Ultravox

Glad to see a thread for Ultravox on here, and I guess I am one of many, who probably first encountered the Midge Ure Ultravox, specially Vienna (1980) but just could not get into the early Ultravox! era, right away, but over the years I have come to realize that I prefer the first three albums, over any of the Midge 80s stuff, not because I do not like them, but the is something more "rewarding" about hearing how John Foxx and Ultravox during the period of 1976-1978 kind of stood out, maybe not alone but took their David Bowie/Roxy Music/Kraut-rock idols and managed to create something completely different than what went on in their own country, but of course it is no secret they also packed a love for the far more raw and intense punk-rock music at the time.

Out of all their records, I think of Ha!-Ha!-Ha! (1977) as Ultravox finest hour, maybe not as "polished" or elegant as some of the later ones, but the chaotic and sheer force of frustation and anger that went into that album is what really makes it stand apart.

But another imporant reason is that they ended up saving maybe their finest moment with the stunning Hiroshima Mon Amour, and one song which not only would go on to reflect, follow or inspire the later Ultravox albums, but so many other young artists who were growing tired of punk and disco and looking for something else.

However, I do love all the versions I have heard of Hiroshima Mon Amour, which is something I rarely do, okey, the album version is probably the best, but the much heavier and punkier version, which I think goes by the name of "Alternative version" is truly something special, that one also.