Word of this came over the transom just days after our last posting on Midge Ure’s new single and US tour. Not wanting to double dip so heedlessly, I waited until we were closer to publication day to mention the new book he was also getting ready to publish. This is a project that had its roots about seven years earlier when he attempted to strike up interest in a photographic book of his many archival images the peripatetic Scotsman had committed to film in his Ultravox heyday while traveling the world and working ceaselessly with others as both a producer and video director.
The notion was tabled back then, but today is another story as the book is due to be published by a renewed Chrysalis Records; the label who brought us Ultravox Mk II, if the logo on the spine is any indication. Midge Ure always had a Canon A-1 SLR at the ready and had visually documented both his tours with Ultravox around the world as well as his work with other artists like Bananarama, Phil Lynott, Visage both behind the mixing board as well as the 16mm camera as a video director with his partner from Ultravox, Chris Cross.
The hardcover book will feature 240 pages of images culled from the 1980-1985 period where Ure was a fixture in the charts. The landscape-oriented book is 11.75″ x 8.75″ with both monochrome and color images. Ure is selling merch bundles with signed postcards and T-shirt options on his webstore, but this book, which is published on November 18th, 2021, will be available widely with numerous retailers carrying it, since it’s not one of those elitist publications with a commensurate price tag that taunt me and my wallet. Ure’s own webstore is moving the book for $55; a fair price for an art book.
Especially considering that all of the images were scanned and retouched from the artist’s negatives. Mr. Ure’s webstore is not selling signed copies, unusually, but his store did also offer an option for a signed folio of postcards featuring all four members of Ultravox for $17, or $9 more if you are buying the book.
Artists’s Webstore
But there is an option for a signed copy of the book out there if we dig diligently enough! The Flood Gallery is offering signed copies on pre-order for £40/$53.70. Keeping in mind that international shipping on a hefty tome figures into each of these options. If that’s a budget buster, chances are a local bookseller wherever you live is carrying the book so look both ways before clicking either button.
Signed Copy
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Post-Punk Monk 
Hi Mr. Monk,
Thanks for highlighting this. Will be ordering it, with the postcards.
Also rocket88 is doing preorders for a Book on Mark Hollis, so will
be getting that one also.
Already get the lesser($100) priced Anton Corbijn depeche mode 81-18
book, and will be getting a joy division new order book- ‘decades’ soon. lots of interesting ones
coming out.
later
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As a fully confirmed coffee-table photo book fan of early ‘80s poseurs, I’m looking forward to this… I was one of those that signed up to be notified when Midge Ure first floated the idea of a photo book and was looking for expressions of interest – it promptly went cold for many years and I had assumed was never going to happen, so it was a pleasant surprise when announced. There was a lovely shot of Paula Yates snapped by Midge as another preview of the books contents recently in the regular Guardian series ‘My Best Shot’: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2021/nov/10/paula-yates-vienna-ultravox-midge-ure-best-photograph
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VersionCrazy – What I’m curious about is the Chrysalis imprint on the book. Data online is saying that the publisher was The Flood Gallery but that’s got to be wrong! They are just retailing the signed edition. The spine clearly shows the Chrysalis Records logo. Since the label came back from the dead [in a healthy way under the aegis of Blue Rainbow Music] I’m fascinated by the amount of attention that they are paying to Ultravox; one of their cash cows. The Midge Ure Soundtrack comp, the 40th anniversary “Vienna” and now this. Allegedly, the “Rage In Eden” box will be coming soon.
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My partner has bought me this for Christmas. So I will have to be patient.
I too registered an interest some years ago when the idea of such a book was first floated. As things had gone quiet I assumed Midge was struggling to get a publisher. I’m pleased for him and us that it’s seeing the light of day.
I have the programme from the Return To Eden tour which contains quite a few of Midge’s photos from the same time period. Considering Midge classes himself as an amateur the quality of the photos are excellent. I wonder how many of them will appear in the book.
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AndyB – Good on your partner for having taste and sensitivity! My partner once bought me one of Tony Levin’s photographic books as a gift one year. Well, the book is strictly drawn from Ultravox’s Imperial Period ca. 1980-1985, do I’d guess none, off the top of my head. I only have an old UK “Rage In Eden” tourbook that I bought from a dealer in the 90s, pre-internet. As an American, I never had the chance to see the band, even though I was very eager from September of 1980 onward.
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Hi Mr. Monk,
Got the book yesterday. It is beyond incredible. The pictures are amazing, very high quality.
Lots of unseen images for me. The book is huge, sturdy, and full of quality images.
I got the postcard bundle, with the envelope signed by Midge Ure. Well worth it.
later
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negative1ne – I’m glad he finally got this project out the door. He was talking about doing this years ago but had trouble finding a publisher. It seems that Chrysalis put this out, which is as good a fit as you get. Particularly as the label has spun back out from EMI to one of the original owners.
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