Urge Overkill: Whatever Happened To The Band Behind Sister Havana, Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon

Urge Overkill: Whatever happened to the band behind Sister Havana, Pulp Fiction Soundtrack cover of Neil Diamond song "Girl You're Gonna Be a Woman Soon."
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I’ve had several people request a whatever happened to episode of the Chicago Band Urge Overkill. While the band was labelled alternative rock theh band emerged from Chicago in the late 1980's and early 90’s looking and sounding very different from what was popular. its members' wore giant medallions and velvet shirts, they actually had a sense of humor and. Instead of being influenced by joy division or Wire they paid homage to jimmy web, hot chocolate and neil diamond. Today we’re going to explore the history of the band.

Founding members Vocalists and guitarists Nash Kato and Eddie “King” Roeser both grew up in Minnesota, but they wouldn’t meet until years later in 1985 when both attended Chicago’s Northwestern University. Before he was known as Nash Kato he was born Nathan Katruud. Growing up to norwegian parents in the racially mixed south side of Minnesota Nathan’s father would be a lutheran minister who introduced him to funk music and gospel choirs. Roeser meanwhile was a child of 70’s AM radio including Paul MccRtney and wings, and badfinger.

In 1981 Roeser followed in his parents footsteps going to Chicago’s Northwestern in 1981 where he would meet producer Steve Albini and Lyle Preslar with whom he was roomates with. Preslar had previously played in the hardcore D.C punk band Minor Threat. They’d go on to be part of the DIY straight edge punk movement. Initially Kato started a short lived band with Preslar, but it was clear their approach to music was drastically different. Kato would tell Forbes “Lyle and I originally were going to start a band. He was in Minor Threat and they broke up because he went to NU. But we were going to start this band and it ended when I asked him, ‘Hey, what are we gonna wear?’ And he was like, ‘What the f—k are you talking about?’ I went, ‘Well, you know, we have to wear something on stage...’ I was thinking suits - because of the whole funk thing. And then he transferred and I hooked up with Eddie and we started [Urge Overkill]. They would add drummer Pat Byrne,One of the band’s first fans would be Steve Albini who acted the producer for the group’s debut EP Strange I in 1986 which was put out on the producer’s Ruthless label, which was then followed by their first full length album 1989’s Jesus Urge Superstar and 1990’s Americruiser and 1991’s supersonic storybook.. Their releases during this period would be put out on chicago label touch and go records.

Urge overkill would get the name from the lyrics from a Parliment song. The band soon became known for their flamboyant and flasgyt image and humor which was part of their whole package. It was common site for the band to show up to those early gigs wearing clown pants and top hats and oversized matching wide-lapel suits, gold medallions, all-white jumpsuits. The band soon adopted a new look wearing all-white jumpsuits. The band seemed to stay away from flannel, denim or leather, staples of rock performers.

Roeser would tell the LA Times the purpose of dressing up like that saying “We were trying to shock people,”. “I mean, for all the supposed ‘punk rock’ that was going on in Chicago, the bands all dressed like cops. They all had the crew cuts, the black T-shirts, the boots, and they all looked the same. I thought, ‘This is punk? This is think-for-yourself? We’re gonna really bum some people out and, like, wear flippers onstage. The band would admittingly construct their outfits from the racks of thrift stores like Amvets (am-vets pronounce not AM).

The band’s sound was hard to nail down being described as being Rolling Stone infused sound arena rock pop and punk. Others likened them to the Beatles or the Cheap Trick of the 90’s alternative rock generations or as spin described them ‘something new, something borrowed and something blue oyster cult’


It was along the way they changed drummers bringing in long-time fan John Rowan around who would later become known as B