Monthly Archives: January 2018

interviews, radio shows

LISTEN AGAIN: Peppermint Iguana Radio # 164 – Tarantism Special

Mel and Magnus sing along with Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong

Wow. What a beautiful evening this was, catching up with Mel and Magnus from Tarantism, our friends for over twenty years now.

They picked fantastic songs to play, they had wonderful stories to tell, and they took to the radio like pros.

Relive the night be checking out the cloud cast below

Play list

  1. Got to get this tent up: BY TARANTISM
  2. Jibber and twitch: BY THE CARDIACS
  3. Got it made: BY FLANNEL
  4. Aint got no home: BY THE TOFU LOVE FROGS
  5. Lost in Leuvan: BY TRAGIK ROUNDABOUT
  6. I’m a poseur: BY X RAY SPEX
  7. Guerrilla radio: BY RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
  8. Bless the weather: BY JOHN MARTYN
  9. I chose the road: BY THE FIREPIT COLLECTIVE
  10. When I win the lottery: BY CAMPER VAN BEATHOVEN
  11. Damnation alley: BY HAWKWIND
  12. Daydream: BY BACK TO THE PLANET
  13. Fuck you rude boy: BY DOGSHITE
  14. Living in a barcode: BY AOS3
  15. Milk and honey: BY DENNIS BROWN
  16. A case of you: BY JONI MITCHELL
  17. College green: BY MERCURIUS RISING
  18. Green green grass: BY THE BREWER’S DAUGHTER
  19. Skankrobber: BY CARA MEANS FRIEND
  20. Red alert: BY TARANTISM FOLK DISCO
  21. They can’t take that away from me: BY ELLA FITZGERALD AND LOIS ARMSTRONG

First broadcast on 30th January 2018 on www.dapperfm.co.uk

Show sponsored by www.unisoncwmtaflocalgov.wales

archive, blog, interviews

TARANTISM INTERVIEW: Archive interview dug out, dusted off and uploaded

The Tarantmobile

We have dusted off another classic inteview and added it to this website – Tarantism from 2007

It was to be a telephone call we would never forget, yet like most things momentous, it started out innocently enough. Back in 1997 as I sat with the then Mrs Iguana thinking about names for the as yet unborn second Iguana baby, the phone rang. “Hi Clint, it’s Mel. We are looking for gigs in South Wales.” Phone calls often started like that in those days. As I put the phone down, “who was that?” enquired Mrs Iguana. “Tarantism” I replied. “What on earth is one of them then”. “As it happens, I don’t know, I will look it up”. As I leafed my way through the dictionary I was struck by inspiration. Thus Tara Iguana was named.

Tarantism immediately became indispensable members of the extended Iguana family. Fast forward to 2007, we sat down with Tarantism in the back of their van for an interview. Fast forward to 2018 and we have Tarantism booked to play a gig for us in Le Pub, Newport. So we thought it about time to dust off that old interview and upload it to this ere website.

On 30th January Mel and Magnus will be joining us on the Peppermint Iguana Radio show, no doubt we will be filling in some of the gaps.

radio shows

LISTEN LIVE: Peppermint Iguana Radio # 164 with Mel and Magnus of Tarantism in the studio

Mel and Magnus doing their folk disco thang at the Green Gathering 2016

You may have heard the Peppermint Iguana crew are getting back into promoting after a break of 14 years. First up, we are teaming up with the Green Gathering Campaigns Crew to put on a gig in Le Pub on the 10th February with a shed load of really cool artists, including the amazing Tarantism Folk Disco to finish the night off.

‘What be a folk disco?’ I hear you all you cry. Well, rest assured, it’s not a bloke in an Aron jumper playing Stealer’s Wheel records. It is Mel and Magnus from that Tarantism playing disco music in a folk style.

‘Who are Mel and Magnus?’ I hear less of you cry. For those of you not cool enough to know, Mel and Magnus are the Posh and Becks of the celtic-ska-punk-funk-dance scene and have been at the core of legendary festival band Tarantism for over twenty years now. In addition they gig as a duo, Magnus wears capes on stage with Hawkwind and as well as doing cheesy discos, Mel makes the finest vegan cheese this side of Vegania.

Still want to know more? Fear not, in the run up to our gig, Mel and Magnus are dropping into the Dapper FM studio to take over the Peppermint Iguana Radio show.

You can expect some of their own tunes, some unreleased tunes by other bands recorded in their Rockaway Studios – and no doubt many more treats for your heads hearts and feets.

