Midge Ure
Midge Ure is one of the artists featured in the National Museum of Scotland’s exhibition, Rip It Up.
“Scotland has a lot to be proud of when it comes to pop music,” says Midge, who made his first appearance in the pop world in Scottish glam rock band Slik before moving to London and joining the Rich Kids, Visage and finally Ultravox.
“I learned very early on that success in the music industry involves hard work and huge amounts of luck – and I was very lucky,” he says. “I reckon my good fortune started the day I asked my parents whether I should leave my engineering apprenticeship to join a full
time band and my mum said ‘Follow your heart’.”
Midge has been following his heart ever since and now splits his time between music, radio, charity work and family. “I have to juggle to fit it all in but I’m in the fortunate position that I don’t have to do anything – and that keeps a smile on my face,” says Midge, whose latest album, Orchestrated, features orchestrated versions of Ultravox and Midge Ure hits.
“I’m currently working on new material but that’s as far as advance planning goes. I’ve never planned where my life would go and that is why it’s taken me to so many wonderful, weird and glorious places.”
“Four of us are in our 50s but we put a shift in gig” when we do a