Midge Ure
Encyclopedia
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. 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
.
, (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.
(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. 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, 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.
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.
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. 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.
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 inclusion of Magazine
members Dave Formula
, John McGeoch
and Barry Adamson
, and Ultravox
keyboardist Billy Currie
, and the band would sign briefly to Radar Records for the release of their first single "Tar". Egan and Ure would also form 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.
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".
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 in all, it was their first album to actually chart and was only a minor success upon first release. However, when the title track of the album, "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
, utilising cinematic techniques and became quite influential. In interview, Ure has recalled the way "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." 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.
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, the album 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 ever "greatest hits" album at the end of the year, featuring all of 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 previous 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.
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".
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. Ure stepped into the breach, with Horn providing his studio, remixing the track and producing the 12" version. He 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.
", 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
.
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 four 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. He was made a Doctor of Music
by University of Edinburgh
in 2006. In 2007, he received from the University of Paisley
his third honorary doctorate, for his contribution to Scottish culture and charity work. In 2008, Glasgow Caledonian University awarded him his fourth honorary doctorate, for his musical and humanitarian achievements.
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". Further concerts in the UK and Europe were scheduled in 2010.
, 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. 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...'.
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.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 10 October 1953, Cambuslang
Cambuslang
Cambuslang is a suburban town on the south-eastern outskirts of Glasgow, Scotland. It is within the local authority area of South Lanarkshire. Historically, it was a large rural Parish incorporating nearby hamlets of Newton, Flemington, and Halfway. It is known as "the largest village in...
, Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire or the County of Lanark ) is a Lieutenancy area, registration county and former local government county in the central Lowlands of Scotland...
, Scotland) is a Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
guitarist, singer, keyboard player
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, and songwriter. His stage name, Midge, is a phonetic reversal
Phonetic reversal
Phonetic reversal is the process of reversing the phonemes of a word or phrase. When the reversal is identical to the original, the word or phrase is called a phonetic palindrome. Phonetic reversal is not entirely identical to backmasking, which is specifically the reversal of recorded sound...
of Jim, the diminutive
Diminutive
In language structure, a diminutive, or diminutive form , is a formation of a word used to convey a slight degree of the root meaning, smallness of the object or quality named, encapsulation, intimacy, or endearment...
form of his real name.
Ure enjoyed particular success in the 1970s and 1980s in bands including Slik
Slik
Slik were a Scottish pop group of the mid 1970s, most notable for their UK no.1 hit "Forever and Ever" in 1976. Beginning with glam rock and changing their style to soft rock/bubblegum...
, Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Two of the founding members, drummer Brian Downey and bass guitarist/vocalist Phil Lynott met while still in school. Lynott assumed the role of frontman and led them throughout their recording career of thirteen studio albums...
, The Rich Kids
The Rich Kids
Rich Kids were a short-lived, seminal new wave band from London, founded in 1977 by Glen Matlock following his departure from The Sex Pistols. The band also included future Ultravox member Midge Ure, and Rusty Egan, who later went to found Visage.-Career:...
, Visage
Visage
Visage are a British New Wave rock band. Formed in 1978, the band became closely linked to the burgeoning New Romantic fashion movement of the early 1980s, and are best known for their 1980 hit "Fade to Grey".-New Wave years :...
, and most notably as frontman of Ultravox
Ultravox
Ultravox is 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....
. Ure co-wrote and produced the charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?
Do They Know It's Christmas?
"Do They Know It's Christmas?" is a song written by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure in 1984 to raise money for relief of the 1984–1985 famine in Ethiopia. The original version was produced by Midge Ure and released by Band Aid on 29 November 1984....
", whose reissue won an Ivor Novello Award
Ivor Novello Awards
The Ivor Novello Awards, named after the Cardiff born entertainer Ivor Novello, are awards for songwriting and composing. They are presented annually in London by the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors and were first introduced in 1955.Nicknamed The Ivors, the awards take place...
in 2005 for Best Selling UK Single. Ure co-organised Band Aid
Band Aid (band)
Band Aid was a charity supergroup featuring British and Irish musicians and recording artists. It was founded in 1984 by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia by releasing the song "Do They Know It's Christmas?" for the Christmas market that year. The single...
