C86 Show - Indie Pop

Mambo Taxi special with Lenie Mets in conversation with David Eastaugh

Mambo Taxi were inspired by the UK garage rock scene and US punk. They formed after Lenie was invited to join Anjali, Ella, Andrea and Delia - who were all living together (bar Delia) in a squat in Islington- to form a band. They became part of a vibrant music scene in the early 1990s which centered around three indie labels in London at the time, namely Clawfist, Too Pure and Wiiija. Their sound was a mixture of garage, punk, and pop and they had links to British riot grrrl bands such as Huggy Bear. Drummer Anjali Bhatia left in 1992 in order to form the Voodoo Queens and guitarist Ella Guru joined her in 1993. The other members of the 1992 line-up appearing on the first single - a double 'A' side of "Prom Queen" written by Anjali and "Insecure" written by Lenie - were: Lenie (lead vocal/bass), Delia (guitar/vocals) and Andrea (organ/vocals). Karin Rapp (drums/vocals) joined the band from the second single onwards.

The Pooh Sticks with Hue Williams - Part 2 - in conversation with David Eastaugh

Pooh Sticks special with Hue Williams Part 1 - in conversation with David Eastaugh

The Pooh Sticks were an indie pop band from Swansea, Wales recording between 1988 and 1995. They were notable for their jangly melodiousness and lyrics gently mocking the indie scene of the time such as on "On Tape", "Indiepop Ain't Noise Pollution" and "I Know Someone Who Knows Someone Who Knows Alan McGee Quite Well". The band changed direction on their 1991 U.S breakthrough The Great White Wonder, eschewing the 'twee' British indie pop sound for a more American-styled power pop sound, akin to bands like Jellyfish and Redd Kross. Subsequent albums Million Seller, released on 11 January 1993, considered by some power pop fans to be the band's best work, and Optimistic Fool, released on 24 April 1995, followed in this style.

Madder Rose special with Billy Cote in conversation with David Eastaugh

Madder Rose was a New York City-based alternative rock band who recorded in the 1990s. After a 20-year hiatus, a new album was released in September 2019. The band was fronted by Mary Lorson, who shared songwriting duties with guitarist Billy Coté. The two singer/songwriters continued their collaboration after Madder Rose disbanded, Coté as guitarist and producer on Lorson's three album with Saint Low, Lorson as guest vocalist on Coté's Jazz Cannon album.

The Perfect Disaster with Phil Parfitt in conversation with David Eastaugh

The first incarnation of the band was named Orange Disaster, with Parfitt joined by Ken Renny (bass), and Alison Pate (guitar). This line-up released a seven-inch EP called "Something's Got To Give" on Neuter Records, Catalogue Number OD 01. Often mislabeled as 1982 - the release date that is given on the labels is 1.9.1980 (1 September 1980). After this they changed their name to The Architects of Disaster. Parfitt was then joined by Tony Pettitt (bass), Nod Wright (drums) and Paul Wright (guitar). This line-up disbanded, having released one single, "Cucumber Sandwich"/"Friendly Fire." Nod Wright and Tony Pettit then left to form Fields of the Nephilim with Parfitt recruiting Grant Davidson (bass) and later John Saltwell (bass), Dan Cross (guitar), and Malcolm Catto (drums).^[1] They returned in 1984 as The Perfect Disaster, with an eponymous debut album issued on the French Kampa label in 1985. In 1987, the band signed to Glass Records, which reissued their debut album, and followed it with a twelve-inch EP later that year. There were further line-up changes when Saltwell and Pate departed, replaced by multi-instrumentalist Josephine Wiggs. The band moved on to Fire Records, releasing the Asylum Road album in 1988. Catto also left, with Phil Outram and Martin Langshaw joining for their third album, Up, which reached number fifteen on the UK Indie Chart, and saw the band touring with The Jesus and Mary Chain. In 1989, Wiggs left to join The Breeders, with Saltwell returning. In 1990, the band issued the Rise EP, and a final album, Heaven Scent, before splitting up the following year

The Cockettes with Pam Tent in conversation with David Eastaugh

The Cockettes were an avant garde psychedelic hippie theater group founded by Hibiscus(George Edgerly Harris III)^[1] in the fall of 1969. The troupe was formed out of a group of hippie artists, men and women, who were living in Kaliflower, one of the many communes in Haight-Ashbury, a neighborhood of San Francisco, California. Hibiscus came to live with them because of their preference for dressing outrageously and proposed the idea of putting their lifestyle on the stage.

