Inca Babies

Interview By: Ashlee Elfman & Christine Dunleavy

Preface By: Ashlee Elfman

 

Plenty of people have attempted making music that sounds rowdy, twangy, Americana, and completely split at the seams throughout the years, but few bands have pulled it off as well as the Inca Babies. It's kind of sad really, when you think of all of the bands that play these days, and how few can actually excite their audience. It's easy to feel oddly nostalgic when you think of the Inca Babies in all of their rat’s nest haired, guitar assaulting glory. I mean, they just don't make bands like that anymore. And they're still at it, thank goodness.

In doing my research for this interview I ran across so many reviews that I found irritating. Surely these people have not lost themselves to the lusty danger of Opium Den or Evil Hour, particularly on vinyl with its faint scratching. Certainly, these people didn't step away from Wikipedia long enough to actually HEAR what a necessary void the Incas fill in the dingy space between the likes of The Gun Club, The Birthday Party and The Cramps.

But alas, the Inca Babies don't need my unrelenting praise. With a large handful of frankly badass records, I urge you to pick one up and find out for yourself.

Q. We are curious as to how the Inca Babies were born out of Manchester in a time when more improvisational, experimental dance music was predominant. What made you guys want to go in the direction of a more trashy, Americana sound?

A. Basically I have a theory that all Mancunians (People born and bred in Manchester) are at their core soul boys and soul sisters. Motown record has a lot to answer for the Manchester scene. In the 60s and 70s Northern Soul embedded itself so deeply into the fibre of Manchester’s youth that dance music has always been paramount to every music scene in Manchester. The Buzzcocks were Northern Soul with fuzztone guitars. Factory records may have started with the best post punk band ever in Joy Division, but they soon became a dance act, selling millions of 12” dance floor fillers in New Order. A Certain Ratio were post punk for five minutes before they discovered percussion and trumpets aping a rabid disco beat. The Stone Roses soon discovered that baggy guitars to a loose soul shuffle created the ‘Madchester scene’ and The Happy Mondays fuelled by Acid House from Chicago created endless chugging-indie dance music. The Journalist John Robb is the man to talk at length to on this topic as he has written a number of excellent books on this subject.

Anyway back to my point. None of us in the Inca Babies were actually from Manchester. We has arrived from both the North and the south to go tot Manchester University where we met, so we were unsullied by Northern Soul and dance music. For me, being white and middle class and from just outside London, I was brought up on Led Zeppelin, Thin Lizzy, AC/DC etc and later more importantly Punk rock, The Clash, the Pistols, The Ramones and the Stranglers. When I came to Manchester in 1981 the post punk scene was pretty badly parked, it was as if Punk had never happened. A hybrid plague of disco called Jazz-funk had assumed its place in all the clubs and because of the Mancunian’s prevalence to beats, it didn’t seem like being shifted any time soon.

So in this sorry climate we wanted to re-invent punk. We wanted to wear black leather and have big hair, and sound like Gene Vincent with a slab of distortion, and when myself and Bill saw the Cramps we were transfixed with both awe and wonder. We needed to bring this vision to our own neighbourhood. Thankfully we found there were more than enough kindred spirits to share our vision with.

Incas in Milano

Q. There was a time when The Inca Babies had a top 5 album on the UK charts. How did this make you guys feel at the time? Here in the U.S. more obscure music completely slips under the radar, and is generally unrecognized by the majority of people.

A. To be fair the Album was only in the charts for a short time, but we did manage to top the Independent chart with Rumble although we were toppled by The Smiths: Meat is Murder a short time later. We were unbelievably chuffed when it did go so high though. It’s one of those moments when you think, yes we have arrived! The good thing about the UK (although some might argue the opposite) is that there are so many bands with a lot of different styles and ideas and because of the music press’ desire to find something new and exciting there is always a big turnover of new and fresh music. Added to this, because the national press are filled with writers who used to write for the NME these bands, once obscure, now get national coverage. I might point out it wasn’t like that when we started in 1983, we got lucky and had some very favourable reviews which launched us.

I suppose you could say that because there appears to be a lot of good stuff there must also be a lot of dross, and indeed there is.

Q. What were some of the bands that the Inca's toured with back in the day? Are there any shows in particular that really stand out in your minds?