, Live Aid
Live Aid
Live Aid was a dual-venue concert that was held on 13 July 1985. The event was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for relief of the ongoing Ethiopian famine. Billed as the "global jukebox", the event was held simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in London, England, United Kingdom ...
and Live 8
Live 8
Live 8 was a string of benefit concerts that took place on 2 July 2005, in the G8 states and in South Africa. They were timed to precede the G8 Conference and summit held at the Gleneagles Hotel in Auchterarder, Scotland from 6–8 July 2005; they also coincided with the 20th anniversary of Live Aid...
with Bob Geldof
Bob Geldof
Robert Frederick Zenon "Bob" Geldof, KBE is an Irish singer, songwriter, author, occasional actor and political activist. He rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Irish rock band The Boomtown Rats in the late 1970s and early 1980s alongside the punk rock movement. The band had hits with his...
. Ure acts as trustee for the charity, and serves as ambassador for Save The Children
Save the Children
Save the Children is an internationally active non-governmental organization that enforces children's rights, provides relief and helps support children in developing countries...
.
Early years
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 LaboratoryNational Engineering Laboratory
The National Engineering Laboratory was originally one of several large government-funded public research laboratories in the UK, staffed by scientists and engineers of the Scientific Civil Service...
, (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
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 McGinlayJim McGinlay
Jim McGinlay was a Scottish bass guitarist who formed along his elder brother Kevin a hard-rock band called Salvation, in Glasgow, which after numerous line-up changes included Midge Ure, future Ultravox frontman and Live 8 contributor, Billy McIsaac and Kenny Hyslop.By 1964, he began his musical...
(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. 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
Billy McIsaac
Billy McIsaac is a musician, who played mainly keyboards since his early days with different pop bands, and still does, with his current ceremony-band The Billy McIsaac Band....
on keyboards and Kenny Hyslop
Kenny hyslop
Kenny Hyslop is a Scottish drummer who played with different projects and bands who were varied in different styles, such as glam rock, 1970s teenybop, soft rock, punk, new wave, new romantic, blues and modern electronica.-Biography:Hyslop attended Hermitage School.He joined the band Salvation...
on drums.
In April 1974, Kevin McGinlay left to pursue a solo career, so Ure assumed vocals in addition to his guitar duties. In November 1974 the band changed their name to Slik
Slik
Slik were a Scottish pop group of the mid 1970s, most notable for their UK no.1 hit "Forever and Ever" in 1976. Beginning with glam rock and changing their style to soft rock/bubblegum...
, with Bay City Rollers
Bay City Rollers
The Bay City Rollers were a Scottish pop band who were most popular in the 1970s. The British Hit Singles & Albums noted that they were "tartan teen sensations from Edinburgh", and were "the first of many acts heralded as the 'Biggest Group since The Beatles' and one of the most screamed-at...
writers Bill Martin
Bill Martin
Bill Martin is a Scottish songwriter, music publisher and impresario.-Biography:...
and Phil Coulter
Phil Coulter
Phil Coulter is an artist with an international reputation as a successful songwriter, pianist, music producer, arranger and director. His success has spanned four decades and he is one of the biggest record sellers in Ireland...
providing songs. In 1975 Ure turned down an offer to be the lead singer of the Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
, stating that he felt at the time that Malcolm McLaren
Malcolm McLaren
Malcolm Robert Andrew McLaren was an English performer, impresario, self-publicist and manager of the Sex Pistols and the New York Dolls...
had "his priorities completely wrong!", a position he later reversed.
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
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
scene. In early 1977 Jim McGinlay decided to quit the band, being replaced by Russell Webb
Russell Webb (musician)
Russell Webb is a New Wave bass guitarist who was member of bands like Slik, PVC2 , The Zones, The Skids, The Armoury Show and Public Image Ltd., and collaborated with Richard Jobson and Virginia Astley, and The Who.-Slik and PVC2:In 1977, future Ultravox and Live Aid face, guitarist and singer...
.
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
By October 1977 Ure had left PVC2 to join former Sex Pistol Glen MatlockGlen Matlock
Glen Matlock is an English bass guitarist most famous for being in the original line-up of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols. Drummer Paul Cook has said that Matlock came up with much of the music for the band's songs and most of the lyrics, while lead singer Johnny Rotten made some adjustments...
in The Rich Kids
The Rich Kids
Rich Kids were a short-lived, seminal new wave band from London, founded in 1977 by Glen Matlock following his departure from The Sex Pistols. The band also included future Ultravox member Midge Ure, and Rusty Egan, who later went to found Visage.-Career:...
