The constantly changing line-ups of this US east coast band revolve around their one permanent member, maverick Texan songwriter Kurt Heasley. Over 25 musicians have passed through the band's ranks, with regulars including Mike Hammel, Michael Deming, Harold Evans, Aaron Sperske and Dave Frank. Heasley's musical heritage included a grandfather who played guitar in the Dixieland era. He also spent a brief period working with Dave Grohl, later of Nirvana, in Tower Records in New York City. After playing in a local band with friends, Heasley spent time travelling during the late 80s. He picked up a guitar again in 1991, and set about realizing his blueprint for a one-man band that would use a network of musicians and producers. The newly christened Lilys released their debut "February 14th" single on the independent Slumberland label in 1991. Heasley recorded the band's 1992 debut In The Presence Of Nothing in Washington, DC, with members of Velocity Girl and Suddenly, Tammy! The album was a rather insipid recreation of the "shoegazing" sound pioneered by England's My Bloody Valentine, with tracks such as "There's No Such Thing As Black Orchids" and "The Way Snowflakes Fall" failing to add anything original to the genre. Heasley returned two years later with the A Brief History Of Amazing Letdowns EP, which demonstrated a shift towards more straightforward guitar pop. Calvin Klein lifted one of the tracks, "Ginger", for an American television advertisement.

Listen to Lilys at Finetune.

• (1999)  The 3 Way
• (1992)  In The Presence Of Nothing

• Elizabeth Colour Wheel
• Accepting Applications At University
• Snowblinder
• There's No Such Thing As Black Orchids
• Collider

• Hail Social
• Bardo Pond
• Mazarin
• Spinto Band
• The Dead Milkmen
• Ride
• Spiritualized
• Pale Saints
• Lush
• Swervedriver
• My Bloody Valentine
• Slowdive
• Catherine Wheel
• Cocteau Twins
• The Verve
• Chapterhouse
• Luna
• Yo La Tengo
• Curve
• Swirlies

• BlueGirl
• talentines
• psychoblue