The Synth Pistols on YouTube

Ultravox was one of my favorite bands growing up in the 80s. They are actually one of the bands that inspired me into getting a synth. Why is the title of the post The Synth Pistols? Well, Malcolm McLaren originally asked lead singer Midge Ure (Ultravox) to front The Sex Pistols, but he turned it down. John Lydon stepped in and the rest is history. Makes you wonder how things could have turned out. It's also fascinating to think Malcom McLaren was responsible for Buffalo Gals. Back then these genres of music never seemed to mix.

Here's a video of Rich Kids, Midge Ure's band prior to Ultravox featuring Glen Matlock of the Sex Pistols. No synths, just some context.

Now for some "live" synth goodness:

Sleepwalk (some dry humping synth action by Billy Currie)
Vienna (I think Midge might have been the only straight man to dress like that)

And of course some Electroclash before Electroclash - Fade to Grey by Visage. Move over Fischerspooner, Visage "taught the killing game first." Visage was another side project of Midge's along with Steve Strange on vocals (he's the guy in the video). Midge didn't sing much in Visage although you can hear him in the background on some tracks, particularly at the end of "In the Year 2525." Another bit of trivia: Billy Currie of Ultravox (THE synth player of Ultravox) actually played with Gary Numan during the transition from John Foxx to Midge Ure fronting Ultravox. Billy is actually in the video for Numan's Cars. You can find more history on Ultravox here.

Title link takes you to an Ultravox search on YouTube.

Udpate via Fred in the comments:

"Never mind the Midge Ure Ultravox, go for the real thing - the John Foxx Ultravox. 'Ha Ha Ha' (their 2nd album, 1977) is very 70's London punk with lots of wild ARP Odessy and great guitar playing by Sevie Shears who afterwards disappeared from history. 'Systems of Romance' (3rd album, 1978) is one of those records that not very many people bought but everyone who did started a band - very influential to later cyber punk and electro-industrial artists. Recorded by Conny Plank at his studio. This is rock music by killer robots - cold, hard and relentless. The first three songs are like the shock wave from an atomic bomb. One of my favorite records ever. The harsh futuristic vibe coming off this record is unsurpassed to this day (I'm still searching) and seems more prophetic than ever. John Foxxs' first album 'Metamatic' (1980) is also great and highly recomended to Kraftwerk Fans. I used to wander around Vancouver with these albums blasting out of my Toshiba ghetto blaster back in the day."

I never got around to fully checking out John Foxx's Ultravox. I just check Yahoo! Unlimited but they don't have it yet. However the do have John Foxx's Dislocated released just last year in 2005. I'm listening to it as I type this and... it's really friggin good. Hope he does more like this soon.

BTW, title link takes you to all Ultravox on YouTube including John Foxx.

Billy Currie of Ultravox's ARP Odyssey Sells for £8,500.00

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

"This is the one Billy bought in 1977. He used it back in 2012 on the Ultravox "Brilliant" album so it is in good working order.
He used it on all the Ultravox gigs and recordings and the Visage recordings. He used his softer signature sound on Visage "Fade To Grey" and Ultravox "Vienna".
He also used this ARP while working with Tubeway Army/Gary Numan. Live and the recordings "Living Ornaments 79 ". Most notably using his strong, emotional signature sound for the " On Broadway " solo. It was used on the "Top of the Pops" theme when he played on Phil Lynotts solo album. This time with the ARP sequencer as well. A remixed instrumental version of the song " Yellow Pearl ".
This instrument has been heard very much! It is a part of music's Synthesiser History
It's the MK 2 version. The raunchy version!