. Ure moved to London and soon found himself immersed in a scene he had previously only read about in the pages of the NME. Musical tensions within the band led to Ure's departure. Having acquired a synthesiser, Ure, alongside band-mate Rusty Egan
Rusty Egan
Rusty Egan was the drummer for the British new wave band, The Rich Kids. They were founded by former Sex Pistol, Glen Matlock, bass guitarist and backing vocals, occasional lead vocals; with Steve New guitarist and backing vocals, occasional lead vocals; and fronted by Midge Ure guitarist, lead...
, 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
The Rich Kids
Rich Kids were a short-lived, seminal new wave band from London, founded in 1977 by Glen Matlock following his departure from The Sex Pistols. The band also included future Ultravox member Midge Ure, and Rusty Egan, who later went to found Visage.-Career:...
were renowned for their high-octane energetic live shows, including a show at the London College of Printing.
In January 2010, The Rich Kids
The Rich Kids
Rich Kids were a short-lived, seminal new wave band from London, founded in 1977 by Glen Matlock following his departure from The Sex Pistols. The band also included future Ultravox member Midge Ure, and Rusty Egan, who later went to found Visage.-Career:...
reformed for one night only, for a benefit concert for Steve New
Steve New
Stephen Charles New, later known as Stella Nova, was an English guitarist and singer, known for his work with a number of punk and new wave bands in the late 1970s and early 1980s...
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
The Rich Kids
Rich Kids were a short-lived, seminal new wave band from London, founded in 1977 by Glen Matlock following his departure from The Sex Pistols. The band also included future Ultravox member Midge Ure, and Rusty Egan, who later went to found Visage.-Career:...
were joined on stage by Mick Jones
Mick Jones
Mick Jones is the name of:*Mick Jones , guitarist, songwriter and record producer in the rock band Foreigner and earlier Spooky Tooth*Mick Jones , British guitarist and a vocalist of The Clash...
and Gary Kemp
Gary Kemp
Gary Kemp is an English pop musician and actor who is the guitar player and chief songwriter for the 1980s Synthpop band Spandau Ballet. His brother, Martin Kemp, plays bass guitar in the band...
. Ure also played an acoustic set of Ultravox
Ultravox
Ultravox is 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....
and Visage
Visage
Visage are a British New Wave rock band. Formed in 1978, the band became closely linked to the burgeoning New Romantic fashion movement of the early 1980s, and are best known for their 1980 hit "Fade to Grey".-New Wave years :...
songs.
Visage
In 1978, Egan and Ure formed VisageVisage
Visage are a British New Wave rock band. Formed in 1978, the band became closely linked to the burgeoning New Romantic fashion movement of the early 1980s, and are best known for their 1980 hit "Fade to Grey".-New Wave years :...
with lead vocalist Steve Strange
Steve Strange
Steve Strange , is a Welsh pop singer, best known as the lead singer and frontman of the 1980s pop group Visage...
, and utilised their new synthesiser when they recorded a cover of the Zager & Evans classic "In The Year 2525
In the Year 2525
"In the Year 2525 " is a hit song from 1969 by American pop-rock duo Zager and Evans. It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks commencing July 12, 1969. The song was written by Rick Evans in 1964 and originally released on a small regional record label in 1968...
" for promotional purposes. The line-up was expanded in 1979 with the inclusion of Magazine
Magazine (band)
Magazine are an English post-punk group active from 1977 to 1981, then reformed in 2009. Their debut single, "Shot by Both Sides", is now acknowledged as a classic and their debut album, Real Life, is still widely admired as one of the greatest albums of all time...
members Dave Formula
Dave Formula
Dave Formula, , is an English keyboardist and film-soundtrack composer from Manchester, who played with the post-punk band Magazine, and New Romantic ensemble Visage during the end of the 1970s and the beginning of the 1980s and in the "world music" band The Angel Brothers.-Early Years and St...
, John McGeoch
John McGeoch
John Alexander McGeoch, , was a Scottish guitarist who played with a number of bands of the post-punk era, including Magazine, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Visage and Public Image Ltd....
and Barry Adamson
Barry Adamson
Barry Adamson is a British rock musician who has worked with rock bands such as Magazine, Visage, The Birthday Party, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, and the electronic musicians Pan sonic and Depeche Mode. Adamson created the seven-minute opus "Useless " remix for the latter band in 1997...
, and Ultravox
Ultravox
Ultravox is 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....
keyboardist Billy Currie
Billy Currie
Billy Currie is an English violist, violinist, pianist, keyboardist, and songwriter...
