- 8 months ago
Midge Ure on his first bands in Glasgow, moving to London, eras of music, discovering a synth sound and why Glasgow hotels should serve square sausage at breakfast.
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MusicTranscript
00:00Midge, hello
00:02ahead of
00:04returning to play live in Glasgow
00:06I wanted to start by asking you
00:08a bit about
00:09Glasgow music, Glasgow bands that you
00:12carry with you and
00:14the type of music that drew you into the city
00:16and your own
00:18preferences and favourites
00:20Do you know what
00:22it's a weird thing because I left
00:24and I had to move south in
00:261977
00:27so the
00:29there weren't many Glasgow bands other than the ones
00:32that I used to kind of
00:34do the circuit with alongside
00:36so
00:36Tear Gas of course, Alex Harvey band
00:40I knew them as Tear Gas
00:42we used to play the same gigs
00:44Cumluck Town Hall
00:45and
00:46the Burns Hauf
00:50which is one of the few places
00:52one of the few pubs you could perform in
00:54so
00:56Glasgow
00:57at the time Scotland in general
01:00had a wealth of talent
01:02but no facilities to
01:04explore this talent
01:06no recording facilities
01:07no real management companies
01:09no labels
01:10it wasn't until I left that
01:12Zoom Records started
01:14where you could actually stay in Scotland
01:16and record there
01:1724 track facilities
01:19and stuff
01:20recording facilities
01:21so when I left
01:23it was still
01:23very
01:24very basic
01:25but they waited until I left
01:27and then they changed it all
01:28maybe you led the way
01:31which
01:31I think there's certainly something
01:34in the fact that
01:35another thing that people don't really
01:37remember or talk about
01:38and I only really picked up about it
01:40when I was talking to bands
01:41from the 80s
01:42is
01:42there wasn't necessarily that many
01:44small stages
01:45for bands
01:46you know bands
01:47even if they wanted to play in Glasgow
01:48they had to go out of town
01:49and stuff
01:50for the new music
01:51you know I mean
01:52people would talk about
01:53the Mars Bar
01:54and Simple Minds
01:55but that was an exception
01:56rather than the real
01:57when you walked around
01:58in Glasgow
01:58in the 80s
02:00it wasn't
02:00you know a four piece band
02:01on every street corner
02:03you had to
02:03work hard I think
02:05to get
02:05to get
02:06let into places
02:07well you've got to remember
02:09that
02:09Scotland had no pub rock circuit
02:13yeah
02:13you know
02:14you kept reading in the music papers
02:15about all these bands
02:16playing every night of the week
02:18in a pub
02:18in London
02:19or whatever
02:20and we didn't have that
02:22because
02:23the licensing laws
02:24were run by the church
02:25so you weren't allowed
02:27to
02:28charge entry
02:29to a pub
02:30to see entertainment
02:32so we didn't have that
02:33so we played
02:34town halls
02:36or
02:37or
02:37ballrooms
02:38you know
02:39old ballrooms
02:40and stuff
02:40you know
02:41the Glasgow Apollo
02:42the clouds
02:43you know
02:44that was
02:44that was the
02:45the thing
02:45but you had to be
02:46you had to be
02:47a kind of human jukebox
02:49you weren't allowed
02:49to go and play
02:50your own stuff
02:50you could slip a song
02:52or two in
02:52but then you had to launch
02:53into
02:54you know
02:55this town ain't big enough
02:56for both of us
02:56or something
02:57you know
02:57you had to do
02:58you had to do
02:59top 40 stuff
02:59the same way
03:00that they did in Ireland
03:01with the show bands
03:02and so we didn't have that
03:03so when
03:04when
03:05the independent
03:06stuff
03:07started
03:07where bands
03:08wanted to cut their teeth
03:09and find places to play