Ultravox solos include :-

Man Who Dies Every Day
Artificial Life
Slow Motion
Quiet Man
Sleepwalk
The Thin Wall
Hymn
When the Scream Subsides"

CLICK FOR MORE »

ultravox monument mkv

Published on Aug 21, 2013 jenner4265·8 videos

"fully remastered sound and picture"

I almost skipped this one as per the site guidelines all posts are supposed to be synth demos only, meaning the focus is on the individual synths themselves. Yes you can see a bit of synth spotting, but let's face it, what spotting there is is somewhat obscure unless you know what's going on here.  What I realized was that three classic bits of gear dominate the entire performance and much of the sound of Ultravox at the time. The Yamaha SS-30, the ARP Odyssey and classic Simmons synthetic drum sounds.  It's as if this thirty minute video is a tribute to them.  Enjoy.

Update: I originally noted Solinas were used. Turns out it was the Yamaha SS30. What threw me off was the custom stands they are using. Take a look at 4:23 in the video. That's the SS30 on top. Now look at these pics. Note the difference.

via Pete in the comments: "The string synths used by Ultravox were not Solinas. They were the much rarer Yamaha SS-30. They sound quite different to the Solina, but are very much 'the sound' of Ultravox, along with the ARP Odyssey, Yamaha CP-80, PPG Wave 2.2"

You can clearly see the SS-30 on top of Billy Currie's setup, and you can see Midge playing the SS-30 at 5:38.

And via Billy Currie on the GForce Software website: "It was amazing to hear the Elka Rhapsody again and the Yamaha SS-30 but it is also good to hear all the other ones that are in there. I always loved the Oberheim sound so I have utilised the Xpander sounds.

The Solina was an instrument I didn't really get on with in the seventies, too silky, but interesting to go back to now!

I do admit though that I did not have a great relationship with the Yamaha SS-30 initially. Yamaha gave the gear to Ultravox in 1979-80 so I didn't say "No thanks". I must admit it does sound flipping brilliant in the VSM though - Nice One!"

Ultravox Synths

Update: See new post on Ultravox gear p*rn.

Update: Add the Oxford Synthesizer Company's Oscar to the list. Can't beleive I forgot that one.

Ultravox at one point was my favorite band growing up. They defined a pivotal period in my adolescence and had a huge impact on me. They are actually what prompted me into wanting to play synths to begin with. There is an excellent thread going on Vintage Synth Explorer on Ultravox and the synths they used.

Listed so far (the majority of credit goes to Micke:

• Elka Rhapsody 610 - first three albums (pre Midge Ure)
• Yamaha SS30 string machines - Vienna up until the mid 80s
• Yamaha CS80
• PPG Wave 2.2 - 1982/83 onwards
• Yamaha DX7/TX816 - TX816 sometime in 1984
• Oberheim OB-X - on 1981's "Rage in Eden"
• Emu Emulator I - Sampled Synclavier strings on Hymn
• ARP Odyssey - Lead on Hymn
• Emu Emulator II - Strings on Reap the Wild Wind live (the Yamaha SS30 was originally used - I always wanted to know what those beautiful strings were)
• Moog Minimoog - in Vienna

Amazing. I always wondered what they used. The strings in Ultravox's Reap the Wild Wind and early New Order/Joy Division are my absolute two favorite string sounds. New Order/Joy Division used ARP strings.

Yamaha SS30

Ultravox Live Aid

YouTube via Indio70. "The 2 songs that were edited out off the official DVD... here they are again enjoy."

Ultravox performing Reap the Wild Wind followed by One Day at Live Aid 1985. One Day is definitely the stronger performance. It's almost like they are just warming up with Reap the Wild Wind. The performance gets even better below. Be sure to catch Vienna. Billy whips out the violin. In the video above: Midge on E-Mu Emulator II and Billy on a Yamaha DX7 and Kurzweil K250.

I remember staying up until the wee hours of the night/morning to catch this live when it was first aired. I forget if they aired all four songs in the US but I definitely remember Vienna and at least one other. If you remember, feel free to comment.

BTW, Midge Ure was the co-organizer behind Live Aid, but for whatever reason I only remember seeing Bob Geldof receiving most of the limelight. I always wondered about that. Probably because Geldof was the main organizer and he was a bit more known in the states? Who knows...


"Here is the 2 other songs from Live Aid -85. These made it on the DVD. Classic Ultravox moment. Don't forget 2 view the other part, with the 2 songs that was cut out of the final DVD."

