John Foxx, the original vocalist for Ultravox. Known more through the recordings of others than his own. His detached, jolting vocals proved inspirational to artists like Gary Numan and electro-techno duo Adult. Foxx’s three albums with Ultravox, as well as his first two solo albums, Metamatic (1980) and The Garden(1981), are essential listening for anyone with an interest in artful post-glam rock and challenging electronic pop. “Metamatic” helpedpave the way for a generation of electronic musicians. It also spawned a successful single with ”Underpass”, and is today regarded of one of the most pionering albums in electronic music.
After a mostly silent span of roughly 12 years, broken up by a pair of early-’90s singles with Tim Simenon as Nation12, he returned more prolific than ever, operating his own label and dividing his recording schedule between ambient work (including collaborations with pianist Harold Budd and Cocteau Twins guitarist Robin Guthrie) and song-based material (recorded with Louis Gordon) that often recalled Metamatic.
Foxx’s music has been cited as influential from bands as diverse as The Klaxons and Goldfrapp, clearly indicating the relevance of his work and that it still maintains the mysterious magnetism and splendour that shaped a generation of music fans and bands alike.