, and the band would sign briefly to Radar Records for the release of their first single "Tar". Egan and Ure would also form the short-lived band The Misfits, whose career was curtailed by an approach from Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Two of the founding members, drummer Brian Downey and bass guitarist/vocalist Phil Lynott met while still in school. Lynott assumed the role of frontman and led them throughout their recording career of thirteen studio albums...
. Though Visage's first single was unsuccessful, they signed with Polydor Records
Polydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
in 1980, and their second single "Fade to Grey" became a hit.
Thin Lizzy
Ure already knew Thin LizzyThin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Two of the founding members, drummer Brian Downey and bass guitarist/vocalist Phil Lynott met while still in school. Lynott assumed the role of frontman and led them throughout their recording career of thirteen studio albums...
singer Phil Lynott
Phil Lynott
Philip Parris "Phil" Lynott was an Irish musician who first came to prominence as a founding member, principal songwriter, and frontman of the Irish rock band Thin Lizzy....
. In early 1979, Ure received co-writing credit for "Get Out Of Here" on the album Black Rose
Black Rose: A Rock Legend
Black Rose: A Rock Legend is the ninth studio album by Irish band Thin Lizzy. Released in 1979, it has been described as one of the band's "greatest, most successful albums"....
. In July 1979, Ure stepped in to help Thin Lizzy complete a US tour following guitarist Gary Moore
Gary Moore
Robert William Gary Moore , better known simply as Gary Moore, was a Northern Irish musician from Belfast, best recognised as a blues rock guitarist and singer....
'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
Snowy White
Snowy White is an English guitarist, known for having played with Thin Lizzy and with Pink Floyd and, more recently, for Roger Waters'...
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
Ultravox
Ultravox is 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....
. Ure continued to collaborate with Lynott, providing the chorus to "Chinatown" and co-writing Lynott's biggest solo hit, "Yellow Pearl".
Ultravox
1979 had seen Ure and Billy CurrieBilly Currie
Billy Currie is an English violist, violinist, pianist, keyboardist, and songwriter...
form a close bond playing together in Visage
Visage
Visage are a British New Wave rock band. Formed in 1978, the band became closely linked to the burgeoning New Romantic fashion movement of the early 1980s, and are best known for their 1980 hit "Fade to Grey".-New Wave years :...
. The pair decided to resurrect Currie's former group, the synthpop band Ultravox
Ultravox
Ultravox is 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 group had been presumed defunct since guitarist Robin Simon
Robin Simon
For the art historian and critic Robin Simon, editor of , see Robin JH SimonRobin Simon For the art historian and critic Robin Simon, editor of , see Robin JH SimonRobin Simon For the art historian and critic Robin Simon, editor of , see Robin JH SimonRobin Simon (born Robert Simon 12 July 1956,...
quit and lead singer John Foxx
John Foxx
John Foxx is an English singer, artist, photographer and teacher. He was the original lead singer of the band Ultravox before being replaced by Midge Ure, when he left to embark on a solo career in 1979...
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
Chris Cross
Chris Cross is the bass guitarist in the band Ultravox.-Early years:Cross went to Belmont Secondary Modern School, William Forster Comprehensive...
(bass) and Warren Cann
Warren Cann
Warren Reginald Cann is a drummer and drum machine programmer, best known as a member of the British New Wave band Ultravox.-Early life:...
(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
Vienna (album)
Vienna is the fourth studio LP by the synthpop band Ultravox, first released on 11 July 1980. The album peaked at #3 in the UK charts and was the first Ultravox release to enter the UK top ten. It was certified Platinum in the United Kingdom in July 1981 for 300,000 copies sold...
, was recorded in 1980. Although it was the band's fourth album in all, it was their first album to actually chart and was only a minor success upon first release. However, when the title track of the album, "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 Third Man
The Third Man is a 1949 British film noir, directed by Carol Reed and starring Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, Orson Welles, and Trevor Howard. Many critics rank it as a masterpiece, particularly remembered for its atmospheric cinematography, performances, and unique musical score...
, the promo video for "Vienna" was directed by Russell Mulcahy
Russell Mulcahy
Russell Mulcahy is an Australian film director. His work is easily recognized by his use of fast cuts, tracking shots and use of glowing lights.- Music videos :...
