Lemonescent
Encyclopedia
Lemonescent were a Scottish
girl group
formed in 2002. After several hit singles and one album, they split up in 2005.
songwriter/member Iain MacDonald; He had chosen eight girls and then cut down to four with singer and dance champion Lisa Rose Harrison, former waitress Nikki Maclachlan, singer and dancer Sarah Cassidy, and Shonagh Strachan. They were signed to Supertone Records, distributed by Universal Music and came up with the name Lemonescent.
They released their first single "Beautiful" on 17 June 2002. The video was filmed at Culzean Castle
by Brighter Pictures, Directed by Gavin Hay. It reached No.70 in the UK Singles Chart
. They performed at the Irn Bru Live + Loud festival in 2002. They released their second single "Swing My Hips (Sex Dance)" on 29 October 2002 accompanied by a raunchy video showing them in tight denim shorts washing a car (inspired by cult film Cool Hand Luke
). This performed slightly better peaking at No.48 in the UK charts, and topped DJ magazines Beat charts. In March 2003, Harrison left the group and the remaining members auditioned for a replacement, eventually taking on two new members, Emma Cassidy (Sarah's cousin) and Leona Skimming. In between releases the band would perform at roadshows up and down the UK, toured with boy band Triple 8
, and performed at the Scotland v. Lithuania football match at Hampden Park
in October 2003. Their 2003 single "Unconditional Love" was on course to give them their biggest hit, but was removed from the chart due to suspicions of chart-rigging by bulksale-buying.
The band released their debut album, Unconditional Love
in October 2003. The album sold poorly and failed to chart. They supported Atomic Kitten
on their UK tour in 2004, and in the same year performed at the D-Code 2004 event, aimed at warning teenagers of the dangers of drink, drugs and smoking. Other charity work included involvement in the "Go Yellow" walk in Glasgow, for which they performed a fundraising concert. Skimming left in 2004, citing 'musical differences', leaving the group back as a four-piece. Their final single was a cover version
of Free
's "All Right Now
", with a promotional video filmed in Egypt
. It sparked interest from television networks, with appearances on BBC
's Top Of The Pops Saturday, Top of the Pops 2, and The Saturday Show, ITV
's The Chart Show, and others, but only peaked at number 37 in the UK Singles Chart.
Lemonescent split up in early 2005, with Sarah Cassidy explaining "it couldn't really go any further, so we decided to call it a day".
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
girl group
Girl group
A girl group is a popular music act featuring several young female singers who generally harmonise together.Girl groups emerged in the late 1950s as groups of young singers teamed up with behind-the-scenes songwriters and music producers to create hit singles, often featuring glossy production...
formed in 2002. After several hit singles and one album, they split up in 2005.
History
Lemonescent came together through auditions for singers held by former Johnny Hates JazzJohnny Hates Jazz
Johnny Hates Jazz is an Anglo-American Pop/Rock band, formed in 1986 by Clark Datchler , Mike Nocito , and Calvin Hayes...
songwriter/member Iain MacDonald; He had chosen eight girls and then cut down to four with singer and dance champion Lisa Rose Harrison, former waitress Nikki Maclachlan, singer and dancer Sarah Cassidy, and Shonagh Strachan. They were signed to Supertone Records, distributed by Universal Music and came up with the name Lemonescent.
They released their first single "Beautiful" on 17 June 2002. The video was filmed at Culzean Castle
Culzean Castle
Culzean Castle is a castle near Maybole, Carrick, on the Ayrshire coast of Scotland. It is the former home of the Marquess of Ailsa but is now owned by the National Trust for Scotland...
by Brighter Pictures, Directed by Gavin Hay. It reached No.70 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. They performed at the Irn Bru Live + Loud festival in 2002. They released their second single "Swing My Hips (Sex Dance)" on 29 October 2002 accompanied by a raunchy video showing them in tight denim shorts washing a car (inspired by cult film Cool Hand Luke
Cool Hand Luke
Cool Hand Luke is a 1967 American prison drama film directed by Stuart Rosenberg and starring Paul Newman. The screenplay was adapted by Donn Pearce and Frank Pierson from Pearce's 1965 novel of the same name. The film features George Kennedy, Strother Martin, J.D...
). This performed slightly better peaking at No.48 in the UK charts, and topped DJ magazines Beat charts. In March 2003, Harrison left the group and the remaining members auditioned for a replacement, eventually taking on two new members, Emma Cassidy (Sarah's cousin) and Leona Skimming. In between releases the band would perform at roadshows up and down the UK, toured with boy band Triple 8
Triple 8
Triple 8 were a five-piece hip-hop style British boyband, who were signed to Polydor Records. The group were promoted as the British equivalent of 'N Sync, and rivals to manufactured boy bands, such as Westlife and A1. The group had two successful singles: "Knockout" and "Give Me A Reason", which...
, and performed at the Scotland v. Lithuania football match at Hampden Park
Hampden Park
Hampden Park is a football stadium in the Mount Florida area of Glasgow, Scotland. The 52,063 capacity venue serves as the national stadium of football in Scotland...
in October 2003. Their 2003 single "Unconditional Love" was on course to give them their biggest hit, but was removed from the chart due to suspicions of chart-rigging by bulksale-buying.