Dancing With Tears in My Eyes followed by Vienna. Chris Cross on PPG Wave 2.2. I also think I see an Oberheim DX drum machine next to the Emulator in this one. Billy on DX7, MIDIBoard and Violin. Midge on the Emulator.

Anyone know what was used for the drum effect in the original recording of Vienna? I always loved that particular sound.

For more posts on Ultravox click here, be sure to scroll for some of the more interesting posts.

Update: be sure to check out the comments for more including an update on the synths used.

Ultravox 2012 Tour - GForce Soundcheck chat

Published on Oct 2, 2012 by GForceSoftwareTV

"Exclusive soundcheck footage and a brief backstage chat with Billy Currie and Chris Cross during the Ultravox 2012 Brilliant tour. Billy and Chris talk about their use of VSM, Oddity, Minimonsta and impOSCar2 to recreate the keyboard sounds from both their classic and more recent tracks in the live shows.

www.ultravox.org.uk"

Syntom Article Featuring Warren Cann of Ultravox

Jesper found a PDF he had an an article featuring Warren Cann of Ultravox on the SynTom. You can find it here. Does anyone know the source of the article?

Update via Jesper: "According to a guy on the Ultravox EV-forum the Syntom article is from a magazine called "Electronics & Music Maker". The guy also says, that he is sure Warren said he would use it on Rage In Eden - and that he did that." E&MM also confirmed by slabman in the comments.

OSCAR SYNTHESIZER - OWNED BY ULTRAVOX

images via this auction

"Serial Number : 0656L IN FULL WORKING ORDER WITH MIDI WITH copy of MANUAL with Hand writen Details of original owner - Billy Currie from Ultravox ( his address and stuff ) THIS KEYBOARD WAS PROPERTY OF Billy Currie from ULTRAVOX ( Legendary Electro Band ) We purchased it from him a couple of years ago.He lives in North London."

Win a Vintage Restored OSCar From Novation! - Timeline of Synths by Designer Chris Huggett

Novation has created a fantastic timeline of synths that were designed by and with Chris Huggett. Not only was he the mastermind behind Novation's line of synths, but also EDP (Electronic Dream Plant) and the Oxford Synthesizer Company OSCar.

"Most people know him as the genius behind Wasp and OSCar, the legendary monosynth from Ultravox's Love's Great Adventure, Stevie Wonder's Skeletons, and Jean-Michel Jarre's Revolutions Overture.

Chris' synths have been used by everybody: Orbital, Ultravox, Tom Yorke, Trent Reznor, Dire Straits, Pink Floyd, Genesis, Stevie Wonder, Jean Michel Jarre, Keith Emerson- the list is endless. His heritage synths are sought across the world, and sell for upwards of £5000.

He is a true synth legend. He is also our synth designer. Every Novation synth has been conceived, shaped and refined by his passion and expertise, which spans five decades. To celebrate that, we're giving away an OSCar!"

Click here for the timeline and how to enter. I captured the timeline of synths below for the MATRIXSYNTH archives. It's not as nice as Novation's timeline so be sure to see it there while it's up!

CLICK FOR MORE »

Cube Quest

This is a slightly odd one. In the comments of the previous Ultravox post I mentioned a game I vaguely remember from the time that had sounds similar to the explosion sounds in the very beginning of Ultravox's Vienna. That game was called Cube Quest. I remember being awed by it at the time because one, it was 3D, two, it had some of the most beautiful visual effects for the time, and three, the audio was strange and far more impressive than any arcade game I played before it - both the audio system of the cabinet and the sound effects and music. Very synth oriented vs. just trying to emulate given sounds in the game.

I ran a quick search for Cube Quest and found this site. The game came out in 1984. On the site there are some interesting samples and video. It was a laser disc based game, so I assumed the audio was previously recorded, which could be the case for some of it, but I also found schematics listed here. In the first set of schematics, you can clearly see pages on the "Sound Synthesizer." I'm curious if anyone knows what kind of synth engine this had as well as any info on recordings that could have been done on the laser disc. In the second set of schematics you can see a parts list for "Mother Sounds."

