A slightly modified version of Life was released in North
America. It dropped the track "Besides Me" and added "Commercial Rain"
(a re-recorded version of a B-side to the "Joe" single) and three tracks from their then-forthcoming Island Head EP.
As the 80s ended and the 90s began, a new wave of
bands and sounds emerged overnight in Manchester. It wasn’t as
straightforward as that though. November 1989 saw a landmark edition of
Top Of The Pops with both The Stone Roses and Happy Mondays making
memorable appearances. This was viewed by many as the beginning of
Madchester and while the Stone Roses and Happy Mondays had been making waves first locally then
nationally, and finally internationally, the Inspiral Carpets were seen in some quarters as an odd rare band.
Their origins began
way back in October 1981. Tony Feeley, Glenn Chesworth, Tony Welsh and
Graham Lambert first performed under that name in Feeley’s garage. The
band proper got going in 1983 with Stephen Holt taking over from Graham
on vocal duties and Dave Swift joining them on bass. By 1986, the band
had begun gigging around Oldham and at one show. Soon
after Clint Boon began helping them out and recording their demos at
his studio in Guide Bridge Mill. With a steady line up, the band began gigging and recording regularly;
their eleven track demo tape Dung 4 captures their early sound perfectly
and indeed several songs from that demo later emerged on Life. This
latest demo attracted much praise and the band began attracting bigger
crowds and a strong local following.
In September, the band began recording
sessions with Nick Garside at Out Of The Blue Studios in Ancoats for
what would become the thirteen tracks that would make up Life. On top of
that they signed a record deal with the UK’s biggest independent label
Mute which allowed them to keep their own Cow imprint.
Inspiral Carpets performed on
BBC2’s alternative music show, Snub TV. Recorded live, the single "This Is How It Feels." and the rest was history. The album opener was the gentle, keyboard arpeggio, "Real Thing", then Martyn's bass gets "Song For A Family"
underway. Recorded initially for a Peel Session, the song was
about a working class family going about their business. The opening strains of "This Is How It Feels" are familiar to everyone,
such was the success and continued popularity of the tune, even 35 years
on, the track was in a league of its own. It propelled
the band to stardom, Smash Hits, Top of The Pops appearances and lots of
national press.
"Directing Traffic" picks up where This Is How It Feels left off. Another
great band performance, driven along by Martyn Walsh's outstanding bass
lines, much like Peter Hook and John Entwistle, Walsh often played lead
bass; songs were carried on his bass lines. "Besides Me" opens with some great guitar work from Graham and is the
fastest song on the album. It’s possibly the best example on the album
of that classic 60s garage sound so admired by Clint. "Many Happy Returns" slows the pace down and brings
side one of the LP to a close. "Memories of
You." It’s the oldest tune on the album, being
based on Clint's pre-Inspirals project with Mani - The Mill - and an
old 1986 demo from the Inspirals. "She Comes
In The Fall" was a released as a single, backed with the excellent
Commercial Rain, and was a bit hit in the summer
"Monkey On My Back" was another two minute garage pop tune, and originally
featured in the debut Peel session two years before. "Sun Don't Shine" is an REM influenced tune and one of
the oldest on the album, originally being recorded in 1987 and
appearing on the seminal Dung 4 demo tape. It’s both the lightest and
most poignant song on the album. Tom’s vocals are the highlight and one
of his best. "Inside My Head" and finally what it was considered the highlight of the record "Sackville" tells the harrowing tale of prostitutes working in the
red-light district of Manchester, Sackville Street. It was also where
the band had their office.
Life debuted in the UK charts at number 2. It was an incredible achievement. They were only held off the top spot by a Carpenters compilation. Also in the chart that week was the Lou Reed / John Cale album Songs For Drella. It entered at number 22. With the Inspirals all being big Velvet Underground fans, they must have been in awe of their chart position. Given their modesty though, perhaps not. Their new deal with Mute allowed distribution worldwide with Japanese and American versions of Life featuring additional tunes such as Commercial Rain and Whiskey.
