Five years ago in Japan, The Lemon Twigs stalked the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Both bands were playing the 2019 Summer Sonics festival in Chiba and Osaka. In the hotel housing artists, crew and suchlike, the geeky, 60s-loving brother duo from Hicksville, Long Island (barely out of their teens, showbiz in their veins, precocious masters of pop rock melodies) tentatively staked out the Chilis’ floor.
It turned out their nerves were unfounded. Like many other big-shots before them – and even more since, from Todd Rundgren to Iggy Pop to Jimmy Fallon – the Red Hot Chili Peppers were Lemon Twigs fans. Anthony Kiedis admired their musical chops. Chad Smith had seen them open for Arctic Monkeys at the Hollywood Bowl the previous year. It was a happy meeting.