To listen live go to www.dapperfm.co.uk from 8pm o’clock on Tuesday 30th January.

For more about tarantism go to https://tarantism1.bandcamp.com/
For more about Mel’s cheese go to http://melskindnesskitchen.co.uk/
For more about Green Gathering Campaigns go to https://www.facebook.com/GreenGatheringCampaigns/
FOR MORE ABOUT THE GIG, GO TO https://www.facebook.com/events/176032706473511/
For more about our show sponsors, go to www.unisoncwmtaflocalgov.wales Continue reading LISTEN LIVE: Peppermint Iguana Radio # 164 with Mel and Magnus of Tarantism in the studio →

radio shows

LISTEN AGAIN: Peppermint Iguana Radio # 163 – Trump Free Shithouse

Our 16th January show went down a storm, we had hippies in Cwmcarn dancing whilst pickling Beetroot, gig photographers in Surrey sat in their van and anarchists from Newport sat in their mother’s front room.

We also paid tribute to fallen stars, hot pre-releases and a preview of our gig in Le Pub on 10th February. Mel and Magnus of that Tarantism Folk Disco, who be playing that gig, will be dropping in to take over our next show on 30th January.

To hear what it sounded like, pour yourself your favourite tipple and click on the linkety link below

Play list

  1. Ace of spades: BY MOTORHEAD
  2. The sun, the moon: BY GOAT
  3. Riding east: BY DUBMATIX WITH SLY AND ROBBIE
  4. Death race: BY CLUSTERFUCK
  5. Free spirits: BY MERCURIUS RISING
  6. Disrespect: BY THE DEFEKTERS
  7. Brickfield nights: BY THE BOYS
  8. Soldiers of dub: BY DUBALIZER
  9. El doggo speaks out: BY THE DOG FACED HERMANS
  10. Nostrovia: BY SCUM OF TOYTOWN
  11. Everybody’s boogie: BY DOMMENGANG
  12. Flesh eater version: BY BEANNIE AND THE CO-OPERATORS
  13. Designed to fail: BY KILLDREN
  14. Got got need: BY THE MIDWICH CUCKOOS
  15. Haydub: BY DUBAMIX
  16. If you want it you gotta earn it: BY THE GEEZER
  17. Zombie: BY THE CRANBERRIES
  18. Bono’s a cunt: BY PIZZATRAMP
  19. Point of view: BY SUBHUMANS
  20. Proxy war: BY DRUNKEN MARKSMAN
  21. I feel love: BY DONNA SUMMER

Show first broadcast on www.dapperfm.co.uk on 13th January 2018

Show sponsored by www.unisoncwmtaflocalgov.wales

music review

NINJAH: Keep Britain Lively (Tantrum Records 2018)

ninjah

New album from one of Cardiff’s most eccentric artists, on Tantrum Records

It’s quite possible that many of you will have seen Ninjah perform live and not have realised it. He is the dude with the white dread locks often seen around Cardiff city centre playing random objects, such as bins or benches, with his ever present drum sticks.

Everyone that matters on the Cardiff scene will know him for a different reason though. As well as random drumming he is an accomplished singer, video maker and just all round creative type. Continue reading NINJAH: Keep Britain Lively (Tantrum Records 2018) →

music review

CLUSTERFUCK: Pesticide (Tantrum Records 2018)

Question: What do you get when you put a shed load of Cardiff’s most unhinged creative types in a room together?  Answer: Clusterfuck. And this is their latest release. Thirteen slices of deranged floor fillers.

The biggest problem with ‘techno’ (or whatever you want to call it) is that many artists find their killer beat and just rework it time and time again resulting in – erm – repetitive beats. Clusterfuck can never be accused of falling into that trap.

What we have here just shy is fifty minutes of phat beats and dope breaks that get ya ass shaking and head spinning, with each track taking you in a new direction. The common denominator is that the bass lines are deep and heavy throughout, causing involuntary bobbing up and down but the BPM counter always manages to stay below the red line of ‘gabba’.

It helps to fend of the repetitiveness by bringing in a host of ‘special guests’. Efa Supertramp, Keef It Real, Captain Hotknives and Donald Trump are just some of the crew that help this paddle this album down the crazy river. Their irreverence and cheeky sense of humour also prevents this becoming just another boring techno record. Nothing is too serious, too hot or too heavy for these guys.

Drugs, death and Swansea are just a few of the topics covered here. They somehow manage to demonstrate that they are anti-establishment without really saying it. They are probably anarchists but don’t even know it, cos they are too busy having a party to contemplate shit like that. Which is how it should be really.

