Personnel: National (Nate) Kato, guitar; King Roeser, bass; Blackie Onassis, drums.
Formed: Kato founded the original Urge Overkill in 1982.
Current lineup together since: May 1988.
Travels: Urge was and is based in Chicago, but in between the members have lived in Boston, Pittsburgh and New York.
Sound: ”A definite wall of sound,” Kato calls it. ”There`s certainly an element of celebration-glory compounded with sorrow.” ”Very bombasitic, very regal,” Onassis chimes in. ”It certainly isn`t bottled,” Kato adds.
”It`s an imperial sound that`s been perfected.”
Attitude: Kato calls the Urge vision ”a reconstruction of lost musical values. More people are seeing through this bogus deconstructionist idea of non-entertainment or anti-entertainment. I think people are actually starved for entertainment with real emotions.”
Influences: Kato and Onassis cite Jimmy Webb (who wrote ”Wichita Lineman,” which Urge covered for its first single), Burt Bacharach, Frank Sinatra and his Rat Pack, T-Rex, the Sweet, early Chicago, Neil Diamond, George Clinton and Steve Albini ”during his reign, when Big Black ruled.”
Songwriting: They say Kato and Roeser write the songs, Onassis sculpts them.
In-concert cover versions: Leonard Cohen`s ”That`s No Way to Say Goodbye,” Janis Joplin`s ”Down on Me” and Alan Milman Sect`s ”Stitches.” Live approach: Kato likens the band`s shows to ”Neil Diamond appearing on `Star Trek` ” and notes that the band tries to emulate Diamond`s style from ”Neil Diamond Gold.”
The band is currently in its ”loungey” phase, with members decked out in blue velvet and Roeser wearing sunglasses. ”Right now we`re in a very Hollywood, country vein,” Onassis says. ”We have our next two lines in the works.”
Namesake: Kato lifted the name from a song by `70s funk band Parliament.
Turf: Urge rarely plays locally; recent appearances at the Cubby Bear
(for the Midwest Music Conference) and Cabaret Metro were the band`s first local shows in more than a year.
Triumphs: After taping interviews and performance footage of the band at this summer`s New Music Seminar in New York, MTV repeatedly aired a five-minute spot about Urge a couple of weeks ago. The spot is scheduled to air again this weekend on ”120 Minutes.” Kato also cites the band`s Seminar set at CBGB`s and the Metro and Cubby Bear shows as highlights. ”We`ve definitely been more successful outside of Chicago until now,” Kato says. ”Chicago is the last city to conquer, ironically, except for the West.”
Recordings: The band released the EP ”Strange, I” on Ruthless Records in 1986, the 1987 single ”Wichita Lineman,” 1989 album ”Jesus Urge Superstar” and this year`s ”Americruiser” on the Chicago-based Touch & Go Records. Urge plans to begin recording its next album, tentatively titled
”Urge Is Having a Baby,” in November for a February release.
Philosophy: ”The idea that art or a bohemian lifestyle can be marketed to the masses is complete B.S.,” Onassis says. ”It`s gotten to the point that there`s almost no underground. If there`s going to be an underground, at least do it with style.”
Goals: ”Our goal is to create a whole new golden age of entertainment,” Onassis says. Kato adds that Urge`s next step is ”to break Hollywood”-which includes a film career for the band. The band is not, however, looking for a major-label record deal; they say they couldn`t be happier with Touch & Go.
Next appearance: Urge doesn`t plan to perform locally until the next album comes out, but you can catch them if you`re in Hollywood Oct. 5-9.
