Ultravox were a British new wave band, formed in London in April 1974 as Tiger Lily. Between 1980 and 1986, they scored seven Top Ten albums and seventeen Top 40 singles in the UK, the most successful of which was their 1981 hit "Vienna".
James "Midge" Ure is a Scottish musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. His stage name, Midge, is a phonetic reversal of Jim, a hypocorism of his given name. Ure enjoyed particular success in the 1970s and 1980s in bands including Slik, Thin Lizzy, Rich Kids and Visage, and as the second frontman of Ultravox. In 1984, he co-wrote and produced the charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?", which has sold 3.7 million copies in the UK. The song is the second-highest-selling single in UK chart history. Ure co-organised Band Aid, Live Aid and Live 8 with Bob Geldof. He acts as a trustee for the charity and also serves as an ambassador for Save the Children.
Rich Kids were a short-lived 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 both later founded Visage together. They released one album and three singles during their existence, from March 1977 to December 1978.
Slik were a Scottish pop group of the mid-1970s, most notable for their UK number 1 hit "Forever and Ever" in 1976. Initially glam rock, the band later changed their style to soft rock/bubblegum. It was the first band with whom singer and guitarist Midge Ure began to experience musical success, before joining new wave band Ultravox.
Joy is the fourth studio album by Scottish punk rock and new wave band Skids. It was their first album after the departure of signature guitarist Stuart Adamson who went on to found Big Country. It represented a change of direction from rock towards folk music—amplifying the traditional Scottish element already hinted at in previous releases. This would be their last album until the release of Burning Cities over 36 years later.
Kenneth John Hyslop is a Scottish drummer.
"Forever and Ever" is a UK number-one single by Scottish glam rock band Slik, released in 1975. It was number one for one week in February 1976, knocking ABBA's "Mamma Mia" off the number-one position. It was also a hit in Ireland, reaching number two on the charts there. The song was written by the songwriting partnership of Bill Martin and Phil Coulter who had recently stopped writing for the Bay City Rollers.
The Anvil is the second studio album by the British synth-pop band Visage, released in March 1982 by Polydor Records. The album reached No. 6 in the UK and was certified "Silver" by the British Phonographic Industry in April 1982.
The Gift is the debut solo studio album by Scottish musician Midge Ure, released on 7 October 1985 by Chrysalis Records. It was released while his band Ultravox were taking a break; the band would go on to release U-Vox (1986) before breaking up. The album reached No. 2 in the UK Albums Chart partly due to the large attention drawn to it by the single "If I Was" which reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart in September 1985. "That Certain Smile" was released as the second single in November 1985, and "Wastelands" was released as the third single in January 1986.
Set the Tone were a Scottish electronic music group, formed by Kenny Hyslop, Bobby Paterson, Chris Morgan and Evelyn Asiedu.
Russell Webb is a Scottish new wave bass guitarist who was member of bands such as Slik, PVC2, Zones, Skids, The Armoury Show and Public Image Ltd and collaborated with Richard Jobson, Virginia Astley and The Who.
Zones were a Scottish power pop and new wave band founded in late 1977, following the demise of PVC2.
James Anthony McGinlay is 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.
"Stuck with You" is the debut single by punk band Zones, released by Zoom Records on February 17, 1978.
"Boogiest Band in Town" is the debut single by Scottish glam rock band Slik. This was the first single and recording released by Midge Ure, singer and guitarist of the band, formed also by drummer Kenny Hyslop, bassist Jim McGinlay and keyboardist Billy McIsaac. The single was released in the first months of 1975, being released by Polydor. However the song did not chart, but the band was featured playing the song in the glam rock movie Never Too Young To Rock, the same year.
Willie Gardner is a Scottish musician, who formed part of various pop and rock bands in the 1970s and 1980s, playing guitar. He was a cousin of Alex Harvey.
"Put You in the Picture" is a song written by Russell Webb, and performed by his group PVC2. The song was released on 30 August 1977 by Zoom Records, in an EP which was the last recording of Midge Ure with the remaining members of Slik, who later resurged as Zones, with another singer and guitarist, Willie Gardner.
Under Influence is the only album of new wave band Zones, released by Arista Records on June 1, 1979. The album contains songs of multiple genres, being very far from the early punkier stuff, like in the case of 7" single "Stuck with You". Jim Green of Trousser Press distinguished or tried to define it as "pop? Hard stuff? Commercial new wave? Reggae-pop?".
Billy McIsaac is a musician, who played mainly keyboards since his early days with different pop bands.
If I Was: The Very Best of Midge Ure & Ultravox is a 1993 compilation album by Scottish musician Midge Ure, featuring songs from his solo career and as part of the new wave and synthpop band Ultravox, along with Ure's collaborations with Mick Karn, Phil Lynott, Visage, and charity supergroup Band Aid.