03:10there were few
03:11and far
03:12between places
03:13there was nothing
03:14that you couldn't really
03:15do it
03:16to go up there
03:17and start playing
03:17your own stuff
03:18so it wasn't
03:19as I said
03:19it wasn't until
03:20independent labels
03:21started appearing
03:22like Zoom
03:23you know
03:23like Bruce Finlay's
03:25stuff
03:26that bands felt
03:28as though
03:29they could find
03:30somewhere to play
03:30and places would let them
03:31you know
03:32by the time
03:33by the time you arrived
03:33in London
03:34then
03:34were you
03:35did you want
03:36to write your own stuff
03:37were you quite happy
03:38just being
03:39you know
03:39you've worked with
03:39a lot of bands
03:40and musicians
03:40you've gone through
03:41all different iterations
03:42of what you've done
03:43as a musician
03:44when you kind of
03:45set out at that
03:45initial stage
03:46did you want
03:47to do your own thing
03:48or were you quite happy
03:49just you know
03:50like being part of
03:51whatever hole
03:52that you could find
03:53no
03:53no
03:53I wanted to do my own thing
03:55I'd already started writing
03:57you know
03:58although
03:58all very derivative
03:59of whatever you were
04:00listening to at the time
04:01you'd write a song
04:02and it sounded like
04:03Roxy Music
04:04you'd write another one
04:04that sounded like
04:05David Boyd
04:05but not quite as good
04:06you know
04:07so you wanted a vehicle
04:08that you could do that
04:09and we just weren't
04:10allowed to do it
04:11we were tarred
04:12with the
04:12the teeny bop
04:14label
04:15you know
04:15because of Slick
04:16although Slick
04:17had been salvation
04:18beforehand
04:18we had done
04:19the Scottish circuit
04:20for three years
04:21you know
04:21we were a proper band
04:22and it was very difficult
04:24to get out of that
04:25so the idea of
04:26moving south
04:27and kind of
04:28starting again
04:29with the rich kids
04:31and starting to
04:33kind of try and
04:33slip in your own songs
04:34the one decent thing
04:36I think I did
04:37with the rich kids
04:37for me anyway
04:39not the band
04:39was write
04:41a thing called
04:42Marching Men
04:43which was
04:44a reflection on
04:46what I found in London
04:46at the time
04:47which is the
04:48Rock Against Racism
04:49concerts
04:49and you know
04:51the anti-Nazi
04:52League
04:53and all of that
04:53stuff
04:53and I'd never
04:55experienced that
04:56in Scotland
04:56before
04:56so all of a sudden
04:58the writing
04:58had a reason
04:59had a reason
05:00to write things
05:01at the time
05:02so it wasn't
05:03until moving
05:04south
05:05that I started
05:06really kind of
05:07getting into the
05:08songwriting thing
05:08there's an event
05:11this summer
05:11it's kind of
05:13a collection
05:14of punk bands
05:15the pistols
05:15are on the bill
05:16as in
05:17buzzcocks
05:18and skids
05:18and stuff
05:19like that
05:19that period
05:21just at the
05:21very end of the
05:2270s
05:22into the
05:23early 80s
05:24when punk
05:25was coming through
05:26and music
05:26was changing
05:27and then
05:28it goes into
05:29that kind of
05:29exciting post-punk
05:30stage
05:31where rules
05:32were kind of
05:33changing
05:33doors were being
05:35kicked in
05:35musically
05:36did you find
05:38that that was
05:38a bit of a
05:39release as a
05:39songwriter
05:40to go into
05:40the 80s
05:41with more
05:43doors open
05:44in terms of
05:44what you could
05:45be as a
05:45songwriter
05:46I turned up
05:47in London
05:48like a baby
05:48I had no
05:50idea
05:50what was
05:51going on
05:52and it was
05:52a kind of
05:54baptism by fire
05:55all of a sudden
05:56I find myself
05:57in the vortex
05:58seeing the
05:59adverts
06:00or I find
06:00myself
06:01having learned
