Lemonescent

Lemonescent was a Scottish girl group which existed from 2002 until 2005. They claimed to be Scotland's first all vocal girl group.

Origins

The band's original members were:
*Nikki MacLachlan (Ardrossan)
*Lisa Rose Harrison (Loch Lomond)
*Sarah Cassidy (Glasgow)
*Shonagh Strachan (Ayr)

Biography

Lemonescent came together through auditions for singers held by Iain MacDonald (For Polydor when looking for boys for a boy band), he had chosen 8 girls and then cut down to 4 with singer and dance champion Lisa Rose Harrison and former waitress Nikki Maclachlan (who had previously made it to the final 200 on the first series of Popstars with Lisa Rose Harrison) Singer and dancer Sarah Cassidy also made to the group along with Shonagh Strachan. Distributed by Universal Music and came up with the name Lemonescent.They released their first single Beautiful on 17th June 2002. The video was filmed at Culzean Castleby Brighter Pictures, Directed by Gavin Hay. It reached No.70 in the UK Charts, but the Terminalheads remix reached No.1 on the beat charts and was included on Fabriclive Vol.5, a selection of dance tracks chosen by Howie B. They released their second single Swing My Hips (Sex Dance) on 29th October 2002 also went #10 UK beat charts and big in Miami clubs, 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. In between releases the band would perform at roadshows up and down the UK and were about to start work on their first album. However, TV stations saw their act,a bit too raunchy and ordered them to tone it down if they wanted to make it in the mainstream.

Their next release, the uptempo Help Me Mama, a song about infidelity, was a big hit with Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles, played on MTV, The Box and The Chart Show and was released on 24th March 2003, in the week of Mothers' Day, and charted at No.36 giving them their first UK Top 40 hit. The Terminalheads remix on the b-side gave them another No.1 on the beat charts and was played on Annie Nightingale's late night show on Radio 1 [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/annienightingale/tracklistingarchiveshtml.shtml?20030309] . The girls joined forces with "The Scottish Sun" newspaper for a promotional giveaway of a double-sided poster plus a free CD of a song called Bohemian Rain. They went on to perform at charity events and roadshows all over the UK. They also took part in campaigns to persuade children to say no to smoking, drinking and drugs and performed at primary schools in Scotland and England, performed at charity events like Cash For Kids in Glasgow and Free At The Dee in Aberdeen. They also appeared on Lorraine Kelly, The box (Box Talk), Magic, CBBC, Smile,GMTV and The Disney Channel and major Radio Road shows such as Live and Loud. However, sadly 4 years later Lisa Rose Harrison left the group to follow her dreams of becoming a solo singer. The album was already recorded and had to be scrapped soon after and the remaining three teamed up with Scottish newspaper "Daily Record" to hold auditions for a replacement member. They chose Miss Scotland finalist, singer and model Leona Skimming (from Cumbernauld) and Sarah's cousin, Emma Cassidy (from Fife). They carried on performing at roadshows and events across the UK.

Their fourth single, Cinderella was released on 9th June without a video; the song charted at No.31, giving them their biggest hit. In August, they released their next single, Unconditional Love, a ballad sung by Sarah, which was a Top 20 hit in the midweek charts until controversy arose around accusations of chart-rigging and bulk-buying incited by the record company. The Official Charts Company couldn't understand the concentrated pattern of sales that occurred from a few record stores in Glasgow. A school headmaster had reportedly bought 200 copies for pupils at a school in Glasgow, and the single was disqualified from the charts.

The band released their debut album, Unconditional Love in October 2003, it was a diverse range of pop, dance, rock and ballads, although most of the tracks were written by Iain Macdonald it featured the Sarah Cassidy self-penned ballad The Love We Had Before as well as Don't Be Afraid and You Have Stolen My Heart written by Sarah, Nikki and Shonagh and a dance track called Give Me The Beat which saw the girls give a memorable performance on stage with them lifting their skirts to reveal St-Andrews Cross knickers at the song's finale. It also featured a newly-recorded, orchestral version of Beautiful and a re-recorded version of Help Me Mama with Leona and Emma's vocals. Reviews for the album weren't very promising, and one newspaper claimed that the verses of When I Love You bore a resemblance to Maxine Nightingale's 1975 hit "Right Back Where We Started From". However, the album sold poorly and failed to chart. But the band continued on performing at charity events and roadshows as well as performing during half-time for Kilmarnock F.C. fans which didn't go down too well with the club's female supporters, and in February of 2004, MacDonald landed the band support slots alongside Atomic Kitten and Blue on their tours, which were very successful and have been claimed by Lemonescent to be their "best moment". They gigged with Will Young,Mario,Girls Aloud and Liberty X to name a few. They even went to the haunted Chillingham Castle, Northumberland for a programme on Newcastle-based station, Metro Radio. And they promoted Magic Tan at Ingliston's Highland Show, Edinburgh the day before Nikki's birthday. Sarah and Nikki also took part in a lingerie show, modelling lingerie and outfits by Pink Piranha in Merchant City, Glasgow.

The band flew to Cairo, Egypt to film the video for their next single, a cover of the Free rock classic, All Right Now (coupled with a newly-recorded Bohemian Rain) which they released on 23 June 2004. In the video they rob a bank, kidnap a man (played by Shonagh's boyfriend), drive around in a car in the desert and hang out in a mansion. The band started to appear on television to promote the track, on Box Talk, Nickelodeon and appeared on The Saturday Show on BBC1 and Trisha on ITV and performed at Glasgow's Live And Loud at Hampden Park. All Right Now even gained the unlikely honour of runner-up Best New Single in music magazine, New Musical Express and various music articles were predicting the song to be their biggest hit, but unfortunately the song only peaked at No.37.

The band continued to perform live however The band never turned up for a gig with Blue and there were 8 majors there to see them, which would have been the turning point. Shonagh Strachan left the band a few months later and the band were reduced to a trio as Leona left to pursue further singing commitments. They still managed to achieve three Top 40 singles despite a major lack of airplay (Radio One wouldn't play any girl bands on their shows except for Girls Aloud and Sugababes. The band then split up in January 2005.

Debate

Despite Lemonescent's claim to be Scotland's first girlband, to this day it remains debatable as there had been claims that Glaswegian band Acoustic Love Experience (now defunct) may have been the first, despite being an all girl vocal instrumental trio, but Lemonescent can still lay claim to being the first Scottish all-vocal girl group.

After Lemonescent

*Sarah Cassidy started work on a solo career and came 3rd place in the Miss Scotland 2005 finals. She has moved in a different direction with her music since leaving Lemonescent, where she felt her creative input was stifled. Sarah later joined Glasgow hip-hop outfit Empafy, their debut album 'Social Insecurity is to be released in 2008. Sarah is also recording her solo album (RnB, Soul) which is also to be released in 2008.

*Lisa Rose Harrison now known as Lisa Rose is currently in Los Angeles working on a Rock Project to get released in 2008 through Sony Records.

*Shonagh Strachan is now a DJ on 96.7 West FM, presenting her own show Monday-Friday from 9.30pm to 1am.

*Both Nikki and Emma had been working on new material but no other news has been heard. Emma is currently writing her solo album and is still making a good living from her singing. Nikki is at university studying languages.

*Leona Skimming is now a TV extra and has made appearances in River City and Still Game.She is also in a duo with her cousin, Scarlet Pearl, who are doing gigs around Scotland.

External links

* Lisa Rose Harrison - [http://www.myspace.com/lalisarose

* [http://www.myspace.com/sarahcassidy1

* [http://www.westfm.co.uk/showdj.asp?DJID=28287 Shonagh Strachan on West Fm]
* [http://abadifilms.tsohost.co.uk/lemonescent.html Lemonescent video for Swing My Hips]