The Guitar Auction - Four...

Chris Cross (Ultravox) - stage and studio used 1980s Oxford ...

by Gardiner Houlgate
1/5

Estimate

£2,000 - £4,000

Fees

Chris Cross (Ultravox) - stage and studio used 1980s Oxford Synthesizer Company OSCar Programmable Music Synthesizer keyboard, made in England, with original manuals

*Approximately 2000 OSCar synthesizers were made between 1983 and 1985 with some finding their way into professional hands, Ultravox being one of the better known users. This synthesizer was used for the solo of 'Love's Great Adventure', the single released by Ultravox on 12th October 1984. The track peaked at number twelve in the UK singles chart and became Ultravox' thirteenth top thirty single in Britain.

This Oscar appears in an October 1984 cover feature of 'Electronics & Music Maker' magazine with both Billy Currie and Chris Cross (see images).

See a live performance of Ultravox in 1984 where the OScar can be seen at:

More Information

Power switch is currently very intermittent and this device cannot maintain mains power so, requires attention. Several of the top buttons for some of the knobs are missing. The OSCar PROC 13 MIDI board seems to be sitting quite high and this doesn't allow for all the bottom row buttons to stand proud enough through the top unit - Although this is an issue we have seen on previous examples. Please see additional images for general guidance on the main board.