BTW, if you click through to the site, each thumbnail will bring up a larger shot if you click on it. It was a really trippy game. It kind of had the vibe of Tron meets Logan's Run. Really bizarre and diverse as you can see in some of these screens. I specifically remember getting to the plants section to the left. Gameplay was a bit like Tempest on steroids, where you had to shoot geometrical objects coming out of the vortex. As I said above the sound effects were very impressive at the time. I remember the explosions sounding like the intro drums of Ultravox's Vienna.



Update: videos, via kroffe in the comments. Embedding is disabled for these so here are the links:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=4p081CnHDHo
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ikFNUA6Be4U
http://youtube.com/watch?v=1EwERR1bgWs

Found this also:
http://www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?title=292663199&channel=288075
Starcade episode #98 - check last segment at 20.40 ;)

Update via Kathy in the comments:
"I own the original laser disc that was used to make the image. I worried that it might go bad, so wanted it captured.

Parts of it can be played on a regular Laser Disc player,like the attract videos you see on YouTube, but to make the game work, the tunnel images (all made by Able Graphics, an old pioneer in the graphics field for TV commercials) are interleaved images of stepping through the tunnel, every other frame (or so) was played forward, and then the interleaved images were played in reverse (and recorded in reverse) and a "loop" could me played that made the tunnel seem to go on forever. If you watch that on a regular Laser Disc player, it is a jumble of forward and backward images that do not make sense, and is over in less than a few second. The program steps through the interleaved images on the disc in the right order (forward and back) to make an endless loop of that tunnel.

There was audio on the LD as well, but only game sounds from the hardware played during the game while in a tunnel. The audio you see in YouTube videos are from the "splash" videos (attract mode) that played when the game was idle.

Sorry for being anonymous, but the LD was a copyrighted item! :-)"

Ultravox Synths Take 2

Title link takes you to a previous post I put up on Ultravox Synths. Micke just posted the following on this VSE thread.

Did you know:

1) that the fat bass line on Ultravox' song "Slow Motion" (off of Systems of romance, 1978) was actually played by Chris Cross on his EMS-Synthi?

2) that the EMS synthi, Arp Odyssey (and Elka Rhapsody) were the only synths used for U-Vox' 2nd album "Ha, Ha, Ha" (1977)?

3) that the Elka Rhapsody 610 was used for the string sounds on U-vox' first three albums?

4) that Brian Eno programmed the Minimoog (his own synth) on the early U-vox songs "My way" and "Slip Away"?

5) that the kick drum, snare and hi-hat on U'vox' cues "Dislocation" were done on Billy Currie's Arp Odyssey with lots of fx added?

6) that the Minimoog is responsible for the bassline on "Quite Man"

7) that the Oberheim OB-X was used mainly for solos on U-vox album "Rage in Eden"?

8) that Billy Currie bought a Yamaha CS-80 in late 1979 and used it on songs like "Mr.X" (Vienna), "Western promise" (Vienna") "I Remember" (Rage In Eden), "Hymn" (Quartet)?

9) that U-vox' main string-machine between 1980-1984 was the Yamaha SS-30?

10) that the Yamaha GS-1 FM synthesizer was used for the solo in "Mine for life"?

11) that the EMS-Synthi was U-vox's very first synth back in early '77 or thereabouts?
-----------

Also see Midge Ure on the Minimoog used for the bassline in Viena.

A Melodic Melodious Melody on a Modular

Published on Apr 9, 2019 isvisible isinvisible

Featuring:
Erica Synths: Drum Sequencer
Endorphin.es: Blck_Noir
Frap Tools: Fumana
Livewire: AFG
Mutable Instrument: Elements

Plus lots more.

----

This one reminded me of a modern take on an Ultravox instrumental. Not this Ultravox!.

