The original lineup consisting of Kody Templeman, Zack Rawhauser, Cory Laurence, and Tim (Timmy V) O'Hara as a four-piece only recorded the first 7",I Lost My Marbles, produced by Joe King of The Queers for his More Bounce to the Ounce compilation. The band continued as a three-piece after Zack quit.
Their first full-length album, titled Shit Out of Luck, was released on Clearview Records in 1996. Following the release of their first album the band changed their lyrical focus. In 1999 they went into the studio with producer-engineer Mass Giorgini to record a new LP. This was done with the band's own money, and without the benefit of a record label. The result was Death By Television, an album that took sci-fi movie-themed songs such as War Of The Worlds and Invasion Of The Saucermen and combined them with tracks that made references to other retro themes, such as X-Ray Specs. The recordings instantly created a buzz. Successful label Fat Wreck Chords offered to release the album, but the band had already accepted an offer of Panic Button Records, an imprint of influential punk label Lookout! Records that was overseen by Ben Weasel of Screeching Weasel fame.
The band spent the next two years touring heavily within the punk scene and disbanded after teaming with Giorgini for their final Panic Button/Lookout! release, the spy-themed LP The Backchannel Broadcast, which was released in February, 2001. The album included the song Wait It Out, written by Ben Weasel and later re-recorded by The Riverdales for their record Phase Three.
John Jughead (of Screeching Weasel and Even in Blackouts) filled in as second guitar on many tour stops on the Death by Television and Backchannel tours. Other notable appearances on these tours include Ben Weasel (at The Fireside in Chicago, his first stage appearance since 1995), and Lurch Nobody. Timmy V left the band after Death by Television and was replaced by Austin, Texas drummer Scott.
Red Scare Industries reissued Death By Television (remastered) and Backchannel Broadcast in 2005.
The band split for a few years before reuniting with all original members to release an album, [album artist=the lillingtonsThe Too Late Show in 2006, with no plans on reuniting for a tour to support due to the members' other commitments.
In 2017 they released an album [album artist=the lillingtons]Stella Sapiente.
Frontman Templeman is currently a member of Laramie, Wyoming pop punk band Teenage Bottlerocket.
Drummer Timmy V is currently playing as a hired hand with Albuquerque, New Mexico all girl three-piece The Eyeliners, and plays drums in his own project Stabbed in Back, with a hardcore/punk album entitled A Portrait of Noise.
Pursuit of Pleasure
The Lillingtons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And we walk these streets at night
Our eyes have turned too white
Around a bonfire burning bright
We are the heretics of the world, we are the lost
And moral absolution is no longer worth the cost
A black celebration all for me
My will be done in the pursuit of pleasure
Tucked in the flames of heresy
We are the faithful group
And in the shadows we collude
To terminate all ...
And if we're meant the will ...
We are the heretics of the world, we are the lost
And moral absolution is no longer worth the cost
My will be done in the pursuit of pleasure
A black celebration all for me
My will be done in the pursuit of pleasure
Tucked in the flames of heresy
The Lillingtons's song Pursuit of Pleasure seems to be about a group of people who have rejected the norms and values of society and have embraced a hedonistic lifestyle that is not accepted by the mainstream. They are described as the "children of black light" who walk the streets at night with eyes that have turned white, and gather around a bonfire burning brightly. There is a sense of rebellion and danger in their actions, as if they have consciously chosen to reject conventional morality and embrace their own version of life.
The lyrics describe them as the "heretics of the world" who have lost faith in the established order of things. They collude in the shadows to terminate those who stand in their way, to follow their own path, and to satisfy their own desires. They reject the idea of moral absolution and consider it not worth the cost. The words "My will be done in the pursuit of pleasure" seem to encapsulate the central theme of the song, which is the pursuit of pleasure as the ultimate goal in life. They are celebrating their rebellion and pleasure, and they will not be swayed from their path.
Overall, the song seems to be about the tension between conformity and nonconformity. There is a sense that society is oppressing those who refuse to conform to its standards, and that the non-conformists are fighting back with their own brand of heresy. The song seems to celebrate the individualism and freedom of those who choose to embrace their own pleasures and reject the conventional morality of the day.
Line by Line Meaning
We're the children of black light
We are the rebellious ones who thrive in the dark
And we walk these streets at night
We roam the streets in search of adventure
Our eyes have turned too white
Our eyes have adjusted to the darkness, making it easier to see
Around a bonfire burning bright
We gather around a bright bonfire representing our free spirit and unity
We are the heretics of the world, we are the lost
We reject the conventional beliefs and values of society and feel lost in the system
And moral absolution is no longer worth the cost
We no longer believe in redemption or forgiveness as it comes with a cost
My will be done in the pursuit of pleasure
I will do what I want to do because it brings me happiness
A black celebration all for me
I celebrate my own pleasures in a way that may be frowned upon by society
Tucked in the flames of heresy
We embrace our rebellious nature and reject societal norms
We are the faithful group
We are loyal to our own beliefs and each other
And in the shadows we collude
We work together in secret to achieve our goals
To terminate all ...
To put an end to all that we find to be harmful to our lifestyle and beliefs
And if we're meant the will ...
And if something is meant to happen, we will let it happen
Contributed by Victoria V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.