Category Archives: interviews

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.

blog, interviews, radio shows

CHEAP SWEATY SIMON ROCKAWAY – Iguana Radio Special – listen again

Nice work if you can get it – Simon Philips on duty at his record fair

Want to know the truth about that legendary Kurt Cobain proposal to Courtney Love in TJs? Want to know some of the secrets of John Peel’s record collection? Want to hear about Green Day being lower on the bill than the lucky dip? Well this is made for you.

On 23rd February we had the pleasure of being joined in the studio by Mr Cheap Sweaty Simon Rockaway Phillips. Pusher of records to vinyl junkies, gig promoter and all round eminence grease.

Simon started out with Rockaway Records, a small record stall in Newport Provisions Market, and ended up organising record fairs the length and breadth of the UK. Along the way he casually put Newport on the map and played a major role in making Newport’s TJs Legendary throughout the world.

With no ambitions other than to get some of his favourite bands to play his home town, with a cheap ticket price, he played host to names that went on to take the world by storm, from local boys Dub War and Sixty Foot Dolls, to the likes of Therapy? Bad Brains, Green Day, the Butthole Surfers, The Misfits and The Melvins.

Listen again to the show and hear tales of incidents with Kurt Cobain, John Peel and several tons of shredded paper

PLAY LIST
1. In a rut: BY THE RUTS
2. Trail and crosses: BY LEE SCRATCH PERRY
3. Fix: BY NOTS
4. Bastard son of a teddy boy: BY BAD SAM
5. Capitol radio: BY THE CLASH
6. Mountain of soul: BY TOMMY PAXTON
7. In cold blood: BY MECCA AND CODE
8. Transmetro politan: BY THE POGUES
9. Strictly hardcore: BY GOLDBLADE
10. Walk with me: BY ROGER ROBINSON
11. Hey Joe: BY LEAVES
12. Mr jolly fucker: BY THE SLEAFORD MODS
13. Babylon gorgon: BY BAGS
14. Democracy: BY THE DAMNED
15. Autographs: BY CITIZEN FISH
16. Accountability starts with me: BY GIT SOME
17. Sweet loaf: BY THE BUTTHOLE SURFERS

First broadcast on community radio station www.dapperfm.co.uk

Show sponsored by Rhondda Cynon Taff UNISON, the union for public sector groovers

Watch out for forthcoming film about TJs from film maker Nathan Jennings

Ginger John with two of his musical heroes
Ginger John with two of his musical heroes
interviews, news, radio shows

IGUANA RADIO SPECIAL – Simon Philips – Cheap Sweaty Special Guest

On 23rd February 2016 Peppermint Iguana once again sneak in an extra radio show with a special guest dropping in to shoot the breeze and talk about life, the universe and seven inch vinyl.

Our ‘Star on the reasonably priced radio show’ will be none other than Simon Philips, record dealer, gig promoter and all round eminence grease.

Simon started out with Rockaway Records, a small record stall in Newport Provisions Market, and ended up organising record fairs the length and breadth of the UK. Along the way he casually put Newport on the map and played a major role in making Newport’s TJs Legendary throughout the world.

With no ambitions other than to get some of his favourite bands to play his home town, with a cheap ticket price, he played host to names that went on to take the world by storm, from local boys Dub War and Sixty Foot Dolls, to the likes of Therapy? Bad Brains, Green Day, the Misfits and The Melvins.

Expect two and a bit hours of three old mates chatting about Newport, obscure punk rock and obsessive record collecting – oh, and playing some notable tunes from back in the day.

If you want to interact during the show via facebook, go to our event page or twitter @clintiguana

To tune in, go to www.dapperfm.co.uk from 8pm on Tuesday 23rd February 2016.

As usual, thanks to our sponsors, Rhondda Cynon Taff UNISON, the union for public sector groovers.

blog, interviews, news

Peppermint Iguana meets Velvet Coalmine in a pub

Blackwood is as cultural as f**K. And if you need proof, check out the Velvet Coalmine Festival, which takes place each September. It features fifty live bands, DJs, film screenings, workshops and much more.

Highlights for the 2015 festival, which takes place between 1st and 6th September, include gigs with Dub War, Slaves, Commander Boom, Houdini Dax, The Johnstown Flood, the Noses and a massive coup in the shape of US legends The Meat Puppets playing their first ever Welsh gig. There will also be film screenings with Don Letts and Viv Albertine will be doing a Q+A.

We had hoped to get Iain Richards, the driving force behind the event, to join us on the radio show, but it clashes with the opening of the festival (some people need to get their priorities right). So instead we headed to the pub for a chat about the 2015 festival. We picked early evening on a quiet night in a quiet pub? What could possibly go wrong? Well a birthday party for a start. Anyway — here is an audio recording of the chat warts and all.

Peppermint Iguana meets the Velevet Coalmine in a pub by Peppermintiguanaradio on Mixcloud