ROCK SCHOOL - Series 2 - Episode 3 (part 1 of 3)

YouTube via tomstimemachine. sent my way via khoral

"Taking over from where the first series left off, the second set of ROCKSCHOOL television programs focuses its attention on new technology and its implications for the musicians of the day.

Synthesisers, samplers, sequencers and drum machines are all covered, as are electronic drum systems, computer hardware and software (remember this is 1987 - so this is for retro-heads only) and synthesisers for guitar and bass. There are also tips on how to make the most of the human voice, and on songwriting and arrangement.

This series was shown on TV in the UK during 1987.

EPISODE THREE

EIGHTIES SYNTHPOP
CLIP OF THE YELLOW MAGIC ORCHESTRA IN 1979, CLIP OF BRONSKI BEAT.

SO ! - HOW DO YOU MAKE UP THESE SINGLE NOTE MELODIES ?
MAJOR AND MINOR SCALES, TRIADS, CHORDS, CHORD INVERSIONS AND TWO-HANDED KEYBOARD PLAYING.

THE VOCALS
CLIP FROM JAMES BROWN, MIDGE URE ON VOCAL TECHNIQUE AND GRAHAM BONNETT ON LOOKING AFTER YOUR VOICE, CLIP FROM EURYTHMICS."

CLICK FOR MORE »

Moog Minimoog sound design tutorial Ultravox Vienna

Published on Aug 1, 2015 RetroSound

"(c) 2015 vintage synthesizer sound tutorial series by RetroSound

Moog Minimoog: The Bass sound in Vienna from Ultravox."

Ultravox - The Thin Wall 1981

YouTube Uploaded by memorylane1980s on Jan 1, 2011

"Good qualiyty video, best on here. Very rare, I recorded this from Top Of The Pops in 1981..Classic. .British New Wave rock band. They were one of the primary exponents of the British electronic pop music movement of the early 1980s. The band was particularly associated with the New Romantic and New Wave movements. Until 1979, the frontman of Ultravox was John Foxx who left the band to embark on a solo career. Following Foxx's departure, Midge Ure took over as lead singer, guitarist and frontman, and he helped to steer the band to commercial success. Ure left the band in 1987 after establishing a solo career and the group disbanded for a while. A new line-up, led by sole original bandmember Billy Currie, was formed in 1992,.."

via Steve Turnidge of Synthwerks on Facebook.

Ultravox The Voice live

YouTube via ingenious4t. Features an ARP Odyssey solo and Simmons Drum synth solo amongst other synths. Update: check out this post for an interesting bit of Ultravox history. Also you can find the version off of Monument here.

Science Topics with Synths, Ultravox & Depeche Mode's Correct Pronunciation

science now-synths.m4v

YouTube Uploaded by zackdagoba on Jun 30, 2011

"see http://myblogitsfullofstars.blogspot.com/ for more"

Synths starting with Alan Townsend of Roland and the SH-101 at 1:40. Ultravox at 3:20 with Billy Currie on Arp Odyssey and Midge Ure on PPG at 4:00 followed by Warren Cann on LinnDrum and PPG again. Midge Ure on Minimoog at 4:59. Note the mod on the MIDI previously posted here. That excerpt of the video was posted here. And of course you can spot the Yamaha CS80 captured in the default image for the video.

The following covers some of the same but appears to be a compilation with a whole lot more. Depeche Mode comes in at 22:10 with a Yamaha CS5 followed by a Roland Jupiter-4 at 23:09. Moog Prodigy to the left of the Jupiter-4 at 23:20. Also listen for the correct pronunciation of Depeche Mode right after 23:20. See if you can guess it before watching.

Found Objects Television 2 from Found Objects on Vimeo.

