Clint Boon on Manchester Chronicles & Inspiral Carpets (#300)

In this episode of the XS Noize Podcast, Mark Millar is joined by Clint Boon to discuss his autobiography, Manchester Chronicles: True Tales of Music, Madness and Mayhem 1976–2006, the rise of Inspiral Carpets and the remarkable highs and lows of his life in music.

Clint recalls seeing the Sex Pistols at Manchester's Electric Circus in 1976—the night that convinced him he could form a band. He discusses joining Inspiral Carpets, introducing the Farfisa organ that helped define their sound and building the band independently through homemade recordings, merchandise, visuals and their own studio.

Clint also reflects on Noel Gallagher's journey from auditioning to become the Inspirals' singer to joining their touring crew, what Noel learned from watching the band at close range and when his songwriting with Oasis became impossible to ignore. He also remembers recording "I Want You" with Mark E. Smith and reveals what remains on the unfinished fifth Inspiral Carpets album.

The conversation becomes more personal as Clint recalls going from Glastonbury and Top of the Pops to signing on, hiding from bailiffs and relying on milk tokens to support his young family. He explains why he continued writing hopeful songs during that difficult period and how surviving a terrifying motorway crash changed his life.

Clint also discusses Mani's place in Manchester Chronicles, what success means to him now and what his 17-year-old self would make of the extraordinary life that followed that first Sex Pistols concert. Finally, he looks ahead to Burn Like the Sun, the first new Inspiral Carpets studio album in 12 years.

Buy Manchester Chronicles:
https://geni.us/manchesterchronicles

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https://www.xsnoize.com/

The XS Noize Podcast is hosted and produced by Mark Millar.