I first became aware of Midge when Sleepwalk appeared on TOTP, back in the day. A couple of times back then, there’d be what felt like seismic presentations of sound and vision on TOTP of something truly awesome,innovative, inspiring, and you just knew it was a major signpost for the future of what kind of music you wanted to hear more of. ABBA did it in ‘77 for me, I heard song structures which were perfection, and of course the four looked fab too. Then punk came along and hearing the likes of Sham 69, Pistols, Ruts, angelic upstarts, the damned, buzzcocks, generation x, x ray spex, and many more, woke me up at the kids disco for 10 y o’s to what music could sound like when it’s defiant, edgy, shouty, yet fun (doing the pogo to it all). Then along came Tubeway Army, with Are Friends Electric, on TOTP for the first time, it was like the aliens had landed, but in the best way. Not meaning Numan looked alien, far from it, just that it was so different, stunning, this wall of sound synths sound, it blew the world of music wide open again for me, to what was possible. I think that was more or less the last time I was so amazed, until both John Foxx with Underpass, and seemingly simultaneously Ultravox with Sleepwalk and the Vienna album, both paved the way for sounds I’d love for ever more, and for artists I’d stick with forever, since. As we heard on the interview here, Midge and Chris and Warren and Billy went on to make masterpiece after masterpiece. I love all the albums, included the oft maligned pink thing, and also Brilliant, which was as much as was possible to meet its name, at that point in the game. And of course, once we knew Midge during Ultravox’s arrival, it was time to find out more, what else could we hear, tracking back, that we’d missed? Silk I sourced the two hit singles on vinyl straight away and liked them. Heard about the Thin Lizzy US tour, which of course we couldn’t relive. But Visage was something new and different again, and rather wonderful. The Midge with a superb solo single, No Regrets. A few years later and we’d had the sublime The Gift solo album, and a No1 single with If I Was. And of course Yellow Pearl, which it was great to hear today how Billy was on the record? And Rusty too? Before Phil Collins did his thing over it. Probably around that time I discovered in retrospect the Rich Kids album. It’s then that you realise just how many different projects Midge has had chart success with! Also a single with Mick Karn got into the Top 40, after a fashion. Pity no album ensued. Midge did a few songs with Japan minus Sylvian, which turned up on the Little Orphans compilation album of Midges odds and ends of unreleased material, much of which was really good. More solo albums followed, to varying degrees of commercial success, and now of course we are in an era where most artists realise to make any money and also delight fans, it’s all about gigs these days. There’s nothing to be earned writing and releasing albums now. So, once again, I look forward to seeing and hearing Midge, this time in Manchester in December. My royal box seat is booked 😂 I leave the dancing and singing to those that have those skills, I’ll sit and study every single moment, every single note, every movement, and I won’t move until it’s time to applaud the end of every single song. Keep well Midge.
James/Midge is one of my inspritations, not gonna post a link to my stuff, becuase TH-cam doesn't have freedom of speech anymore. He is a legend. Bob did the talking and celebrity wrangling, but Midge made it happen. Teamwork. We all need to work together to produce something good. ❤&✌
Midge Ure is such a fantastic songwriter. I recently realized what a great track One is from the Brilliant album as well as Breath from one of his solo albums. So many great Ultravox songs, The thin wall being an all time favorite, obviously he's not the sole writer but still.
My older brother used to model himself on Midge and lip sync to Ultravox songs. He even grew the pencil thin moustache 😂 I was a tiddler at the time, but being down an Ultravox and Midge Ure rabbit hole at the moment just loving hearing it all again. And the videos are just like mini films. Epic! Midge still looks and sounds great, an incredibly talented man. Thanks for the interview 🌟
Steely Dan? You are a bit off.I am a big fan, but this does not go at all. 1800 records. You have more and always come to me with this bad musician?Dan Fogelberg? Harry Nilsson?
![Midge Ure (Slik, Rich Kids, Visage, Ultravox, Band Aid Member) On BBC Breakfast [20.07.2024]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/qCpXN5MCj3Q/mqdefault.jpg)
I was, and still am, a huge fan of Midge and Ultravox. Such a stellar career.
