Numan admits he was massively influenced by Foxx-era Ultravox

Ultravox with Foxx were way ahead...I was a teenager in UK and this was absolutely unique at the time. Glad you have checked it teardrops too

Soooo glad you are doing this, please do the whole album. Way ahead of its time and fundamentally the catalyst for Gary Numan and so many others that it influenced

Quiet men is absolutely fantastic. ❤

I've been waiting for you to do this album. Please continue!

I love this album! This is considered the first true synth pop/rock album! In 1978, before Roxy and Japan (Sylvian) went synthpop and before Duran and others. 🎉 Produced by Conny Plank who produced Kraftwerk, this is a masterpiece. Imagine the context in 1978…

Great opening track. Systems of Romance is an important album in more ways than one. On the one hand, it foreshadows what John foxx will do solo and the future line up of Ultravox with Midge Ure (who said he loved that album) and by extension the side project Visage (with, among others, Billy Currie and Midge Ure as well as Magazine's Dave Formula, John McGeoch and Barry Adamson, .....plus guitarist Robin Simon who played on Systems of Romance and Magazine's Play live album as well as on some John Foxx solo records). Its importance is also considerable on the work of Gary Numan (who described the record as his single biggest musical inspiration) and I wouldn't be surprised if this album had influenced bands like Simple Minds, Japan or Duran Duran !😉

@patrick3926

Жыл бұрын

it must have sounded like nothing else at the time ! Produced by conny plank (kraftwerk producer) this really bought synth and rock/pop together the first time

@a.k.1740

Жыл бұрын

@@patrick3926 Actually, The Human League had released their debut single "Being Boiled" b/w "Circus of Death" in June 1978 so three months before Systems of Romance, that said, The Human League was a purely electronic band while Ultravox mixed post-punk with electronics, so it all depends on which point of view you see things. And we must not forget that from late 1976 Ultravox had recorded "My Sex" on their debut album , which is a song already anticipating Gary Numan with two years in advance so all this is debatable. All in all, I think Kraftwerk around 1974/75 paved the way and certainly inspired many British musicians.

@alientenno

Жыл бұрын

you forgot Rusty Egan

@a.k.1740

Жыл бұрын

@@alientenno It was on purpose because Rusty Egan has no connection with Ultravox nor Magazine (which I mentioned above all), even if he was part of the Rich Kids and Visage with Midge Ure.

Ultravox were diminished when John Foxx departed. A great lyrics writer and could really deliver an atmosphere and attitude in his voice. Of their first three albums, this is my favourite. "Dislocation' (from this album) needs a reaction Justin.

@rachelar

8 ай бұрын

If Currie had left it wouldve diminished even more!

My older brother brought this album home new out in '78 (I was nine years old) and I've played it once a week since then, it never gets boring and is still my favourite album of all time.

So glad your giving this a listen. This was the first Ultravox album I heard. And it was new. I bought a clear, see through single of this song with Dislocation as the B-side.

My favourite Ultravox album by some distance

@patrick3926

Жыл бұрын

Agree!

oh man, remember getting this on vinyl at Subway Records in Southampton, still has the sticker on it. Always loved it, still do. I have the 45 inch version as well with Quiet Men, Dislocation and Hiroshima Mon Amour, at least, I'm sure it has all 4 - Now I need to take a look in the garage.

Gary Numan once said that he was influenced by Ultravox. Nice to see you returning to Ultravox. Love this album and looking forward to you reacting to Rage in Eden. Great reaction, peace and love from Toronto

@a.k.1740

Жыл бұрын

Systems of Romance and Rage in Eden are my favourites from Ultravox. Vienna comes third in my personal ranking. Coincidence or not, these three were produced by Conny Plank!😉

Gary Numan credits Ultravox with John Foxx with starting the entire New Wave - Synth Rock genre, even though Numan himself is credited for it by most other people. Both John Foxx and Midge Ure had great song writing talent. Ure has the stronger vocal ability and control, but Foxx, on stage and in the videos, is more naturally charismatic.

Perfect album, should’ve let “I Can’t Stay Long” roll on. 😁

Nice review. Yeah, here it comes - you're gonna love this...

Nice 😘 although (unfashionably) I think the best of the Midge Ure era outshone the Foxx stuff even if the bad, later, stuff was dire

Great to hear you doing early vox, slow motion is a top tune. Thank you, please dont forget about doing more stranglers stuff.

What a good track, I'm surprised to have never heard it before. I wonder if this was an influence on Bowie, circa Scary Monsters era...?

Julian cope called this album a masterpiece, it was new romanticism a good two years before it hit. also Hiroshima Mon Amour from ha ha ha, saw the Foxx Ultravox! twice superb.

