Acetone were an American alternative rock band formed in 1992 in Los Angeles, California, United States, from the three core members of the group Spinout, formed in 1987.^[1][2] The group consisted of Mark Lightcap on guitar, Richie Lee on bass and Steve Hadley on drums. It disbanded after Lee’s suicide on July 23, 2001, aged 34.^[3]

The group's influences included The Beach Boys, Gram Parsons and the Velvet Underground.^[4] Establishing themselves as an alternative rock group, they incorporated genres ranging from neo-psychedelia to roots rock and country into their music.^[5]

Acetone has performed on few occasions since Lee's death, most notably with Mazzy Star's lead singer Hope Sandoval in 2017.^[6]

Member activity outside of Acetone

Hadley and Lightcap formed The Ecstasy of Gold in 2012,^[7] releasing their first album Vol. 1 October 6, 2022.

Lightcap's endeavors include the Dick Slessig Combo,^[8] with himself on guitar, bassist Carl Bronson, and drummer Steve Goodfriend formerly of the band Radar Brothers. Notable credits include electronic duo Matmos' albums The West (1999)^[9], A Chance to Cut Is a Chance to Cure (2001)^[10], The Civil War (2003)^[11],The Rose Has Teeth in the Mouth of a Beast (2006)^[12], performing electric, slide and acoustic guitar, ukulele, banjo, tuba, trumpet, bass trumpet, peck horn, and plastic tube.

Band members

• Richie Lee – bass guitar, vocals
• Mark Lightcap – guitar, vocals
• Steve Hadley – drums

Discography

Studio albums

• Cindy (Vernon Yard, 1993)
• I Guess I Would (Virgin, 1995)
• If You Only Knew (Vernon Yard, 1996)
• Acetone (Vapor, 1997)
• York Blvd. (Vapor, 2000)

Compilations

• Acetone 1992–2001 (Light in the Attic, 2017)

EPs

• Acetone (Vernon Yard, 1993)