Ultravox - 12'' Mini Album

The 1981 Australian/New Zealand 12-inch Ultravox! mini-album is a highly prized collector's item that captures the raw energy of the band’s John Foxx era. By combining the four tracks from the Live Retro EP with the rare studio cuts "Quirks" and "Modern Love," the release provides a definitive look at the group's early post-punk and synth-driven experimentation. Critics consistently praise the 12-inch format for its superior sound fidelity compared to the original 7-inch pressings, making it the preferred way to experience the "thunderous" live performances and "lost" tracks that helped define the band's sound before their commercial breakthrough with Midge Ure.

The 1981 Australian and New Zealand 12-inch Ultravox! mini-album is a coveted "deluxe package" that compiles rare material from the band’s high-energy John Foxx era. It bridges the gap between their punk-adjacent roots and the synth-pop future by combining the four tracks from the Live Retro EP with the extremely rare studio cuts "Quirks" and "Modern Love," originally only available as a bonus 7-inch with early copies of Ha!-Ha!-Ha!. Collectors and critics consider this release a "real coup," as it houses these "lost" pre-fame tracks in a single set with wide grooves that provide vastly superior sound fidelity compared to the original 7-inch pressings. 

Musically, the mini-album captures the band at a "ferocious peak," showcasing a raw, "thunderous" live sound that was years ahead of the burgeoning post-punk movement. Highlights include a vehement live recording of "Young Savage," which drummer Warren Cann compared to holding onto a speeding motorbike, and the visionary, proto-synth ballad "My Sex". This compilation serves as a vital historical document of the group's "evolving vision," offering fans a way to hear the intense interplay of Billy Currie's electric violin and Foxx's literary lyrics with a clarity that wouldn't be matched until the 2006 CD remasters.

Ripped to MP3

1. The Wild, The Beautiful And The Damned (Live at the Rainbow, London, 1977)

2. My Sex (Live at Huddersfield Polytechnic, 1977)

3. Quirks (Studio track) 

4. Young Savage (Live at The Marquee, London, 1977)

5. The Man Who Dies Every Day (Live at Huddersfield Polytechnic, 1977)

6. Modern Love (Studio track)

This release is unique for combining the four live tracks from the original 1978 Retro EP with the two rare studio tracks, "Quirks" and "Modern Love," which were originally only available on a bonus 7-inch single included with early copies of the album Ha!-Ha!-Ha!.