Ultravox - WikiHQ

Ultravox (previously styled as 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".

From 1974 until 1979, singer John Foxx was the frontman and the main driving force behind Ultravox. Foxx left the band in March 1979 to embark on a solo career. Midge Ure took over as lead singer, guitarist and frontman after he and keyboardist Billy Currie worked on the studio project Visage. Ure revitalised the band and steered it to commercial chart success lasting until 1987, at which time the group disbanded.

A new line-up, led by Currie, was formed in 1992, but achieved limited success with two albums failing to chart and one solitary single reaching No. 90 on the UK Singles Chart. The band's best-known line-up of Currie, Ure, bassist Chris Cross and drummer Warren Cann re-formed in 2008 and performed a series of shows in 2009 and 2010 before releasing a new studio album, Brill!ant, in May 2012 which reached No. 21 on the UK Albums Chart. In November 2013, Ultravox performed as special guests on a four-date UK arena tour with Simple Minds. These shows proved to be Ultravox's last, as in 2017 both Currie and Ure indicated that Ultravox had run its course.

History

Early years – Tiger Lily: 1974–1976

The band was formed in April 1974 on the initiative of vocalist and songwriter Dennis Leigh, a then Royal College of Art student, and was originally known as Tiger Lily. An initial but incomplete line-up comprised Leigh plus Chris Allen who was then billed as Chris St. John (bass guitar) and Stevie Shears (guitar), with Warren Cann (drums) and Billy Currie (violin) joining in May and October 1974 respectively. The group released one single in 1975, "Ain't Misbehavin'", a cover of the Fats Waller song, which featured in a soft porn film. Later, the band went through a series of name changes including The Zips, Fire of London, London Soundtrack, and The Damned, using this last name for a few weeks before discovering that the Damned had already taken it. Their debut was co-produced by Steve Lillywhite and Brian Eno (who next co-wrote and performed with Bowie on Low). Ultravox!<nowiki>'</nowiki>s sales were disappointing, and neither the album nor the associated single "Dangerous Rhythm" managed to enter the UK charts. Relations within the band were on an occasionally tenuous footing during this time as Foxx declared that he intended to live without emotions, a sentiment he wrote into the début album track "I Want to Be a Machine".

Ultravox! returned later in 1977 with the punkier Ha! Ha! Ha!. Sales of both the album and its lead single, "ROckWrok", were poor, both failing to register on the UK charts. "ROckWrok" had a punk-lyric chorus, with the words "Come on, let's tangle in the dark/Fuck like a dog, bite like a shark". (Despite this, it got airplay on BBC Radio 1.) Although Ha! Ha! Ha! was dominated by guitars and electric violin, the final track, "Hiroshima Mon Amour", was a prototypical synthpop song. One of the first tracks by a British band to feature a drum machine (a Roland Rhythm 77 (TR-77) with preset patterns) and a tenor saxophone solo played by "c.c." of the band Gloria Mundi. “Hiroshima Mon Amour” signalled a new direction for Ultravox. The energy, anger and popular appeal of punk was fading in 1978, and the more creative UK punk genre talent sought new directions—calling themselves British new wave instead of punk rock artists. "Hiroshima Mon Amour" remains a critics' and fans' favourite from the group's initial period. Ultravox! also performed it on The Old Grey Whistle Test later in 1978.

Systems of Romance and split with John Foxx

In early March 1978, Stevie Shears, whose style of guitar playing was considered a limiting factor, was sacked from the band after they toured England and joined Cowboys International in 1980. He was replaced by Robert Simon (ex-member of Ian North's Neo), who during his first days with the band changed his performance-name to Robin Simon. Some time in 1978, the group also dropped the exclamation mark, becoming simply "Ultravox". The new line-up performed live at the Reading Festival along with Radio Stars, Penetration, Sham 69, the Pirates and the Jam, playing early versions of "Slow Motion" and "Quiet Men" on 27 August 1978.