Get it on, bang a gong, get it on – ow – get it on.

To get your mits on this gem – for free – simply join the mailing list

music review, punk

KILLDREN: Overkill is Underrated ep (Self released, 2018)

One day, in the dim and distant future, Efa Supertramp will sit down, take a breather, or even possibly sleep. Until then, she is gonna run around fuelled on adrenalin with fingers in all sorts of pies, like this latest project, Killdren.

Not satisfied with running her own record label, writing zines, travelling all over Europe playing solo gigs, setting up squatted art galleries, sticking it to the ‘man’ and doing a degree, last year she teamed up with a sampler, a lap top and Nick Ronin from Tunbridge Wells to form rave outfit Killdren. Continue reading KILLDREN: Overkill is Underrated ep (Self released, 2018) →

music review

THE BREWER’S DAUGHTER: Make Believe (Self Released 2016)

John Baine (AKA Attila) is not really a Stockbroker. Ray Burns is neither a Captain, nor Sensible. Rhiannon Crutchley, however, really is a Brewer’s Daughter.

When not helping dad out with bottling craft beers her time is split between recording and gigging on her own as The Brewer’s Daughter, playing fiddle with Tarantism, touring with the likes of Back to the Planet and Hawkwind, or just sailing up and down the canal in the narowboat she calls home.  She even played the legendary 100 club in 2017. Continue reading THE BREWER’S DAUGHTER: Make Believe (Self Released 2016) →

music review

HEADNOISE Special Effects Improves The Defects (Self released 2017)

South Wales based electro pop band HEAD NOISE with their fourth release; a six track mini album – ep – ish – thing.

This has the vibe of that arty period in the early eighties when post punk was going off in different directions and no-one had quite worked out what synth pop was supposed to sound like. Continue reading HEADNOISE Special Effects Improves The Defects (Self released 2017) →

film review

OASIS: SUPERSONIC (Movie)

This is a warts and all documentary reviewing the rise and fall of nineties mega stars, Oasis. Within less than three years they rose from playing in pubs to headlining Knebworth.

Oasis were one of the most over rated and under talented bands the UK has ever produced. Filling arenas with ‘lads’ who had bought into the band, but ultimately a magnificent triumph of style over substance.

However. Whilst the music was pretty shite there is no ignoring the fact that that they had rock and roll attitude. Continue reading OASIS: SUPERSONIC (Movie) →

radio shows

LISTEN AGAIN: Peppermint Iguana Radio # 162 – 2018 let’s be ‘avin’ ya

Les Earthdoctor – not even temperatures below freezing will stop him DJing

We don’t mess about here at peppermint iguana, the festive hangovers are still lingering for some but we already have the first radio show of 2018 under our belts.

As usual, it was old kool, nu skool and too damn cool for skool.

To listen again, check out the mixycloud thingy below

Play list

  1. Into the future: BY THE VIBRATORS
  2. Can’t wait for seventy eight: BY THE WASPS
  3. Death begins: BY CLUSTERFUCK
  4. Freak control: BY TINTIN QUARANTINO
  5. Watcha gonna do dub: BY THE LAST TREE SQUAD
  6. Green fist: BY ROOTS ZOMBIE
  7. All empires crumble: BY KILLDREN
  8. Warrior remix: BY THE INEXPLICABLES
  9. Private revolutions: BY CULTURE SHOCK
  10. Sound: BY THE STINGRAYS
  11. Babylon: BY JOE KELLY AND THE ROYAL PHARMACY
  12. Swingers party: BY RECKLESS BREAKFAST
  13. Rouge trooper live: BY RADICAL DANCE FACTION
  14. Kick out live: BY BACK TO THE PLANET
  15. National lies: BY THE SPORADICS
  16. Dub searcher: BY NUMA CREW
  17. Emergency: BY NINE NINE NINE
  18. Five minutes: BY THE STRANGLERS
  19. Mwd: BY MWSTARD
  20. Elbania: BY ELECTRIC JABALA
  21. Dig it: BY CANTALOOP
  22. Cantaloop: BY US THREE
  23. Enter the haggis: BY THE HAGGIS HORNS
  24. Kind of cool: BY THE BAHAMA SOUL CLUB
  25. Afro pate: BY AFRO BEAT
  26. Island special: BY INTERNATIONAL DUB AMBASSADORS

First broadcast on www.dapperfm.co.uk on 2nd January 2018.

Show sponsored by www.unisoncwmtaflocalgov.wales the union for public service groovers