Urge Overkill
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1986 |
| Founder | Nathan Kaatrud (Nash Kato), Eddie "King" Roeser |
| Headquarters | Chicago , United States |
| Products | Alternative rock music |
| Website | www |
Urge Overkill is a Chicago-based American band specializing in alternative rock, established in 1986 by Nathan Kaatrud, known professionally as Nash Kato, alongside Eddie "King" Roeser. They gained widespread recognition for their track "Sister Havana" and their rendition of Neil Diamond's "Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon," which was prominently featured in Quentin Tarantino's film Pulp Fiction. Their most recent album, Oui, was released in 2022.
Origins, Jesus Urge Superstar, and Americruiser (1986–1990)
Kato and Roeser crossed paths at Northwestern University in 1985 and subsequently formed Urge Overkill in Chicago the following year, recruiting drummer Pat Byrne. Their initial release was the EP Strange, I... under Ruthless Records, recorded by Steve Albini. This was followed by their first full-length album, Jesus Urge Superstar, also produced by Albini and featuring Kriss Bataille on drums.
Their sound evolved with the release of Americruiser, characterized by a "Stonesy blend of arena rock and punk," under the production of Butch Vig. Jack "Jaguar" Watt took over drumming duties from Byrne. The album earned positive critical reception and achieved success on college radio, particularly with the single "Ticket to L.A."
The Supersonic Storybook and Saturation (1991–1994)
John Rowan, performing as Blackie Onassis, succeeded Watt as drummer for the 1991 album The Supersonic Storybook, a title suggested by Material Issue's Jim Ellison.
Following their role as an opening act for Nirvana during the Nevermind tour, they released the EP Stull in 1992, which included their version of "Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon," produced by Kramer. Building momentum with a growing fanbase, Urge Overkill transitioned from indie label Touch & Go to major label Geffen Records. Their 1993 debut on Geffen, Saturation, was met with critical acclaim and featured the popular single "Sister Havana." They supported this release by touring as an opening band for Pearl Jam during the Vs. tour.
In 1993, they contributed the track "Take a Walk" to the AIDS benefit compilation No Alternative. Their cover of Neil Diamond’s "Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon" gained significant mainstream attention after being included in Tarantino’s 1994 movie Pulp Fiction, peaking at number 59 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Exit the Dragon, hiatus, and reunion (1995–2009)
With Exit the Dragon released in 1995, Urge Overkill maintained their established musical style. However, internal disagreements led to Roeser leaving to establish L.I.M.E. alongside Jim Kimball and later forming Electric Airlines with his brother John. Meanwhile, Kato and Onassis continued as a duo and signed with Sony’s 550 Music in 1997.
After a period of inactivity for the band, Kato launched his solo career with the album Debutante in 2000, co-writing six tracks out of thirteen with Onassis.
In 2004, Kato and Roeser reunited Urge Overkill without Onassis and expanded the lineup by adding guitarist Mike "Hadji" Hodgkiss, keyboardist Chris Frantisak, and drummer Nate Arling. The group resumed touring internationally across Europe, North America, and Australia, playing at venues such as The Troubadour (West Hollywood), Double Door (Chicago), First Avenue (Minneapolis), and Bowery Ballroom (New York).
Rock & Roll Submarine and Oui (2010–present)
On September 19, 2010, Urge Overkill premiered "Effigy," marking their first new track in fifteen years on WRXP-FM’s program Anything Anything with Rich Russo. They followed this with live performances including an appearance at a "Roast of Quentin Tarantino" in December 2010. In May 2011, they unveiled Rock & Roll Submarine, their first studio album after sixteen years, supported by a tour. On October 8 that year, they opened for Weezer at Chicago’s Red Bull Riot Fest.
Between 2012 and 2018, the band performed sporadically live. By 2019, they began developing new material culminating in the release of Oui, their first studio album in eleven years, on January 28, 2022. Drummer Johnny "Blackie Onassis" Rowan died on June 13, 2023, at age 57.
Band members
Current lineup
- Nash Kato – guitar, vocals
- Eddie "King" Roeser – vocals, guitar
- Nate Arling – drums
- Adam Arling – bass guitar
Past members
- Pat Byrne – drums
- Kriss Bataille – drums
- Jack "Jaguar" Watt – drums
- Blackie Onassis – drums
- Mike "Hadji" Hodgkiss – bass guitar
- Chris Frantisak – keyboards
- Nils St. Cyr – guitar
- Bonn Quast – drums
Studio albums
| Release Year | Album Title | Record Label | Highest Chart Rankings | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | AUS | NZ | UK | |||
| 1989 | Jesus Urge Superstar | Touch and Go | — | — | — | — |
| 1990 | Americruiser | — | — | — | — | |
| 1991 | The Supersonic Storybook | — | — | — | — | |
| 1993 | Saturation | Geffen | 146 | 16 | — | — |
| 1995 | Exit the Dragon | 129 | 6 | 50 | 88 | |
| 2011 | Rock & Roll Submarine | UO | — | — | — | — |
| 2022 | Oui | Omnivore Recordings | — | — | — | — |
Extended plays
| Release Year | Title | Label Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Strange, I... | Ruthless |
| 1992 | Stull | Touch and Go |
Live albums
| Release Year | Title | Label Name |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Live at Maxwells 2/5/04 | eMusicLive |
Compilation albums
| Release Year | Title | Label Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | The Urge Overkill Story | Shagpile |
| 1993 | The Urge Overkill Story...Stay Tuned: 1988–1991 | Touch and Go |
| 2012 | Icon | Universal |
Singles
| Release Year | Song Title | Chart Peak Positions | From Album | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 |
US Alternative |
US Mainstream Rock |
AUS ARIA |
NZ Official Chart |
UK Singles Chart | |||
| 1987 | "Lineman" | — | — | — | — | — | — | Template:N/A |
| 1990 | "Ticket to L.A." | — | — | — | — | — | — | Americruiser |
| 1991 | "Now That's the Barclords" | — | — | — | — | — | — | Template:N/A |
| 1993 | "Sister Havana" | — | 6 | 10 | 104 | — | 67 | Saturation |
| "Dropout" | — | — | — | 103 | — | — | ||
| "Bottle of Fur" | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Positive Bleeding" | — | 23 | 40 | 61 | — | 61 | ||
| 1994 | "Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon" | 59 | 11 | — | 21 | 19 | 37 | Music from the Motion Picture Pulp Fiction |
| 1995 | "The Break" | — | — | 34 | 114 | — | — | Exit the Dragon |
| "View of the Rain" | — | — | — | 151 | — | — | ||
| "Somebody Else's Body" | — | — | — | 47 | — | — | ||
| 2011 | "Effigy" | — | — | — | — | — | — | Rock & Roll Submarine |
- Hog Butcher For The World (Mad Queen Records) (1987) – featuring "Last Train To Heaven"
External links
- Articles with short description
- Musical groups formed in 1986
- Musical groups disbanded in 1997
- Musical groups reunited in 2004
- Touch and Go Records artists
- Geffen Records artists
- Ruthless Records (Chicago) artists
- Alternative rock bands from Chicago
- Musical acts from Illinois
- 1986 establishments in Illinois
- Musical groups disestablished in 1997