Their third album, 1978's Systems of Romance, was recorded with producer Conny Plank (the producer of the first four albums by German electronic outfit Kraftwerk) and engineer Dave Hutchins at Plank's Studio in rural Germany. Musically, the album was markedly different from Ultravox's earlier work, bringing synthesisers to the forefront of the group's sound. Frustrated by too many opinions of how the band should sound,

Despite some positive reviews and initial sales of over 25 000 copies, Island dropped the band on 31 December 1978. Ultravox embarked on a self-financed US tour in early 1979 and, to their amazement, received an enthusiastic response by the American audience at several sold out venues. But after their final gig near San Francisco in March 1979, Foxx declared his intention to leave the band and pursue a solo career. He gave the remaining members the band name and returned to London. With Ultravox being switched in the running order so that Princess Diana could see the Boomtown Rats before leaving Wembley, the start of the Ultravox set was lost to a poor hand-over from an over-running foreign link up. As the concert was never officially archived, this could not be restored to the partial record of the event available on the official DVD. Later in 1985, Ure scored a No. 1 solo hit with "If I Was" and his solo album The Gift reached No. 2 in the UK.

During the time Midge was away working with his solo album and tour, Cann, Currie and Cross recorded demos to a forthcoming album. They recorded the track "Ukraine" which is available on Currie's 1991 solo album Stand up and Walk.

Ure later said that when he came back they were all working in different directions. In a band meeting before the new recording began in 1986, Warren Cann was dismissed from the band due to musical differences. Ure said 1986: "After the two year break the differences that might have been very small two years ago, had magnified during that time, we had grown apart. It seemed like we could not work with him."

Ultravox recorded the U-Vox album with Big Country's Mark Brzezicki on drums in Plank's studio in Germany. The U-Vox album, released in October 1986, was later described by Ure as "unfocused". Although it continued their string of top ten albums in the UK, its singles showed declining chart results: "Same Old Story" peaking at No. 31, and "All Fall Down" at No. 30 in 1986, with "All in One Day" reaching only No. 88 in 1987. In 1987, Ultravox decided not to continue after the U-Vox tour and split up. Cross retired from the music business to become a psychotherapist. Cann later moved to Los Angeles to work in the movie business. Currie and Robin Simon reunited in 1989 as the short-lived Humania, performing live shows, but never making a release until 2006, the album Sinews of the Soul.

Currie's own Ultravox: 1992–1996

Without any other original members, Currie reformed Ultravox again in 1992 with vocalist Tony Fenelle to record Revelation, and later Sam Blue replaced Fenelle in a new five-piece Ultravox line-up, lending his voice to another release, Ingenuity released November 1994. This line-up also released the live album Future Picture recorded in Italy 1993.

These albums had little commercial success and the band dissolved again in 1996. In 2006, about the attempt to continue Ultravox, Currie said: "It wasn't a good idea but, in retrospect, it's always easy to say that."

Reunion: 2008–2013

thumb|Ultravox performing at [[The O2 in London, 2013]]

In September 2008, both Vienna and Rage in Eden were released in digitally remastered two-disc format with the second disc containing previously unreleased material.

On 2 October 2008 Midge Ure and Billy Currie met again and played an acoustic "Vienna" together, on Geoff Lloyd Show on Absolute Radio in Abbey Road Studios. After this they got an offer from Live Nation, who their former manager Chris O’Donnell was now working for.

On 6 November 2008 the official announcement came: Warren Cann, Chris Cross, Billy Currie and Midge Ure reformed Ultravox again, for a 15-date UK tour in April 2009, entitled "Return to Eden". This would be the first time the classic line-up of the band had performed together since Live Aid in 1985. The first show was played at Edinburgh Playhouse 10 April 2009.

Speaking to the Sunday Mail, Ure stated that the reunion was only a one-off, and there would be no new material from the group. He said: "We're not trying to recapture our youth and won't be writing new songs or recording another album. This is about celebrating our music and our anniversary."

Quartet and Monument were released in February 2009, also in two-disc editions. The second disc in the Monument package is a DVD containing the concert video that was previously only available on VHS tape. The other Chrysalis-era releases were planned for similar future releases.

Since success from touring the UK they have extended the tour to Germany and Belgium. A live CD and DVD of Ultravox's sell-out Roundhouse show was released on 5 April 2010. The DVD features a documentary filmed on the build-up to and during the reunion tour, parts of it filmed by Midge Ure.

Ultravox returned to performing live with their Return to Eden II tour in Europe during 2010. In August they played four shows in Sweden together with Howard Jones and Alphaville. It was on this tour the band members decided that they should record some new material again.

On 20 January 2011, via their official website, Ultravox.org.uk, the band announced that a new studio album was nearing completion. In 2011 Ultravox released a fan store exclusive EP called Moments from Eden, featured four new live tracks recorded 23 April 2010 at Grosse Freiheit, Hamburg, and 24 April 2010 at Admiralspalast, Berlin. Following this release the band embarked on the 'Brilliant Tour' performing shows across the UK and Europe in late 2012.