06:02three songs
06:03with rich kids
06:04the day I
06:04turned up
06:05going out
06:06that night
06:06and playing
06:07those three
06:08songs
06:08opening up
06:09for the
06:09police
06:10opening up
06:11for the
06:11boomtown
06:11rats
06:12and then
06:12going to
06:12a warehouse
06:13party
06:13where everybody
06:14I'd ever
06:15read about
06:15was at
06:16the clash
06:17and the
06:18pistols
06:19Sid and
06:20Nancy
06:20and all
06:20of that
06:21they were
06:21all there
06:22so this
06:22was like
06:23madness
06:24to me
06:24it was like
06:25the doors
06:26hadn't just
06:27opened
06:27the doors
06:27had blown
06:28off
06:28and all
06:29of a sudden
06:29I'm in
06:29the middle
06:30of all
06:30this stuff
06:30so it
06:32was an
06:32exciting
06:32period
06:34but
06:34trying to
06:36find your
06:37own little
06:37space
06:37was difficult
06:38I thought
06:40I'd found
06:40it by
06:41buying a
06:41synthesizer
06:42and bringing
06:42it into
06:42the rich
06:43kids in
06:431978
06:44which immediately
06:45killed the
06:46band
06:46it broke the
06:47band in
06:47half
06:48half the
06:48band hated
06:49it
06:49and half
06:50the band
06:50were excited
06:50at the prospect
06:51of using
06:52this
06:52machine
06:54in amongst
06:54guitars and
06:55bass and drums
06:56and stuff
06:56which eventually
06:57became
06:58what I did
06:59with
07:00Visage
07:00and
07:00Ultrabox
07:01but
07:02it was
07:02a strange
07:03period
07:04but it
07:04felt like
07:05there were
07:06no constraints
07:07it was
07:08punk
07:08buying a
07:09synthesizer
07:09not knowing
07:10how it
07:10worked
07:10I wasn't
07:11a keyboard
07:11player
07:11but it
07:12was as
07:13punk as
07:13punk
07:13could be
07:14buying a
07:15guitar
07:15and learning
07:15three chords
07:16and forming
07:16a band
07:17but this
07:18time it
07:18was
07:18buy a
07:19synthesizer
07:19and a
07:20tape
07:20machine
07:20and see
07:21what you
07:21can make
07:21with it
07:22and it
07:22was happening
07:23in Sheffield
07:24with Heaven
07:2517
07:26and
07:26Human
07:28League
07:28and ABC
07:29and all
07:30of that
07:30stuff
07:30but for
07:32me it
07:32was a
07:33really
07:33exciting
07:34prospect
07:35here I
07:35am in
07:35the middle
07:36of this
07:36vibrant
07:36city
07:37and there
07:38were no
07:38rules
07:39you could
07:39do
07:40what you
07:40wanted
07:41and that
07:41was a
07:42massive
07:42release
07:43for me
07:43you said
07:45about
07:45your early
07:46songwriting
07:47and you
07:49started
07:49tuning
07:49and you
07:50realised
07:50it sounded
07:50like
07:50something
07:51else
07:51there was
07:52a lot
07:52of echoes
07:53in Ultravox
07:54these days
07:54and a lot
07:55of the
07:55songs
07:55that I'm
07:56hearing
07:56on the
07:56radio
07:56synth
07:58is certainly
07:59front and
08:00centre
08:00again
08:00is that
08:01quite fun
08:01oh the
08:02light's
08:02going off
08:03your light's
08:03going off
08:04yeah
08:04keep going
08:08anyway
08:08we need
08:09another
08:09shilling
08:09in the
08:10meter
08:10that's
08:10it
08:11okay
08:12so just
08:14that
08:15synth-y
08:16sound
08:16that you
08:17and others
08:17found
08:18at that
08:18particular
08:19period
08:19there's a lot
08:21of that
08:21that's still
08:22very current
08:22and a lot
08:23of your
08:23records
08:23still sound
08:24very much
08:25like they
08:25could fit
08:26into the
08:26pop
08:27sensibilities
08:28of today
08:28well you
08:29think
08:30you don't
08:31have to go
08:32back that
08:32far
08:33you go
08:33back to
08:33the
08:33I don't
08:34know what
08:35the late
08:3540s
08:35early 50s
08:36and all
08:37of a sudden
08:37sonically
08:38recorded music
08:40changed
08:40it didn't
08:41sound tinny
08:42and thin
08:42and megaphonic
08:43and stuff
08:44all of a sudden
