Melt-Banana

"“Simply one of the most extraordinary performances I have ever seen and ever heard ... just mesmerizing, absolutely astonishing.” (John Peel, after witnessing Melt-Banana's first live session at Maida Vale, 21 September 1999)"



High-speed Japanese noise punk trio based around the yelping vocals of Yasuko Onuki and shredding guitar of Ichirou Agata.

Peel was a huge admirer, describing them as "one of the world's great bands" (21 September 1999) and played them with great regularity from the 1990s onwards.

Tribute to Peel
(From the band's official site)

2004/11/12  ''Today is the funeral of Mr.John Peel. For us, he was like Santa Clause. We feel so maybe because of his beard and his big round eyes, but not only because of that, of course. He gave us many things and did many thing for us, and it is difficult for us to express how much we thank him. We don't know how and when he first found us, but it seemed that he knew about us from the very beginning, like, from our 1st album. He played our music many times on his radio show, and it helped spreading our music all over the world, which is amazing. Every time when we visited U.K. to tour, he had some special events for us. He gave us a opportunity to play real-time-on-air live show at BBC, and another time, he invited audience to the studio for our peel session. Last time when we saw him was when we played a show for the radio one show case in Brighton in 2003. He was smiling. Thanks, Mr.John Peel, for your love to our music. We miss you.''

MELT-BANANA 

Festive Fifty Entries

 * 1998 Festive Fifty: Stimulus For Revolting Virus #37
 * 1999 Festive Fifty: Plot In A Pot #38
 * 2003 Festive Fifty: Shield For Your Eyes #12

Sessions

 * Two sesssions, both live from Maida Vale. No known commercial release.

1. Recorded: 1999-09-21. First broadcast: 21 September 1999. Repeated: 30 August 2000 2. Recorded: 2001-10-03. First broadcast: 03 October 2001. Repeated:
 * Scrubber / Scratch Or Stitch! / F.D.C. For Short / Rragg / Disposable Weathercock / Shoot The Moon / Stimulus For Revolting Virus / His Name Is Mickey / We Love Choco-Pa! / Some Kind of ID / First Defy / So Unfilial Rule / Tapir's Flown Away / Zip Zero / Circle-Jack (Chase The Magic Words, Lego Lego) / Spathic!! / Mind Thief / Dead Spex / Picnic In Panic / Plot In A Pot
 * WEDGE / Seesaw Seminology / RRaGG / FDC For Short / Free The Bee / Flash Cube Or Eyeball / Ethar Twisted / First Contact To Planet Q / Warp, Back Spin / Third Attack / Flip And Hit / Stimulus For Revolting Virus / Tintarella di Luna / Lost In Mirror / Spathic / Plot In A Pot

(Please correct mistakes and add any missing info)

Live
30 October 2003: Live at Concorde 2, Brighton, for One Live


 * 1) Sheild For Your Eyes
 * 2) F D C For Short
 * 3) Rragg
 * 4) Free The Bee
 * 5) Circle Jack
 * 6) First Contact To Planet Q
 * 7) Warp Back Spin
 * 8) Dreamer Who Is Too Weak To Face Up
 * 9) Chainshot To Have Some Fun
 * 10) His Name Is Mickey Act Last She Got Him
 * 11) We Love Choco Pa
 * 12) So Unfilial Rule
 * 13) Some Kind Of Id
 * 14) First Defy
 * 15) Zoo No Vacancy
 * 16) Scrubber
 * 17) Flip And Hit
 * 18) Iguana In Trouble
 * 19) Lost Parts Stinging Me So Cold
 * 20) Get The Head Back
 * 21) Hunter In The Rain
 * 22) Like A White Bat In A Box

Other Shows Played
The list below was compiled from the database of this site and Lorcan's Tracklistings Archive via John Peel Wiki Tracklistings Search. Please fill in any missing information.

1995


 * 11 August 1995: 'Scissor Quiz (Compilation CD-Maboroshi No Sekai Samples)' (Maboroshi No Sekai)

1996


 * 23 March 1996 (BFBS): 'Disposable Weathercock (LP-Scratch Or Stitch)' (Skin Graft)
 * 06 April 1996 (BFBS): 'Scratch Or Stitch! (LP-Scratch Or Stitch)' (Skin Graft)
 * 27 April 1996 (BFBS): 'It's In The Pillcase (LP-Scratch Or Stitch)' (Skin Graft)
 * 28 April 1996: 'Type B For Me (LP-Scratch Or Stitch)' (Skin Graft)
 * 04 May 1996 (BFBS): 'Ten Dollars A Pile (LP-Scratch Or Stitch)' (Skin Graft)
 * 08 June 1996: 'His Name Is Mickey [At Last She Got Him..] (LP-Scratch Or Stitch)' Skin Graft