Woo, I love John Foxx era Ultravox!

I had no idea this album even existed. This is exciting. So good. On par with Magazine in 1978.

A truly great album......synth based with a big chunk of rock into the bargain.........love it🤟🤟🤟🤟👍

Billy Currie even played with Gary Numan and is in the Cars video. Unfortunately, John Foxx was a control freak and wanted to have total control of the band, so he left to do solo stuff. Some people sh*t on Midge Ure Ultravox like they kicked Foxx out of the band and got some lame replacement, but it was Foxx who chose to leave. Even Gary Numan sadly treats it like that! Back to this album, “Just For A Moment” is one of my favorites.

@alientenno

Жыл бұрын

Midge Ure had a No.1 with Slik , fun fact ! , For me Ure gave UVox that missing piece , Appeal

Love the tone of the guitar and synths on this album. Haven’t heard a similar combination since . I guess that’s why it doesn’t sound dated to me.

Gary Numan was inspired by Ultravox he has stated so on many occasions

Here is the first new wave album (SYSTEMS OF ROMANCE). Welcome to ULTRAVOX world (even u have heard a part of them)

UR feeding new stuff 4 me JP. Initially I groan, but then I remember why I'm Here and I tune in. I relax. I'm hear to here. Doh. This? It sounds Numanesque in it's intro. Better Vox. Ultra vox? And it also reminds me of AFOS. But better This is Excellent. Diolch. Oh hold on ...I'm Dancin! With Tears in my Eyes.

@JustJP

Жыл бұрын

Dance away my friend!

No violin on that Ultravox album. Got it from the horse's mouth

I loved Ultravox and Visage back in the day. The album Vienna was great for introducing new fans to the music. ps, Justin, your goodie box 📦 arrived today at your P.O. Box 🎉

Brilliant album; you must check out John Foxx's solo Metamatic

I love this album but I prefer the second album Ha!-Ha!-Ha! for: "ROckWrok", "Hiroshima Mon Amour", and "Young Savage".

@MartinLindnerDigital

Жыл бұрын

my sex!

I still have the vinyl, the cassette, and the CD ( German import.

This track invented Gary Numan

Ultravox's Best Album by a long way......including the later Ultravox....

I recall a JP reaction from a while back where he mentioned liking something on the order of a big fat synth sound, and Slow Motion was the first song that popped into my brain. Epic vocal too; I recall Midge Ure trying to cover it live when Ultravox! became Ultravox, and he was no match for it. Nevertheless, as with Genesis I also liked what came after the first front man exited the stage. And in both cases, when I go back to listen to the music of my youth, I prefer the bands to the solo artists.

You need to honor the legend Gordon Lightfoot with some reactions. He passed away yesterday.

Thank you JP. I'm biased, but I don't think anyone sounded quite like the mark 1 Ultravox. Especially Billy Curries synths.

It's been too long since I last listened to this. (I have dim memories of quite liking Ultravox, but not much more than that.) (The "quite" is not a small word of praise that damns. It just applied to anything that wasn't Black Sabbath at that time of my life. One eyed monster.)

@sicko_the_ew

Жыл бұрын

One eyed monster, no more, but *Major Parkinson* has a lot of tricks up all the sleeves of their octopus shirt and its jacket. (On the day you throw your hat as if to catch a grasshopper for the small mammal in your pocket for the time being to eat, and as it lands you realise, " _That's_ their style", it's going to jump away more springy than Spring Heeled Jack does. They don't stand still for us. They vanish here, and pop up there, just like ... whatever things it is that vanish here, and pop up in some other place do.) Instead of struggling for words to express this, it's best to fall back on an illustration, I think. Compare *The Transient* to what you know about them. (You do know about them, surely??) See how it matches up to that. kzread.info/dash/bejne/ioZ81bCYedW6pbw.html (Acoustic - until it breaks that rule. Bass and baritone until it's not. Country, maybe. Or something surf. Or where the hell did that thing go now. Stand still, damn it.) They're back! Their small and almost secret world has not been oilspilled into uniform convergence to this horrible asymptote the rest of us are being constrained toward.

Ure is pronounced 'Your' Not Err

Where the heck is Martha?

please go more steps back, for the first to albums, and one step forward, to "metamatic" by john foxx. (i have been, and still am, not very interested in the popular ultravox in their 2nd iteration.)

FYI: Ure is pronounced you-er.

Like it! Good track

ultravox, wow, i really can't catch a break can I. So on the premise, if you can't say anything nice....... I'll get my coat.

Great album, though this is far from the best track 🤔