Inspiral Carpets
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Headquarters | Oldham , England, United Kingdom |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Inspiral Carpets is a rock ensemble originating from Oldham, England, and played a significant role in the Madchester scene during the late 1980s and early 1990s. The group is distinguished by their fusion of organ melodies and distorted guitar sounds, heavily influenced by psychedelic rock. The lineup that achieved the most acclaim featured lead vocalist Tom Hingley, drummer Craig Gill, guitarist Graham Lambert, bassist Martyn Walsh, and keyboardist Clint Boon.
Originally named "The Furs," Lambert experimented with multiple lineups between 1980 and 1983 until he connected with singer Stephen Holt in 1983. Holt contributed vocals on the band's initial two indie singles but exited before they secured a deal with Mute Records. Subsequently, Hingley became the frontman but departed in 2011; the band later reunited with Holt. After drummer Gill passed away in 2016, the group remained dormant until announcing a UK tour scheduled for 2023.
Early years (1983–1995)
Graham Lambert founded Inspiral Carpets in 1983 alongside schoolmate Stephen Holt, initially embracing a garage rock and punk style. Early band members included drummer Chris Goodwin and bassist Tony Welsh. In 1986, Craig Gill took over drumming duties from Goodwin, and after Welsh left, several bassists rotated before Martyn Walsh joined alongside keyboardist Clint Boon. During the 1980s, the band released demo albums Waiting for Ours and Songs of Shallow Intensity.
Rising alongside contemporaries such as the Stone Roses and Happy Mondays within the Madchester movement, Inspiral Carpets gained recognition with their 1987 flexi-disc "Garage Full of Flowers" and followed with the Planecrash EP in 1988, which received airplay on BBC Radio 1. When their distributor Red Rhino Records folded, they launched their own label, Cow Records, releasing the Trainsurfing EP in 1989.
After Stephen Holt and bassist Dave Swift left to create the Rainkings, Tom Hingley and Martyn Walsh joined the lineup. The band signed to Mute Records and achieved UK top-40 hits including "This Is How It Feels," which reached No. 14; their debut album Life climbed to No. 2 on the UK charts in 1990.
Their sophomore album The Beast Inside, released in 1991, entered the top five but garnered mixed critical reactions; singles like "Caravan" and "Please Be Cruel" had moderate chart success. Although attempts to break into the US market were unsuccessful, they cultivated dedicated audiences in Portugal, Germany, and Argentina. The 1992 album Revenge of the Goldfish peaked at No. 17 in the UK and spawned four successful singles. Their fourth album Devil Hopping (1994) reached No. 10, featuring singles "Saturn 5" and "I Want You" (with Mark E. Smith) that both entered the top 20. However, their last single "Uniform" stalled at No. 51. After releasing a compilation titled Singles in 1995, Mute Records dropped them, which led to their disbandment.
A notable connection is that Noel Gallagher worked as a roadie for Inspiral Carpets prior to joining Oasis.
Post-split activities (1995–2003)
Following their breakup, Tom Hingley established the Lovers alongside Jerry Kelly from the Lotus Eaters, while Clint Boon formed the Clint Boon Experience, releasing singles under the Artful label. Craig Gill created Hustler—later rebranded as Proud Mary—which signed to Noel Gallagher's Big Brother label. Graham Walsh shifted his focus toward production work centered on techno and dance genres. Additionally, two former roadies achieved prominence: Mark Collins became a member of the Charlatans in 1991, while Noel Gallagher rose to fame with Oasis.
In 1999, Strange Fruit Records released a collection compiling BBC Radio 1 session recordings.
Reformation (2003–2011)
Inspiral Carpets came back together in 2003, quickly selling out their tours and releasing the single "Come Back Tomorrow" alongside several compilation albums, including the Cool As box set. Their touring schedule was sporadic, with a notable 2007 tour supporting an iTunes-exclusive collection of B-sides and rare tracks. In 2008, they embarked on a tour named "Return of the Cow," which also marked the revival of their Cow Records label.