, utilising cinematic techniques and became quite influential. In interview, Ure has recalled the way "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." The same year that Ultravox released the Vienna album, Visage also released their debut album
Visage (album)
Visage is the eponymous debut album from the British pop group Visage, recorded at Genetic Sound Studios in Reading and released by Polydor Records on 10 November 1980...
which made the UK Top 20 and featured the hit single "Fade to Grey" (co-written by Ure and Currie with Chris Payne
Dramatis
Dramatis were an English synthpop band from the early 1980s. Chris Payne , Russell Bell , Cedric Sharpley , and Denis Haines were all originally members of Gary Numan's backing band. They formed Dramatis following Numan's announced retirement in April 1981.They released six singles and one album...
), also influential in the direction of the New Romantic electropop music scene.
Rage in Eden
Rage in Eden, released in 1981, is the fifth album by British band Ultravox, and the second of the band's most-recognizable incarnation, fronted by Midge Ure. The album reached #4 in the UK album charts and was certified Gold by the BPI for sales in excess of 100,000 copies...
, 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
The Anvil (album)
-References:*...
. Released in early 1982, the album 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
Quartet (Ultravox album)
Quartet, released in 1982, is the sixth LP by British band Ultravox, and the third of the band's most-recognizable incarnation, fronted by Midge Ure. The album peaked at no.6 on the UK album chart and was certified Gold by the BPI in December 1982 for 100,000 copies sold...
, with production by Beatles' producer George Martin
George Martin
Sir George Henry Martin CBE is an English record producer, arranger, composer and musician. He is sometimes referred to as "the Fifth Beatle"— a title that he often describes as "nonsense," but the fact remains that he served as producer on all but one of The Beatles' original albums...
. 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
Steve Harley
Steve Harley is an English singer and songwriter, best known for his work with the 1970s rock group Cockney Rebel, with whom he still occasionally tours .-Biography:As a child, Harley suffered from polio, spending four years in hospital up to the...
, The Skids
The Skids
Skids were an art-punk/punk rock and new wave band from Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland, founded in 1977 by Stuart Adamson , William Simpson , Thomas Kellichan and Richard Jobson...
and Strasse, and in 1982 he also released his first solo single, a cover of the 1968 Tom Rush
Tom Rush
Tom Rush is an American folk and blues singer, songwriter, musician and recording artist.- Life and career :Rush was born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. His father was a teacher at St. Paul's School, in Concord, New Hampshire. Tom began performing in 1961 while studying at Harvard University after...
song "No Regrets
No Regrets (Tom Rush song)
"No Regrets" is a song by folk and blues singer/songwriter Tom Rush. It is the final song on his 1968 album The Circle Game.His 1968 composition has become an acknowledged standard, with numerous cover versions having been recorded...
" (based on the 1975 hit cover version by The Walker Brothers
The Walker Brothers
The Walker Brothers were an American 1960s and 1970s pop group, comprising Scott Engel , John Walker , and Gary Leeds...
), which made the UK Top 10.
After the live album Monument
Monument (Ultravox album)
Monument, released in 1983, is a live album by the British band Ultravox. It is the soundtrack to the live video of the same name, recorded at the London Hammersmith Odeon during the band's 1982 "Monument" tour...
in 1983, Ultravox released their fourth studio album with Ure, Lament
Lament (Ultravox album)
Lament is an album by Ultravox, released in 1984. This was the seventh full album and the fourth of the band's most-recognisable incarnation, fronted by Midge Ure. It was also the last album featuring original drummer Warren Cann. The album peaked at no.8 on the UK album chart and was certified...
, in 1984. The album was another Top 10 success and contained the Top 3 hit "Dancing with Tears in My Eyes
Dancing with Tears in My Eyes
-12" vinyl :* UK: Chrysalis - UVX 1* Germany: Chrysalis - 601 322-12" vinyl :* US: Chrysalis - 4V9 42783* Canada: Chrysalis - CS 42783-Cover versions:...
". The band released their first ever "greatest hits" album at the end of the year, featuring all of 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
U-Vox
U-Vox is an album by Ultravox, released in 1986. This was the eighth full album and the fifth of the band's most-recognisable incarnation, fronted by Midge Ure...
, was released in 1986. Although another Top 10 hit, the album (and singles) fared less well than their previous 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
In 1984, Ure co-wrote the Band AidBand Aid (band)
Band Aid was a charity supergroup featuring British and Irish musicians and recording artists. It was founded in 1984 by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia by releasing the song "Do They Know It's Christmas?" for the Christmas market that year. The single...
hit, "Do They Know It's Christmas?
Do They Know It's Christmas?
"Do They Know It's Christmas?" is a song written by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure in 1984 to raise money for relief of the 1984–1985 famine in Ethiopia. The original version was produced by Midge Ure and released by Band Aid on 29 November 1984....
