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Midge Ure

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Midge Ure, properly James Ure, is a Scottish singer, guitarist and producer, born in 1953 in Cambuslang near Glasgow. His stage name is Jim, pronounced backwards. In the 1970s he played in Slik, who were number 1 in England in 1976 with Forever and Ever, and then in Rich Kids, with Glen Matlock of the Sex Pistols. Around 1980 he was also in Visage, who had a hit with Fade to Grey.

Music and breakthrough

In 1979 Ure became the new singer of Ultravox, after the departure of John Foxx. Under his leadership the band enjoyed its most successful years. Vienna, released in January 1981, spent four weeks at number two in England and became one of the best-selling singles of that year. Ultravox mixed rock with synthesizers and so belonged to the synth-pop and new wave of the early 1980s.

Influence

In November 1984 Ure wrote Do They Know It's Christmas? together with Bob Geldof for Band Aid, a group of British pop stars who raised money for the famine in Ethiopia. The single sold 3.7 million copies in England on its first release and is one of the best-selling singles there of all time. In July 1985 Ure also organised the benefit concert Live Aid with Geldof. That same year he was at number 1 as a solo artist with If I Was. In 2005 he was appointed OBE for his services to music and charity.

Listening

Listening tip. In Do They Know It's Christmas?, listen to how a different star sings a line each time, so that the song sounds like a row of famous voices one after another. Notice the ending, in which all the voices keep repeating the same short phrase together.

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

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See also

Categories: Artists