the top spot by Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie". The single also enjoyed success overseas, where it reached number 1 on the Australia "ARIA Charts" for ten consecutive weeks making it Australia's highest selling single of 2006.

"I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker" was the 47th biggest selling UK single from a female artist since 2000 according to the Official Charts Company as of January 2009.^[23] The follow-up single "What If I'm Right" reached the lower reaches of the charts, but "Lonely Girl", the third single from the album, failed to enter any charts.

[edit] 2007–2009: The Pink & the Lily

Thom performing in 2008

On 26 May 2008, Thom released her second album entitled The Pink & The Lily, preceded by the first single, "The Devil's Beat", available on CD from 19 May 2008. Prior to the release, journalists were doubtful about its appeal.^[24] The album and single received extensive airplay on BBC Radio 2. In the UK, the single reached a high of 58 and dropped out of the Top 75 after two weeks; the album entered the chart at 25, dropping to 65 the next week, and then dropped out of the Top 75. The following single "Saturday Night" failed to chart on its release.

Thom has said:

"I feel like my second album was too rushed. I felt under quite a lot of pressure when I was making it. I was out on the road and my label was really hassling me to get it finished. "I admit I was disappointed with it and now, when I look back, it was released too soon. "There were some things that were overlooked. It wasn't thought out properly. So, with my next album, I'm going to put my foot down and spend as long as it takes to make it."^[25]

Although in an interview in the same newspaper dated 2 February and prior to the album's release Thom is quoted as saying "I'm surprised how long it has taken to make this new album. It has been like therapy. I have progressed as an artist", also in the same interview she confirmed her position as a Nationalist supporter, which she was to deny in the months to come.^{[26] [27]}

In February 2009, Thom announced that she would be making her third album as an independent artist, and expressed reservations over future music being released by record label RCA, who she claimed pressured her during the making of her second album (The Pink and the Lily) by demanding changes to lyrics on songs like "Saturday Night"; she said that the song was actually about taking drugs. She was also unhappy with their choice of singles.^[28] Along with other positioning decisions and demands centred on their desire for her to deliver bubblegum pop that Thom claimed the record company had made, she was unwilling to carry on working with RCA.^[28][29]

[edit] 2009–2010: The Best of Sandi Thom

A "Best of" album was released in July 2009 on the budget label Camden (a part of the Sony/BMG group). The 18 track collection was compiled from Thom's two previous albums and various B-sides. The album did not enter any chart on release.

[edit] 2010–present: Merchants and Thieves

Thom performing live during here Merchants and Thieves tour in 2011

Thom's third studio album Merchants and Thieves was released on 17 May 2010 with "This Ol' World" as the lead single. The album was published by Thom on her own "Guardian Angels" label, which she formed after being dropped by RCA. Musically it moves from pop folk towards blues and roots. The album entered the UK official chart at 118 on its first week of release before dropping out of the top 200. The single was made available as a download-only release in April 2010, but failed to enter the official UK Chart.^[30]

A second single "Gold Dust" (smoking gun remix) was released as a download-only in July 2010 but failed to enter the official UK Chart. A deluxe edition with extra tracks and video of the single "Gold Dust" was released as a download in February 2011.This was followed by a physical release made available on Thoms website

Thom's cover version of the classic track "House of the rising sun" was released as a download-only single and extra track on the deluxe edition of the album. It was also given away as a free download to readers of the Scottish Mail newspaper. The single failed to enter the UK official chart. The album was nominated for Best Album in the British Blues Awards 2011.^[31]

The album was nominated for Best Jazz/Blues Recording of the Year in the Scottish Music Awards. Thom was also nominated for Artist of the Year and her label "Guardian Angel Recordings" was nominated for Record Label of the Year.^[32][33]

Criticism[link]

Her sudden rise to stardom was scrutinized by the British press and by her fellow artists. James Frost and Robin Hawkins from The Automatic stated that "If she was a punk rocker with flowers in her hair she'd get the s*** kicked out of her by other punk rockers, for having flowers in her hair. [...] I haven't found anyone who's told me they like that song and bought it."^[34] This notion that her success has been carefully orchestrated by the use of public relations was echoed by media commentator Charlie Brooker: "I've not heard that Sandi Thom single all the way through yet, but I've seen the TV ad about six billion times, and the short, poxy burst on that is more than enough to convince me that if her sudden rise to stardom WASN'T the end result of a shrewd marketing campaign, the implications are terrifying. Because to believe the official story - that thousands of people voluntarily subjected themselves to this shit online, then recommended it to their friends - is to lose your faith in mankind completely."^[35]

Concert tours[link]

Thom performing live during her 2011 tour

Prior to the 21 Nights from Tooting, Thom had been actively touring in the UK in 2005. Thom made an appearance at the Northsound Radio to 40,000 Free at the Dee festival in Aberdeen on 4 September 2005;^[36] a charity gig in Edinburgh later in September 2005, and was described as "hotly-tipped" by the Daily Record.^[37] However, in addition, Thom "has been labelled a fraud" according to the Daily Record.^[38] Thom supported The Proclaimers on their UK tour in December 2005 and toured with Nizlopi. She and her band continued to tour, playing the Pocklington Arts Centre near York on 22 February 2006, supported by Edwina Hayes, and the Queen's Hall in Narberth in Wales on 23 February 2006.

