Dope Lemon

Biography

Angus Stone, born on 27 April 1986 in Sydney, Australia, grew up in a musical family as the son of folk musicians John and Kim Stone, who later separated when he was fourteen. His father, a band conductor and music teacher, led the school band where Angus and his sisters Catherine and Julia performed, with Angus playing trombone at family gatherings. After the separation, Angus began writing pop songs and served as lead singer in a high school band performing covers and originals at local events. In his late teens, while vacationing in South America with Julia, he revealed his songwriting talent, teaching her guitar, which led to their open mic performances in 2005 and the formation of Angus & Julia Stone in 2006, releasing their debut EP Chocolates and Cigarettes that year.

Stone launched his solo career with Smoking Gun in 2009 under the pseudonym Lady of the Sunshine, recorded in a converted water tank in North Queensland, followed by Broken Brights in 2012 as Angus Stone. In 2016, he debuted Dope Lemon with Honey Bones, recorded spontaneously over three weeks on his farm with gifted friends jamming and drinking beers, capturing a bluesy, psychedelic rock sound influenced by his laid-back style, often compared to Baxter Dury, Jack Johnson, and Ben Harper. Subsequent albums include Hounds Tooth EP (2017), Smooth Big Cat (2019) featuring 'Hey You', Rose Pink Cadillac (2022) with singles like 'Stingray Pete', Kimosabé (2023), and Golden Wolf (2025), the latter inspired by Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom and telling a story of two kids falling in love.

Dope Lemon's music blends indie rock, folk, soul, and coastal vibes, self-produced in Stone's Byron Bay farm studio with remote collaborators worldwide, evolving from Angus & Julia Stone's folk-indie pop success, including the hit 'Big Jet Plane'. The project has become a cultural phenomenon in Australia, earning ARIA nominations and millions of streams, with Stone maintaining a self-sufficient approach rooted in his early instincts for songwriting and recording.

Fun Facts

• Dope Lemon's debut album Honey Bones (2016) was recorded spontaneously over three weeks on Angus Stone's farm with friends jamming while drinking beers, without initially planning a full record.
• The Honey Bones album cover features a lemon painted on a model's head, created playfully by a photographer friend who shot the image and an artist friend who painted it.
• Stone recorded his first solo album Smoking Gun (2009) in a converted old water tank on collaborator Finn's property in North Queensland.
• Golden Wolf (2025) drew inspiration from Wes Anderson's film Moonrise Kingdom, creating a magical world story of two kids falling in love.
• In 2023, Post Malone invited Stone onstage during a Red Hot Chili Peppers support show in Melbourne to perform 'Big Jet Plane', later having Stone open for his Australian tour.

Members

• Brad Heald - bass

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• John Stone - Father, folk musician, band conductor, and high school music teacher who led the family school band (Family performances and school band) [Childhood, primary school]

Key Collaborators

• Julia Stone - Sister and duo partner in Angus & Julia Stone (Albums like A Book Like This (2007), single 'Big Jet Plane' (2010)) [2006-present]
• Rohin Brown - Collaborator from The Walking Who, recorded on farm studio (Honey Bones (2016)) [2016]
• Elliot Hammond - Recorded on farm studio (Honey Bones (2016)) [2016]
• Finn (Govinda Doyle) - Played drums and bass guitar (Smoking Gun (2009, as Lady of the Sunshine)) [2008]
• Post Malone - Live performance collaboration (Performed 'Big Jet Plane' together; Stone opened for Malone's tour) [2023]
• Brad Heald - Band member (Dope Lemon live and recordings) [2016-present]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #indie, #indie-rock, #psychedelic-rock