The band released their debut album, Unconditional Love
Unconditional Love (Lemonescent album)
Unconditional Love is the debut album by Scottish girl group Lemonescent.-Track listing:# "Lemonescent Land"# "Beautiful [Album Version]"# "Unconditional Love"# "Cinderella"# "Give Me The Beat"# "Help Me Mama [Album Version]"# "When I Love You"...
in October 2003. The album sold poorly and failed to chart. They supported Atomic Kitten
Atomic Kitten
Atomic Kitten were an English girl group from Liverpool, first established in 1997. Created by Andy McCluskey, the final line-up, and most commercially successful, consisted of Natasha Hamilton, Liz McClarnon, and Jenny Frost...
on their UK tour in 2004, and in the same year performed at the D-Code 2004 event, aimed at warning teenagers of the dangers of drink, drugs and smoking. Other charity work included involvement in the "Go Yellow" walk in Glasgow, for which they performed a fundraising concert. Skimming left in 2004, citing 'musical differences', leaving the group back as a four-piece. Their final single was a cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of Free
Free (band)
Free were an English rock band, formed in London in 1968, best known for their 1970 signature song "All Right Now". They disbanded in 1973 and lead singer Paul Rodgers went on to become a frontman of the band Bad Company along with Simon Kirke on drums; lead guitarist Paul Kossoff died from a...
's "All Right Now
All Right Now
"All Right Now" is a rock single by the English rock band Free. The song, released in mid-1970, hit #2 on the UK singles chart and #4 on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. "All Right Now" originally appeared on the album Fire And Water, which Free recorded on the Island Records label, formed...
", with a promotional video filmed in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. It sparked interest from television networks, with appearances on BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's Top Of The Pops Saturday, Top of the Pops 2, and The Saturday Show, ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
's The Chart Show, and others, but only peaked at number 37 in the UK Singles Chart.
Lemonescent split up in early 2005, with Sarah Cassidy explaining "it couldn't really go any further, so we decided to call it a day".
Band members
- Sarah Cassidy - From GlasgowGlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, she was a former tanning salon attendant, and represented Scotland at disco dancing. Pursued a career in theatre after the group split up, auditioning for the part of Dorothy in The Wizard of OzThe Wizard of Oz (2011 musical)The Wizard of Oz is a musical based on the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The adaptation is by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jeremy Sams. The musical uses all of the Harold Arlen and E. Y...
in 2008. - Lisa Harrison - From BallochBalloch- Places :* Balloch, Highland, Scotland, , is a residential village located 4 miles east of the city of Inverness, Scotland.* Balloch, New Hampshire, United States...
, she previously worked as a bank clerk for Bank of ScotlandBank of ScotlandThe Bank of Scotland plc is a commercial and clearing bank based in Edinburgh, Scotland. With a history dating to the 17th century, it is the second oldest surviving bank in what is now the United Kingdom, and is the only commercial institution created by the Parliament of Scotland to...
. She reached the final sixty contestants on the television talent show PopstarsPopstarsPopstars is an international reality television franchise and a precursor to the Idol series. The series first began in New Zealand in 1999 when producer Jonathan Dowling formed the five member all-girl group TrueBliss...
. Left the band in March 2003 due to 'artistic differences', going on to pursue a solo career. - Nikki MacLachlan - From ArdrossanArdrossanArdrossan is a town on the North Ayrshire coast in south-western Scotland. The name "Ardrossan" describes its physical position — 'ard' from the Gaelic àird meaning headland, 'ros' a promontory and the diminutive suffix '-an' - headland of the little promontory...
, she was previously a waitress. She also reached the final sixty contestants on the television talent show Popstars, and worked in her local fish and chip shop for seven years before joining the group, despite having an allergy to fish. - Shonagh Strachan - From PrestwickPrestwickPrestwick is a town in South Ayrshire on the south-west coast of Scotland, about south-west of Glasgow. It adjoins the larger town of Ayr, the centre of which is about south...
, she is the daughter of Scottish rugby unionRugby unionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
international Gordon Strachan. Joined the group after leaving school. - Emma Cassidy - From FifeFifeFife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
, joined the group in 2003. She is the cousin of Sarah Cassidy, and was previously a sales assistant in a clothes shop. - Leona Skimming - Born in CumbernauldCumbernauldCumbernauld is a Scottish new town in North Lanarkshire. It was created in 1956 as a population overspill for Glasgow City. It is the eighth most populous settlement in Scotland and the largest in North Lanarkshire...
, and raised in EdinburghEdinburghEdinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, a former Miss ScotlandMiss ScotlandThe Miss Scotland competition is an annual beauty pageant targeted at women aged 18–24 living in Scotland. Entrants must hold a British passport to enter...
finalist in 2000. Performed in the stage musical Mamma Mia!Mamma Mia!Mamma Mia! is a stage musical written by British playwright Catherine Johnson, based on the songs of ABBA, composed by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, former members of the band. Although the title of the musical is taken from the group's 1975 chart-topper "Mamma Mia", the plot is fictional, not...
before joining the group in 2003, and returned to the show in 2004 after leaving the group due to 'musical differences'. Performed the lead role in the stage musical Dick Whittington and His Wonderful Cat in 2008. She was also half of the duo Scarlet Pearl, along with her cousin Nicky Moore, and has acted and performed under the name Leona Marie.
Singles
- "Beautiful" (2002) - UK #70
- "Swing My Hips (Sex Dance)" (2002) - UK #48
- "Help Me Mama" (2003) - UK #36
- "Cinderella" (2003) - UK #31
- "Unconditional Love" (2003)
- "All Right Now" (2004) - UK #37
External links
- Sarah Cassidy - http://www.myspace.com/sarahcassidy1
- Lisa Rose Harrison - http://www.myspace.com/lalisarose