I first became aware of Midge when Sleepwalk appeared on TOTP, back in the day. A couple of times back then, there’d be what felt like seismic presentations of sound and vision on TOTP of something truly awesome,innovative, inspiring, and you just knew it was a major signpost for the future of what kind of music you wanted to hear more of. ABBA did it in ‘77 for me, I heard song structures which were perfection, and of course the four looked fab too. Then punk came along and hearing the likes of Sham 69, Pistols, Ruts, angelic upstarts, the damned, buzzcocks, generation x, x ray spex, and many more, woke me up at the kids disco for 10 y o’s to what music could sound like when it’s defiant, edgy, shouty, yet fun (doing the pogo to it all). Then along came Tubeway Army, with Are Friends Electric, on TOTP for the first time, it was like the aliens had landed, but in the best way. Not meaning Numan looked alien, far from it, just that it was so different, stunning, this wall of sound synths sound, it blew the world of music wide open again for me, to what was possible. I think that was more or less the last time I was so amazed, until both John Foxx with Underpass, and seemingly simultaneously Ultravox with Sleepwalk and the Vienna album, both paved the way for sounds I’d love for ever more, and for artists I’d stick with forever, since. As we heard on the interview here, Midge and Chris and Warren and Billy went on to make masterpiece after masterpiece. I love all the albums, included the oft maligned pink thing, and also Brilliant, which was as much as was possible to meet its name, at that point in the game. And of course, once we knew Midge during Ultravox’s arrival, it was time to find out more, what else could we hear, tracking back, that we’d missed? Silk I sourced the two hit singles on vinyl straight away and liked them. Heard about the Thin Lizzy US tour, which of course we couldn’t relive. But Visage was something new and different again, and rather wonderful. The Midge with a superb solo single, No Regrets. A few years later and we’d had the sublime The Gift solo album, and a No1 single with If I Was. And of course Yellow Pearl, which it was great to hear today how Billy was on the record? And Rusty too? Before Phil Collins did his thing over it. Probably around that time I discovered in retrospect the Rich Kids album. It’s then that you realise just how many different projects Midge has had chart success with! Also a single with Mick Karn got into the Top 40, after a fashion. Pity no album ensued. Midge did a few songs with Japan minus Sylvian, which turned up on the Little Orphans compilation album of Midges odds and ends of unreleased material, much of which was really good. More solo albums followed, to varying degrees of commercial success, and now of course we are in an era where most artists realise to make any money and also delight fans, it’s all about gigs these days. There’s nothing to be earned writing and releasing albums now. So, once again, I look forward to seeing and hearing Midge, this time in Manchester in December. My royal box seat is booked 😂 I leave the dancing and singing to those that have those skills, I’ll sit and study every single moment, every single note, every movement, and I won’t move until it’s time to applaud the end of every single song. Keep well Midge.
James/Midge is one of my inspritations, not gonna post a link to my stuff, becuase TH-cam doesn't have freedom of speech anymore. He is a legend. Bob did the talking and celebrity wrangling, but Midge made it happen. Teamwork. We all need to work together to produce something good. ❤&✌
Midge Ure is such a fantastic songwriter. I recently realized what a great track One is from the Brilliant album as well as Breath from one of his solo albums. So many great Ultravox songs, The thin wall being an all time favorite, obviously he's not the sole writer but still.
My older brother used to model himself on Midge and lip sync to Ultravox songs. He even grew the pencil thin moustache 😂 I was a tiddler at the time, but being down an Ultravox and Midge Ure rabbit hole at the moment just loving hearing it all again. And the videos are just like mini films. Epic! Midge still looks and sounds great, an incredibly talented man. Thanks for the interview 🌟
Erudite gent. Marvellous accent...the lyrical Lynott really to seemed admire his dynamism. Such a various career...
Steely Dan? You are a bit off.I am a big fan, but this does not go at all. 1800 records. You have more and always come to me with this bad musician?Dan Fogelberg? Harry Nilsson?