A. We played with a lot of bands : The March Violets, Johnny Thunders, (both of these were at The Hacienda club JT gave me his Sunglasses) Play Dead, Alien Sex Fiend, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds,(we supported NC in Berlin and had to miss his set because we were scheduled to do another gig the same night around the corner in an Anarchist squat the K.O.B.) Jayne County, -she was just crazy, like your favourite aunt on crystal meth-. The Gun Club, -JLP was a true Rock and Roll hero, although he was a little worse for wear when we played with him in Fribourg, Switzerland. The Jesus and Mary Chain, (These mad Scottish fuckers demolished the PA in the Electric Ballroom in Camden.) Wire, - one of my all time favourite bands played the dullest set ever known to man, it was almost wilful. Blurt,(Ted Milton: legend and terror sax) and many more great gigs.

We only did one package tour with The Membranes and the Palookas in April 1988, which was loads of fun.

Q. I've read a lot of reviews from uncreative people that can't get past the whole "Birthday Party, Gun Club, Cramps" comparison. As much as those bands were probably an influence, you guys definitely have your own, creative sound in our opinion. Was it ever a piss off to be constantly compared to those bands?

A. The strange thing about being compared to other bands is that it actually ‘ups’ your profile and more people come to see you as a result. Many was a time at our gigs where we’d see people with The Cramps written on their leather Jackets and we’d go; ‘hey that’s cool ‘cos we’re fans too!’

What is tedious is people with no reference who have read a review citing our influences making uninformed ‘cut and paste’ pieces with clearly no knowledge and calling it their opinion.

I remember the Moodists, (an Australian band who toured with Nick Cave) were so incensed that we were influenced by NC that they endlessly slagged us off in their interviews calling us every vile antipodean cuss they could think off, which didn’t help our cause much, but then I think they were just deflecting all the flack they were getting themselves from some of the Music press.

Now looking back I don’t think there could be three better bands (Cramps, Gun Club, Birthday P.) to be mentioned/associated with at the time and God bless you Mr Interior. ‘just a closer walk with thee, Lux’

Q. You guys recently got back together to play some shows. What has the response been like, and what inspired you guys to reform?

A. It was a couple of things that got us going. Firstly Cherry Red Records wanted to put out a Best Of Album/CD which I agreed to do and collected all the tracks and sent them with Artwork which made Plutonium. Secondly as by huge coincidence the Tour agency we used to be part of in 1987 IBD (International Booking Department) was having a twentieth anniversary and they wanted us to play because we were the first band they had on their rosta. Also IBD stood for the first two bands on the books, Inca babies, Dots. So Sabine who was and is, in charge of the agency sent us a message to do a gig in Munich. Which we did, and from then on we were hooked and now a few gigs later we are planning to record a new Album of material. Sadly we lost Bill along the way, his problems were not band related, but more to a life long attrition culminating in a black tempest no being could weather.

Q. Besides other bands being an inspiration, what are some other things that have inspired your music?

A. I remember being castigated by a Swedish journalist who really liked the band but lost some of what I was saying in translation. I was talking about how by giving something like an inanimate object a character you can expand the possibilities of argument and philosophy by giving that thing, which wouldn’t be normally be able to talk, a voice: like an aeroplane talking to a mountain as their paths disastrously crossed. Of course while Milton, Goethe, Coleridge and Elliot all prescribed to this device, to most erudite effect, all he could see was children’s books, purple talking dinosaurs and Thomas the tank engine talking about chocolate cake and jelly, which I suppose was one interpretation of my thought process. Anyway suffice to say he thought I was a total moron happy in my savant world to write songs about talking aeroplanes and grumpy mountains.

But to answer your question.

There was something satisfying about 70s cinema especially coming from the indie studios in America, that said that the ending of a movie is not about getting the girl and disappearing with the suitcase of money. It was often about the realisation of salvation through death and sacrifice. These movies always ended with the protagonist dying, I remember all my heroes were killed off in the last reel. Then the 80s came along and the Studios were too scared to upset anyone and so every ending was a tear filled reunion and a swelling orchestra. The idea that it was grim out there set the foundation from much of my ideas in terms of writing about characters who were flawed and who could only reach their raison d’etre through a self- destructive but ultimately Valliant deed. Misanthropic Cinema.

"At bottom, the cinematic adventure seems to have little to do with the mind anymore, as viewers seek reinforcement, flattery, and tidy conclusions that hammer home the notion that life can end in a satisfactory manner.

But what about those of us who so hate the very thought of closure that most films are a disappointment unless they end on a sombre note? Or kill off the "good guy?" Or conclude with few, if any, answers? Or leave us so depressed that nothing could bring us back from the brink? For the misanthrope, these kinds of films are life-affirming in their own way, as they deal with the heart of existence without illusions. While others may frown, sob, or grab a stiff drink to remain sane, you (we) are undeniably joyous. Your smile and extra pep are what give us hope; the idea that yes, life is that bad, and that's the way it has to be.” Matt Cale Ruthless Reviews.

