Lotion (band)
| Company type | Indie rock group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1991 |
| Founder | Bill Ferguson, Jim Ferguson, Rob Youngberg, Tony Zajkowski |
| Headquarters | Manhattan, New York City , United States |
| Products | Music albums, EPs, singles |
Lotion is an American indie rock group based in Manhattan, established in 1991 by siblings Bill and Jim Ferguson (handling bass and guitar), drummer Rob Youngberg, and vocalist/guitarist Tony Zajkowski.
Career
Emerging from the East Village neighborhood of New York City, Lotion initially issued two singles, "Head" and "Tear," through Kokopop prior to launching their first full-length album, full Isaac, in 1994 under the spinArt Records label.
To support the release of full Isaac, Lotion embarked on tours across the United States and Europe alongside bands such as Pavement, Throwing Muses, and Mercury Rev. In 1995, they introduced a self-titled EP via Big Cat Records, followed by the 1996 release of The Agnew Funeral E.P.. Their sophomore album, Nobody's Cool, also arrived in 1996 and included liner notes authored by the distinguished writer Thomas Pynchon. Although initial accounts implied a direct personal relationship between Pynchon and the band, subsequent explanations clarified that this narrative was partially fabricated for marketing purposes; the connection stemmed from Pynchon's accountant having an association with a band member, leading to Pynchon's agreement to contribute notes after previewing an advance copy of the album.
In 1998, Lotion put out The Telephone Album. While promoting this record, they made a guest appearance on an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and toured across America with Frank Black and the Catholics.
The band entered an unofficial hiatus in 2001 as members explored other musical ventures. Tony Zajkowski became part of Schizo Fun Addict before collaborating again with Rob Youngberg to create Honeycomb. Additionally, they recorded under the name Baby Spiders, releasing two EPs via Bandcamp. Lotion regrouped for live shows at Royal Flush Festival in 2011, Mercury Lounge in 2012, and in 2023 performed at DROM 30 to mark Dromedary Records' three-decade milestone, followed by further concerts at Mercury Lounge and Drag Music.
Albums
- 1994 full Isaac
- 1996 Nobody's Cool
- 1998 The Telephone Album
EPs
- 1994 The Around E.P.
- 1995 The Agnew Funeral E.P.
Singles
- 1992 "Head"
- 1993 "Tear"
- 1995 "Blind for Now"
Various artists compilations
- 1993 Chairman of the Board: Interpretations of Songs Made Famous by Frank Sinatra ("Fly Me to the Moon")
- 1997 Blatant Doom Trip ("Quality of Armor")