Modey Lemon
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| Modey Lemon | |
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 Modey Lemon at SXSW 2008
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA |
| Genres | Garage rock Punk blues |
| Years active | 1999–present |
| Members | |
| Paul Quattrone Phil Boyd Jason Kirker |
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Modey Lemon is an American garage rock band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The group formed in Pittsburgh's South Oakland neighborhood in 1999 as an informal side project of Dean Swagger, a rock trio that had spent the previous year mainly performing in basements to college party crowds. The original lineup consisted of guitarist Phil Boyd and drummer Paul Quattrone, then nominally students at the University of Pittsburgh. They made their first appearances Halloween weekend 1999 and played a live set on WPTS 92.1 FM, the University of Pittsburgh college radio station, segments of which later turned up on their demo album "House on the Hill" (and subsequently, their 2002 self-titled release).
By 2000, the duo gained a reputation around Pittsburgh for blistering, often chaotic live performances (Quattrone was known for on-stage acrobatics). "Modey Lemon", the group's debut album, appeared in early 2002; the band supported the album with tours of the U.S. and Europe. The group followed their self-titled release with a brief stint on In the Red Records, which released a double 7 inch record before recommending the band to Birdman Records owner Dave Katznelson, who then signed the band. Prior to the mid-2003 release of second album Thunder + Lightning, Boyd and Quattrone added Pittsburgh audiophile (and Thunder and Lightning producer) Jason Kirker on guitar and Moog synthesizer. Following the US release of Thunder + Lighting the band signed with Mute Records, which licensed and released the album in the UK and Europe, and via EMI (Mute's parent label) in Japan.
Their third album The Curious City was released in mid-August 2005 on Birdman/Mute. The cover art, appropriately, is a fractured homage to Pittsburgh's skyline and was painted by fellow Birdman Records artist Erick Jackson, of the Washington DC band The Apes.
Modey Lemon has performed with The White Stripes, The Von Bondies, the Blues Explosion, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Oneida, the Warlocks, The Specimens the Icarus Line, and Dinosaur Jr., to name a few, and has played festivals such as Glastonbury Festival 2005, ArthurFest 2005, Meredith Music Festival 2003, and Transmusicales 2004.
In 2006 the band appeared in a 'punk club' scene of the film adaptation of Michael Chabon's novel The Mysteries of Pittsburgh performing two original songs written for the film as well as two cover songs.
The band released their fourth album Season Of Sweets on May 12, 2008. The album has been met by general acclaim and has gained positive feedback from reviewers. The band also completed a tour of the US in June/July 2008 and a tour of the UK and mainland Europe in September 2008 in support of the release.
In October 2009 it was announced that the track "Become a Monk" from the band's album Season of Sweets would be included on the soundtrack of video game Tony Hawk: Ride.
[edit] Discography
Modey Lemon (2002)
Thunder + Lightning (2003)
The Curious City (2005)
Birth of Jazz EP (2008)
Season Of Sweets (2008)
[edit] References
- Masley, Ed. "Modey Lemon returns to town with great press, ending U.S. tour", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, April 3, 2004.
- Masley, Ed. "Music Preview: Modey Lemon lets creative juices flow on new CD, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, October 6, 2005.
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