Pop Factory - 15/04/2003
Mad for pop !
THE legendary Inspiral Carpets added even more sunshine to a glorious April day as their sensational summer sounds increased the soaring heat at The Pop Factory.
The five-piece Inspiral Carpets are led by enigmatic vocalist Tom Hingley (a regular visitor to Cardiff with his current outfit The Lovers) and Porth veteran Clint Boon.
Boon provides The Pop Factory theme music and has played the venue before with The Clint Boon Experience.
The band could not have demonstrated more delight in both their own unity and the positive reception of a large gathering of Rhondda revellers.
After an eight-year lay off, the lads have returned to promote a box set best of compilation Cool As... (on Mute Records).
They are in fine fettle and their brilliant back catalogue is a joy to behold.
The 37 timeless and triumphant tracks of Cool As... are sparkling – whether it be the hits or rarities!
The charts were occupied with many an Inspiral Carpets classic during the maelstrom of Madchester – and, alongside The Happy Mondays, The Stone Roses and The Charlatans, pop history was created as Lancashire ruled the roost of ’90s music.
The Inspiral Carpets were top 40 regulars with such stirring anthems as Joe, This is how it Feels, Move and the rousing I want you (featuring the mercurial Mark E Smith of The Fall).
These seminal singles run alongside wonderful and unpredictable cover versions of Tainted Love and The Black Sabbath classic Paranoid on the new anthology.
On their valley visit the lads struck gold with the infectious indie inspiration of Come Back Tomorrow and Saturn 5.
The audience could only marvel at the pop perfection of one of our finest musical exports.
When interviewed post-gig, Boon and Hingley – rather tongue-in-cheek – claimed it was the Prime Minister who called for their reformation!
As the song title says Come Back Tomorrow because Welsh music fans wish to take this magical and inspiring carpet ride once more!
By RJ
Inspiral Carpets