Watch Lot
+ Calendar 2024-12-03 10:00:00 2024-12-06 23:59:59 Europe/London The Guitar Auction - Four Day Sale PAYMENT AND COLLECTION WITHIN 7 DAYS OF THE SALE During the sale, should any late bids come in on the ‘fall of the hammer’, the auctioneer, at his discretion may open the lot back-up making it clear to all bidders. This will apply to all bidding options and no preference is offered to any platform. Pre-Bidding/Autobids - Once bids are placed, they cannot be removed, but can be reduced, if above the current highest bid. When using the Pre-Bidding system the current highest bid will be displayed up to the point of sale. If you do not wish your bid to be displayed then the alternative bidding methods would be to bid live, or leave an Absentee Bid with the Auctioneer to bid on your behalf. _____________________________ THE AUCTION WILL START AT 10AM ON EACH SALE DAY Public viewing times: Friday 29th November 2024 09:00 - 17:00 Monday 2nd December 2024 09:00 - 17:00 Tuesday 3rd December 2024 09:00 - 10:00 Wednesday 4th December 2024 09:00 - 10:00 Thursday 5th December 2024 09:00 - 10:00 Friday 6th December 2024 09:00 - 10:00 All lots are sold as seen and as per our conditions of sale. Comments on condition and originality in descriptions are our opinion only and not necessarily fact. Buyers that cannot view in person are encouraged to ask for a condition report and/or images before placing any kind of bid. Please do not assume that electrical items such as amplification, effects and audio are fully working. Condition reports available. CITES - Non UK Buyers - Please be aware of CITES restrictions when importing guitars containing Brazilian Rosewood and Ivory. The presence of a CITES A10 document is for UK internal use only and does not allow legal passage outside of the UK. Please enquire for advice regarding CITES import / export before bidding. Collection and Shipping - It is the buyers responsibility to arrange collection and shipping of any lots won in the auction. Buyers should seek shipping quotes in advance of bidding. Please see "Packing and Shipping" for further information. ORDER OF SALE: DAY ONE - Artist Associated Guitars & Memorabilia - Tuesday 3rd December 2024 *The Chris Cross Ultravox Collection: Lots 1 - 330 **The Status Quo & Frank Rossi Backline collection: Lots 331 - 373 ***The Angelo Bruschini (Massive Attack) Collection: Lots 374 - 423 Other Artist Associated Guitars, Equipment & Memorabilia: Lots 424 - 483 DAY TWO - Guitars - Wednesday 4th December 2024 Guitars: Lots 501 - 1191 DAY THREE - Guitar Amps, Pedals, Spares & Audio Equipment - Thursday 5th December 2024 Guitar Amps: Lots 1201 - 1412 Guitar Pedals: Lots 1501 - 1719 Guitar Spares: Lots 1801 - 1856 Studio & Audio Equipment: Lots 1901 - 2141 DAY FOUR - Antique & Classical Guitars - Friday 6th December 2024 Antique & Classical Guitars: Lots 2201 - 2268 * The Chris Cross Ultravox Collection Christopher Thomas Allen (1952 – 2024), was an English musician, known professionally as Chris Cross. He was best known as bass guitarist and a main contributor/song-writer in the new wave band Ultravox. After starting his music career with Preston based Stoned Rose, he was one of the founding members of the band Tiger Lily in 1974, before the band was renamed Ultravox three years later. During his music career, Cross enjoyed commercial success with Ultravox, and following the introduction of Midge Ure as singer, many hits followed, including their biggest hit ‘Vienna’, of which Cross co-wrote. It was the 1985 Live Aid concert at Wembley Stadium that Cross considered the highlight of his pop career. The overcrowded nature of the line-up meant that Ultravox were allotted only 18 minutes, in which they performed their hits Reap the Wild Wind, Dancing with Tears in My Eyes and One Small Day before climaxing with Vienna, the crowd bouncing with abandon to Cross’s irresistible synth bass line. On the performance, Cross stated: “I remember walking on, and it was really sunny and everything came together so well. And then you remembered millions of people were watching it on TV too.” When Ultravox disbanded in 1987 after the 1986 U-Vox album release and tour, Cross retired from the music business to become a psychotherapist. It was an occupation that suited his calm demeanour. He was down to earth and had a wry sense of humour. He had studied psychology before joining the band and his solution to most problems was not the common rock’n’roll therapy, but to put the kettle on and have a cup of tea. In a posthumous tribute, Ure described him as “logic in the madness” and “the glue that held the band together”. Cross rejoined the band after their revival in 2009 with a tour, followed three years later with the release of the 2012 studio album Brilliant. A year later, after a tour with Simple Minds, the band retired once more and Cross returned quietly to his “other life” as a psychotherapist. Cross sadly died on 25th March 2024 at the age of 71. Ultravox – originally 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 their 1981 hit "Vienna". From 1974 until 1979, singer John Foxx was frontman and the main driving force behind Ultravox. Foxx left the band in March 1979 to focus on his solo career. Midge Ure officially took over as lead singer, guitarist and frontman on 1 November 1979, despite writing and rehearsing with the band from April of that year. Ure rejuvenated the band and steered Ultravox to commercial chart success beginning with their critically acclaimed 1980 album Vienna. The albums title track, co-written by Cross, was released as a single, only to be kept from the No 1 spot by the posthumous release of John Lennon’s Woman for a week and then by Joe Dolce’s Shaddap You Face for a further three. Further hits followed that would define the sound of 1980s synth-pop. Cross featured in the vocal lineup for Band Aid’s 1984 charity single Do They Know It’s Christmas?, co-written by Ure and Bob Geldof, which was followed by Ultravox’ hugely successful performance at Live Aid the following year. Despite their triumphant performance, it was the beginning of