08:45it sounded
08:45proper
08:46so you go
08:47back to
08:47early Beatles
08:48recordings
08:49they don't
08:50sound that
08:50much different
08:51from something
08:51it was recorded
08:52yesterday
08:52it's clear
08:54it's there
08:54it's got the
08:55pop sensibilities
08:56about it
08:57and a clarity
08:58yeah it's refined
08:59itself over the
09:00years but sonically
09:01it doesn't change
09:02that much
09:02when synthesizers
09:04came out at first
09:05long before I
09:05bought one
09:06they were deemed
09:08as a novelty
09:08same way the
09:09saxophone was
09:10back in the
09:111930s
09:12it was deemed
09:13as a novelty
09:15instrument
09:15it wasn't really
09:16brass
09:16it wasn't really
09:17reed
09:17it wasn't really
09:18anything
09:18but now
09:19it's there
09:20it's rooted
09:20in rock music
09:22it's there
09:22it's just the
09:24same way
09:25synthesizers
09:25are
09:26rock bands
09:27heavy metal
09:28bands
09:28who would
09:28never dream
09:29of using
09:29a synthesizer
09:30use technology
09:31they use
09:32click tracks
09:33they use
09:33codes
09:36that can
09:37then sync
09:37up various
09:38synths or
09:39keyboards
09:39or whatever
09:40too much
09:41later on
09:41down the
09:42line
09:42so everybody's
09:43using this
09:44technology now
09:45but you're
09:46right
09:46you think
09:47back
09:471980s
09:50that's 45
09:51years ago
09:5245 years
09:54ago
09:54so you've
09:55got tracks
09:55coming out
09:56now that
09:56sound similar
09:57to what we
09:57did 45
09:58years ago
09:5845 years
10:00before that
10:01it was big
10:01bands
10:02it was
10:03Glenn Miller
10:03you know
10:04it's changed
10:05it's changed
10:07a massive
10:07amount
10:08somebody said
10:09to me
10:09the other
10:09day
10:10shouldn't you
10:12be playing
10:12all the
10:12current festivals
10:13all the
10:13kind of
10:14you know
10:14big festivals
10:16in America
10:16and stuff
10:17but that's
10:18kind of like
10:19me asking
10:19you know
10:20Glenn Miller
10:21to come and
10:21play at
10:21Live Aid
10:22it's the
10:23same time
10:24gap
10:24it doesn't
10:26make sense
10:26you know
10:27music should
10:28have moved
10:29on a lot
10:29faster and
10:30a lot
10:30further than
10:31it has
10:31it's diversified
10:32somewhat
10:33but yeah
10:34we're all
10:34using the
10:35same tools
10:35and
10:36when
10:39he said
10:40that you
10:41know
10:41like
10:41when you
10:43left
10:43Glasgow
10:44or when
10:44you left
10:45South
10:45Lanarkshire
10:46and stuff
10:46like that
10:46there wasn't
10:48necessarily
10:48that infrastructure
10:49of bands
10:50and that
10:51culture
10:52of bands
10:52and music
10:53then all of a sudden
10:56you're down in London
10:57and then there's a
10:58busload
10:59of bands
11:01that arrive
11:02in the 80s
11:02and it just
11:03hasn't stopped
11:04do you think it's
11:05cool to
11:06think that
11:06there is that
11:07part of the
11:08identity of Glasgow
11:09is essentially
11:10rooted in music
11:11when people think
11:12about Glasgow
11:12they think
11:13about bands
11:14including yourself
11:15as a musician
11:16that's got a
11:17connection to Glasgow
11:18do you think
11:20it's good
11:21that that's
11:22changed
11:22and that
11:23if you are
11:24a wee guy
11:24with a guitar
11:25or a synthesizer
11:27in Cambus Lang
11:28or Rutherglen
11:29or Glasgow
11:29that there's
11:30a route
11:31you can make
11:32something
11:32there is
11:34you can't
11:35deny it
11:35you can't
11:36it's like
11:37if you took
11:38the Scots
11:38out of the music
11:39industry
11:39it would fall
11:40apart
11:40because if
11:41we're not
11:41on stage
11:42we're building
11:42it
11:42we are
11:44the technicians
11:44we are
11:45the go-getters
11:47and kind of
11:48always have
11:48been
11:49you cannot