" with Bob Geldof
Bob Geldof
Robert Frederick Zenon "Bob" Geldof, KBE is an Irish singer, songwriter, author, occasional actor and political activist. He rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Irish rock band The Boomtown Rats in the late 1970s and early 1980s alongside the punk rock movement. The band had hits with his...
. Ure was rehearsing with Ultravox for an episode of the Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
music show The Tube
The Tube
The Tube may refer to:*The London Underground* "The Tube", slang for Television, from the term cathode ray tube*The Tube , an ITV/Sky programme featuring the work of staff on the London Underground...
when host Paula Yates
Paula Yates
Paula Elizabeth Yates was a British television presenter and writer, best known for her work on two television programmes, The Tube and The Big Breakfast.-Early life:...
handed him the phone. It was her then husband, Geldof, who proceeded, recalls Ure, "to rant on about the Michael Buerk
Michael Buerk
Michael Duncan Buerk is a BBC journalist and newsreader, most famous for his reporting of the Ethiopian famine on 23 October 1984, which inspired the Band Aid charity record.-Early life:...
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".
At the studio recording, Ure also took on the production duties for the song. Although Trevor Horn
Trevor Horn
Trevor Charles Horn CBE is an English pop music record producer, songwriter, musician and singer. He was born in Houghton-le-Spring in north-east England....
had been approached to fulfill this role, he needed more time to fulfill his obligations than was available. Ure stepped into the breach, with Horn providing his studio, remixing the track and producing the 12" version. He 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
Live Aid
Live Aid was a dual-venue concert that was held on 13 July 1985. The event was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for relief of the ongoing Ethiopian famine. Billed as the "global jukebox", the event was held simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in London, England, United Kingdom ...
concert of 1985 along with Geldof and Harvey Goldsmith
Harvey Goldsmith
Harvey Goldsmith CBE is a British performing arts promoter. He is best known as promoter of rock concerts, charity concerts, television broadcasts for the Prince's Trust and more recently the Teenage Cancer Trust shows at the Royal Albert Hall.During early 2007 he appeared on the Channel 4...
. Geldof and Ure have been honoured with two Ivor Novello awards for writing the song.
Solo career
After working on the Band Aid project and during a hiatus from Ultravox, Ure pursued a solo career in 1985. The single, "If I WasIf I Was
"If I Was" is a popular song written by Midge Ure and Danny Mitchell. It reached #1 on the UK singles chart for a single week in October 1985. This was Ure's third number one, coming after his success with Slik in 1976 and Band Aid in 1984...
", was a UK number one single, and his debut album, The Gift
The Gift (Midge Ure album)
The Gift, released in 1985, is the first solo album by former Ultravox frontman Midge Ure. The album was released while Ultravox was taking a break; the band would go on to release U-Vox before splitting...
, 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
Answers to Nothing
-Personnel:*Midge Ure - guitars, keyboards, vocals*Mark King, Steve Brzezicki - bass*Mark Brzezicki - drums*Robbie Kilgore - additional keyboards*Kate Bush - vocals on "Sister and Brother"*Craig Armstrong - piano on "Sister and Brother"...
(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
Breathe (Midge Ure song)
Not to be confused with Breathe , Breathe or any other song with that title.Breathe is a song by Scottish singer Midge Ure released March 22, 1996, as the first single from his album Breathe....
" was a hit in Europe, boosted by its use in a Swatch
Swatch
Swatch is a brand name for a line of wrist watches from the Swatch Group, a Swiss conglomerate with vertical control of the production of Swiss watches and related products...
TV ad campaign. The video was directed by Dani Jacobs
Dani Jacobs
-Background:Jacobs was born in London. He went to University of Manchester to study Physics but left to pursue his interests in Film.He worked at the The Haçienda nightclub as a resident filmmaker and VJ, creating visuals and lighting effects to project in the club space...
.
