Midge Ure facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Midge Ure
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Ure in 2025
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| Birth name | James Ure |
| Born | 10 October 1953 Cambuslang, Lanarkshire, Scotland |
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| Years active | 1969–present |
James "Midge" Ure is a Scottish musician, singer, and record producer. He was born on October 10, 1953. His stage name, Midge, is "Jim" spelled backward. Midge Ure became very famous in the 1970s and 1980s. He was part of several popular bands like Slik, Thin Lizzy, Rich Kids, and Visage. He also led the band Ultravox for many years.
In 1984, Midge Ure helped create the famous charity song "Do They Know It's Christmas?" for Band Aid. He worked with Bob Geldof to organize this project. The song sold millions of copies and is still one of the best-selling singles in UK history. Midge Ure also helped organize the huge charity concerts Live Aid and Live 8. He is an ambassador for Save the Children, helping children around the world.
Midge Ure wrote and produced many hit songs in the 1980s. These include "Fade to Grey" by Visage and Ultravox songs like "Vienna" and "Dancing with Tears in My Eyes". In 1985, his solo song "If I Was" became a number one hit in the UK.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Midge Ure grew up in Cambuslang, Scotland, near Glasgow. His family was working-class. He lived in a small flat with his parents, brother, and sister. He went to Rutherglen Academy until he was 15.
After school, Ure trained to be an engineer. But he also loved music. He started playing guitar in a Glasgow band called Stumble around 1969.
Joining Slik
In 1972, Ure joined a band called Salvation as a guitarist. The band was formed by brothers Kevin and Jim McGinlay. Jim McGinlay started calling Ure "Midge" to avoid confusion, as both had the name James. Midge Ure has used this name ever since. The band played cover songs in clubs.
In 1974, Midge Ure became the lead singer of the band. They changed their name to Slik. Slik had a number one hit song in the UK in 1976 called "Forever and Ever". In 1975, Midge Ure was asked to join the Sex Pistols, a famous punk band, but he turned them down. Slik later changed their style to punk rock and became PVC2.
Rich Kids and New Sounds
In 1977, Midge Ure left PVC2 to join Rich Kids. This band included Glen Matlock, who used to be in the Sex Pistols. Ure moved to London and learned a lot about the music scene. He wanted to use new electronic instruments like synthesizers in the band's music. But other members preferred traditional guitars and drums. Because of these differences, the band broke up.
Rich Kids reunited for special concerts in 2010 and 2016. These shows were to help former band members and celebrate their music.
Forming Visage
In 1978, Midge Ure and his bandmate Rusty Egan formed a new band called Visage. They used synthesizers to create a new sound. Their lead singer was Steve Strange. In 1980, Visage released their second single, "Fade to Grey". This song became a big hit in the UK and other countries. Their first album was also very successful.
Visage released a second album in 1982. It also did well, but Midge Ure left the band soon after. He had different ideas about the music compared to Steve Strange.
Playing with Thin Lizzy
Midge Ure knew Thin Lizzy's singer, Phil Lynott. In 1979, Ure helped write a song for Thin Lizzy's album Black Rose. He also joined Thin Lizzy for a tour in the US when their guitarist left. He played guitar and later keyboards for them. Ure also helped Phil Lynott with his solo music, co-writing the song "Yellow Pearl". This song was used as the theme for the TV show Top of the Pops for many years.
Leading Ultravox
In 1979, Midge Ure joined Ultravox. The band's original singer had left. Ure became the new singer, songwriter, and guitarist. This new version of Ultravox became very famous. The band included Billy Currie on keyboards, Chris Cross on bass, and Warren Cann on drums.
Their first album with Ure, Vienna, came out in 1980. The song "Vienna" became a massive hit in 1981. It reached number two in the UK charts and was one of the best-selling songs that year. The music video for "Vienna" was very creative and influenced how music videos were made.
For a while, between 1979 and 1980, Midge Ure was busy with three successful bands: Ultravox, Visage, and Thin Lizzy.
Ultravox released more successful albums with Ure, including Rage in Eden (1981) and Quartet (1982). Quartet was produced by George Martin, who also worked with The Beatles. In 1984, they released Lament, which included the hit song "Dancing with Tears in My Eyes". The band's "greatest hits" album, The Collection, was a huge success, reaching number two in the UK.