Their brand of theater was influenced by The Living Theater, John Vaccaro's Play House of the Ridiculous, the films of Jack Smith and the LSD ethos of Ken Kesey's Merry Pranksters. The troupe performed all original material, staging musicals with original songs. The first year they parodied American musicals and sang show tunes (or original musical comedies in the same vein). They gained an underground cult following that led to mainstream exposure.

Flying Nun Records special with Roger Shepherd in conversation with David Eastaugh

The label was formed in the wake of a flurry of new post-punk-inspired labels forming in New Zealand in the early 1980s, in particular Propeller Records in Auckland. The intention was to record the original local music of Christchurch, but soon the label rose to national prominence by championing the emerging music of Dunedin.

The Pin Group's "Ambivalence" 7" (the first band of Roy Montgomery) was the first release from Flying Nun, although it is widely assumed that "Tally Ho" by The Clean was the first release, as it unexpectedly reached number nineteen in the New Zealand charts, bringing the label unanticipated profile and income. This was followed by the seminal Dunedin Double, a release which cemented the place of the southern city in the forefront of New Zealand independent music. Flying Nun moved into the full-length album market in 1982 with the Ego Gratification Album by Chris Knox and Beatin Hearts by Builders (recorded 1982, Auckland).

Many of the most prominent kiwi rock and alternative bands have been signed to Flying Nun at some stage in their careers. In 2000, Australian youth radio network Triple J produced a list of the thirty "Greatest New Zealand acts of all time", twenty of which were Flying Nun artists. The label has been home to various styles of music, including the much-debated Dunedin sound, "high-end pop with a twist", lo-fi experimentation, strongly Velvet Underground-influenced pop, minimalism, industrial, and rock-electronic crossover.

The Hepburns special with Matt Jones in conversation with David Eastaugh

The Hepburns are a Welsh indie band from Llanelli, South-West Wales. They have recorded twelve albums, two EPs, one single, and three BBC sessions and have been signed to Berkeley-based label Radio Khartoum since 1999. They toured the United States and Scandinavia in 2007. 'Electric Lliedi Land' is due for release in September 2020.  

The Fabulous Poodles special with Bobby Valentino in conversation with David Eastaugh

Valentino's first success was as a founding member of The Fabulous Poodles, but he is most often recognised as the violinist and co-writer of the hit single "Young at Heart", by The Bluebells.

After leaving the Fabulous Poodles in the early 1980s, Valentino was a member of the Electric Bluebirds before joining the Hank Wangford Band at the beginning of 1984: the British country band already included pedal steel guitarist B. J. Cole (Cochise) and former Liverpool Scene/Scaffold/ guitarist Andy Roberts.

The Verlaines special with Graeme Downes in conversation with David Eastaugh

The Verlaines were noted for their angular, "difficult" song structures, wordy and downbeat lyrics, unusual subject matter, which was all contained in often frantic up-tempo playing. The Verlaines were led by songwriter and vocalist/guitarist Graeme Downes, although many other New Zealand musicians played guitar, bass, drums and brass instruments during the different stages of the band. Downes is an academic at the University of Otago, where he is head of the Department of Music. He teaches contemporary music and has research interests in Mahler and Shostakovich. He has released one solo album, Hammers and Anvils, which came out on Matador Records in 2001.

Their signature songs include "Death and the Maiden", "C.D. Jimmy Jazz & Me", "Bird-dog" and "Ballad of Harry Noryb."

The band's recorded debut was on the seminal Dunedin Double EP, which was released by Flying Nun Records and was the debut of several bands who would go on to be central to the mythology of the Dunedin sound.

