Midge Ure

An artist who has received Ivor Novello, Grammy, BASCAP awards along with a flotilla of gold and platinum records, really needs very little introduction. Writer and guitarist with Slik, Rich Kids, Visage, Ultravox and Thin Lizzy. Video director for Phil Lynott, Steve Harley, Banarama and others. Musical director for The Prince's Trust Rock Concerts, Nelson Mandela Wembley Concert, Wicked Women etc

In 1977 Midge was snapped up by ex-Sex Pistol Glen Matlock for his new outfit, the Rich Kids, who charted amid an avalanche of press with a self-titled EMI single early in 1978. By 1979 Ure had been asked by Billy Currie, Chris Cross and Warren Cann to become the new frontman in Ultravox.

The band was a major influence on the new romantic and electro-pop movements of the early '80s. Their successful trademark was combining Midge's powerful guitar riffs with sweeping synthesiser motifs, enigmatic imagery and state-of-the-art visuals. Tracks like 'Reap the Wild Wind', 'Dancing With Tears in My Eyes', 'Love's Great Adventure' and 1981's timeless 'Vienna' were all massive hits the world over as they charted with awesome regularity, not only on single, but with seven consecutive top ten albums in just six years. Indeed, Vienna recently was voted the Nation’s favourite number 2 single of the 80’s, finally granting it a coveted Number 1 position!

Then came November 25, 1984, a historic day for Midge and all of pop music, as 36 artists by the collective name Band Aid gathered at SARM Studios in west London under Ure's production. They recorded 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' a song he had just written with Bob Geldof as the industry's heartfelt and eloquent contribution to Ethiopian famine relief. Within months, a staggering £8 million had been raised for the starving in Africa. Geldof said that without Ure's initial enthusiasm for the idea, neither Band Aid nor Live Aid could have happened.

Just two months after Live Aid, Midge was back at No.1 in Britain, this time under his own name, with 'If I Was', and by the autumn he had a No.2 solo album to accompany it, entitled 'The Gift'. Further solo albums followed with “Answers to Nothing” in 1988 and “Pure” in 1991 on BMG.

Delivered in 1994, the new 'Breathe' album was followed by further extensive touring. The Swatch campaign brought spectacular renewed international activity for the record in 1998. The album and eponymous single subsequently hit the number one position in various countries in Europe.

He later went on to be executive producer for the Band Aid 20 single working with the likes of Paul McCartney and Radiohead.

Midge's services to both music and charity were finally recognised in the Queens Birthday Honours list in 2005, when Midge was awarded a long overdue OBE. He's also received honorary doctorates from both Edinburgh and Dundee Universities, mainly in recognition for his work with Band Aid and Live 8.

Fragile was released in 2014 and was a return to his progressive synth roots with soaring melodies and introspective lyrics. Huffington Post chose Fragile as one of their albums of the year.

The end of 2017, after completing a 36 date tour with his Band Electronica, saw Midge release his current album “Orchestrated” an orchestral reworking of some of his personal favourite works, through BMG Rights. The single “Breathe” has been playlisted on BBC Radio 2 for 4 consecutive weeks. His music has recently been featured on 'Thirteen reasons why', 'The Assassination of Gianni Versace' and 'The Americans'.