Midge Ure left Ultravox in 1986 after their album U-Vox. He felt the band's energy had changed, partly because of his work on Band Aid.
In 2009, Ultravox reunited with Midge Ure and the classic line-up. They went on a "Return to Eden" tour to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their Vienna album. They also released a new album called Brilliant in 2012 and toured again.
Solo Music Career
Early Solo Hits and The Gift
In 1982, Midge Ure released his first solo song, "No Regrets". It became a UK Top 10 hit. He also recorded a song for a movie soundtrack.
After his work with Band Aid, Midge Ure focused on his solo career in 1985. His song "If I Was" became a number one hit in the UK. His first solo album, The Gift, reached number two on the charts.
New Albums and Tours
His second solo album, Answers to Nothing (1988), reached the UK Top 30. It included a song with Kate Bush and the single "Dear God", which became popular in America.
In 1991, his third album, Pure, also made it into the UK Top 40. He toured with other songwriters, performing acoustic sets. In 1993, a collection of his solo and Ultravox hits, If I Was, was released and reached number 10 in the UK.
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His fourth solo album, Breathe (1996), had a Celtic sound with many acoustic instruments. In 1998, the song "Breathe" became a hit in several European countries after it was used in a TV advertisement.
Midge Ure released his fifth solo album, Move Me, in 2000. He also released a collection of unreleased songs called Little Orphans.
Autobiography and Recent Work
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In 2004, Midge Ure released his autobiography, If I Was. In 2008, he released the album 10, which featured his versions of songs that inspired him.
His next solo album, Fragile, was released in 2014. He worked on this album for over ten years. It included a song with the artist Moby. In 2015, his recording of "The Man Who Sold the World" was used in a video game.
In 2017, he released Orchestrated, an album with new versions of his songs played with an orchestra. He continued to tour with his band, Band Electronica. In 2019, he released Soundtrack 1978-2019, a collection of songs from his career.
During 2020, Midge Ure created a "Backstage Lockdown Club" online. He performed acoustic songs and answered questions for fans. He also invited other musicians to join. In 2021, he released the song "Das Beat" with Band Electronica. In 2022 and 2023, he toured Europe and the UK, celebrating Ultravox's albums.
To celebrate his 70th birthday, Midge Ure performed a special concert at the Royal Albert Hall in October 2023. This concert was recorded and released as a live album in November 2024.
Charity Work and Honors
Band Aid and Live Aid
In November 1984, Midge Ure co-wrote the Band Aid song "Do They Know It's Christmas?" with Bob Geldof. Geldof called Ure after seeing a news report about famine in Ethiopia. Ure worked on the music for the song. He also produced the song in the studio.
Midge Ure and Bob Geldof created the Band Aid Trust charity. Ure is still a trustee for the charity. They also organized the huge Live Aid concert in 1985. This concert raised a lot of money to help people in need. Ure and Geldof have won awards for writing the song.
Other Benefit Concerts
Midge Ure has helped organize and perform at many other charity events. In 1988, he helped with the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute concert. He has also been the music director for several The Prince's Trust concerts.
In 1997, he performed at "Music for Montserrat" to raise money for the island of Montserrat. The island had been damaged by a hurricane and volcanic activity. Midge Ure himself lost a house there. In 1999, he was the music director for the "Wicked Women" concert for a breast cancer charity.
Live 8 and Awards
In 2005, Midge Ure and Bob Geldof organized the Live 8 concerts. These concerts aimed to encourage world leaders to help end poverty. Later that year, Midge Ure received an award called the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his work in music and charity.
He has received five honorary degrees from universities for his music and charity work. He is also an ambassador for Save the Children. He has visited Ethiopia and Sierra Leone to see their work. In 2020, he contributed to a charity song called "TOS 2020" to help COVID-19 charities.
Personal Life
Midge Ure lives near Bath with his wife, Sheridan Forbes. They married in 2003 and have three daughters.
He was previously married to Annabel Giles from 1985 to 1989. They had one daughter, Molly Lorenne. Annabel Giles passed away in November 2023.
Midge Ure appeared on the TV show Celebrity MasterChef in 2007 and reached the final.
Solo Albums
- The Gift (1985)
- Answers to Nothing (1988)
- Pure (1991)
- Breathe (1996)
- Move Me (2000)
- 10 (2008)
- Fragile (2014)
- Orchestrated (2017)
See also
In Spanish: Midge Ure para niños
