In a notoriously fickle industry, Midge is unusual in being one of a very small number of rock musicians who’ve sustained a successful musical career for more than 30 years. A fact acknowledged by the music industry through both Ivor Novello and Grammy awards, as well as numerous gold and platinum records. During his time as front-man for the band Ultravox, the band became a major influence on the new romantic and electro-pop movements of the early '80s. With tracks like 'Dancing With Tears in My Eyes' and 1981's timeless 'Vienna' the band enjoyed massive hits the world over, producing seven consecutive top ten albums in just six years.
But it will be for his impact on our collective conscience - over the devastating effects of the famine in Ethiopia in 1984 – that he will be best remembered.
On 25 November 1984, 36 artists, with the collective name of Band Aid, gathered at SARM Studios in west London. Under Midge's direction they recorded ‘Do they know it’s Christmas?’ a song he had just written with Bob Geldof as the industry's heartfelt and eloquent contribution to Ethiopian famine relief. When they wrote the song, Midge and Bob can have had no clue about the tidal wave of public support and sympathy their efforts would trigger. Nor of the remarkable and enduring impact it would have on both their lives.
The song sold 600,000 copies in its first week in the UK alone and this was only the beginning: with 800,000 more sold in the second week and then more than three million world-wide, the unstoppable emotion engendered by the project led to Live Aid, the summer 1985 global concert that, all exaggeration aside, spoke for a generation. Within months, a staggering £8 million had been raised for the starving in Africa.
As the quiet man of the partnership, Midge’s contribution to both Band Aid and Live Aid has sometimes been overlooked. But the man who should know, Bob Geldof, has often said that if Midge had said no when he asked for his help on that fateful day, he probably wouldn’t have continued with the project. Midge is still to this day a Band Aid Trustee.
Midge’s behind the scenes ability to make things happen has since been confirmed by his musical directorship of a series of rock concerts for The Prince's Trust, Wicked Women for Breakthrough and in honour of Nelson Mandela. And his services to both music and charity were finally recognised in the Birthday Honours list in 2005, when Midge was awarded a long overdue OBE.
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Little did I know when I performed for the Bath Fifteen in January 2007 that our paths would end up converging. But I was so impressed with the group members’ energy and enthusiasm, and the way they all support each other, that I decided to join the group soon after. I had reached a point in my life where I was ready for some new challenges and joining the group has certainly delivered that. I am now working actively to build an exciting new business in the fast evolving music industry and am confident that Footdown and the Bath Fifteen will support me in this new venture, at every step of the way.