11:50travel the
11:51world
11:52and not
11:52hear
11:53a simple
11:54mind's tune
11:54or a
11:55eurythmic's
11:55tune
11:56or whoever
11:58you know
11:58orange juice
11:59it's everywhere
12:00and it's
12:02always been
12:03there
12:03we just
12:03never had
12:04the vehicle
12:04before
12:05there was
12:05a terminology
12:06that we used
12:07to use
12:07back in the
12:08day
12:08that when
12:08when the
12:09Bay City
12:10rulers
12:10became big
12:11all the
12:12all the
12:13record labels
12:13in London
12:14would send
12:14up empty
12:15jumbo jets
12:15to fill them
12:16up with
12:17Scottish
12:17artists
12:18you know
12:18because we
12:19had all the
12:19artists
12:20we just
12:20didn't have
12:20the facility
12:21you know
12:22we didn't
12:22have the
12:23we didn't
12:23have the
12:23tools to
12:24do it
12:24and
12:25and
12:25Scottish
12:26music history
12:27is littered
12:28with bands
12:28who were big
12:29in Scotland
12:29who made
12:30the move
12:31to London
12:31who came
12:32back with
12:32a tail
12:33between the
12:33legs
12:33you know
12:34six months
12:34later
12:35because they
12:35couldn't
12:36hack it
12:36it was
12:37it was
12:38a different
12:38world
12:39it was
12:39much more
12:40competitive
12:40you know
12:41you could
12:41be a big
12:42fish in a
12:43fairly small
12:44tank
12:44in Scotland
12:45and then
12:45move to
12:46London
12:46and find
12:47out that
12:47average bands
12:49were infinitely
12:49better than
12:50you were
12:50so it was
12:51a real
12:52a real
12:53culling
12:53process
12:54you know
12:55so now
12:56I suppose
12:56everyone has
12:57you know
12:58the wherewithal
13:00to have a
13:01facility of
13:01some sort
13:02you know
13:02a laptop
13:03and a
13:03piece of
13:04software
13:04and a
13:04keyboard
13:05and a
13:05guitar
13:05and you
13:06can make
13:07a world
13:07class
13:08recording
13:08in your
13:09bedroom
13:09it's like
13:10the secret
13:11has been
13:12blown out
13:12the water
13:13when I
13:13started
13:14being interested
13:16in technology
13:16and started
13:17trying to make
13:17my first
13:18records
13:18I would be
13:19standing next
13:20to the
13:21engineer
13:22watching what
13:22he was
13:23doing
13:23but it was
13:24almost like
13:24at school
13:25when you put
13:25your hand
13:26over your
13:26exam paper
13:27so that
13:28your mate
13:29can't see
13:29the answers
13:30it was like
13:31that and
13:31they wouldn't
13:32let you in
13:32they wouldn't
13:33tell you
13:33what they
13:34were doing
13:34so I bought
13:35the equipment
13:36when I had
13:36the chance
13:37and I built
13:38a studio
13:38and walked
13:39into my
13:39brand new
13:40studio
13:41with a pile
13:42of manuals
13:43sitting on
13:43the desk
13:43thinking I
13:44haven't even
13:44I haven't a clue
13:45how to turn
13:46this on
13:46and I taught
13:47myself how
13:48to do it
13:48because the
13:50recording facility
13:51was as much
13:52an instrument
13:53as the guitar
13:55or the keyboard
13:55and I had to
13:56have that
13:57and so these
13:58days now people
13:59can have that
13:59so you can
14:00do it from
14:01anywhere on
14:02the planet
14:02now but
14:03the core
14:04thing that
14:04you're asking
14:04about is the
14:05Scottish talent
14:05it was always
14:07there it
14:07just needed
14:08that little
14:09vehicle to
14:10get it out
14:10yeah so
14:12when you do
14:12a show like
14:13you're bringing
14:13to the
14:15Kelvin Grove
14:15bandstand and
14:17you know you've
14:18got all kinds
14:20of eras that
14:20you can stride
14:21through within
14:21the set is it
14:22quite fun to
14:23revisit parts of
14:24your life because
14:25all these songs
14:26would be very
14:27much rooted in
14:28where you were
14:29at the time
14:29yeah it can
14:32be a double