In 2005, Ure organised Live 8
Live 8
Live 8 was a string of benefit concerts that took place on 2 July 2005, in the G8 states and in South Africa. They were timed to precede the G8 Conference and summit held at the Gleneagles Hotel in Auchterarder, Scotland from 6–8 July 2005; they also coincided with the 20th anniversary of Live Aid...
concerts with Bob Geldof
Bob Geldof
Robert Frederick Zenon "Bob" Geldof, KBE is an Irish singer, songwriter, author, occasional actor and political activist. He rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Irish rock band The Boomtown Rats in the late 1970s and early 1980s alongside the punk rock movement. The band had hits with his...
with the aim of pressing G8
G8
The Group of Eight is a forum, created by France in 1975, for the governments of seven major economies: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In 1997, the group added Russia, thus becoming the G8...
leaders into taking action to end world poverty. Later that year he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(OBE) for services to music and charity. He has also received four honorary degrees in recent years. He was made an Honorary Doctor of Arts
Doctor of Arts
The Doctor of Arts is a discipline-based terminal doctoral degree that was originally conceived and designed to be an alternative to the traditional research-based Doctor of Philosophy and the education-based Doctor of Education . Like other doctorates, the D.A. is an academic degree of the...
in 2005 by the University of Abertay Dundee
University of Abertay Dundee
The University of Abertay Dundee, usually known simply as Abertay University, is a modern university in Dundee, Scotland.- History :The University of Abertay Dundee was created in 1994, under government legislation granting the title University to the Dundee Institute of Technology...
for his artistic and charity work over the past 30 years. He was made a Doctor of Music
Doctor of Music
The Doctor of Music degree , like other doctorates, is an academic degree of the highest level. The D.Mus. is intended for musicians and composers who wish to combine the highest attainments in their area of specialization with doctoral-level academic study in music...
by University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
in 2006. In 2007, he received from the University of Paisley
University of Paisley
The University of the West of Scotland is a university operating from four campuses in south-western Scotland, in the towns of Paisley, Hamilton, Ayr and Dumfries. The present institution dates from August 2007, following the merger of the University of Paisley with Bell College, Hamilton...
his third honorary doctorate, for his contribution to Scottish culture and charity work. In 2008, Glasgow Caledonian University awarded him his fourth honorary doctorate, for his musical and humanitarian achievements.
Ure is an Ambassador for Save the Children
Save the Children
Save the Children is an internationally active non-governmental organization that enforces children's rights, provides relief and helps support children in developing countries...
and in recent years he has gone back to Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
and visited Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
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". Further concerts in the UK and Europe were scheduled in 2010.
Covers
The sixteen year old Australian-born classical-crossover soprano Grace BawdenGrace Bawden
Grace Bawden is an Australian classical crossover singer, who has been dubbed "Australia's greatest operatic discovery", after becoming the Judge's Choice Grand Finalist on the TV talent show Australia's Got Talent in 2008...
, 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. 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...'.
Personal life
Ure resides in the village of BoxBox
Box describes a variety of containers and receptacles for permanent use as storage, or for temporary use often for transporting contents. The word derives from the Greek πύξος , "box, boxwood"....
near Bath. Ure has been married twice: to actress and writer Annabel Giles
Annabel Giles
Annabel Giles has been a model, a television and radio presenter, an actress, a comedienne and a novellist during her career .-Career:...
(with whom he has one daughter, Molly
Molly McQueen
Molly McQueen is a singer/songwriter from the United Kingdom. She was once a member of pop/rock girl band The Faders, best known for their singles "No Sleep Tonight" and "Jump". McQueen took the stage name as Molly Lorenne during her time in the band.-Solo career:McQueen is currently working on...
) 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
Nadia Sawalha
Nadia Sawalha is an English actress and television presenter.Sawalha is perhaps best known for her role as Annie Palmer in the BBC soap opera EastEnders during the 1990s, although most of her television work is now as a presenter rather than an actress...
and Craig Revel Horwood
Craig Revel Horwood
Craig Revel Horwood is an Australian-British dancer, choreographer, and theatre director in the United Kingdom.-Biography:...
. 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
University of Bath
The University of Bath is a campus university located in Bath, United Kingdom. It received its Royal Charter in 1966....
in December 2010.
