
Rip Rig + Panic were an English post-punk band founded in 1980 The band were named after a jazz album of the same name by Roland Kirk. They were formed by Sean Oliver (bass), Mark Springer (piano, sax, vocals), Gareth Sager (guitar, sax, keyboards, vocals) and Bruce Smith (drums, percussion) - the latter two formerly of The Pop Group) - with singer Neneh Cherry. Other members included saxophonist Flash (David Wright), singer Andi Oliver, trumpeter David De Fries, and viola-player Sarah Sarhandi.
The group strayed from more conventional post-punk, mixing avant-garde elements with jazz and led by Cherry's innovative pop/soul singing style. Their second album, I Am Cold, included a number of tracks featuring jazz trumpeter Don Cherry (Neneh Cherry's stepfather). They also appeared with Nico on a BBC Radio session.
In the mid 80's, Rip Rig + Panic split and re-aligned as the smaller Float Up CP and produced the album Kill Me in the Morning, but amicably dissolved shortly thereafter.
Links to Peel[]
Peel played a fair amount of their material in the first half of the 1980s. The band did 2 sessions for his shows, and another one after they became Float Up CP, but he doesn't seem to have revisited their work in later years.
Sessions[]
1. Recorded: 1981-09-14. Broadcast: 21 September 1981. Repeated: 08 October 1981, 20 October 1981, 28 December 1981. Available on John Peel Session (14th September 1981) digital EP, 2009 (EMI UK)
- Symphony In Dave's Flat / A Grand Grin And A Shaky Smile Please Mr Barman / Pullover No Sox
2. Recorded: 1982-06-19. Broadcast: 12 July 1982. Repeated: 10 August 1982
- What Are The Toads Doing So Far From The Swamp? / Instant Sin Sheds Skin / Blasø
1. Recorded: 1984-09-19. Broadcast: 26 September 1984. Repeated: 09 October 1984, 04 December 1984
- Pray For This / Sexy Bushes / You Make Me Wet
Other Shows Played[]
- Rip Rig + Panic
Rip Rig & Panic - Go Go Go This Is It
- 01 September 1981: It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Brrod (album - God) Virgin V 2213
- 03 September 1981 (BFBS): Go, Go, Go! (This Is It) (7") Virgin
- 09 September 1981: Go, Go, Go! (This Is It) (7") Virgin
- 10 September 1981 (BFBS): Constant Drudgery Is Harmful To Soul, Spirit & Health (album - God) Virgin V 2213
- 10 September 1981 (BFBS): Those Eskimo Women Speak Frankly (album - God) Virgin V 2213
- 10 September 1981 (BFBS): Shadows Only There Because Of Sun (album - God) Virgin V 2213
- 14 September 1981: Totally Naked (Without Lock Or Key) (album - God) Virgin V 2213
- 17 September 1981 (BFBS): It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Brrod (album - God) Virgin V 2213
- 23 September 1981: Those Eskimo Women Speak Frankly (album - God) Virgin V 2213
- 24 September 1981 (BFBS): The Ultimate In Fun (Is Going To The Disco With My Baby) (7" - Go, Go, Go! (This Is It)) Virgin
- 24 September 1981 (BFBS): Totally Naked (Without Lock Or Key) (album - God) Virgin V 2213
- 24 September 1981 (BFBS): Try Box Out Of This Box (album - God) Virgin V 2213
- 18 November 1981: Bob Hope Takes Risks (7") Virgin VS 468
- 29 November 1981 (BFBS): Bob Hope Takes Risks (7") Virgin VS 468
- 14 December 1981: unknown
- 17 December 1981 (BFBS): Bob Hope Takes Risks (7") Virgin VS 468
- 06 January 1982 (BFBS): Bob Hope Takes Risks (12") Virgin VS 468(12)
- 27 April 1982: Bob Hope Takes Risks
- 01 June 1982: You're My Kind Of Climate (single) Virgin
- 16 June 1982 (BFBS): You're My Kind Of Climate (7") Virgin VS 507
- 21 June 1982: Hunger (The Ocean Roars It Bites) (album - I Am Cold) Virgin V 222
- 23 June 1982 (BFBS): You're My Kind Of Climate (7") Virgin VS 507
- 11 July 1982 (BFBS): Storm The Reality Asylum (album - I Am Cold) Virgin V 2228
- 14 July 1982: Bob Hope Takes Risks
- 29 July 1982 (BBC World Service): Epi Epi Arp Woosh! (album - I Am Cold) Virgin V 2228
- 11 August 1982 (BFBS): Warm; To The If In Life (album - I Am Cold) Virgin V 2228
- 01 September 1982 (BFBS): Storm The Reality Asylum (album - I Am Cold) Virgin V 2228
- 23 November 1982: You're My Kind Of Climate (Party Mix) (v/a album - Methods Of Dance Volume 2) Virgin
- 21 February 1983: Beat The Beast (Sob Sob I'm Gonna Jail This Hell Hole Itch) (7") Virgin VS 577
- 26 February 1983 (BFBS): Beat The Beast (Sob Sob I'm Gonna Jail This Hell Hole Itch) (7") Virgin VS 577
- 10 April 1983 (BFBS): Keep The Sharks From Your Heart (album - Attitude) Virgin V 2268
- 19 April 1983: Alchemy In This Cemetry (album - Attitude) Virgin V 2268
- 24 May 1983 (Mark Ellen sitting in): Sunken Love (album - Attitude) Virgin V 2268
- 25 May 1983 (Mark Ellen sitting in): Keep the Sharks From Your Heart (album - Attitude) Virgin V 2268
- 21 October 1984 (BFBS): Bob Hope Takes Risks (Edit) (7") Virgin VS 468
- 04 December 1984: Bob Hope Takes Risks (7") Virgin VS 468
- Float Up CP
Float Up CP - Joy's Address
- The Peel Tapes Vol.2: Joy's Address (7") Rough Trade
- 02 July 1984 (BBC World Service): Joy's Address (12") Rough Trade RTT 150
- 04 July 1984 (BFBS): Joy's Address (12") Rough Trade RTT 150
- 18 July 1984: Joy's Address (7") Rough Trade
- 06 August 1984: Joy's Address (7") Rough Trade
- 10 September 1984: Joy's Address (7") Rough Trade
- 26 October 1985 (BFBS): Ghost Train Drive
- 28 October 1985 (BBC World Service): Ghost Train Dive (LP - Kill Me In The Morning) Rough Trade
- 30 December 1985 (BBC World Service): Chemically Wet (LP - Kill Me In The Morning) Rough Trade
- 13 January 1986: Secret Desire (LP - Kill Me In The Morning) Rough Trade
- 15 August 1990: 'Chemically Wet (LP-Kill Me in The Morning)' (Rough Trade)