‘Looking Backwards Towards the Future: The Story of Ultravox’ by Richard Evans, with a foreword by Moby, is published today! 💙
Available online and at all good bookshops*.
MORE: ultravoxbook.com
*Except North America, Australia and NZ where it comes out in February 2027.
Chrysalis Records present Chapters: The Best of MIDGE URE, a brand new compilation album featuring new stereo mixes of his greatest hits. Best known for being the front man of the 1980's version of Ultravox and his involvement in Visage, Thin Lizzy and the co-creator and founder of the famine relief charity and organisation, Band Aidand Live Aid, and the Christmas single Do They Know Its Christmas.
This new 3CD deluxe edition Best of collection consists of new stereo mixes of his solo catalogue from the 1980's, giving a fresh modern feel to his classic solo tracks. With tracks like worldwide No.1 single If I Was along with Dear God, No Regrets, The Man Who Sold The World and After A Fashionwhich he recorded with Japan's Mick Karn and the sublime duet with Kate Bush Sister & Brother. And for the first time Midge has recorded new studio recordings of Visage's Fade To Grey and Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy) Yellow Pearl, which he originally co-wrote. CD1 contains 17 tracks, including 2 bonus tracks not on the standard version. CD2 consists of 10 newly commissioned remixes by artists and producers who have worked with Midge over the years, such as soundtrack composer Craig Armstrong, Richard Barbieri and Steve Jansen (from the band Japan), Wolfgang Flur (Kraftwerk), Chris Payne (Visage/Gary Numan) amongst others. CD3 consists of new Instrumental mixes of all 17 tracks from CD1.
Format will be a DVD sized hardback covered mediabook with a 20pp booklet.
Tracklisting:
Disc 1
20 years before the fateful day of 9/11,
11th September 1981, Ultravox released their 5th album ‘Rage in Eden’.
Why the connection? Well only that I was listening to the LP recently & the track ‘I Remember (Death in the Afternoon)’ resonated deeply with me as I recalled hearing the dreadful news of the attacks on the World Trade Centre-which came through in the afternoon in the UK.
This album has a complex, introspective sound with obscure lyrics & surreal imagery. As Midge said “there’s a starkness about it, an austere, mystical distance,a coldness to it but a coldness that kind of works”.
The record was recorded in Cologne at Conny Plank’s studio but unusually the band had not written any material before they went into the studio-they intended to use the studio itself as an instrument!
Rage in Eden was another commercial success reaching No.4 on the UK Album chart and was certified Gold with sales in excess of 100,000 copies!
The original sleeve, designed by Peter Saville, was based on a French magazine cover-Cinemonde-but ran into copyright issues. Subsequent reissues of the album, such as the CD version, have different artwork.
From @midgeure1 on X.
📸 Jacob Michalski
What the van HECKE it’s certainly out with the old guard!
Carlos, I was never a true BALEBA, so good luck at Utd.
Danny’s departure was a shock but we wish him WELBZ.
And will Liverpool YANKUBA our MINTEH from under our noses?
So what does 26/27 hold?
Will it be another FAB season?
Well the new boys certainly have plenty of PROMISE even if they COSTINHA packet!
Hopefully we’ve STRUIJK gold.
Two PASCALs now-can they cope with the pressure?(🤞otherwise this term could be GROSS)
A top half finish is a slam DUNK again, but what about a trophy?
We’ve more than a WIEFER thin chance, BART who knows?
We’ll just have to ride our LUKA & see where fate takes us.
But trust Tony.
Some have accused him of CASHIN in, but BLOOMin’ heck, he knows what he’s doing!
He’s not going to let anyone take us to the BARBERs!
STEELE yourselves for what lies ahead but enjoy the campaign Seagulls.
Born this day 1952 Chris Allen aka Chris Cross would’ve been 74 today.
A member of Ultravox! and Ultravox he played with the band from 1974-1986 and 2009-2013.
RIP Chris!
Midge Ure posted some photos on Instagram today marking the 41st anniversary of the iconic gig which raised millions for famine relief in Ethiopia. July 13th 1985 Wembley & Philadelphia.
It’s on days like these that we can proudly fly the Cross of St. George and not feel like a flag shagger that paints red lines on a mini roundabout!
Come on England!! 🏴
From The Return To Eden tour programme 2009:
“ULTRAVOX - Return to Eden 2009
Once in a while, a band comes along that not only soundtracks an era, but defines a generation.
In the early 80's, Ultravox were that band. Featuring Midge Ure, Chris Cross, Warren Cann and Billy Currie, the four reinvented the way a band could operate, paving the way for countless musicians in the future and doing everything strictly on their terms. From the way they recorded each striking, atmospheric album to the art work on every record sleeve, Ultravox knew their vision was too important to compromise. They didn't form a band to see their faces in magazines, nor write songs to score chart positions. They made music together because they had to, because they knew that no one else could sound like the four of them together. On record, that intangible, magical chemistry immediately set Ultravox apart from their contemporaries and made them one of the most enduring - and intriguing - bands the UK has ever seen. Now, incredibly, over two decades later, nothing has changed.”
Dallas. Texas. The lone star state hosted the lone star team:
Harry 'JR' Kane
Jude BobbyEwingham
MissEllie Rashford
SueEllen Pickford in goal
And managed by Cliff Barnes-Tuchel.
Everything is bigger in Texas and England have gone large & beaten Croatia 4:2🤠
#England 🏴#WorldCup🏆
3 leopards on a shirt? Doesn’t have quite the same ring to it! 🐆🐆🐆🏴
🦁🦁🦁 #England #WorldCup #3Lions
Whilst Ultravox was 2 years way-they had recently released their 2nd album Ha!Ha!Ha! -Midge Ure had joined the Rich Kids, Glen Matlock’s post Sex Pistols band! Interestingly, Midge was approached by Malcolm McLaren to be the singer in the Pistols before John Lydon got the gig & became Johnny Rotten!
Now there’s a huge ‘what if..’
This was from a rare US pressing of their debut which I picked up recently. Fantasic album, McGeoch really delivers on 'The Dancer'.
The second bottom image i've seen numerous times in both promotional art and picture sleeves, is that really of Steve Strange? Doesnt really look like him
The encore from Midge’s Portsmouth gig on 3/6/26 was the Ultravox classic Hymn!
The final encore song performed by Midge at his Portsmouth gig was Ultravox and the fabulous Hymn.
Midge’s MOTW tour rolled into The Guildhall, Portsmouth yesterday, supported by French electro pop duo Scenius.
Midge didn’t disappoint, initially taking us on a non stop 45 minute journey through his musical career. That segment started with ‘A Different View’ and ended with ‘Vienna’ with one of his band playing Billy’s electric violin part beautifully.
Then he chatted to the crowd and got us up on our feet for the hits segment starting with ‘Reap The Wild Wind’ and ending with an encore of ‘Hymn’. In amongst those songs was a brilliant version of ‘Fade to Grey’ by Visage, which of course Midge co-wrote!
A great gig, full of his Ultravox & solo hits and performed with his fantastic backing band. His voice held up well-although not as strong -he still hit the notes on the big tunes like Vienna which is pretty good considering he’s 72!
The mature Midge Ure has still got it!
A fab night.
I'm enjoying seeing my 80s heroes again after all these years. As Midge said last night, there's still an 18 year old inside, waiting to come out & party!!
Thanks so much to you & the band.
Keep on rocking!