He died a couple of weeks ago, but it was just announced…
Ultravox star who co-wrote hit Vienna dies aged 71
Probably unknown to most here, I was a big fan going back to their earlier days with original vocalist John Foxx, and continued after that when they rebooted with singer/guitarist/keyboardist Midge Ure, who had been briefly in Thin Lizzy and The Rich Kids, bassist Glen Matlock’s post Sex Pistols band(he would eventually be a big part of Live-Aid). Ultravox morphed from a glam pop band into a Bowie/Roxy Music/Krautrock influenced outfit just in time for new wave to hit(their first album produced by Brian Eno). By their third, Systems Of Romance, 1978, produced by Kraftwerk associate Conny Plank, they had delved deeply into the emerging synthesizer scene, with Cross often using a Minimoog for low end, and were an influence on the likes of Gary Numan, Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, and Tears For Fears.
If anything, Numan plundered their style (keyboardist Billy Currie had worked with him on “Cars”), as did American band Berlin.
Foxx left, the band almost broke up, but with the addition of Ure they went on to great heights in the UK and Europe, but typically remained just a cult band in the US. Their comeback tune, “Vienna” was a huge smash across the pond, and at their peak they worked with George Martin and Geoff Emerick on the album Quartet, their music having taken on some prog flavor.
Cross was a solid, understated player, and a bit of an inspiration for me as I dabbled with synth bass in the early 80’s. I saw the band twice, got to hang out with them after the show the second time, very friendly unpretentious people.
Ultravox star who co-wrote hit Vienna dies aged 71
Probably unknown to most here, I was a big fan going back to their earlier days with original vocalist John Foxx, and continued after that when they rebooted with singer/guitarist/keyboardist Midge Ure, who had been briefly in Thin Lizzy and The Rich Kids, bassist Glen Matlock’s post Sex Pistols band(he would eventually be a big part of Live-Aid). Ultravox morphed from a glam pop band into a Bowie/Roxy Music/Krautrock influenced outfit just in time for new wave to hit(their first album produced by Brian Eno). By their third, Systems Of Romance, 1978, produced by Kraftwerk associate Conny Plank, they had delved deeply into the emerging synthesizer scene, with Cross often using a Minimoog for low end, and were an influence on the likes of Gary Numan, Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, and Tears For Fears.
If anything, Numan plundered their style (keyboardist Billy Currie had worked with him on “Cars”), as did American band Berlin.
Foxx left, the band almost broke up, but with the addition of Ure they went on to great heights in the UK and Europe, but typically remained just a cult band in the US. Their comeback tune, “Vienna” was a huge smash across the pond, and at their peak they worked with George Martin and Geoff Emerick on the album Quartet, their music having taken on some prog flavor.
Cross was a solid, understated player, and a bit of an inspiration for me as I dabbled with synth bass in the early 80’s. I saw the band twice, got to hang out with them after the show the second time, very friendly unpretentious people.
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to say that, phonetically, "Chris Cross" made me think of these guys:
