Lemon Joy

Lemon Joy
Background information
Also known asЭтаж 3
Lemon's Joy
OriginVilnius, Lithuania
Genres
Years active1994–present
Labels
  • Bomba
  • M.P.3.
Members
  • Igoris Kofas
  • Olegas Semionovas
  • Rytis Rutkauskas
Past members
  • Sergėjus Grėjus (1994–1998)
  • Maksimas Bambras (1994–2004)
Frontman Igoris Kofas

Lemon Joy is a Lithuanian synthpop band formed in Vilnius in 1994, consisting of Igoris Kofas (vocals), Olegas Semionovas (guitar, keyboards) and Rytis Rutkauskas (drums).

Biography

Lemon Joy, originally called "Этаж-3", was founded in 1994 by four Russian–Lithuanians Igoris Kofas, Olegas Semionovas, Maksimas Bambras and Sergėjus Grėjus. In 1996, the band was renamed to "Lemon's Joy" and soon played its first concert along with another emerging Lithuanian rock band Airija in Kaunas. During its early years, Lemon's Joy music focused on the gothic rock/alt rock sound, whose basis became distorted guitar riffs and prominent bass line combined with Igoris's emotional, dreamy lyrics.

The band won the so–called Baddest Groups' Festival in 1996 with their song "City of Berries", which had become a number one hit the same year in "Ultra Vires", one of the first commercial radio stations in independent Lithuania.[1] Later that year, the band participated in the Roko Maršas, a Lithuanian music festival dedicated to rock music.

Up until the Roko Maršas, Lemon's Joy primarily played songs written in English; they decided to play their first Lithuanian single "Glostyk" during the festival and later released an album under the same name, winning a Bravo trophy (equivalent of the Grammy) for best first album.[2]

In 1997, the band participated in "Rock Summer" music festival in Tallinn. The following year, the group was renamed to its current name and began to focus on electronic music after bassist Sergėjus Grėjus left the band.

In 2006, the group released its fifth studio album titled 1210, which was well–received by Lithuanian audiences and reached top positions in Lithuanian charts.[3]

In 2011, the group released its seventh album titled "Stebuklas", whose Italo-disco single Kažkada topped the charts in several Lithuanian radio stations.

In November 2016, Lemon Joy released its latest album "Willkommen".[4]

Image

Despite the band's focus on electronic music production, Lemon Joy often uses electric guitars and drum kits on–stage to add a rock'n'roll element to their performances. Igoris is also known for his flashy costumes, accessories and blonde dyed hair.

Albums

Title Release Year Record Company Notable Singles
Glostyk
1996
Bomba Records City of Berries, Glostyk
Super
1998
Bomba Records
Mylėti tave beprotiška ir keista
1999
Bomba Records Mylėti tave beprotiška ir keista
REstart
2001
Bomba Records Geltoni krantai (FOJE), Pamiršk mane (Hiperbolė)
Electropop
2004
Bomba Records
1210
2006
M.P.3
Stebuklas
2011
Kažkada
Willkommen
2016
M.P.3 Ylang ylang, Willkommen, Be atšvaitų
S
2019
M.P.3 Tavo rytojus

References

  1. ^ "Archived copy". www.lemonjoy.lt. Archived from the original on 1 January 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ "Archived copy". www.lemonjoy.lt. Archived from the original on 1 January 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ^ "MICL - Music Information Centre Lithuania | Database - Pop / Rock - Composers / Artists - Lemon Joy".
  4. ^ ""Lemon Joy" naują albumą "Willkommen" pristatys didžiausiame savo koncerte | Muzika | Žmonės". Archived from the original on 2016-11-09. Retrieved 2016-11-23.