Quite a number of people have commented that Brilliant is like Midge's solo work. Is this really the case? I admit, I've not listened to any of this albums except The Gift. If Brilliant is like Midge solo, I've been missing out.

No.

Lol

I happen to think that "Remembering" sounds a bit like "Tumbling Down" from Midge's Pure album. I know the time signatures are different, but the way Midge sings the two songs are similar along with the instrumentaion. I may of course be talking a load of old Tosh........

The vocals are the only thing on the album that sound anything like a Midge solo album but thats because its Midge singing

Musically, I think the Brilliant album sounds much more like Ingenuity-era Billy Currie Ultravox. "Hello" sounds like it came straight from the Ingenuity sessions.

The beginning of Lie always reminds me of The Silent Cries or Ideals.

Personally, I don't think so Ian.

Perhaps it's just that Midge has been a solo artist a lot longer than he has been involved in any of his bands and certainly since the Breathe album, and possibly with parts of Pure, his song-writing style has changed quite a bit since those early days in Ultravox. Certainly, The Gift and Answers To Nothing could arguably be considered 'post-Ultravox' as opposed to the later material (Breathe - Move Me) that seemed to bear little resemblance to what he did in the band.

So, could it just be that any 'Midge-solo' similarities within the Brilliant album are just the differences in Midge's song-writing styles and performances since being a fully fledged solo artist? Certainly the music in Brilliant is quite different from anything Midge would do on his own, but perhaps the songs themselves (lyrics and vocal melodies) are understandably more related to Midge's solo structures than what he did within the band 28-33 years ago?

Something To Remind Me with Jam & Spoon and Let It Rise with Schiller certainly sounded more Ultravoxy in song style than Midge solo ... to me, anyway. Actually, I recall thinking at the time when these tracks came out that it's a shame he was doing this with other artists rather than with Ultravox. "Time will find a way" indeed.

Thanks for the responses. To be honest, I *had* thought that people would have raved about Midge's solo stuff more had it been in the ballpark of Brilliant.

GREAT post Rodney I coud not agree more mate, you nailed it 110%.

I feel that the better the backing track the better he delivers lyricly and vocally.
That track is one of the best things he has ever worked on.

BTW I think 'Wastelands would have suited 'Lament'

I'm into Midge Ure singing on qulality electroninc music or electronic rock pop music not all this 'fishermans blues' pish.

The difference with the Midge solo stuff is that he tried to move away from electronic style music. It is noted that when he was working on the Move Me album the fans on this site and his own website commented that he was sounding more electronic and possibly how Ultravox would have sounded if they had stayed together.
His vocals and melodies have had to change over the years as he has aged and I have to say I thnk he sounds great on the Brilliant album.
What I would like if Midge was to continue solo, is for him to work with an electronic music producer. As much as people don't like him much, I think Mark Ronson could do a good job inspiring Midge, he certainly did with Duran Duran on their latest album.

I know I have said it before, but Something To Remind Me is an amazing song and should have been released as a single at the time.

Yep I agree, I feel that Ultravox should put it on the next album.

It's such a great track and I prefer it to anything since RIE.

This is an AWESOME track, Rod...in fact, Tripomatic Fairytales is a great album IMHO.


I don't know this one, maate...can you educate me?

No, I'm afraid I can't, Phil, because you can't teach an 'old dog' new tricks.

You just have to YouTube search schiller let it rise and you'll get the live performance video.

My god that's fantastic.

Here's the other one too, then ...

Yes, I recall those sorts of comments too, although at the time I didn't really think that material represented what Ultravox may have sounded like, mostly because although Midge brought a strong pop element to the band's songs, musically/instrumentally the band's music was much deeper, darker and powerful as a four-piece rock unit. However, funnily enough, I actually really do like Midge's instrumentals ... the 'grotesque' Monster and Fall from the Move Me recordings and the likes of Celtic Rising, Crash and What's Out There? from the Little Orphans compilation and even the beautiful Tor from the Breathe recordings.

I think it's good that Midge was able to grow and explore as a solo artist outside the 'pop package' that he came from and end up with such a tremendous album as Breathe (which I can still listen to today); something that was sort of touched on with All Fall Down while still working within the Ultravox framework.

I think it would've been even better suited to the Modern Man album, Concrete Scheme ...

... Nek minnit!

Sorry whats 'Modern Man'?

I think Modern Man were the band that Messengers were in before they became Messengers...

'Modern Man' was Danny Mitchell & Colin King's first group . They of course later formed the wonderful 'Messengers' Midge produced their 'Concrete Scheme' LP.

Ah...you just beat me to it boxnudger

Behold ...

Track 6 (written by Danny Mitchell, produced by Midge Ure) ... yes, this is the original.

So finally at long last, after all these years, at least I can say I've actually seen a copy of it.

So... let's hear it:



Is this it? Looks like it out of... speed?

Yes it is but as to why its fast i dont know.

I never knew it was previoulsy on another CD, I must not be 'hardcore' enough compared you you guys

Grrrrr...woof!


Yeah, it's not bad, maate. I did think that I was listening to In The Air Tonight during the first few bars, though!

They were a forerunner of Messengers insofar as Colin King and Danny Mitchell were members. They supported Ultravox on the Vienna tour and I saw 'em at Doncaster Rotters. In fact, the Messengers track I Think You'd Better Go is actually a Modern Man track.

Not quite ... this is actually my CD version of the album. There was never an official CD released. Unfortunately, Danny advised me that MAM Records folded way back 'in the day' and the master tapes were lost, so it's not possible for a remastering project to be done, unless taken from vinyl (as us 'amateurs' have done).

Likewise, the Messengers master tapes (of their singles), which were stored in Midges's barn for years, bit the dust when attempted to be played through a tape machine and were chewed-up and spat-out.