I’ve just seen Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino and that’s exactly what a 70s film used to be like. A racist violent old bigot is caught up in a neighbourhood squabble and just when he thinks he’s becoming too nicey nice through sheer force of his bullheaded violence he makes a bloody sacrifice of himself.

I was hugely influenced by a lot of American literature, from the 50s, 60s and 70s. Ken Kasey, William Burroughs, Richard Farina, John Updike, and hundreds more, and British authors like Martin Amis and Iain Banks. All of these authors have/had a skill in creating a turn of phrase that sticks with you until it is part of the poetry of your life, and you realise that they fucking changed your life far more than you realised. In the late 70s when I was discovering music there was a lot more emphasis on the Avant guarde than there is now. I used to really like electronic acts like Kraftwerk and Cabaret Voltaire, strange jazz from James Blood Ulmer and John Zorn, Dub punk acts like The Pop Group and The Slits. It seemed as though experimental music was something to be applauded because from these sometimes dark expressions came the crystal light of a lucid idea, a classic piece of expression in music or a killer performance. Bands today like to have the most hits and the most fans which they interpret as making pop for ‘everyone’. Sadly if you listen to what ‘everyone’ likes I’m afraid it’s more than not forgettable dross.

But then as I don’t make that kind of music, I would say that wouldn’t I?

Q. There were many line up changes within the life of the band, when do you think you achieved your definitive sound? Or do you think it was an ever-evolving process?

A. I think the definitive sound mk 1. was when we had just finished our first Album Rumble. The idea was to take Guitars and drums and see if we could get a number of different approaches and generic styles to Rock and Roll with an in house style. We failed in that but what came out was really quite satisfying. We didn’t spent half the time we would have liked producing it but in hind sight that was probably just as well. We were 21 and had little idea about production and would have probably gone round and round in circles before pleading to the engineers to put it back to where it was a week ago.

The second time was on Opium Den when our guitarist Dirk (Darren Bullows) arrived and played some pretty good guitar on it. The songs were more accomplished and while we probably didn’t break any new ground it was a firm foundation from where to launch a new mk 2 Inca babies. Ah if only we could have sustained the momentum.

Q. How is 'Death Message Blues' coming along? What are some words you would use to describe the album? We, here at Swampland, definitely can't wait to hear it.

A. At the moment it’s a collection of 16 songs which will be whittled down to 12, the overriding sound is of a bluesy slide into rumbling drums and bass. It’s not as basic as earlier albums and there is a little more instrumentation but I think you’ll like it. Tracks to look out for are Tumblin’ man, Three wishes blues, The night was burning: the ground was frozen, Gates to the tunnel of song and Death message blues.

Q. What are some plans we can possibly expect in the future touring wise?

A. We are playing in a wood in the Lake district, Cumbria, UK. I ‘m not quite sure how this gig came about but it’s 18 Sept. We hope to Play LA some time before Christmas and there is a possibility of playing in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Apart from that we hope to go to Rome and maybe Warsaw and a Christmas gig in Manchester. With the release of the Album I’m sure the offers will come crashing in.

Q. If you had to pick only one Inca Babies album to be sold in every record shop which would it be and why? As music geeks we have to ask. *snort*

A. ‘Rumble’. no question. That is until ‘Death message Blues’ is released.

Q. Any words of wisdom for our readers?

A. Don’t let anyone make you believe that poetry is worthless.

“Words on a page have no backstage, no sleight of hand, nowhere to hide the workings. Words are what they say they are. You read a sentence and you can see how it was made; you can trace the thought. You know how it’s done- just as long as it’s prose.

With Poetry, however, the rules don’t apply. It’s a fish of a very different colour. On the face of it, it looks the same; the letters the words, are familiar. But it isn’t what it appears. By some internal magic, poetry hovers above the page, over the words. It happens outside the black and white lines, as if the writing were clairvoyant, calling spirit meanings, voices from beyond.

…There are verses that are the most precious and dear cultural amulets we own, hidden in the dead letter boxes of our hearts. A poem is a thing that transcends its construction.

…A woman once wrote to Dylan Thomas and said that she loved his poetry but she was worried that her understanding of it was not what he’d intended. Thomas replied that a poem was like a city; it had many entrances.

Poetry is the apex of culture, the spire of civilisations. It is the scalpel of emotion and the anvil of thought. It whispers and it bellows the unsayable with mere words. It is the highest calling of a cerebral, emotional, aesthetic existence.” AA Gill

 

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