Thom has played live in several unconventional venues. She had previously performed at the opening of the World Skiing Championships in Sweden, where the stage was set up at the top of a mountain range; she performed at the top of the BT tower in London on behalf of the DMA's (Digital Music Awards), performed for a Children in Need auction winner who paid the charity £17,000 for Thom to play her living room. She played the Main Stage at T in the Park 2006, having been booked for the lowest billed stage. She headlined the acoustic tent at the 2006 V festival with Kasabian. In early 2007, Thom spent 6 weeks in France performing in every city across the country alongside a French artist at a free concert called the Ricard Live Tour. The concert attracted an average of 25,000 a night. She performed at English festivals such as Glastonbury, Guilfest and Redbourne; and in Scotland, the Wizard festival and the Belladrum Heart festival. Other festivals further afield included the Oxegen music festival and the World Fleadh in Ireland, and the Fuji Rock Festival. Thom supported George Michael for two nights of his stadium tour in Denmark. Concert dates scheduled for Ireland following the album's release were cancelled at the last minute No reason was given at the time for the cancellations. An announcement by Thom on her official website said that the cancelled performances were to be re-scheduled for September. However, this did not happen. In June, Thom performed a free 50-minute acoustic gig in front of 200 people at the broadcast centre of WDR radio station in Cologne, Germany; the gig was broadcast twice during the course of the month.

The tour's mainland UK dates ran from 16 June to 1 July, followed by Germany 10–19 July. Only the Munich Festival performance on the 19th went ahead, the remaining German dates where Thom was the only artist performing were cancelled. An announcement on Thom's German website stated this was due to 'studio commitments'.^[39] although this explanation was not given on Thoms UK site for the cancellations and Diary entries by Thom do not give any mention of Studio commitments or activity at this time. A full concert performance planned for Edinburgh as part of the Fringe Festival in August was also cancelled and replaced by a mixed bill in which Thom featured. A number of one-off performances and promotional appearances including Blackpool illuminations were also played. Thom also confirmed she would be taking part in Busk Cancer week ^[40] with interviews and articles given to the press and on her official website in conjunction with the promotional campaign for her latest album and single although all references to it were removed after the release of the single "Saturday Night" and no explanation was given as to why she had not taken part. A performance at Butlins Minehead Holiday Camp was also added. Thom appeared second on the bill at the Aberdeen Hogmanay celebrations followed by an appearance on the BBC Hogmanay show from Edinburgh where she sang one song Thom performed "By Afton Water" at the official Burns Supper in celebration of Robert Burns's 250th birthday. The event was held in Alloway, Ayrshire, where Burns was born.^[41]

Thom dedicated her tour of 2009 to the Homecoming Scotland campaign.^[42] The support acts for each show were local artists with special guests ranging from Phil Cunningham in Inverness, Leon Jackson in Glasgow and her original guitarist Marcus Bonfanti appearing at the final show of the English leg of the tour in Milton Keynes.

The first official date of the tour in Edinburgh was cancelled after the venue suffered significant fire damage, and tickets already purchased for the show were made valid for the second date of the tour in Dunfermline.

A duet with the first minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond, took place at one of the shows in Banff where he is the Member of Parliament, but during this period Thom gave interviews to the press trying to distance herself from politicians and politics by stating she was not the SNP's mascot and had not endorsed the SNP^[43] although her image and name had been used by the party and its leader Mr Salmond on numerous occasions, and Thom had endorsed publicly the SNP and its policies at the last election.^[44]

Thom apologised to the artist/producer Nitin Sawhney after being quoted in an interview as saying "Im not coming back as Nitin Swahney" which led to the artist contacting Thom to explain why she had made the comment.^[45] Thom's apology said the quote had "Come out all wrong" and she admired Sawhney as an artist.^[46]

The Glasgow leg of Homecoming 2009, which was to hold the largest concert of the tour, was moved from the Clyde Auditorium to the smaller Lomond suite after tickets failed to sell. On the day of the show it was announced that X Factor winner Leon Jackson was to be the special guest.^[47] Ten Concerts were performed in Scotland of which two were advertised as sold out Three concerts were played in England of which one was advertised as sold out.

During the tour Thom released two EP's. A "Live EP" featuring recordings from the Aberdeen Castlegait Hogmanay celebrations and the "Caledonia EP" featuring a series of covers including "Patience Of Angels" (originally by Eddi Reader) and the official Homecoming Scotland 2009 song "Caledonia" written by Dougie MacLean. These recordings were only available to purchase at concerts performed on the Homecoming Tour.

Thom appeared at the SXSW festival in Texas in March 2009. Her appearance was hoped to create interest in the American market to further her career.^[48]

In April, a sold out performance took place at the 200 capacity Crown Hotel Ballroom as part of the Nantwich Jazz Festival.

The Scotsman ran an article about expenses for gigs she performed for the SNP between 2007 and 2008.^[49] Thom dismissed this as petty.^[50] A series of dates as support act for The New Beautiful South was announced for November 2009. She also played a 30 minute set at the Avo Session Basel, supporting Snow Patrol.^[51] This was followed by a support slot for Joe Bonamassa on his UK and Irish tour dates.

Thom appeared at the Stirling Castle Hogmanay celebrations 2009. She performed alongside The MacDonald Brothers, The Shermans and Gary Mullen. Thom toured the UK in April and May 2010 to showcase new material from her album Merchants & Thieves and made a number of appearances at Festivals in the UK including The Tiree festival in Scotland and The Great British Rhythm & Blues Festival in Colne Lancashire in England. A second Merchants and Thieves tour took place in September and early October. Thom announced a tour of "Intimate" venues in the UK for early 2011 as well as details of a record to be recorded in Nashville in 2011.^[52] Four dates in Germany were also announced but were later cancelled. Festival appearances, including Rhythm Festival,^[53] were also added for 2011.

Discography[link]

Studio albums

• Smile... It Confuses People (2006)
• The Pink & The Lily (2008)
• Merchants and Thieves (2010)

Compilation albums

• The Best of Sandi Thom (2009)

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sandi Thom

• Official website
• Sandi Thom at the Internet Movie Database
• Thom Exclusive Interview

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