During the late 80s UK music scene, the city of Manchester and its surrounds spawned a host of exciting new bands and the Inspiral Carpets were at the head of the pack alongside Happy Mondays, James, the Stone Roses and 808 State. The band was formed in Oldham by school-friends Graham Lambert (guitar) and Stephen Holt (vocals). They were joined by drummer Craig Gill and performed in their hometown Oldham with various other members until they were joined by organist Clint Boon (b. 28 June 1959, Oldham, Lancashire, England) and bass player David Swift. Boon, whose Doors-influenced playing later became the band's trademark, met the other members when they began rehearsing at his studio in Ashton-under-Lyne. Their debut EP, Planecrash, was released by the independent label Playtime, and they were consequently asked to record a John Peel session for BBC Radio 1.
In 1988, there was an acrimonious split between the band and label and between the various members. Holt and Swift were replaced by Tom Hingley (b. 9 July 1965, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England) and Martyn Walsh, formerly with local bands Too Much Texas and the Next Step, respectively. The band formed their own label, Cow Records, and after a string of well-received singles signed a worldwide contract with Mute Records. "This Is How It Feels" was a hit and Life was critically acclaimed for its mixture of sparkling pop and occasional experimental flashes. Further singles had less impact and The Beast Inside received a mixed response, some critics claiming the band were becoming better known for their merchandise, like T-shirts and promotional milk bottles. The T-shirts bearing the immortal words "Cool as Fuck!" inevitably aroused considerable controversy, particularly when a fan was arrested for causing offence by wearing such a garment.
Afterwards the band journeyed onwards without ever arousing the same level of interest, though both Revenge Of The Goldfish (1992) and Devil Hopping (1994) had their moments. "Bitch's Brew", from the former, stronger album, was a classy stab at Rolling Stones-styled sweeping pop revival, though elsewhere too many songs continued to be dominated by Boon's organ, which, once a powerful novelty, now tended to limit the band's songwriting range. The band was released from Mute Records in 1995 with their former company issuing an epitaph in the shape of The Singles. Boon set up the highly enjoyable Clint Boon Experience, while Hingley embarked on a solo career and started his own record label Newmemorabilia. The quintet reunited in 2003 to tour in support of a retrospective box set.