Albums
| Year | Album | UK UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... | US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... | Label | Catalogue | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | The Gift The Gift (Midge Ure album) The Gift, released in 1985, is the first solo album by former Ultravox frontman Midge Ure. The album was released while Ultravox was taking a break; the band would go on to release U-Vox before splitting... |
2 | – | Chrysalis Music Chrysalis Music Chrysalis Music is a British independent music publisher.The company's roots started in west London in 1967 when Chris Wright and Terry Ellis formed the Ellis-Wright Agency. It was formed to manage and book the bands Ten Years After, and Clouds. Ten Years After was managed by Wright, while Clouds... |
0946 CCD 1508 | – |
| 1988 | Answers to Nothing Answers to Nothing -Personnel:*Midge Ure - guitars, keyboards, vocals*Mark King, Steve Brzezicki - bass*Mark Brzezicki - drums*Robbie Kilgore - additional keyboards*Kate Bush - vocals on "Sister and Brother"*Craig Armstrong - piano on "Sister and Brother"... |
30 | 88 | Chrysalis Music | CCD 1649 | – |
| 1991 | Pure | 36 | – | BMG | 261 922 | – |
| 1996 | Breathe | – | – | BMG | 74321346292 | – |
| 1996 | The Gift The Gift (Midge Ure album) The Gift, released in 1985, is the first solo album by former Ultravox frontman Midge Ure. The album was released while Ultravox was taking a break; the band would go on to release U-Vox before splitting... |
– | – | Chrysalis Music | CDGOLD 1045 | Expanded reissue with four bonus tracks. |
| 1998 | Answers to Nothing Answers to Nothing -Personnel:*Midge Ure - guitars, keyboards, vocals*Mark King, Steve Brzezicki - bass*Mark Brzezicki - drums*Robbie Kilgore - additional keyboards*Kate Bush - vocals on "Sister and Brother"*Craig Armstrong - piano on "Sister and Brother"... |
– | – | Chrysalis Music | 496 8242 | Expanded reissue with four bonus tracks. |
| 2000 | Went to Coney Island on a Mission from God... Be Back by Five | – | – | EvenMore Entertainment | – | Instrumental soundtrack. |
| 2001 | Move Me | – | – | Curb Records Curb Records Curb Records is a record label started by Mike Curb originally as Sidewalk Records in 1963... |
CURCD 100 | – |
| 2006 | Move Me + | – | – | Hypertension | – | Expanded 2CD digipack reissue with bonus tracks. |
| 2008 | 10 | – | – | Hypertension | HYP 8264 | Cover versions album. |
| 2009 | Pure + Breathe | – | – | Edsel Records | EDSD 2034 | Expanded 2CD reissue of both albums with bonus tracks. |
Compilations and live albums
- 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 ChartUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the 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 DonockleyTroy DonockleyTroy Donockley is an English composer and multi-instrumentalist most known for his playing of uillean pipes.- Early life and career :...
. 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-RDVD-RDVD-R is a DVD recordable format. A DVD-R typically has a storage capacity of 4.71 GB. Pioneer has also developed an 8.5 GB dual layer version, DVD-R DL, which appeared on the market in 2005....
) recorded in Germany 2006 / 2007. Released exclusively via the web site.
Singles
| Single | Year | UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
US Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US Modern Rock | US Main- stream Rock | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "No Regrets No Regrets (Tom Rush song) "No Regrets" is a song by folk and blues singer/songwriter Tom Rush. It is the final song on his 1968 album The Circle Game.His 1968 composition has become an acknowledged standard, with numerous cover versions having been recorded... " |
1982 | 9 | - | - | - | |
| "After a Fashion" (with Mick Karn Mick Karn Andonis Michaelides , better known as Mick Karn, was an English multi-instrumentalist musician and songwriter, who came to fame as the bassist for the art rock band Japan, from 1974 to 1982.... ) |
1983 | 39 | - | - | - | |
| "If I Was If I Was "If I Was" is a popular song written by Midge Ure and Danny Mitchell. It reached #1 on the UK singles chart for a single week in October 1985. This was Ure's third number one, coming after his success with Slik in 1976 and Band Aid in 1984... " |
1985 | 1 | - | - | - | The Gift |
| "That Certain Smile" | 28 | - | - | - | ||
| "Wastelands" | 1986 | 46 | - | - | - | |
| "Call of the Wild" | 27 | - | - | - | ||
| "Answers to Nothing" | 1989 | 49 | - | 26 | - | Answers to Nothing |
| "Dear God" | 55 | 95 | 4 | 6 | ||
| "Cold, Cold Heart" | 1991 | 17 | - | 12 | - | Pure |
| "I See Hope (In the Morning Light)" | - | - | - | - | ||
| "Breathe Breathe (Midge Ure song) Not to be confused with Breathe , Breathe or any other song with that title.Breathe is a song by Scottish singer Midge Ure released March 22, 1996, as the first single from his album Breathe.... " |
1996 | 70 | - | - | - | Breathe |
| "Guns and Arrows" | - | - | - | - | ||
| "You Move Me" | 2001 | - | - | - | - | Move Me |
| "Beneath a Spielberg Sky" | - | - | - | - | ||