Ultrasound

Fueled by grandiose operatic visions that fused progressive and glam aesthetics, Ultrasound surfaced in the late 1990s as an explosive reinterpretation of Captain Beefheart’s singular compositional approach combined with the theatrical, ambisexual pop mannerisms associated with Gary Glitter and David Bowie. Andrew “Tiny” Wood on vocals and guitar, Richard Green on bass, Pete Haslem on keyboards, and Andy Peace on drums had broken from Newcastle’s Sleepy People in February 1994, intent on penetrating London’s energetic club circuit under the awkward initial name Pop-A-Cat-A-Petal. Following a self-titled EP issued by Org Records, Haslem departed and Matt Jones took the keyboard chair while Vanessa Best joined on bass, prompting Green to switch to lead guitar and the group to adopt the more accessible name Ultrasound.

Green’s assumption of lead guitar duties marked a decisive shift. In that role he guided the band away from the abstruse turbulence of their Newcastle origins—evident on the first Ultrasound single, the 1997 Fierce Panda release “Same Band”—and sustained momentum through several NME showcases for unsigned acts, ultimately securing a contract with Nude Records after a competitive bidding process. Because the label was backed by Sony, the band received heightened attention in the British press; when the combative singles “Best Wishes” and “Stay Young” appeared in 1998, observers already noted Ultrasound’s deep engagement with fan culture and its attendant intensity. Buoyed by favorable notices and an expanding audience, the quartet delivered a memorable performance at the 1998 Glastonbury Festival and was subsequently hailed as one of British music’s most promising new acts.

Yet the protracted wait for the debut album—Everything Picture, a sprawling double-disc, triple-LP set—turned supporters into detractors. By spring 1999 the record drew widespread criticism for its excessive scope, while concert attendance dropped sharply amid perceptions that audience goodwill had been squandered. A group accustomed to sweeping gestures soon entered a phase of self-inflicted disintegration: numerous live commitments were abandoned, among them a key slot at T in the Park, each cancellation accompanied by assertions that the musicians remained occupied with a second album and that dissolution was not imminent. On 12 October 1999, however, Ultrasound formally announced their breakup.

From the ensuing wreckage several new ventures arose. Richard Green launched the Somatics, Matt Jones formed Minuteman, Vanessa Best circulated solo demo recordings, and Wood attempted to reconstitute Ultrasound with Andy Peace, longtime associate Andy Taylor, former Sleepy People bassist Bill “Cowboy” Bailey, and keyboardist Carlie. This second iteration played its first show at Newcastle Arts Centre in spring 2000 and occasionally entered the studio, yet the project soon faded. By summer 2001 Wood had disassociated himself from the revived lineup and circled back to contribute to Blue Apple Boy’s debut album—the same collective formerly and aptly known as Sleepy People.