14:33edged sword
14:34because it
14:35meant I had
14:35to go back
14:37when I decided
14:38to do the
14:38catalogue thing
14:39I had to go
14:40back and listen
14:40to stuff and
14:41I don't do
14:42that and I'm
14:43not being coy
14:44about it and
14:44I'm not being
14:45self depreciating
14:46or whatever
14:46self deprecating
14:48I go back
14:51when I have to
14:52sift through it
14:53to find something
14:53new to play
14:54so the catalogue
14:55I had to go
14:56back there and
14:56listen to all
14:56the stuff and
14:57some of it
14:58still stands up
14:59I'm still
15:00feeling okay
15:01about it
15:01some of it
15:02I can't think
15:03of who it
15:03was because
15:04as I say
15:05it's 45 years
15:06ago some of
15:06this stuff
15:07and you think
15:08I was a
15:08different person
15:09I thought
15:09differently and
15:10I created
15:11differently and
15:11I worked in
15:11a different
15:12environment and
15:13I'd feel
15:14awkward singing
15:17some of these
15:17things performing
15:18some of these
15:18songs now
15:19so I cherry
15:20pick so yeah
15:21it's a catalogue
15:22so there's lots
15:23of hits in there
15:24which is great
15:24I'm very grateful
15:25for but I've
15:26also delved
15:27into some of
15:28the songs that
15:28I think you
15:29know this
15:29deserves an
15:30airing I've
15:31maybe never
15:31played this
15:32live before
15:32so I've chosen
15:34some of that
15:35so it's a
15:35very all
15:37encompassing you
15:38know hour and
15:38a half to two
15:39hours whatever
15:39it happens to
15:40be you know
15:41so that if
15:42you've never
15:42heard anything
15:43I've done
15:43which a lot
15:44of people
15:45haven't you
15:45know they're
15:46dragged along by
15:47their significant
15:47other halves
15:48to sit down
15:49and go
15:49you only know
15:50you know if I
15:52was you know
15:53and then they
15:53sit there and
15:54they're the
15:54ones you've
15:55got to kind
15:55of entertain
15:56all the other
15:57people you've
15:57kind of got
15:58on your side
15:58already so it's
15:59the ones that
16:00would normally
16:01be sitting
16:01looking at
16:01the phone
16:02halfway through
16:02Vienna
16:03that you've
16:04got to try
16:04and you know
16:05eek on board
16:06you're looking
16:07out at
16:07spotting them
16:08and you're like
16:08I've got to
16:09get yeah
16:09come on guys
16:10it's like a
16:12challenge these
16:12days you're
16:13standing on
16:13stage and
16:14you're looking
16:14out at a
16:14dark audience
16:15and every so
16:16often you see
16:17them light up
16:18from below
16:18and you think
16:19I've lost
16:20another one
16:20they're checking
16:21the Facebook
16:22status
16:22so when
16:26you're back
16:27when you're
16:27back up
16:27this direction
16:28when you're
16:29back home
16:29is there any
16:31places that
16:32you can have
16:33a stout about
16:34to reconnect
16:34and see where
16:36you are
16:36it's pure
16:40nostalgia on
16:40my part
16:41I will go
16:42and I'll
16:43seek out
16:43Acrola's
16:44ice cream
16:44that's food
16:47of the gods
16:48I'll try
16:49and get
16:50square sausage
16:51somewhere
16:51although I'm
16:53shocked at
16:53most hotels
16:54in Glasgow
16:55don't do
16:56square sausage
16:57come on
16:59you're missing
16:59an opportunity
17:00here
17:00teach all
17:01these foreigners
17:02all these
17:03Americans
17:03and you know
17:05the Germans
17:06what a good
17:07sausage is
17:07so I tend
17:10to do that
17:10if I have
17:11time I'll
17:11go back
17:11to Campus Lang
17:12and I'll
17:13wander the
17:13streets
17:14that I used
17:15to wander
17:15dreaming of
17:16doing this
17:17and remind
17:18myself that
17:19I got what
17:19I asked for
17:20you know
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