Lemon Demon
Lemon Demon | |
|---|---|
 Lemon Demon performing in July 2006 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as |
|
| Origin | Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2003–present |
| Labels | Needlejuice Records |
| Members |
|
Lemon Demon is a musical project and band created by American comedian and musician Neil Cicierega in 2003 in Boston, Massachusetts. Most Lemon Demon music is performed solely by Cicierega, who is the project's sole official member, but a full band is usually assembled for live performances. Cicierega previously released instrumental music and several remixes of video game music under the monikers "Trapezoid" and "Deporitaz".
History[edit]
Since 2003, Cicierega has released seven full-length albums as Lemon Demon.[2] In 2005, he and animator Shawn Vulliez released a Flash animated music video called "The Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny" on Newgrounds. This had over 12 million views on Newgrounds as well as topping the "Funny Five" on The Dr. Demento Show for several weeks and becoming the No. 1 Request for 2006.[3] The song was later included in the 2006 album Dinosaurchestra. In April 2009, Cicierega released his first four albums as free downloads on his website.[4] An updated recording of "The Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny" was released to the Rock Band Network in 2010.[5]
In January 2016, Cicierega announced Spirit Phone, a full-length Lemon Demon album released on February 29, 2016.[6] The album was the No. 1 best-selling album on Bandcamp for the first week of its release.[7][8] On July 10, 2018, it was announced that copies of the album on CD, cassette, and vinyl would be sold through Needlejuice Records, who would later distribute remastered versions of Lemon Demon's EPs I Am Become Christmas,[9] Nature Tapes,[10] and the album View-Monster.[11] Touch-Tone Telephone became Lemon Demon's most played song, the first to surpass The Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny and, as of March 2021, garnering just under 17 million plays on Spotify.[12]
On June 19, 2020, Needlejuice Records released Needlejustice, a charity compilation album featuring 22 songs from artists they represent (including Lemon Demon) for the benefit of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. Cicierega contributed a song to the album titled "Funkytown", which had originally been uploaded to his Patreon page in 2017. It features homages to popular songs from the 1970s and 1980s, including the titular "Funkytown" by Lipps Inc.[13]
Viral successes[edit]
The Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny[edit]
On December 22, 2005, Lemon Demon and animator Shawn Vulliez released the Flash music video The Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny on Newgrounds. The video features cartoon versions of dozens of real-life celebrities and fictional characters, largely from 1980s and 1990s pop culture, in a large century-long brawl where "...only one will survive."[14] It gained a cult following among web enthusiasts.[14] and became the "user's choice" on December 28, 2005 on Newgrounds where it has been viewed over 13.1 million times.[15] It appeared on several other websites including Albino Blacksheep.[16]
BRODYQUEST[edit]
On June 1, 2010, Cicierega released a video titled BRODYQUEST onto his main YouTube channel which pictured famous actor Adrien Brody going about his daily life in a comedic manner.[17] The video became a famous meme and was released as a single and placed on the Nature Tapes EP. The video would be brought up by Stephen Colbert during his interview with Adrien Brody in a 2016 episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.[18] It has since been viewed on YouTube over 10.9 million times.
Other viral successes[edit]
Lemon Demon's song "Two Trucks" became a viral trend on Bandcamp and other social media sites.
Discography[edit]
Studio albums[edit]
- Clown Circus (2003)
- Live from the Haunted Candle Shop (2003)
- Hip to the Javabean (2004)
- Damn Skippy (2005)
- Dinosaurchestra (2006)
- View-Monster (2008)
- Spirit Phone (2016)
Live albums[edit]
- Live (Only Not) (2011)[7]
Compilation albums[edit]
- Almanac 2009 (2009)[19]
Extended plays[edit]
- I Am Become Christmas (2012)
- Nature Tapes (2014)[7]
Singles[edit]
- "The Ultimate Showdown (Remastered version)" (2009)
- "Brodyquest" (2010)
- "Goosebumps" (2011)
- "Really Cool Wig" (2011)
- "Money Dollar Bills" (2012)
- "My Trains" (2013)
- "Two Trucks" (2013)
- "Everybody Loves Raymond" (2013)
- "Jaws" (2013)
- "Kubrick and the Beast" (2015)[7]
Members[edit]
Official members[edit]
- Neil Cicierega – vocals, keyboards, guitar, programming, percussion, songwriting, production (2003–present)
Live members[edit]
- Alora Lanzillotta – bass guitar, vocals (2004–2012)
- Charles "Chooch" Sergio – guitar (2006–2012)
- Anthony Wry – drums (2007–2008), guitar, vocals (2012)
- Dave Kitsberg – guitar, vocals (2008–2012)
- Greg Lanzillotta – drums (2009–2012)
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Lemon Demon". Retrieved February 13, 2021 – via AllMusic.
- ↑ Sweeney, Emily (June 22, 2006). "He's a hit with Internet set". Boston.com. Boston Globe. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved 2020-04-03. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Dr. Demento - Streaming". Retrieved 2020-12-24.
- ↑ "Index of /Lemon Demon – First four albums". www.lemondemon.com. Retrieved 2020-08-24.
- ↑ "Lemon Demon on Rock Band Network". Archived from the original on 2011-07-15. Retrieved 2011-05-12. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Cicierega, Neil (January 20, 2016). "Neil Cicierega Tumblr. | NEW LEMON DEMON ALBUM "SPIRIT PHONE" CALLING..." neilblr.com. Archived from the original on June 14, 2019. Retrieved 2016-01-21. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 "Lemon Demon". Lemon Demon. Retrieved 2020-08-24.
- ↑ "Bandcamp". 2016-03-06. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 2016-03-11. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "BLACK FRIDAY SALES! Lemon Demon's I Am Become Christmas OUT NOW!".
- ↑ "Preorder Lemon Demon's Nature Tapes".
- ↑ "Lemon Demon – View-Monster".
- ↑ "Lemon Demon's Spotify page".
- ↑ "Needlejustice, by Various Artists". Needlejuice Records. Retrieved 2020-08-24.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Copy, paste, animate". The Toronto Star. Archived from the original on May 7, 2009. Retrieved April 8, 2009. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Emily Sweeney (June 22, 2006), He's a hit with Internet set, Boston Globe
- ↑ Bob Batz (April 11, 2006), Seen & Overheard, Dayton Daily News
- ↑ "BRODYQUEST". Retrieved 11 October 2020.
- ↑ "Adrien Brody Appreciates "Brodyquest", Among Other Fine Art". Retrieved 11 October 2020.
- ↑ Lemon Demon (2009), Almanac 2009, retrieved 2020-12-24
