Bad Taste - Side Quest Album Release w/ So And So and Cookie

Please join BAD TASTE this summer as they embark on a journey throughout Aotearoa. The duo composed of turntablist ALPHABETHEAD and lyricist YOUNG GHO$T are touring in support of SIDE QUEST, their upcoming debut album on vinyl! The album is a fantastical romp on horseback through a richly detailed, vinyl sampled Hip Hop landscape...

While working on their ‘serious’ album ‘BAD TASTE III’, the pair found themselves constantly distracted by a myriad of other musical pathways drawing them away from their main quest. Ghost would brush aside Alphie’s pre-chosen beats, preferring to pluck records straight from the shelf and create on the spot, fully embracing spontaneity and playfulness. Many of the verses were penned as the instrumentals took shape: stream-of-consciousness raps punctuated with surprising twists and turns. Fueled by millet porridge, fireball whisky and nature walks, SIDE QUEST is a love letter to distraction, imagination and letting curiosity, rather than prescription, be the guide.

The duo's previous work has been described as psychedelic hip hop, inspired in equal parts by MF Doom and King Crimson. These two influences still shine bright as guiding lights on this album, but this time Monty Python and Roger Dean are added to the brew. SIDE QUEST is the closest the duo have come to a concept album; the intent being cohesion; an ebbing and flowing, crate-digging, time travelling rap adventure. Every track is a new chapter, and amongst all the lyrical action, time is still taken to survey the vistas, break bread and pour potions.

To celebrate the release of this record, they’re travelling up and down the country, linking up with friends new and old to perform in some of their favourite places. They’ll be joined for much of the ride by So&So, a deft lyrical rapper with roots on both Te Whanganui-a-Tara and Whanganui, as well as local heroes in each town they visit.

BAD TASTE are known for their energetic and theatrical live shows, with the combination of rapping and scratching forming a potent synergy. The pair has supported everyone from Odissee to Tamatha Paul, and they’ve performed at festivals such as Camp A Low Hum, Twisted Frequency, Welcome to Nowhere, Newtown Festival and Cuba Dupa.

These shows promise to be a delight to both the Hip Hop fan and the musically adventurous. BAD TASTE would love to see you! <3

SO&SO (Te Whakatōhea, Ngā Puhi, Ngāi Tūhoe) is a Wellington-based indigenous Hip Hop artist known for dynamic storytelling, genre-bending production, and authentic representation. A key figure in the city’s music scene since 2019, they have performed at major festivals including Tora Bombora, Twisted Frequency, Newtown Festival and Cuba Dupa. Beyond being a powerful lyricist and performer, So&So is also a band manager, event curator, producer, and independent recording artist.

Their latest release, “E Tu” is a powerful statement of Māori Hip Hop, created to
uplift indigenous voices globally. Drawing inspiration from artists like Roots Manuva, Kendrick Lamar, Glenn Miller, and J Dilla. The EP blends jazzy textures, boom-bap rhythms, and eclectic production. So&So writes, produces, and engineers every track, embodying full creative independence.

Lyrically, So&So explores themes of indigenous identity, cultural reclamation, mental health, and the intricacies of modern urban life. Storytelling is woven through the songs, often reflecting on whakapapa, belonging, and the tension between personal growth and societal expectations. The E Tu EP delves into resilience, community upliftment, and the affirmation of Māori voices in a changing world. So&So’s sound is for everyone—music that invites all listeners to connect and reflect: We are all just another So&So.

ALPHABETHEAD is the musical project of David Morrison, a producer and turntablist based in Whanganui.

At any point in time Alphabethead finds himself adrift in the musical cosmos, somewhere between the constellations of Hip Hop, Electronica and Experimental Rock. At the age of 18 Morrison won the 2002 New Zealand DMC DJ Championship and this title sent him performing across the globe. Over the next twenty years he would go on to make albums as Alphabethead, and as one third of cult genre-shredders The All Seeing Hand. David also contributed production or turntable scratching for Home Brew, Tourettes, Benny Tones, Death & The Maiden, The Etymologists (featuring Richard Nunns and David Long (The Mutton Birds) and The Village Of The Idiots. His musical prowess has led to tours through Aotearoa, Australia, UK and China and performances at festivals like WOMAD, Splore, Laneway and Camp A Low Hum.

YOUNG GHO$T is a true compiler of the obscure and the obvious; leaving no stone unturned on his quest of sonic exploration. The London-born lyricist moved from the UK to Aotearoa in 2011, and in this time has forged a reputation as a fierce live performer. The scope of his work is broad, and he thrives in open minded musical environments, operating without prejudice. He is comfortable both on the mic and the decks and has performed at some of Aotearoa’s most prominent club nights and festivals, as well as helping to expand the growing bass music scene in Te Whanganui-a-Tara through his production company, Ghost Media. As of 2026, he has also joined Public Service Center, the capital’s newest nightlife venue, operating as a musical curator.

Pōneke/Wellington | Wed 25 Nov | San Fran w/ Staff After Party
Cook Straight | Thu 3 Dec | The Interislander w/ So&So
Ōtepoti/Dunedin | Fri 4 Dec | Pearl Diver w/ So&So & Cookie
Ōtautahi/Christchurch | Sat 5 Dec | Darkroom | w/ So&So, Kommi & Infordin
Tākaka | Sun 6 Dec | Roots Bar w/ So&So & Simloco
Pōneke/Wellington | Wed 9 Dec | Meow Nui w/ The Pharcyde
Whanganui | Fri 18 Dec | Porridge Watson w/ So&So & The Main Event
Cobb Valley | Fri 1 Jan | Twisted Frequency