Messengers were a Scottish
new wave duo consisting of Danny Mitchell (keyboards and programming) and Colin King (vocals and percussion). The duo were originally part of Modern Man, a Glasgow
post-punk
Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of punk music that emerged in the late 1970s as musicians departed from punk's traditional elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a variety of avant-garde sensibilities and non-roc ...
/new wave band discovered by
Midge Ure
James Ure (born 10 October 1953) is a Scottish musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. His stage name, Midge, is a phonetic reversal of Jim, the diminutive form of his actual name. Ure enjoyed particular success in the 1970s and 1980s ...
of
Ultravox
Ultravox (earlier styled as Ultravox!) were a British new wave band, formed in London in April 1974 as Tiger Lily. Between 1980 and 1986, they scored seven Top Ten albums and seventeen Top 40 singles in the UK, the most successful of which was ...
. Modern Man disbanded after releasing one album produced by Ure, ''Concrete Scheme'' (1980), after which Ure stayed as producer with Mitchell and King as Messengers.
Messengers toured as support band to Ultravox, contributing to the live album ''
Monument
A monument is a type of structure that was explicitly created to commemorate a person or event, or which has become relevant to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, due to its artistic, his ...
'' (1982), and with Mitchell co-writing Midge Ure's "
If I Was
"If I Was" is a 1985 song by Scottish musician Midge Ure. It was co-written by Ure and Danny Mitchell (of Ultravox's tour opening band Messengers), and released as the first single from Ure's debut solo studio album '' The Gift'' (1985). It rea ...
". Enough material for an album was recorded by 1984, but Ure's label Chrysalis declined to release an album after offering a three singles deal only.
An album was finally released in November 2004 when Mitchell and King re-recorded many of their songs, written during the period of 1979 and 1985, for release via the official Ultravox website. Of the thirteen tracks released on the album, only three were new compositions: "(Did) You Take Me For A Ride", "Send That Letter Home" and "The Reformation Waltz".
Discography
Messengers
Album
*''...It's Been Twenty Years, Let's Try Turning Up the Volume...'' (10 November 2004), MESSCD200401
Singles
All tracks written by Daniel Mitchell/Colin King, except "I Turn In (To You)" and "Plains of Siberia" by Daniel Mitchell and "Andy Warhol" by David Bowie.
*"I Turn In (To You)" / "The Semi-Professionals (Theme No. 1)" (3 December 1982), Chrysalis Records
*"I Turn In (To You) (Extended Version)" / "The Semi-Professionals (Theme No. 1)" (3 December 1982), Chrysalis Records
*"Great Institutions" / "Here Come the Heroes" (June 1984), Chrysalis Records
*"Great Institutions (MF Mix)" / "Here Come the Heroes", "Strawboy (recorded live at Hammersmith Odeon, Dec 1982)" (June 1984), Chrysalis Records
*"Frontiers" / "Plains of Siberia" (28 September 1984), Chrysalis Records
*"Frontiers (Extended Version)" / "Plains of Siberia", "Andy Warhol" (28 September 1984), Chrysalis Records
Tracks recorded and mixed at DBS by Father Dan. Vocals recorded at Carlton Studios, Glasgow.
Modern Man
Album
*''Concrete Scheme'' (12 September 1980), MAM Records
Singles
All tracks written by Danny Mitchell, except "Things Could Be Better" by Jim Cook.
*"All the Little Idiots" / "Advance" (15 August 1980), MAM Records
*"Body Music" / "I Couldn't Stop" (31 October 1980), MAM Records
*"Things Could Be Better" / "Wastelands" (13 February 1981), MAM Records
*"Things Could Be Better" (12″ mix) / "Wastelands" (13 February 1981), MAM Records
*"War Drums" / "Tell Us Lies" (31 July 1981), MAM Records
Personnel
* Danny Mitchell – guitar and synthesizer
* Jim Cook – lead vocal
* Mike Moran – bass
* Ali McLeod – lead guitar
* Colin King – drums and vocals
* All tracks written by Danny Mitchell
* Produced by Midge Ure
* Engineer - Brian Young
* Recorded at Cava Studios, Glasgow
References
{{Ultravox
Scottish new wave musical groups
New wave duos
Musical groups from Glasgow
Chrysalis Records artists