1997


 * 09 April 1997: ‘$10 A Pile [Ax Version] (7 inch)' (Gentle Giant)
 * 02 December 1997: Neck On Me (LP: Melt Banana & Stilluppst) SOMETHING WEIRD
 * 03 December 1997: Stop The Cook Cu Test (LP: Melt Banana & Stilluppst) SOMETHING WEIRD

1998


 * 07 January 1998: It's Not My Fault (LP: Melt-Banana/Stilluppatoypa) SOMETHING WEIRD
 * 05 March 1998: I Say 'Shoot' (LP: Melt Banana) SOMETHING WEIRD
 * 17 March 1998: Mostly Wanted World (7" joint with Kill Out Trash)
 * 02 June 1998: Sick Zip Everywhere (LP: Scratch Or Stitch) Skin Graft
 * 06 October 1998: Circle Jack (Chase The Magic Words Lego Lego) (LP: Charlie) A-Zap
 * 13 October 1998: Tapir's Flown Away (LP: Charlie) A-Zap
 * 14 October 1998: FDC For Short (CD: Charlie) A-Zap
 * 20 October 1998: Cannot (CD: Charlie) A-Zap
 * 21 October 1998: Section 8 (CD: Charlie) A-Zap
 * 22 October 1998: Stimulus For Revolting Virus (CD: Charlie) A-Zap
 * 29 October 1998: ? (LP: Charlie) A-Zap
 * 03 November 1998: Giggle On The Stretcher (LP: Charlie) A-Zap
 * 05 November 1998: ? (CD: Charlie) A-Zap
 * 08 November 1998 (BFBS): 'Section Eight (CD-Charie)' (A-Zap)
 * 12 November 1998: Circle Jack (LP: Charlie) A-Zap
 * 17 November 1998: Spathic (LP: Charlie) A-Zap
 * 26 November 1998: Taen Taen Taen? (CD: Charlie) A-Zap
 * 29 November 1998 (BFBS): 'Section Eight (CD-Charlie)' (A-Zap)
 * 22 December 1998: 'Stimulus For Revolting Virus (CD-Charlie)' (A-Zap) 1998 Festive Fifty #37 (JP: 'People will accuse me of being wilfully obscure...my LP of the year, that one: it gave me as much pleasure as many and more than most.')

