Personnel: Ken Kurson, guitar, vocals; Dave Levinsky, guitar, vocals; Tom Whalen, bass; Art Kim, drums.
Formed: April 1990 on the North Side.
Current lineup together since: September 1990, when Kim joined.
Background: Kurson formed the Lilacs after departing from Green, for whom he was bassist for 3 1/2 years. ”Green was a total blast, but when it`s a career, you gotta do what you gotta do,” Kurson says. ”In the Lilacs I do what I wanna do.”
Sound: Kurson says of the guitar-pop combo: ”We sound like a CD remastering of organ-grinder music.”
Influences: Kurson cites ”the band on `Bozo`s Circus` before it went to one guy on a synthesizer; Isaac Hayes; Curtis Mayfield; Sam and Dave; the Stylistics; the Ink Spots; Mark Bolan/T-Rex; and Masters of the Obvious.”
(Kurson lives with MOTO`s Paul Caporino.)
Songwriting: Kurson writes the majority; Levinsky writes the minority.
”My songs have really stupid lyrics, and they`re usually about me and different women-who have been kind and unkind to me-and my car,” Kurson says. ”But Dave puts a lot of care into his lyrics and usually comes up with stuff that proves he graduated from college.”
Onstage cover versions: David Bowie`s ”Moonage Daydream,” the Troggs`
”With a Girl Like You,” the Velvet Underground`s ”I`ll Be Your Mirror”
and Green`s ”Hurt You.” The band does not play any of Kurson`s Green songs. Memorable concert experience: ”In Winnipeg we played to a packed house full of boozers and motorcycle-gang members and 16-year-old kids who were totaly blitzed,” Kurson recalls. ”We did (Bachman-Turner Overdrive`s)
`Takin` Care of Business` and (Neil Young`s) `Barstool Blues` and every other song by a Canadian we could think of, including `Magic Power` by Triumph.”
Namesake: ”Jim Ellison (of Material Issue) made it up,” Kurson says.
”I thought we should be called the Hunger Artists, but I was outvoted. I like it now, though.”
Recordings: The band`s debut EP, ”The Lilacs Love You,” was produced by Jim Ellison and came out in February. A new single, dubbed ”The Lilacs Hate You,” is due out on Widely Distributed Records/Pravda. Green`s Jeff Lescher sings backing vocals on ”Baby Tells Me.”
Philosophy: ”I don`t think we ever discussed anything that deep,”
Kurson says. ”We barely can decide whether we should go to Wendy`s or Burger King.”
Goals: ”We want to be tremendous huge rock stars but still play at Phyllis` for gas money.”
Next appearance: The Lilacs` record-release party takes place Aug. 3 at Cabaret Metro, where the band will open for Green and the Volcano Suns.
