 | This article needs additional citations for verification .(June 2009) |
Ultra Vivid Scene | |
|---|---|
| Origin | New York City, New York |
| Genres | Indie rock |
| Years active | 1987–1993 |
| Labels | 4AD, Columbia |
| Past members | Kurt Ralske Kristin Kramer Melora Creager Gerald Collins Byron Guthrie Colin Rae Ann Hollis Jack Daley Julius Klepacz Moby |
Ultra Vivid Scene was an American alternative rock band, started by Kurt Ralske.
Former Nothing But Happiness and Crash guitarist Ralske started Ultra Vivid Scene in 1987, was signed to 4AD Records in 1988, and released his first UVS EP, She Screamed, in 1988. The debut album Ultra Vivid Scene released October 1988, was written, produced and performed entirely by Ralske, whose influences include The Velvet Underground and The Jesus and Mary Chain. [1] The second album, Joy 1967-1990 , was released in April 1990. The same month they played their first tour dates in the United Kingdom. [2]
The last album, Rev , was released in October 1992, and was performed by a band comprising Julius Klepacz (drums) and Jack Daley (bass) with Ralske on vocals and guitar. This album was picked up by the Chaos imprint of Columbia Records (Sony Music Distribution) during the time rival Warner Bros. was having some success with its imprints' 4AD relationships (4AD/Sire, 4AD/Elektra, 4AD/Reprise).
As a live act, Ultra Vivid Scene performed only a handful of US dates in support of the first album in 1989. The second album in 1990 was supported by one month of touring in Europe and two months in the US. 1993 saw one month of US tour dates for the third and final album.
Ralske has gone on to do solo work, and has also produced albums for such artists as Rasputina, Ivy and Charles Douglas. His last known musical endeavor was his 2001 solo release Amor 0 + 01. Since that time, Ralske has worked as a visual artist.
In the "Mercy Seat" video, a young Moby appears playing the guitar, as he performed with the group at the time that single was released.
The 1990 video for the song Special One featured guest singer Kim Deal from Pixies.
| Year | Title | Chart positions | Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Hot 100 | US Alt | US Mainstream Rock | UK | UK Indie Chart [3] | |||
| 1986 | "Slow You Down" | – | – | – | – | – | |
| 1988 | "She Screamed" | – | – | – | – | 14 | Ultra Vivid Scene |
| 1989 | "Mercy Seat" | – | – | – | – | 13 | |
| "Something to Eat" (promo) | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 1990 | "Staring at the Sun" | – | 25 | – | 97 | – | Joy 1967–1990 |
| "It Happens Every Time" | – | 19 | – | – | – | ||
| "Special One" featuring Kim Deal | – | 14 | – | – | – | ||
| 1993 | "Blood and Thunder" | – | 27 | – | – | – | Rev |
The Pixies are an American alternative rock band from Boston, Massachusetts formed in 1986 by Black Francis, Joey Santiago, Kim Deal and David Lovering (drums). The pop sound influenced acts such as Nirvana, Radiohead, the Smashing Pumpkins and Weezer.
The Breeders are an American alternative rock band based in Dayton, Ohio, consisting of members Kim Deal, her twin sister Kelley Deal, Josephine Wiggs and Jim Macpherson (drums).
Charles Michael Kittridge Thompson IV is an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter. He is the frontman of the alternative rock band Pixies, with whom he performs under the stage name Black Francis. Following the band's breakup in 1993, he embarked on a solo career under the name Frank Black. After releasing two albums with record label 4AD and one with American Recordings, he left the label and formed a new band, Frank Black and the Catholics. He re-adopted the name Black Francis in 2007.
The Jesus and Mary Chain are a Scottish alternative rock band formed in East Kilbride in 1983. The band revolves around the songwriting partnership of brothers Jim and William Reid, who are the two founders and only consistent members of the band since its formation. They are recognized as key figures in the development of the shoegaze and noise pop subgenres. The band have had twelve top 40 entries and two top 10 hits in the UK Singles Chart in the course of their career.
Throwing Muses are an American alternative rock band formed in 1981 in Newport, Rhode Island, United States, that toured and recorded extensively until 1997, when its members began concentrating more on other projects.