Hingley leaves, Holt returns, and Gill's passing (2011–2016)
In February 2011, Tom Hingley parted ways with the band under somewhat ambiguous circumstances; while the band indicated it was a mutual decision, Hingley stated he had been dismissed. By August of that year, original vocalist Stephen Holt rejoined the lineup, with intentions to produce new recordings and undertake international tours.
For Record Store Day 2012, the group released a 7" single featuring "You're So Good For Me" and "Head for the Sun," accompanied by a UK tour—their first with Holt in over two decades—and they also appeared as special guests on a Happy Mondays tour. Throughout 2012, they performed at various festivals, including a prominent show at Old Trafford cricket ground.
April 2014 saw the reissue of Dung 4, a collection of early demo recordings available on both vinyl and CD. Later that year, Inspiral Carpets unveiled their first studio album in twenty years, self-titled Inspiral Carpets, through Cherry Red Records. The album combined previously released singles with ten new tracks, featuring a collaboration with punk poet John Cooper Clarke. Clint Boon described the album as eclectic, drawing inspiration from R.E.M., Joy Division, The Doors, Northern soul, and The Beach Boys. To promote the release, the band toured extensively across Europe and the UK.
Drummer Craig Gill passed away in November 2016 at age 44. His memorial service drew notable figures from the music industry such as Liam Gallagher and Mani. Following his death, fans initiated a campaign to propel Inspiral Carpets’ 1994 track "Saturn 5" to become the Christmas number-one single that year.
Reunion 2023
In October 2022, Inspiral Carpets announced a UK tour scheduled for March and April 2023; longtime bassist Martyn Walsh did not participate. Jake Fletcher filled in on bass for the tour while Kev Clark from Dub Sex took over drumming duties. In February 2023, plans were revealed for their first Australian tour in three decades along with debut performances in New Zealand set for August. A singles compilation spanning hits from 1988 to 2015—including remixes—was released in March 2023. During part of this tour, Clint Boon’s son Oscar joined on bass. It was confirmed in October 2024 that Walsh would return for tours and studio sessions planned for 2025.
Current members
- Graham Lambert – guitar (1983–1995, 2003–2016, 2022–present)
- Stephen Holt – lead vocals (1983–1989, 2011–2016, 2022–present)
- Clint Boon – keyboards and backing vocals (1987–1995, 2003–2016, 2022–present)
- Martyn Walsh – bass guitar (1988–1995, 2003–2016, 2024–present)
Current session and touring musicians
- Kev Clark – drums (2022–present)
Former members
- Tony Welsh – bass (1983–1986)
- Chris Goodwin – drums (1986)
- Craig Gill – drums (1986–1995, 2003–2016; deceased)
- Rick Garage – bass (1986)
- Mark Hughes – bass (1987)
- Scott Carey – bass (1987)
- Dave Swift – bass (1987–1988)
- Tom Hingley – lead vocals (1989–1995, 2003–2011)
Previous session and touring musicians
- Jake Fletcher – bass guitar (2022–2023)
- Oscar Boon – bass guitar (2023–2024)
Albums
- Life (1990)
- The Beast Inside (1991)
- Revenge of the Goldfish (1992)
- Devil Hopping (1994)
- Inspiral Carpets (2014)
External resources
- BBC interview with Tom Hingley
- Inspiral Carpets Biography. Mute Records.
- Articles with short description
- Inspiral Carpets
- English alternative rock groups
- English garage rock groups
- English indie rock groups
- Alternative dance musical groups
- Madchester groups
- Musical groups from the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham
- Musical groups established in 1983
- Musical groups disbanded in 1995
- Musical groups reformed in 2003
- Musical groups disbanded in 2016
- Musical groups reformed in 2022
- Mute Records artists
- Cherry Red Records artists
- Alternative rock groups from Greater Manchester
- Musical groups disestablished in 1995