Chris Cross

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This article is about the English musician. For the American rap duo, see Kris Kross. For the American musician, see Christopher Cross.
For other people named Chris Cross, see Chris Cross (disambiguation).

Chris Cross
Cross in 2009
Cross in 2009
Background information
Birth nameChristopher Thomas Allen
Also known asChris St. John
Born(1952-07-14)14 July 1952
Tottenham, London, England
Died25 March 2024(2024-03-25) (aged 71)
Genres
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)
  • Bass
  • keyboards
Years active
  • 1973–1988
  • 2009–2012
Formerly of

Chris Cross (born Christopher Thomas Allen, 14 July 1952 – 25 March 2024) was an English musician, best known as the bass guitarist in the new wave band Ultravox.

Biography

Early years

Christopher Thomas Allen was born in Tottenham, London, England on 14 July 1952.[1] Cross went to Belmont Secondary Modern School and William Forster Comprehensive.[2] He began his music career playing in different bands with his major early influences being Small Faces, Desmond Dekker, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown.[2]

Later he joined Stoned Rose, in Preston, Lancashire, but also decided to go to college to study psychology, a longstanding interest.[2]

Tiger Lily and Ultravox

Afterwards, he returned to London to apply at the Royal College of Art.[3] Meanwhile, after answering an advertisement, the band Tiger Lily was created in 1974, with the founding members consisting of Cross, singer Dennis Leigh, guitarist Stevie Shears, drummer Warren Cann, and violinist/keyboardist Billy Currie.[2][4] After playing gigs from 1974 to 1976, in the latter year the band renamed themselves Ultravox! and signed to Island Records.[4][5]

In 1979, after three commercially unsuccessful but influential albums – Ultravox! (1977), Ha!-Ha!-Ha! (1977) and Systems of Romance (1978) – original vocalist John Foxx and guitarist Robin Simon, who had replaced Stevie Shears a year before, left Ultravox.[4][6][7]

With Midge Ure added to Ultravox in 1979, the band released their commerically successful Vienna album a year later.[5] By that time, he and Ure were close friends, together directing music videos such as Bananarama's "Shy Boy" and "The Telephone Always Rings" by Fun Boy Three.[8] The band then produced another few successful albums: Rage in Eden (1981), Quartet (1982), Monument (1983) and Lament (1984).[4][9] After U-Vox, a studio album published in 1986, Cross left Ultravox and pursued a career as a psychotherapist.[2][4] Before Cross's departure, Ure had also left the band to perform as a solo artist, before rejoining, but Cross noted the band "fell apart" after Ure rejoined, also stating "it was like everyone lost interest".[2]

Ultravox revival

In November 2008, it was announced that Ultravox were to embark on the "Return to Eden" tour in April 2009, plus two festivals and additionally a Best of Ultravox CD/DVD was released by EMI.

The 2012 album release, Brilliant, included Chris Allen as co-writer with Billy Currie and Midge Ure on all tracks. The album was promoted with a UK theatre tour and a series of European dates.

Equipment

During the time in which Ultravox was led by John Foxx, he used a Guild B-301, a white Gibson EB-3 and fretless Fender Precision basses, and an EMS Synthi AKS and later Mini Moog synthesisers with an Ampeg amplifier with 8-by-10-inch (200 mm × 250 mm) speaker cabinets.

While recording the Vienna album, he used a Yamaha bass, a Fender Precision bass, a Mini Moog synthesiser and Yamaha synthesiser

Later he also used Status and Steinberger basses.

Cross's distinctive grey bass is an Ibanez RoadStar from the early 1980s; this bass has been used on many of Ultravox's albums and was Cross' primary instrument during the first stage of the 'Return to Eden' Tour in 2009.

On the 'Return to Eden' tour in 2010 and the 'Brilliant' tour in 2012, he also used a Rickenbacker 4003 Fireglo finish bass and a standby black Fender Telecaster Bass.

Death

Cross died on 25 March 2024, at the age of 71.[10]

References

  1. ^ [1] Archived 20 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Chris Cross, Ultravox bassist who co-wrote their biggest hit, Vienna – obituary". The Daily Telegraph. 5 April 2024. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  3. ^ Brown, August (2 April 2024). "Chris Cross, Ultravox bassist and "Vienna" co-writer, dies at 71". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e Ewing, Jerry (2 April 2024). "Ultravox bassist Chris Cross has died, aged 71". Louder Sound. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  5. ^ a b Reilly, Nick (2 April 2024). "Chris Cross: Ultravox star and 'Vienna' writer dead at 71". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  6. ^ "Monumental: A history of Ultravox". Record Collector Magazine. 28 February 2009. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  7. ^ O'Connor, Roisin (2 April 2024). "Ultravox star who co-wrote hit Vienna dies aged 71". The Independent. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  8. ^ Lindores, Mark. "Vienna Ultravox". Classic Pop Magazine. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  9. ^ "Monument - Ultravox | Album". Allmusic. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  10. ^ Leo, Frank (1 April 2024). "Chris Cross Ultravox Death, London, Uk Musician And Bass Guitarist For Ultravox Band has died". pixelpulsepost.com. Archived from the original on 1 April 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2024.

External Links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chris_Cross&oldid=1217820763"