The Lemonheads

Formed in Boston in 1986 around Evan Dando, Ben Deily and Jesse Peretz, The Lemonheads began within the American punk and college rock scenes before broadening into a more melodic alternative rock that blended power pop, jangle pop, pop-punk and grunge-tinged elements. After the albums Hate Your Friends (1987), Creator (1988), Lick (1989) and Lovey (1990), the band reached a new level with It’s a Shame About Ray (1992), a more direct, brighter record soon followed by their cover of “Mrs. Robinson.” By then The Lemonheads were operating with a fluid lineup centered on Evan Dando, the sole permanent member, which at various times included Juliana Hatfield and Nic Dalton. Come on Feel the Lemonheads (1993) continued that approach with chiming guitars, pop choruses and a more acoustic tone, while Car Button Cloth (1996) introduced a darker side. After a hiatus in the late 1990s, The Lemonheads resumed activity in 2005 with new musicians, including Bill Stevenson and Karl Alvarez, and released The Lemonheads in 2006. Since then they have alternated touring, reunions and cover albums, notably Varshons (2009) and Varshons 2 (2019). Across decades The Lemonheads have maintained a flexible identity centered on Evan Dando’s songwriting and a balance between punk energy, melodic pop and folk-rock.