In 2003, a career retrospective, You're Just Too Obscure for Me, was released.

The Verlaines contributed the soundtrack to the film Eden, collaborating with actor Adetokunbo Adu, and screenwriter Rebecca Tansley. A song from Eden, What Sound is This? appeared on their album Untimely Meditations in 2012.

New Fast Automatic Daffodils special with Andy Spearpoint in conversation with David Eastaugh

The band was formed in 1988 by former members of the punk rock group Pariah.^[1] Dolan Hewison, Justin Crawford, Perry Saunders and Icarus Wilson-Wright were former students at Manchester Polytechnic, while Andy Spearpoint attended drama school. The name comes from a poem by Adrian Henri that mixed an advertisement for a yellow Dutch car with a Wordsworth poem. Often associated with the 'Madchester' scene of the late 1980s, but never really part of that scene,^[3] the band's debut single, "Lions" was released in 1989 on Playtime records (then home to Inspiral Carpets), followed the same year by the Music Is Shit EP. In 1990, they signed to Play It Again Sam (record label)|Play It Again Sam Records, September of that year seeing the release of "Fishes Eyes", and debut album Pigeonhole appearing in November, which reached the UK top 50.

Bush Tetras special with Cynthia Sley in conversation with David Eastaugh

Bush Tetras are an American post-punk band from New York City, formed in 1979. They are best known for the 1980 song "Too Many Creeps", which exemplified the band's sound of "jagged rhythms, slicing guitars, and sniping vocals". Although they did not achieve mainstream success, the Bush Tetras were influential and popular in the Manhattan club scene and college radio in the early 1980s.^[1] New York's post-punk revival of the 2000s was accompanied by a resurgence of interest in the genre, with the Tetras' influence heard in many of that scene's bands.

Tenpole Tudor special with Edward Tudor-Pole in conversation with David Eastaugh

Tenpole Tudor formed in 1977 when Tudor-Pole (vocals/saxophone) met guitarist Bob Kingston, bassist Dick Crippen, and drummer Gary Long. They played regularly for several years until Tudor-Pole himself (under the moniker of Eddie Tenpole) came to prominence by appearing in the 1980 film, The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle (filmed in 1978). He was originally billed as a replacement for Sex Pistols singer Johnny Rotten — performing the songs "Who Killed Bambi?", "The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle" and a cover version of "Rock Around The Clock" for the film and subsequent soundtrack — however, managerMalcolm McLaren and the remaining Sex Pistols instead decided to abandon the group and go their own ways.

Spike Williams in conversation with David Eastaugh

Welsh guitarist and co-founder of South Wales' record label, Z Block Records. In May 1979, Z Block set up a base in Splott, Cardiff, where they set about organising the city's first DIY compilation LP. Titled Is The War Over?, this seminal compilation was released in October 1979 and its release brought The Young Marble Giants to Rough Trade's attention. It also showcased many of Cardiff's best post punk bands of the period. Reptile Ranch disbanded in 1980.

After the split of Young Marble Giants in 1980, Spike started writing with their vocalist, Alison Statton. Later that year, Alison merged this work with a London-based project which brought in Simon Emmerson to create a new band named Weekend. At the same time Spike was working in Cardiff with Lewis Mottram and Debbie Debris as Table Table. When Weekend split in 1983, Spike returned to Splott and formed Bomb and Dagger with singer Debbie Debris and a handful of Cardiff musicians - the original line-up included both Alison Statton and Phil Moxham, and Andrew Moxham.

Bomb and Dagger performed regularly throughout South Wales including the Brecon Jazz Festival before splitting up in 1989 following a gruelling European tour.

Spike moved to London in 1990 and worked with folk musician Charlotte Grieg. After an eight-year break, Spike and Alison Statton returned to the studio thanks to the support of Rough Trade founder, Geoff Travis. Between 1991 and 1997 Statton and Spike produced Weekend in Wales (EP) and two home made studio albums, Tidal Blues and The Shady Tree for Vinyl Japan.

In 2006, the Alison Statton & Spike material was re-released by LTM while the Weekend material was re-released by the Cherry Red record label.