4AD is a British record label owned by Beggars Group. It was founded in London under the name Axis Records by Ivo Watts-Russell and Peter Kent in 1980 as an imprint of Beggars Banquet Records. The name was changed to 4AD after the release of the label's first four singles. Later that year, Watts-Russell and Kent purchased the label from Beggars Banquet to become an independent record label, and Kent sold his share to Watts-Russell a year later.
Melora Creager is an American cellist, singer-songwriter, performing artist and founder of the rock band Rasputina.
The Vaselines are a Scottish alternative rock band. Formed in Glasgow, Scotland in 1986, the band was originally a duo between its songwriters Eugene Kelly and Frances McKee, but later added James Seenan and Eugene's brother Charlie Kelly on bass and drums respectively from the band Secession. McKee had formerly been a member of a band named The Pretty Flowers with Duglas T. Stewart, Norman Blake, Janice McBride and Sean Dickson. Eugene Kelly had formerly played in The Famous Monsters.
Belly is an alternative rock band formed in Rhode Island in 1991 by Tanya Donelly. The original lineup consisted of Donelly on vocals and guitar, Fred Abong on bass, and brothers Tom and Chris Gorman on guitar and drums respectively. The band released two albums during the early 1990s alternative rock boom before breaking up in 1995. They reunited in 2016 and mounted limited tours in the United States and United Kingdom that year.
Vaughan Oliver was a British graphic designer based in Epsom, Surrey. Oliver was best known for his work with graphic design studios 23 Envelope and v23. Both studios maintained a close relationship with record label 4AD between 1982 and 1998 and gave distinct visual identities for the 4AD releases by many bands, including Mojave 3, Lush, Cocteau Twins, The Breeders, This Mortal Coil, Pale Saints, Pixies, and Throwing Muses. Oliver also designed record sleeves for such artists as David Sylvian, The Golden Palominos, and Bush.
Kurt Ralske is an American visual artist and musician. He is the former singer and guitarist in alternative rock band Ultra Vivid Scene.
Miranda Cordelia Susan Josephine Wiggs, simply known as Josephine Wiggs, is an English multi-instrumentalist rock musician, best known for her work as bassist in the alternative rock bands The Breeders and The Perfect Disaster. She has also formed multiple side-projects, including her own bands Honey Tongue, The Josephine Wiggs Experience, and Dusty Trails.
Ultra Vivid Scene is the debut album by Ultra Vivid Scene, released in 1988. Kurt Ralske was the writer, producer, and sole performer.
Joy 1967–1990 is the second album by Ultra Vivid Scene, released in 1990.
Rev is an album by the American band Ultra Vivid Scene, released in 1992. It was the band's third and final album. The single, an edited "Blood and Thunder", reached number 27 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. Ultra Vivid Scene supported the album by touring with Grant Lee Buffalo.
Crash were an indie rock band formed in 1984 in New York City, centered on frontman-songwriter Mark Dumais, who took their name from the J. G. Ballard novel. The band moved to London in 1987. Crash released three singles and an album; several former members went on to form the bands Ultra Vivid Scene, John Moore's Expressway, and Something Pretty Beautiful.
Gala is the debut compilation album by the English alternative rock band Lush, released in 1990 by 4AD as an introduction to the US and Japanese markets, comprising the band's earliest releases in reverse chronological order, plus two additional tracks.
Kendra Smith is an American musician who was a founding member of The Dream Syndicate, a member of Opal, and later recorded as a solo artist.
Red House Painters were an American rock band formed in Atlanta, Georgia in 1988, before relocating to San Francisco, California. They were one of the most prominent acts associated with the slowcore/sadcore subgenre. The band was formed by primary songwriter Mark Kozelek and drummer Anthony Koutsos. Together, the pair moved to San Francisco, California, where they were joined by bassist Jerry Vessel. Guitarists Gorden Mack and Phil Carney both performed with the band during separate six-year tenures.
Scar is a mini album by English rock band Lush. It was released on 9 October 1989 on 4AD. Originally intended to be a three-track single release, Scar was produced by John Fryer and the band themselves and recorded at London's Blackwing Studios in 1989.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
