For the maiden issue of my Lemon Patrol, I would like to feature the band called The Lemonheads. I guess I simply did not outgrow the music of the 90's. I remember my college days when I would save up money so I could buy an audio cassette tape weekly. Yep, cassette tapes! CDs were either very new then or I simply couldn't afford them. One of the first few tapes I saved up for was "Come on Feel the Lemonheads".
My favorite track was "Into Your Arms". I loved it so much (along with a few other songs by other bands) that I tried to learn how to play the guitar. I remember that a college friend, Lea, even tried to teach me the chords. She told me Into Your Arms was very easy, like I just needed to learn 3 chords. After several attempts in vain, I ditched the dream of ever playing. My fingers are just way too short. That and I have no sense of rhythm to strum. Boohoo!
For those who do not know the Lemonheads, let me give a brief bio. From what I read in Last.fm and Wikipedia, The Lemonheads is an indie/ alternative/punk band based in the US fronted by Evan Dando. The band formed in 1986 but only achieved mainstream success in the early 90's with the release of the album "It's a Shame about Ray". Their most popular single is the cover of Simon & Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson". (See video below). Evan Dando named the band as Lemonheads "after a candy which Dando noted was sweet on the outside, and sour on the inside, possibly a metaphor for the band's sound."
Although The Lemonheads were never as popular as the 90's grunge bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains, The Lemonheads are still largely considered as one of the more important (albeit not defining) bands of the 90's. The music of the Lemonheads can arguably be classified as pop-punk with their simple, catchy melodies that made them very accessible especially to the teens (like me back then), along with their strong 80's punk influences.
I cannot close a topic on the Lemonheads without touching on Evan Dando, the vocals and the only permanent member of the band. As you can probably tell from the video above, that Evan Dando guy is darn good looking, so good looking in fact that he made it to People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People in 1993. Dando's fame has made him a poster boy for the 90's alternative rock music scene. He had rumored romances with Juliana Hatfield and Courtney Love, not to mention a long arduous affair with drugs. I have never seen the band perform live (and will probably never do), but they were criticized for having terrible, shambolic live performances, some critics even reducing Evan Dando to just eye candy. But I don't care. I love candies... lemon candies more so.
Photo courtesy of Evan Dando and The Lemonheads website
Evan Dando has since moved on, rehabilitated, married, released a solo album (Baby I'm Bored), then reformed The Lemonheads, and released the band's self-titled album in 2005. But I have not listened to this new album. That being said, you could say that I am still stuck in the 90's.
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