Tim Scott McConnell in conversation with David Eastaugh

Tim Scott McConnell aka Tim Scott or Ledfoot is an American singer-songwriter and 12-string guitarist who performs since 2007 under the artist name Ledfoot and created the music genre Gothic blues. He calls himself the "Master of Gothic Blues". The artist's repertoire consists solely of self-written songs.

Two of his songs gained international popularity through other artists:

• "Swear" was covered by Sheena Easton for her 1984 album A Private Heaven.
• Bruce Springsteen recorded one of his songs, "High Hopes", on the Blood Brother EP (1996). The song, released by Springsteen as a single in November 2013, gave the title to his January 2014 studio album.

Department S special with Edward Barnes in conversation with David Eastaugh

Department S are a British post-punk/new wave band formed in 1980, who took their name from the 1960s TV series Department S. ^[1] They are best known for their debut single, "Is Vic There?", which was originally released in December 1980 and reached No. 22 on the UK Singles Chart the following year. Their latest album, When All Is Said and All Is Done, was released in 2016.

Robin Lee Crutchfield talking about his life with DNA, Dark Day and much more with David Eastaugh.

Robin Lee Crutchfield is an American artist. He is best known as one of the founding musicians of the former New York No Wave scene. He has performed at such hallowed musical grounds as CBGB's, Max's Kansas City and Artists Space; as well as had his work on display at prestigious venues like MoMAand The Whitney Museum of American Art.

Rockats special Smutty Smiff or Stephen Dennis Smith in conversation with David Eastaugh

In 1977, Childers had just finished the Anarchy tour with Sex Pistols, The Clash, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers. After the tour was over, Levi Dexter met Childers at a rockabilly concert in London. Childers decided to start a fresh project. Dexter and Smutty Smiff decided to form a band together, even though Smiff had no musical training. One week later, Childers purchased a double bass for Smiff and a first gig was booked in Max's Kansas City.

At about same time, when the band was accepted by local artists, musicians and photographers, Smiff became a model and a friend to photographers such as Andy Warhol, Mick Rock, Bob Gruen, Janette Beckman, and Robert Mapplethorpe

The Wendys with Jonathan Renton & Ian White Part 2 - in conversation with David Eastaugh

Formed in 1987, the Wendys were the second Scottish band to be signed to Factory Records, after The Wake. Their name came about after a nights drinking the evening before they were due to sign for Factory. They decided upon The Marys, but when the time came to sign for Factory, none of them could remember what they had decided upon. Believing they had chosen the Wendys, that's the name they registered. After the group opened for the Happy Mondays, Shaun Ryder's father suggested that they send in a demo tape. After they were signed to the label, Phil Saxe acted as their manager. Having felt at odds with the contemporary Scottish music scene, the Wendys found a common spirit among the Factory Records roster, saying they shared similar influences as their labelmates but still wanted to be known as their own distinct band

The Wendys with Jonathan Renton and Ian White (part 1) in conversation with David Eastaugh

Formed in 1987, the Wendys were the second Scottish band to be signed to Factory Records, after The Wake. Their name came about after a nights drinking the evening before they were due to sign for Factory. They decided upon The Marys, but when the time came to sign for Factory, none of them could remember what they had decided upon. Believing they had chosen the Wendys, that's the name they registered. After the group opened for the Happy Mondays, Shaun Ryder's father suggested that they send in a demo tape. After they were signed to the label, Phil Saxe acted as their manager. Having felt at odds with the contemporary Scottish music scene, the Wendys found a common spirit among the Factory Records roster, saying they shared similar influences as their labelmates but still wanted to be known as their own distinct band. Although they enjoyed critical acclaim with the release of their debut album Gobbledygook in 1991 (produced by Ian Broudie), they did not achieve the widespread popularity of labelmates such as New Order or the Happy Mondays. The timing of their album's release directly preceded the demise of the label, also hurting their chances at success. Following a long hiatus, the group released their second album Sixfootwingspan (originally intended to be called Sixfootwingspan Yoga Birds) in 1999.