1999


 * 09 February 1999: Tail In Garbage (LP: Speak Squeak Creak) NUX ORGANIZATION
 * 24 February 1999: Mouse Is A Biscuit (LP: Speak Squeak Creak) NUX ORGANIZATION
 * 03 March 1999: Bragg (LP: Speak Squeak Creak) NUX ORGANIZATION
 * 09 March 1999: Surfin' USA (LP: Mxbx 1998/13000 Miles At Light Velocity) Tzadik
 * 10 March 1999: Rragg (LP: MXBX 1998/13000 Miles At Light Velocity) Tzadik
 * 11 March 1999: Circle Jack (Chase The Magic Words, Lego, Lego) (CD – MXBX 1998: 13,000 Miles At Light Velocity) Tzadik
 * 16 March 1999: Sick Zip Everywhere (CD: MXBX 1998/13000 Miles At Light Velocity) Tzadik
 * 17 March 1999: Disposable Weathercock (CD: MXBX 1998/13000 Miles At Light Velocity) Tzadik
 * 24 March 1999: Mind Thief (CD: MXBX 1998/13000 Miles At Light Velocity) Tzadik
 * 30 March 1999: Blandished Hatman (Album - MXBX 199813,000 Miles At Light Velocity) (Tzadik) - Discusses a visit to House of Commons where some MPs ask him what they should be listening to; JP recommends Melt Banana.
 * 31 March 1999: Iguana In Trouble (LP: 13000 Miles At Light Velocity) Tzadik
 * 06 April 1999: His Name Is Mickey (At Last She Got Him) (LP: 13000 Miles At Light Velocity) Tzadik
 * 07 April 1999: We Love Choco-Pa (LP: 13000 Miles At Light Velocity) Tzadik
 * 08 April 1999: Some Kind Of ID (LP: 13000 Miles At Light Velocity) Tzadik
 * 13 April 1999: Scrubber (LP: 13000 Miles At Light Velocity) Tzadik
 * 14 April 1999: Screw Loose (LP: 13000 Miles At Light Velocity) Tzadik
 * 20 April 1999: First Defy (LP: 13000 Miles At Light Velocity) Tzadik
 * 21 April 1999: So Unfilia Rule (LP - 13000 Miles At Light Velocity) Tzadik
 * 27 April 1999: Picnic In Panic (LP - 13000 Miles At Light Velocity) Tzadik
 * 05 May 1999: Plot In A Pot (LP: MXBX 1998: 13000 Miles At Light Velocity) Tzadik
 * 13 May 1999: Wedge (7"-Eleventh) Slap A Ham Records
 * 18 May 1999: The Sound Waves Reversing (JP: ‘That’s Melt Banana going blerrrragh! to life.’)
 * 10 June 1999: A Finger To Hackle (LP – Scratch Or Stitch)
 * 09 September 1999: F. Part One (LP - Cactuses Come In Flocks) A-Zap
 * 14 September 1999: Unknown
 * 15 September 1999: To The Core (CD – Cactuses Come In Flocks) A-Zap
 * 16 September 1999: Shuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu (LP – Cactuses Come In Flocks) A-Zap
 * 22 September 1999: Shoot The Moon (EP – Dead Spex) HG Fact
 * 23 September 1999: Dead Spex (7" EP) HG Fact
 * 28 September 1999: Ethar Twisted (EP – Dead Spex) HG Fact
 * 29 September 1999: 1 to 11 (CD – Cactuses Come In Flocks) A-Zap
 * 30 September 1999: Y-Axis/Aquatic Bee (7” split single) Smelly
 * 06 October 1999: Bunny Wasted A Month Waiting (LP-Cactuses Come In Flocks) (A-Zap)
 * 28 October 1999: Sonic Brain Burst (7" EP)
 * 31 October 1999 (BFBS): 'Sonic Turtle (LP: Cactuses Come In Flocks) A-Zap
 * 11 November 1999: Ketchup-Mess (LP-Cactuses Come In Flocks) A-Zap
 * 16 November 1999: We Love Choco-Pal (LP: Cactuses Come In Flocks) A-Zap
 * 17 November 1999: No Way To Hear (LP: Cactuses Come In Flocks) A-Zap
 * 18 November 1999: We Had Tails In The Old Days (A-Zap)
 * 25 November 1999: So Far So Bad So What (LP: Cactuses Come In Flocks) A-Zap
 * 30 November 1999: I Hate It! (Long Version) (LP: Cactuses Come In Flocks) A-Zap
 * 02 December 1999: Who Cares (CD: Cactuses Come In Flocks) A-Zap
 * 07 December 1999: FMEYYD (LP: Cactuses Come In Flocks) A-Zap
 * 14 December 1999: Pie War (LP: Cactuses Come In Flocks) A-Zap
 * 23 December 1999: Plot In A Pot (Skin Graft Records) 1999 Festive Fifty #38

2000


 * 04 January 2000: Ants Living In a Narrow Box (LP: Cactuses Come In Flocks) A-Zap
 * 12 January 2000: Crayfish Song (LP: Cactuses Come In Flocks) A-Zap
 * 18 January 2000: '6 Feet Long For Her Neck (LP-Cactuses Come In Flocks)' (A-Zap)
 * 26 January 2000: Picnic with Panic (LP: Cactuses Come In Flocks) A-Zap
 * 16 May 2000: What Do You Slaughter Next? (LP: Scratch Or Stitch) Skin Graft
 * 04 July 2000: I Hate It (LP: Scratch Or Stitch) Skin Graft
 * 04 October 2000: Free the Bee (LP: Teeny Shiny) A-Zap
 * 05 October 2000: Flash Cube, or Eyeball (LP: Teeny Shiny) A-Zap
 * 11 October 2000: First Contact To Planet Q (LP: Teeny Shiny) A-Zap
 * 12 October 2000: Lost in Mirror (LP: Teeny Shiny) A-Zap
 * 17 October 2000: Warp, Back Spin (LP: Teeny Shiny) A-Zap
 * 25 October 2000: ?
 * 02 November 2000: Flip & Hit (CD: Teeny Shiny) A-Zap
 * 09 November 2000: Bright Splat (Red Point Black Dot) (LP: Teeny Shiny) A-Zap
 * 23 November 2000: Free The Bee (LP: Teeny Shiny) A-Zap
 * 29 November 2000: Flash Cube or Eyeball CD: Teeny Shiny A ZAP
 * 05 December 2000: 'Warp Back Spin (LP-Teeny Shiny)' (A-Zap)
 * 07 December 2000: 'Lost In Mirror (CD-Teeny Shiny)' (A-Zap)

