Lemon

Nick Hollywood operates under the Lemon alias as a DJ, producer, and multi-instrumentalist whose recordings fuse Hammond organ, trumpet hits, bongos, surf guitar, uptempo breakbeats, obscure ’60s samples, and additional textures reminiscent of a Señor Coconut or Money Mark release, merging earlier eras with forward-looking production. He entered the music industry through the U.K. lounge circuit and contributed to Club Montepulciano, a pivotal venue that helped revive cabaret and burlesque traditions. When that scene reached its height, he converted the club’s nightly programming into the Club Montepulciano Recordings imprint, issuing a run of compilations that reflected the venue’s retro-contemporary aesthetic. Among those releases were the James Bond-influenced Showgirls & Sugardaddies and the bossa nova-inspired Bongo Beach!, and it was within this catalog that Lemon’s debut album, Up!, first appeared. In 2005 Hollywood launched the Brighton-based Freshly Squeezed Music label—distinct from the Canadian Freshly Squeezed Records—and issued Lemon’s follow-up, With a Twist. Subsequent live work saw him alternate between full-band performances and solo DJ sets. By 2007 Lemon tracks had become sought-after for licensing, appearing in Coca-Cola and Wal-Mart commercials, trailers for Knocked Up, The Heartbreak Kid, and Wild Hogs, and episodes of Ugly Betty, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, and The X Factor.