"FO-TV Broadcast Two June 2011. Compiled by Unmann-Wittering. "

Ultravox Vienna ~ Vintage Synthesizer Recreation ~ RetroSound

video upload by RetroSound

"(c)2007-24 by RetroSound
supported by UVI: http://bit.ly/retrosound-uvi

❤️ Support #RetroSound​ channel: https://retrosound.creator-spring.com

One of my favorite tracks from the early 80s.
Vienna by Ultravox (1981)
Written by Midge Ure, Billy Currie, Chris Cross and Warren Cann

featured: Moog Minimoog from the year 1978, Logan String Melody2 and the Linndrum

This cover song series contains my own recreations of my favourite songs from the last 50 years. The original music from which I take inspiration belong to their respective owners. I recreate tracks only for personal passion and to pay homage to these tracks.
My intention is not to create covers that sound exactly like the original (if you want to hear identical sounds, please listen the original). It's more of an inspiration with my sounds from the old synthesizers from the past and of course the great appreciation for the original performers and producers.
Check out the original songs with the original artists here on YouTube.
Thank you.

RetroSound synthesizer demo videos since january 2007.
Everything is free. If you like my work, you can also support me with the purchase of my merchandise stuff or my music.
Shop: https://retrosound.creator-spring.com/
Bandcamp: https://retrosound.bandcamp.com/album..."

Legendary Synth Designer Chris Hugget of EDP, OSC, and Novation has Passed Away

I'm hearing news that Novation's Chris Hugget passed away on Friday. Anyone coming to this site, likely knows he designed the original EDP WASP series of synths, the Oxford Synthesizer Company's OSCar, and more recently, various synths for Novation. Novation has a timeline of his creations here.

"Most people know him as the genius behind Wasp and OSCar, the legendary monosynth from Ultravox's Love's Great Adventure, Stevie Wonder's Skeletons, and Jean-Michel Jarre's Revolutions Overture.

Chris' synths have been used by everybody: Orbital, Ultravox, Tom Yorke, Trent Reznor, Dire Straits, Pink Floyd, Genesis, Stevie Wonder, Jean Michel Jarre, Keith Emerson- the list is endless. His heritage synths are sought across the world, and sell for upwards of £5000.

He is a true synth legend. He is also our synth designer. Every Novation synth has been conceived, shaped and refined by his passion and expertise, which spans five decades."

Below are a few videos that pay tribute to his work. You can find additional posts mentioning Chris Hugget here.




Novation // Innovation Since 1992

Inside: Novation's Innovative Instrument Laboratory (Electronic Beats TV)




The WASP - A Very British Synthesizer


Alex Ball

"The WASP is an iconic British synthesizer designed by Electronic Dream Plant in 1978.

EDP were Adrian Wagner (yes he was a relation), Chris Huggett and Steven Evans. They only traded until around 1982, but that wasn't the end of their synth story. Chris Huggett in particular has had a prolific career in the industry, founding the Oxford Synthesizer Company in 1983 and releasing the (also iconic) OSCar and subsequently (after work with Akai), he joined Novation, who are still trading to this very day.

Back to 1978, the concept of the WASP was to build a powerful, low cost synthesizer. That seemed to have worked as one of the original reviews I found uses the headline "The Synth we can all afford" but still dubs it a professional instrument.

I also found a Moog price list dated June 15th 1978 and it lists the Minimoog as $1,995, the Multimoog as $1,495 and the Micromoog as $895. Assuming they sold for about the same in the UK, the equivalent prices would be approximately £1,090, £820 and £490 respectively. The aforementioned WASP review also states that an Odyssey is still over £1,000 in 1978, so with the WASP priced at £199 this demonstrates what a bargain it was at the time.

In fact, I had a brief conversation with a friend who remembers running out to buy it the moment he heard about it in 1978 and he still has his. It was also the first synth of Dave Stewart and Nick Rhodes among others."

Midge Ure: "Melodyne is black magic!"

YouTube Uploaded by CelemonySoftware on May 24, 2011

"Midge Ure became famous with Ultravox ("Vienna", "Dancing With Tears In My Eyes") and as a solo singer ("If I Was"), but he has also worked as a producer and songwriter for artists such as Thin Lizzy, Visage and of course Band Aid. In this video, he talks about the reunion of Ultravox, their first album in 26 years, and the use of the Melodyne software in his work.

For more artist talks go to www.celemony.com/id/artists"