the end. Within 18 months of the band’s Live Aid high tide, after a final album and world tour, Ultravox broke up in 1987. After a 23-year hiatus, the classic 1980s Ultravox line-up unexpectedly re-formed in 2008 and performed a series of shows in 2009 and 2010. In May 2012 a new studio album, Brill!ant, was released which reached 21 in the British Album Charts. This was followed by a successful Autumn tour playing 34 shows across the UK & Europe. In November 2013, Ultravox performed as special guests on a four-date UK arena tour with Simple Minds. These shows proved to be Ultravox's last. Ultravox have a strong legacy in British music history. Gary Numan has stated that the original 1970s John Foxx era Ultravox was the most important influence on his music, whilst their Ure led reinvention has many citing the band responsible for ‘inventing the 1980s’. Ultravox was also a major influence on early Simple Minds and Duran Duran. Gardiner Houlgate is delighted to offer this collection on behalf of Chris’ family, featuring instruments, studio equipment, vinyl, memorabilia and ephemera. Whilst the extensive cross-section consists of some personal items, the majority are linked to his career as an integral member of Ultravox. A proportion of the sale proceeds will benefit the following youth music charities: Music for Youth https://www.mfy.org.uk, Music for All https://www.musicforall.org.uk, and Youth Music https://youthmusic.org.uk/ Forward by Midge Ure “Chris Allen taught me many things. From the moment I walked into a seedy rehearsal studio to play my first notes with Ultravox he taught me about graphics, art, design, photography and of course synthesisers. He was an eclectic character which reflects in the diverse collection of equipment he collected and leaves behind. From the Fender Precision Bass he was playing that day to the EMS ‘briefcase’ synth he used on previous Ultravox recordings, everything here depicts a little piece of Chris’s character and diversity.” Midge Ure, October 2024 ** The Status Quo / Francis Rossi Backline & Studio Collection Gardiner Houlgate is delighted to offer Status Quo's entire live backline rig on behalf of the band. The equipment on offer Gardiner Houlgate is delighted to offer an exclusive sale and unprecedented opportunity to acquire backline stage audio equipment, supplied directly by Status Quo, one of the greatest ever Rock and Roll bands. The ‘backline’ refers to anything that the band used to create that incredible sound, and many of the elements included in this collection are almost still warm from the last time Status Quo performed in August of this year. This is not kit pulled out a dusty storage unit, but as used just weeks ago. This is a broad collection of Speakers, Keyboards, Pianos, and Amplifiers. The Quo backline, especially the Amps, was iconic in both look and sound - and the white covering is rare, with Marshall having created this set especially for the band. Many of the specific elements offered here can be seen in the live concert film ‘Status Quo Live At Wacken Open Air, 2017’. Also included in the sale are many items from Francis Rossi’s Home studio, as used to record Quo and solo albums. Francis Rossi states, “This is equipment that has lived a life, but still can deliver at the top of its range. All of these items have directly been used by the band, has travelled miles with us and got an outing most recently at the 23 August show in Taunton in the UK, this is the real deal. This phase of Quo is over and it is time to pass these pieces on”. *** The Angelo Bruschini (Massive Attack) Collection Angelo Bruschini (May 1961 – October 2023) was a renowned guitarist, producer, composer, and musical innovator based in Bristol, with a career that spanned over four decades. A key figure in the city’s vibrant music scene, Angelo made his mark as a member of two of Bristol’s most influential bands, bridging the worlds of indie rock and trip hop. In the mid-1980s, Angelo became a permanent member of The Blue Aeroplanes, widely regarded as one of Bristol’s longest-running and most beloved bands. He contributed to their iconic albums Swagger (1987) and Beatsongs (1990). In the 1990s, Angelo expanded his influence in the burgeoning trip hop scene by joining Massive Attack as both a recording and touring guitarist. He played a pivotal role on the band's landmark albums Protection (1994), Mezzanine (1998), and 100th Window (2003), and continued to tour with them until 2018. His work with Massive Attack solidified his place as one of the key musicians behind the region’s explosion of global musical talent. Angelo’s contributions went beyond performance; he worked as Alison Moyet’s musical director and produced Strangelove’s eponymous 1997 album. His influence extended into the world of film and television, with contributions to soundtracks for movies such as I.D. and TV shows like CSI. A passionate and skilled guitarist, Angelo began his professional career at just 16, quickly gaining recognition with local bands The Rimshots and The Numbers, whose track appeared on the influential Avon Calling compilation (1979). His early involvement with The Blue Aeroplanes in 1984 marked the start of a remarkable journey that would see him shape the sound of Bristol for decades. In his later years, Angelo continued to work with new projects, including HZLB, and defied the odds when he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of lung cancer in 2023. Even as his health declined, he remained committed to his craft, contributing to his final album, Untold Stories, up until just days before his passing on October 23, 2023. His final public performance was with The Blue Aeroplanes at the Bristol Harbour Festival in July 2022. Gardiner Houlgate is honored to present 50 lots of personal items on behalf of Angelo’s family, many of which were integral to his work both in the studio and on stage. Gardiner Houlgate Gardiner Houlgate [email protected]
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Auction Date:
3rd Dec 24 at 10am GMT
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