2001


 * 04 July 2001: Rragg (LP - Speak Squeak Creak) A-Zap
 * 11 July 2001: Scrubber (LP - Speak Squeak Creak) A-Zap
 * 25 October 2001: 'Flip & Hit' (CD: Teeny Shiny) A-Zap
 * 28 November 2001: Capitol 1060 Hospital (split 7” single with Daemien Frost) Alpha Relish
 * 18 December 2001: Capital 1060 Hospital (split EP with Daemien Frost) Alpha Relish

2002


 * 15 January 2002: 'Crack Up To Planet Q' (Pandemonium Records)
 * 13 February 2002: Creeps In A White Cake (split 7" single with The Locust) GSL
 * 26 February 2002: 'Too Rough To Scoop (Find A Grain Of Greed)' (EP 'Split' (with The Locust) ) Gold Standard Laboratories
 * 16 May 2002 (Radio Mafia): Killer Queen (Three On G)
 * 30 May 2002 (Radio Mafia): Killer Queen (Three One G)
 * 22 May 2002: Killer Queen (LP – Dynamite With A Laserbeam: Queen As Heard Through The Meat Grinder Of Three One G) Three One G
 * 12 December 2002: 'Monkey Man (Split Melt Banana/Big D And The Kids Table EP)' (Fork In Hand)

2003


 * 01 January 2003: 'Alpha Boost (LP - Salvo Beta: Abrasive Stuttering)' (Some Odd Pilot)
 * 15 January 2003: 'Alpha Boost' (Someoddpilot Records) / 'Monkey Man (7")' (Fork in Hand)
 * 19 February 2003: Creeps In A White Cake (LP - Counter Culture 2002) Rough Trade Shops
 * 25 February 2003: Monkey Man/Operation 3rd Attack (7" single) Fork In Hand
 * 29 May 2003: 'Shield for your Eyes, A Beast in the Well of your Hand (LP- Cell Scape)' (AZAP Records)
 * 04 June 2003: 'A Dreamer Who is too Weak to up to (LP- Cell Scape)' (A Zap)
 * 05 June 2003: 'Lost Parts Stinging Me So Cold' (LP - Cell-scape) (A-Zap)
 * 10 June 2003: Like A White Bat In A Box, Dead Matters Go On (LP - Cell Scape) A-Zap
 * 12 June 2003: 'Like A White Bat In A Box Dead Matters Go On (LP- Cell Scape)' (A Zap Records)
 * 12 June 2003 (Radio Eins): 'Shield For Your Eyes, A Beast In The Well On Your Hand (LP-Cell-Scape)' (A-Zap)
 * 17 June 2003: 'Key Is A Fact That A Cat Brings (LP- Cell Scape)' (A Zap Records)
 * 18 June 2003: 'A Hunter In The Rain To Cut The Neck Up In The Present Stage (LP- Cell Scape)' (A Zap Records)
 * 25 June 2003: 'If It Is The Deep Sea, I Can See You There (LP- Cell Scape)' (A- Zap)
 * 03 July 2003 (Radio Eins): 'Like A White Bat In A Box, Dead Matters Go On (CD-Cell Scape)' (A-Zap)
 * 10 July 2003: Like A White Bat In A Box, Dead Matters Go On (LP - Cell Scape) A-Zap
 * 15 July 2003: 'Shield for your Eyes, A Beast in the Well on your Hand (LP- Cell Scape)' (A Zap)
 * 17 July 2003: 'A Dreamer Who Is Too Weak To Face Up To (LP - Cell-Scape)' (A-Zap)
 * 19 August 2003: 'A Hunter In The Rain To Cut The Neck Up In The Present Stage (LP- Cell Scape)' (A Zap)
 * 04 September 2003: 'Lost Parts Stinging Me So Cold (LP- Cell Scape)' (A Zap)
 * 17 September 2003: 'Key Is A Fact That A Cat Brings (LP- Cell Scape)' (A Zap)
 * 18 September 2003: 'Chain Shot To Have Some Fun' (LP - Cell Scape) (A-Zap)
 * 22 October 2003: 'Chain Shot To Have Some Fun (LP- Cell Scape) (A-Zap)
 * 28 October 2003: Key Is A Fact That Cat Brings (LP- Cell Scape) (A-Zap)
 * 04 November 2003:'A Hunter In The Rain To Cut The Neck Up In The Present Stage' (LP- 'Cell-Scape')' (A-Zap)
 * 25 December 2003: Shield For Your Eyes, A Beast In The Well On Your Hand (LP-Cell Scape)' (A-Zap) - Festive Fifty 2003 #12

2004


 * 02 June 2004: 'Key to Chase' (LP- US Pop Life Vol. 12: Tribute to Fort Thunder) - (Contact)
 * 28 October 2004: 'Shield For Your Eyes, A Beast In The Well On Your Hand (LP-Cell Scape)' A-Zap