Ultra Vivid Scene
Encyclopedia
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
. The second album, Joy 1967-1990
, was released in April 1990. The same month they played their first tour dates in the UK
.
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 the solo release in 2001 Amor 0 + 01. Since that time, Ralske has achieved acclaim as a visual artist.
appears playing the guitar, at around 3:23 minutes into the video, 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 The Pixies.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band, started by Kurt Ralske
Kurt Ralske
Kurt Ralske is an American visual artist and musician. He is the former singer and guitarist in alternative rock band Ultra Vivid Scene.-Biography:During the mid-eighties, Ralske was a guitarist in the bands Nothing But Happiness and Crash....
.
Former Nothing But Happiness and Crash
Crash (UK band)
Crash were an indie rock band formed in 1985 in New York City, who took their name from the J. G. Ballard novel. The band moved to London in 1987...
guitarist Ralske started Ultra Vivid Scene in 1987, was signed to 4AD Records in 1988, and released his first UVS EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, 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
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground was an American rock band formed in New York City. First active from 1964 to 1973, their best-known members were Lou Reed and John Cale, who both went on to find success as solo artists. Although experiencing little commercial success while together, the band is often cited...
and The Jesus and Mary Chain
The Jesus and Mary Chain
The Jesus and Mary Chain are a Scottish alternative rock band formed in East Kilbride, Glasgow in 1983. The band revolves around the songwriting partnership of brothers Jim and William Reid...
. The second album, Joy 1967-1990
Joy 1967-1990
-Recording and release:After finding moderate success with his self-produced solo effort Ultra Vivid Scene, Kurt Ralske returned to the studio in November 1989 to record a follow-up. This time, Ralske brought in producer Hugh Jones, who had previously worked with Echo & the Bunnymen, Modern...
, was released in April 1990. The same month they played their first tour dates in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
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
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
(Sony Music Distribution) during the time rival Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
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
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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
Ivy
Ivy, plural ivies is a genus of 12–15 species of evergreen climbing or ground-creeping woody plants in the family Araliaceae, native to western, central and southern Europe, Macaronesia, northwestern Africa and across central-southern Asia east to Japan and Taiwan.-Description:On level ground they...
and Charles Douglas. His last known musical endeavor was the solo release in 2001 Amor 0 + 01. Since that time, Ralske has achieved acclaim as a visual artist.
Videos
In the "Mercy Seat" video, a young MobyMoby
Richard Melville Hall , better known by his stage name Moby, is an American musician, DJ, and photographer. He is known mainly for his sample-based electronic music and his outspoken liberal political views, including his support of veganism and animal rights.Moby gained attention in the early...
appears playing the guitar, at around 3:23 minutes into the video, 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
Kim Deal
Kimberley Ann Deal is an American singer, songwriter and musician, best known as the bassist of the alternative rock band the Pixies and the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for The Breeders. Deal first joined the Pixies in January 1986 as the band's bassist, adopting the stage name Mrs...
from The Pixies.
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart positions | Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US Modern Rock | US Mainstream Rock | UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
UK Indie Chart UK Indie Chart The UK Independent Chart or Indie Chart is a chart of the best-selling independent record releases in the UK.- History :In the wake of punk, small record labels began to spring up, as an outlet for artists that were unwilling to sign contracts with major record companies, or were not considered... |
|||
| 1988 | "She Screamed" | - | - | - | - | 14 | Ultra Vivid Scene |
| 1989 | "Slow You Down" | - | - | - | - | - | |
| "Mercy Seat" | - | - | - | - | 13 | Ultra Vivid Scene | |
| "Something To Eat" (promo) | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1990 | "Staring at the Sun" | - | 25 | - | 97 | - | Joy 1967-1990 |
| "It Happens Every Time" | - | 19 | - | - | - | ||
| "Special One" featuring Kim Deal Kim Deal Kimberley Ann Deal is an American singer, songwriter and musician, best known as the bassist of the alternative rock band the Pixies and the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for The Breeders. Deal first joined the Pixies in January 1986 as the band's bassist, adopting the stage name Mrs... |
- | 14 | - | - | - | ||
| 1993 | "Blood and Thunder" | - | 27 | - | - | - | Rev |
Albums
- Ultra Vivid Scene (1989) 4AD4AD4AD is a British independent record label that was started in 1979 by Ivo Watts-Russell and Peter Kent, funded by Beggars Banquet Records, and is still active today...
/ColumbiaColumbia RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
(UK Indie #10) - Joy 1967-1990Joy 1967-1990-Recording and release:After finding moderate success with his self-produced solo effort Ultra Vivid Scene, Kurt Ralske returned to the studio in November 1989 to record a follow-up. This time, Ralske brought in producer Hugh Jones, who had previously worked with Echo & the Bunnymen, Modern...
(1990) 4AD/Columbia - Rev (1992) 4AD/Columbia