On 30 November 2013, Ultravox performed their last show at The O2 Arena in London, as special guests on a four date UK arena tour with Simple Minds.

On 4 January 2017, Billy Currie announced on his official website that he had decided that his time as a member of Ultravox had come to an end after 43 years. In December 2017, Midge Ure said in an interview with the Daily Express that a further reformation by the band was unlikely.

Bassist Chris Cross died on 25 March 2024; his death was confirmed by Midge Ure on 1 April.

Legacy

Gary Numan has stated that the original 1970s-era Ultravox was the most important influence on his music. Ultravox was also a major influence on early Simple Minds and Duran Duran.

Along with acts like Visage and Gary Numan, Ultravox was one of the early influences on techno. In his book Energy Flash, Simon Reynolds quotes Adam Lee Miller of Adult: "I always get a kick when people say the first 'techno' record was Cybotron's 'Alleys of Your Mind'... To me, it was just a new wave record. It sounds particularly close to 'Mr X' by Ultravox."

Band members

; Classic line-up

Chris Cross – bass, synthesisers, backing vocals (1974–1987, 2008–2013; died 2024)
Warren Cann – drums, electronic percussion, drum programming, synthesizers, backing and occasional lead vocals (1974–1986, 2008–2013)
Billy Currie – synthesisers, keyboards, violin, viola (1974–1987, 1992–1996, 2008–2013)
Midge Ure – lead vocals, guitars, synthesisers (1979–1987, 2008–2013)

; Former members

John Foxx – lead vocals (1974–1979)
Stevie Shears – guitar (1974–1978)
Robin Simon – guitar, backing vocals (1978–1979)
Tony Fenelle – lead vocals, guitar (1992–1993)
Sam Blue – lead vocals (1994–1996)
Vinny Burns – guitar (1994–1996)
Tony Holmes – drums, percussion (1994–1996)
Gary Williams – bass (1994–1996)

Lineups

{| class="toccolours" border=1 cellpadding=2 cellspacing=0 style="float: width: 375px; margin: 0 0 1em 1em; border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid #E2E2E2;" width=99%

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1974

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1975–1978

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1978–1979

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1979–1986 Classic line-up

| valign=top |

Chris Cross – bass, backing vocals
John Foxx – lead vocals
Stevie Shears – guitar
Warren Cann – drums, backing vocals
Billy Currie – violin

| valign=top |

Chris Cross – bass, backing vocals
John Foxx – lead vocals
Stevie Shears – guitar
Warren Cann – drums, electronic percussion, backing vocals
Billy Currie – violin, keyboards, synthesiser

| valign=top |

Chris Cross – bass, synthesiser, backing vocals
John Foxx – lead vocals
Warren Cann – drums, electronic percussion, backing vocals
Billy Currie – keyboards, violin
Robin Simon – guitar, backing vocals

| valign=top |

Chris Cross – bass, synthesisers, backing vocals
Warren Cann – drums, electronic percussion, backing vocals
Billy Currie – synthesisers, piano, violin, viola
Midge Ure – lead vocals, guitars, synthesisers

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1986–1987

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1987–1992

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1992–1993

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1993–1996

| valign=top |

Chris Cross – bass, synthesisers, backing vocals
Billy Currie – keyboards, violin, viola
Midge Ure – lead vocals, guitars, synthesisers

| valign=top |

Disbanded

| valign=top |

Billy Currie – keyboards, violin, viola
Tony Fenelle – lead vocals, guitar

Billy Currie – keyboards, violin, viola
Sam Blue – lead vocals
Vinny Burns – guitar
Tony Holmes – drums, percussion
Gary Williams – bass

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1996–2008

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 2008–2013

| valign=top |

Disbanded

| valign=top |

Billy Currie – keyboards, violin, viola
Warren Cann – drums, electronic percussion, backing vocals
Chris Cross – bass, synthesisers, backing vocals
Midge Ure – lead vocals, guitars, synthesisers

Timeline

</div>

Discography

Studio albums

Ultravox! (1977)
Ha! Ha! Ha! (1977)
Systems of Romance (1978)
Vienna (1980)
Rage in Eden (1981)
Quartet (1982)
Lament (1984)
U-Vox (1986)
Revelation (1993)
Ingenuity (1994)
Brill!ant (2012)

References

External links

"The Story. " Warren Cann interviewed by Jonas Wårstad. Gives a detailed history of the band. (text)