Midge Ure, real name James Ure, is a Scottish singer-songwriter who, aside from being the historic frontman of the group Ultravox, is also the co-writer and producer of the nation's best-selling Single musical history across the Channel, namely the now legendary “Do they know it's Christmas ? ".
Humanitarian Single performed by internationally renowned artists and grouped under the Band Aid banner, a legendary group whose goal was to help fight hunger in Ethiopia. The Single will sell over 3.7 million copies in England alone !
Ure made his debut at the end of the 60s in a group called “Stumble”, then joined another called “Salvation” in 1972. Which became “Slik” in 1974, a group which achieved a top hit in 1976 with the Single “ Forever and ever ”.
In 1977, a new name change from "Sik" to "PVC2", a parenthesis that will last only one year. Ure decides to leave the ship in 1978 to form what will become one of the major groups of the future New-Wave namely "Visage".
Their first Single "Tar", released in 1979, was very successful. But the second, a certain "Fade to grey", will become a world hit in 1980 and literally explodes the notoriety of the group, and that of its singer in particular, the fantastic Steve Strange.
At the same time, Ure collaborates with the group "Thin Lizzy" for which he co-wrote some songs. With the "Thin Lizzy" parenthesis closed, he decides to open the "Ultravox" parenthesis by resuscitating this dying group. This is how the album "Vienna" was released in 1980. It was a great success in esteem, but nothing more.
It was later, in 1981, that everything changed when the Single of the same name was released, which was a real hit, in particular thanks to a hallucinating clip that allowed the album to regain a second youth. This time, the album is a real success. The group suddenly finds himself propelled to the top of the charts.
Huge year 1982 for Ure who released a second album for Visage but left the group shortly after due to deep disagreements with Steve Strange. He also produced "Quartet" for Ultravox, an album which allows itself the luxury of placing 4 Singles in the English Top20. Still the same year, he made his first solo steps with the Single “No regrets” which became his first personal hit.
1983 saw the release for Ultravox of the album "Monument" and 1984 the release of the album "Lament", the latter enjoying considerable success. On the solo career side, he released the astonishing Single "After a fashion" which he recorded in duet with the extraordinary bassist from Japan. Single with a unique sound which will make a very honorable journey in the charts.
It was in 1985 that the artist achieved personal recognition with the enormous success of his Single "If I was", the flagship track taken from his album "The Gift". Album that will remain as his one and only major success in his solo career.
Ultravox broke up in 1987 and his personal albums "Answers to Nothing", which he produced in 1989, and "Pure" which he released in 1991, unfortunately did not bring him the expected success.
Other albums will be released later but will only meet with a limited level of success...
Midge Ure will stay as one of the most prolific and talented English singer-songwriters and have participated in an impressive number of musical projects. Some of which will stay in the musical history of the 1980s as some of the most important projects of the decade, notably across the Channel.
To discover or rediscover...
Discography (among others ...) :
80s Decade :
No regrets 1982
After a fashion 1983
If I was 1985
That certain smile 1985
Wastelands 1986
Call of the wild 1986
Dear god 1989
90s Decade :
Cold cold heart 1991
Breathe 1996
Guns and arrows 1996
Fields of fire 1998
2000s Decade :
You move me 2000
Strong 2000
Alone 2006
Personnal heaven 2007
Goodbye to love 2008
Nevermore 2008
2010s Decade :
I survived 2014
Are we connected 2014
Dark, dark night 2014
Man of two worlds 2017
Ordinary man 2017
Death in the afternoon 2017
Glorious 2019
2020s Decade :
Das beat 2022
Adventure Ultravox :
Tracks :
1982 ... a particularly successful first solo title which launches the artist's personal career as best it can
1983 ... an extraordinary title, unclassifiable where 2 geniuses of English music from the 80s give the best of themselves for a very surprising result
1985 ... which will stay as his highest ranked title of all. The artist is at the height of his art and literally walks on water, whether solo or in collaboration with others...
1985 ... a beautiful and big year 1985 which saw him produce a 2nd big caliber title. Certainly, this one will not have the success of the previous one but it doesn't matter, the quality is once again at the rendezvous...
1986 ... a year 1986 with 2 big hits as well. A dynamic which does not weaken and which sees the artist succeed in everything he undertakes !
1986 ... the biggest hit of the year. One last title before a break that will last almost 3 years ...
1989 ... this title will remain as the one having had the best audience at the planetary level. In particular in the USA. A well-deserved consecration !
1991 ... nothing to eat during the year 1990. It is found on the other hand the following year in great shape. An Olympic form which allows him to sign his 2nd biggest success...
1996 ... then new 5 years air gap. A shattering comeback in 1996 with this sumptuous title. A colorful and particularly inspired title !
1996 ... the last hit. Of course, we are far from the top of the Charts but Ure remains Ure and just for that, we savor without moderation !
1998...last hit but not the end of the adventure, far from it. The artist still has things to offer and especially things to sing...
2000...here he adds a new decade to his career. Admittedly, we are not going to lie to each other, the best years are now behind him, but in any case he continues to believe in it...
2000... it is certain that the level of inspiration has dropped somewhat but it is still more than enough to produce titles of a certain quality. Anyway, we'll be happy with that...
2001...the most important thing for him is that the adventure continues afterwards regardless of the results in the Charts. Who would blame him...
2006...he will disappear from the radar for a few years but here he is again anyway. An adventure that lasts, that lasts, that lasts...
2007...he shares the poster here with the German group X-Perience and my faith the result is far from devoid of interest. A new time !
2008...a new opus which will go unnoticed to say the least but which it would have been a shame to conceal. Every title deserves its share of light...
2008...it is clear that what he produces today is nothing like what he offered before. Losing bet on this one unfortunately...
2014...new air hole of 6 years and here he is back in this new decade in a form that we will qualify as certain. Sufficient in any case for this new opus to be classified unlike its predecessor...
2014...he makes it a point of honor to come back for every new decade and it will be that way for as long as he can. A longevity that unquestionably commands respect...
2014...on certain titles the mixture of old and new influences is obvious. A way to reinvent yourself without denying your origins...
2017...he will revisit old titles here by giving them a very different tone from the original. The art of making something new with something old...
2017...orchestral versions which have the merit of illuminating these titles with an original light to say the least. In any case, we want more...
2017...often the orchestral versions do not add much more or totally distort the originals. Which will not be the case on this opus...
2019...an artist who will have had the merit of crossing the years, the decades and above all the fashions without denying his fundamentals. Mighty feat...
2022...and here he is in this new decade of 2020. We suspected that we would inevitably find him again during this decade and there is a good chance that we will find him again later...
2017 ... he covers his baby here, a AMAZING title dating from 1980 and which became a global mega hit thanks to the group Visage of which he was one of the founders
Wiki :
Official Website :
Greatest Hits :
BestMusic80 Article Ultravox :
BestMusic80 Article Visage :
Discography :
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