With the departure of John Foxx the rest of the band decided to continue, but with no record company, no manager, no singer, no guitarist (Robin Shears) and no money, things looked a little bleak. The actual order was: kicked off the label, rehearse, tour the States, split up and arrive back in England. Billy then met Midge at Billy's (not the house but the nightclub, which was to become Blitz, run by Steve Strange and Rusty Egan), they had previously worked together in Visage and when Midge heard that Ultrvox had split he thought "Ultravox - we're destined, we're made for each other!"
These early days were tough, both parties brought with them their share of baggage, Midge was bearing the brunt of the Rich Kids breakup with the record company being owed four albums, he also owed Slik money, Island was asking that the next record company Ultravox signed for paid them what they were owed. So they kept the new alliance quiet and went into the studio to rehearse together, after writing a couple of songs they went their separate ways for about half a year. Billy worked with Gary Numan, Warren worked with Zaine Griff, Chris did some photography and Midge went on tour with Thin Lizzy.
They eventually came to some agreement with the record companies.The new band got a loan and went to the States to tour for six weeks. They chose there for two reasons, firstly the clubs were set up with in-house systems and alot more organised than England so they didn't have to cart that around, secondly they wouldn't be under the microscope like they would be in England. On returning home they played a gig in London, Chrysalis were impressed and told them to go into the studio to put something on tape. They wrote 'Sleepwalk', which was to become the first single, and most of the album before the company actually signed them. They then spent 10 days mixing it in Germany.
It's been years since the release of Ultravox's last album 'Systems of Romance', but on the surface little has changed. This is surprising considering the departure of their passionate programmer John Foxx who, going by his first solo record 'Metamatic', took the blueprints with him and subsequently inproved on them. Foxx was bothe the spirit and driving force of the band. He reputedly introduced their all synthesizer line up, using them to flesh out his obsessions with European art - namely German Electronic music and Frnch New Wave movies. But with Ultravox he never quite realised his potential; thus when he split, he left them with a legacy of only partially evolved ideas that they've nevertheless decided to putsue. Unlike Foxx, however, they haven't developed them to any degree. In Midge Ure they've got a singer capable of approximating Foxx's passion, but they need a new writer to match his new-found precision. 'Vienna' is an album of gaudy, sometimes magnificent, but mostly hollow edifaces, housing songs that replace Foxx's elliptical imaginary with clumsily verbose descriptions of similar scenery. Whereas before they would draw upon European ideas direct, 'Vienna' is seemingly derived from Hollywood films of the continent, like Julia. It's similarly full of glamour and lacking in tue essence. Songs are cluttered with suitable modernisms and daft statements, like "Is a European legacy / A culture for today?" ('New Europeans'). In 'Private Lives' they update Scott Fitzgerald's all-night parties, at which the gay young things dance to writhing synthesizers. However, the opening instrumental 'Astradyne' is okay, combining as it does primitive stomp and stirring synthetic romp. By side two, though, Kraftwerk's influence becoes overbearing. 'Mr X', a scnty mystery too obviously stated, could have come directly from 'Man Machine', with it's gently see-sawing stacatto rhythms. The following 'Western Promise' is more Hutter stutter, while the title track is saved by Ure's overblown delivery and a fine arrangement that contrasts manufactured noise with the more natural sound of Billy Currie's viola. Yet, despite their wanton plagiarism and less clearly defined ideas, 'Vienna' will probably be the album that makes Ultravox, because, unfettered of Foxx's commitment, they're free to compromise themselves a touch to suit contemporary tastes. Ultravox of today fall somewhere between Midge Ure's hard rock poise and their old art school pose. Less aloof and more willing, their obsession with style fits present tastes. But if passion ever comes into fashion again, they'll mourn Foxx's departure.
Chris Bohn - NME 12th July 1980
Promo Poster
Away from some of the early guitar rock and starkness of Vienna we find a fluidity with driving sequencers layered over a solid beat, soaring vocals, backward reverb, guitars used more for effect than rhythm, full string synths soothing and shocking the album into a distinctive and diverse classic of the early '80's synth movement.
The first single released is "The Thin Wall" (incidentally Gary Numan entered the charts at 4 with "She's Got Claws" and OMD entered at 21 with "Souveneir" a week later) which enters the UK charts at number 21 an peaks at 10 (12th September). The other single from the album is "The Voice" (initially in clear vinyl) which peaks at 22 (21st November).
Me: "For now throw your mind back to 1981, somewhere in the German wilderness you were making my favourite Ultravox album - what are the lyrics semi-hummed between the choruses and verses on the title track of Rage in Eden. Any ideas?"
Warren Cann: "That's easy... The 'ooh-ah-um-oya-ay' lyrics are actually 'Oh, I remember death in the afternoon' backwards... We often liked to use backward reverb (leads into the sound, rather than afterwards as a 'tail') and backwards guitars. To get that effect you must turn the 2-inch multi-track tape over and run it through the machine backwards; as a consequence track 24# becomes track 1#, track 3# becomes track 22#, etc. It can be a little difficult to work out just where you are on the tape, it's easy to get lost or confused so you have to shuttle around quite a bit to find just exactly where you want to be (and then you have to double and triple-check!). One day we were working on "Death In The Afternoon' and, during the course of doing something backwards (and having various 'open' track channels up on the mixing desk so we had some location reference points), we heard some backing vocals for the Chorus in reverse. Backwards, it sounded fantastic, like another language or a chant or...whatever. It gave us an idea... We copied it across 'as-is' to a stereo two-track tape, and then copied the backwards sound to a fresh reel of multi-track running the 'right way'. From there we built up the song, 'Rage In Eden.' 'Rage' is my favourite album, too, from our time with Midge."
And we all wondered just what they did at Conny Plank's place for so long.
Of course there is always the music press:
Trouser Press
Creem
Melody Maker
Record Mirror
Sounds
What about the album cover:
Virgin Yearbook
On the road they even made it down here to Australia where they spent some time in the studio reworking a couple of songs for single release and recording an unknown track that was never released with the band keeping all copies of the tapes.
5 February 1982
Palaise Theatre, Melbourne
8 February 1982
Capitol Theatre, Sydney
12 February 1982
Festival Theatre, Brisbane
The Melbourne concert:
Released in October 1982, produced by George Martin and cover by Peter Saville again. As the follow-up to "Rage in Eden" it is streamlined with a more consistent sound - tight, controlled and classically built. It follows the September release of the first single "Reap the Wild Wind" (#11 in UK - 30/10/82), the singles "Hymn" (#7 in UK - 18/12/82), Visions in Blue" (#14 in UK - 2/4/83) and "We Came to Dance" (#19 in UK - 18/6/83) being released later.
The singles were "One Small Day" (#24 in UK - 18/2/84), "Dancing With Tears in My Eyes" (#4 in UK - 9/6/84) and "Lament" (#19 in UK - 21/7/84).
Name: James Ure Height: 5'7" Weight: 10 St. Sign: Libra Birth date: 10/10/53 Birthplace: Glasgow Ambition: To carry on regardless Turn-ons: BBC2, Saturday afternoon and night Turn -offs: Working for a living Favourite food: Japanese Preferred performers: Too many to list All time favourite song: Itchycoo Park (Small Faces) Best films: Casablanca Favourite reading matter: My Wicked, Wicked Ways (Errol Flynn) Favourite outfit: Old suit Perfect evening: Tonight Desert island companion: Leslie-Ann Down
Name: Billy Currie Birth date: 1/4/52
Name: Christopher Allen Birth date: 14/7/52
Name: Warren Cann Birth date: 20/5/52 Birthplace: Victoria, Canada