Indie pop band built around the pivotal figure of Kurt Ralske (b. 1967, New York, USA). After spending much of his youth playing in various New York bands (tackling everything from hardcore to jazz; he followed a jazz improvisation course at the Berklee College Of Music in Boston), Ralske moved to London in 1986. Inspired by the innovative work of the Jesus And Mary Chain and My Bloody Valentine, he returned to New York to form Ultra Vivid Scene. By 1988 he had signed to 4AD Records, his first EP, She Screamed, following in August of that year. It included the cult favourite "Not In Love (Hit By A Truck)', dedicated to both Hank Williams and the Marquis De Sade. When the debut album arrived, it was written, performed and produced in its entirety by Ralske. The follow-up would be produced by Hugh Jones, though it continued to tread a thin line between pure pop abandon and disconcerting subject matter. It topped the UK independent charts and was voted College Radio album of the year in the USA. Rev would prove to be a much more raw, rocky affair. For the first time a band had been assembled, roughly comprising Jack Daley (bass) and Julian Klepacz (drums), alongside Ralske (vocals, guitar). Other musicians arrived and departed according to individual tracks" demands. Lyrics tackled familiar issues; suicide, salvation, sex, schizophrenia, and other extremes of the emotional range. Afterwards Ralske concentrated on production duties, including work with American singer Lida Husik and Swell.

Listen to Ultra Vivid Scene at Finetune.

• (1988)  Ultra Vivid Scene

• Mercy Seat
• Crash
• How Did It Feel
• She Screamed
• Nausea

• My Bloody Valentine
• Slowdive
• Spacemen 3
• The Boo Radleys
• Yo La Tengo
• Flaming Lips
• Cocteau Twins
• His Name Is Alive
• Ride
• Lush
• Pale Saints
• This Mortal Coil
• Swervedriver
• Radiohead
• Spiritualized
• Primal Scream
• Hurricane #1
• Catherine Wheel
• Lilys
• Chapterhouse

• damospace
• srfndave
• littlestar77
• gikm
• makotomiyashiro