Manchester’s iconic post-punk outfit Inca Babies presents ‘Two Rails To Nowhere’, a re-envisioned offering from their ‘Reincarnation’ album, a fantastic collection of back catalogue classics, re-recorded, re-invented and re-Inca-rnated. The A-side/ B-side version of this single, released on Spotify, includes the original version from 1988, which features Clint Boon of the Inspiral Carpets.
Led by Harry Stafford, Inca Babies were a vibrant part of Britain’s early postpunk / death-rock scene, amassing a steady following through five intensive years of touring, six singles and four albums, all of which entered the UK Indie Charts. After four sessions for BBC’s John Peel show in 1984-1988, the band called it quits, but then reformed in 2007.
“This was from our fourth album ‘Evil Hour’. On the original version, we managed to hire Clint Boon of the Inspiral Carpets to play Hammond organ for us. This is a song that was inspired by the trad country blues number ‘Midnight Special’, but somehow had more of a Gun Club vibe to it, says Harry Stafford.
That fast-paced version was never given the epic grandeur that it deserved. Previously a 3-minute folk rock tune that told a small story of country woe, this expanded version is now allowed to breath into the country prison song it always wanted to be, telling a far more heroic tale.
Now, with bottleneck slide by guitarist Vincent O’Brien and the measured rhythm backing of Rob Haynes, the song has “been slowed down to a more contemplative pace. and with floating guitars and harmonic vocal blues the story becomes all the more of the prison song it was intended to be”, says Harry Stafford. The video is very 21st century with Manchester trams and a city centre setting as the backdrop for the mournful pleading of Harry’s vocal delivery.
Now a 4-piece, with Stafford joined by guitarist Jim Adama, bassist Dave Carmichael (Rat) and long-term member Rob Haynes (The Membranes, Goldblade) on drums and percussion, the Incas earlier shared ‘Candy Mountain’, a reworking from their 1985 album ‘This Train’, with its hypnotic bass line, contemporary groove and electronic sequencing.
‘Reincarnation’ is a collection of select Inca Babies tracks, re-recorded, re-invented and reincarnated for 2025. Recorded and mixed over two years at 6Db Studios in Salford by renowned producer Simon ‘Ding’ Archer (The Fall, PJ Harvey) and Harry Stafford, with Ding also contributing serious sonic and dub flourishes, this album was mastered by Marco Butcher at Boombox Studio in North Carolina.
“Looking through our back catalogue, it occurred to me that there were tracks that should again be made available in some manner and others that would benefit from reinvention. Last year’s ‘Ghost Mechanic Nine’ album was an opportunity to create new music for our fans, who would like this music in the form of digital downloads and, for the truly hardcore, as a 12” Vinyl Album,” says Harry Stafford.
“But it was also a realisation that we could invigorate old tunes. We already had a ‘best of’ compilation in ‘Plutonium’, released in 2006, so we embarked upon a new quest, to inject new life into our favourite back catalogue. This whole project was to be an Innovative re-imagining of old tunes: re-invented for contemporary consideration. All of them Re-awakened and ‘Re-inca-rnated’.”
Inca Babies’ journey – from their formation in 1983 in Manchester’s now-legendary deck-access flats of Hulme to where they are today – was highlighted in last year’s documentary ‘The Making of Ghost Mechanic Nine’. Since reforming, they have released four albums and toured Europe, Russia, North America, India and beyond. They continue to explore goth, punk and death-rock jazz-blues, while paying tribute to the strong riffing and cool, dead-pan delivery of the dark wave scene at the time.
‘Two Rails To Nowhere’ is out everywhere, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp. Now available for pre-order via Bandcamp, the ‘Reincarnation’ album will be released (both on CD and digitally) via Black Lagoon Records on November 28th.
CREDITS
Harry Stafford – guitars, bass, keyboards & vocals
Rob Haynes – drums & percussion
Vincent O’Brien – slide guitar
Written by Harry Stafford
Harry Stafford – vocals, guitars & keyboards
Rob Haynes – drums & percussion
All songs re-recorded by Harry Stafford and Rob Haynes. + Slide Guitar Vincent O Brien+
Recorded & produced at 6Db in Salford by Simon ‘Ding’ Archer
Mastered by Marco Butcher at Boombox Studio, North Carolina
Artwork designed by Harry Stafford
from images by James Chadderton Art Ltd. (Manchester Apocalyptic visions)
Album released by Black Lagoon Records – catalogue no. BLRLP0061
Video filmed by Jonny Stafford. Directed & edited by Harry Stafford
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR
TRACK LIST
01 Candy Mountain (from ‘This Train’ album, 1986)
02 Buster’s on Fire (7” Single on Constrictor Records, 1987)
03 Daniella (from ‘This Train’ album, 1986)
04 Two Rails to Nowhere (from ‘Evil Hour’ album, 1988)
05 Jerico (from ‘Big Jugular’ 12” EP, 1984)
06 Devil in my Room (from ‘Opium Den’ album, 1986)
07 Phantom Track (from ‘Death Message Blues’ album, 2010)
08 The Diseased Stranger’s Waltz (from ‘Rumble’ album, 1985)
09 Damnation (from ‘The Stereo Plan’ album, 2014)
10 Thirst (from ‘Opium Den’ album, 1986)
11 Superior Spectre (Extra B side of ‘Scatter’ 12” 2014 For Record Store Day)
12 Cowboy Song (B side from ‘The Judge’ 12” single, 1984)