Ha!-Ha!-Ha!

Ha!-Ha!-Ha! is the second album by British pop group Ultravox, at that time known as "Ultravox!", with an exclamation mark, as a nod to Neu!. Although the group would later achieve fame and commercial success with lead singer Midge Ure the band was, in 1977, led by singer/songwriter John Foxx who was accompanied by guitarist Stevie Shears, drummer Warren Cann, bassist Chris Cross and keyboard/violist Billy Currie. Release Ha!-Ha!-Ha! was released on 14 October 1977, and was accompanied by lead single "ROckwrok" backed with "Hiroshima Mon Amour", which was released eleven days earlier. Neither reached the pop charts, although Island Records continued to have faith in the band. As a consequence of the album's confusing typography – it is variously known as Ha!-Ha!-Ha!, Ha! Ha! Ha! and -ha!-ha!-ha!, the group decided to abandon their exclamation mark for subsequent releases. Description Whilst the group's first album had been a product of the David Bowie/Roxy Music-esque side of glam rock, their second was considerably more informed by the burgeoning punk movement, although it also marked the group's first widespread adoption of synthesisers and electronic production techniques. Money from the first album was used to improve the band's equipment, and funded the purchase of an ARP Odyssey and, most notably, a Roland TR-77 drum machine, which appeared on the album's final track, "Hiroshima Mon Amour". This song was the most indicative of the group's later synth-pop direction, and remains both a fan and critical favourite.<ref> {{ cite web |url = http://www.newtimesbpb.com/issues/2003-11-20/music/music2.html |title = New Times''' The Quiet Man |author = Stratton, Jeff |date = 20 November 2003 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20041204165314/http://www.newtimesbpb.com/Issues/2003-11-20/music/music2.html |archive-date = 4 December 2004 |df = dmy-all }}</ref> It was performed on the group's 1978 Old Grey Whistle Test appearance and was covered by The Church on their 1999 covers album A Box of Birds and also by Jan Linton.