Sugarcult (IPA: /ˈʃʊgɚkʌlt/) is an American alternative rock band from Santa Barbara, California formed in 1998. It is comprised of Tim Pagnotta on guitar and vocals, Airin Older on bass and vocals, Marko DeSantis (commonly known as Marko 72) on guitar, and Kenny Livingston on drums. The band is named after a group of lesbians who lived in an apartment near where Tim used to live; he dubbed the occupants in the apartment the Sugar Cult girls.
Tim Pagnotta met ex-drummer Ben Davis during a cigarette break at school. Davis (who then played bass) and Pagnotta started to play together on a regular basis. Pagnotta met Airin Older in a music class where Pagnotta was copying Older's work. They became good friends and Pagnotta invited Older to join his band. Davis moved to the position of drummer and Older filled in for Davis on bass. Marko DeSantis was added into the band after meeting Pagnotta backstage at a Superdrag concert. The pair apparently met because Pagnotta was wearing a suit that resembled the one DeSantis wore to the show. Pagnotta asked DeSantis to join the band before even hearing him play a single note on the guitar.
