Midge Ure would have been a prominent player on the world’s music scene if his only contribution to global culture was cowriting the “Do They Know It’s Christmas” single and co-producing Live Aid, yet there’s much more to the Scottish artist who felt equally comfortable fronting the punk outfit RICH KIDS, weaving heavy guitar parts in THIN LIZZY and leading new wave heroes ULTRAVOX to the ’80s glory. And then there’s his solo career which started in 1985 with the release of “The Gift”: a powerful platter which will see the expanded reissue on September 22nd.
Featuring such brilliant instrumentalists as bassist Mark King and drummer Mark Brzezicki and consisting of Midge’s originals alongside Ian Anderson-penned folk-rock classic, that record was prefaced by “If I Was” which topped the UK Singles Chart and reached the second position in LP listings – but this deluxe edition places it in a proper context. The four discs it’s comprised of Ure fans – people who recently enjoyed the similar box set of ULTRAVOX’s “Quartet” – will hear the remastered album as well as assorted singles and mixes, work-in-progress cuts and live tracks, including the entire Xmas show from 1985. All the previously released bonus material is here too, making the collection potentially impeccable.
The Gift:
Deluxe Edition
CD 1 – remastered album:
1. If I Was
2. When The Wind Blows
3. Living In The Past
4. That Certain Smile
5. The Gift
6. Antilles
7. Wastelands
8. Edo
9. The Chieftan
10. She Cried
11. The Gift (Reprise)
CD 2 – non-album tracks:
1. No Regrets
2. Mood Music
3. The Man Who Sold The World
4. After A Fashion
5. Textures
6. If I Was (7″ version)
7. Piano
8. That Certain Smile (7″ version)
9. The Gift (instrumental)
10. Wastelands (7″ version)
11. Call Of The Wild
12. After A Fashion (extended version)
13. If I Was (extended version)
14. That Certain Smile (extended mix)
15. Wastelands (extended mix)
16. Call Of The Wild (extended mix)
CD 3:
Early Versions:
1. Wastelands (1)
2. That Certain Smile (instrumental)
3. The Gift
4. If I Was
5. Wastelands (2)
6. When the Wind Blow
7. The Chieftan
8. She Cried (instrumental)
9. Edo
10. Living In The Past
BBC Saturday Live – July 16th, 1983:
11. Remember The Day
12. After A Fashion
13. Textural Piece
Tour Rehearsals 1985:
14. Fade To Grey
15. After A Fashion
16. No Regrets
17. Wastelands
CD 4 – Live At Wembley Arena – December 23rd, 1985:
1. Antilles
2. When The Wind Blows
3. Living In The Past
4. That Certain Smile
5. Wastelands
6. No Regrets
7. The Gift
8. After A Fashion
9. The Chieftan/The Dancer
10. Fade To Grey
11. She Cried/Band Introductions
12. Sleepwalk
13. Do They Know It’s Christmas
14. If I Was
