It’s been a couple of years since we first introduced a brilliant Trans-Atlantic duo to our readers – namely, Manchester’s Harry Stafford (famed founder and frontman of UK post-punk iconsInca Babies)and US-based experimental guitarist Marco Butcher. At that time, they presented their debut album ‘Bone Architecture’, which we also covered subsequently. Needless to say, we’re glad to see that they have continued pursuing this fruitful collaboration and with that, we present the first single from their next album.
‘Walk Among The Spectres’ is a wonderful preview of their forthcoming album‘We Are The Perilous Men’, which will be released this autumn via Black Lagoon Records – on black vinyl, as well as digitally.. A fine heads-up here also for fans of such artists as Jon Spencer, The Gun Club, Archie Bronson, John Coltrane and The Birthday Party. A fascinating and addictively compelling first taster, there is much here to love and clearly, these two accomplished artists have found a rich seam to mine despite geographical boundaries. We look forward to hearing more from the new album.
‘Walk Among the Spectres’ is a cool piece of walking blues, with percussive Hammond organ and Marco Butcher’s laconic backbeat. The song is about an old friend who is fondly remembered and, in the video, our hero travels across town to put an electric piano-keyboard on his grave, discovering his own fragile mortality along the way.
Directed by Harry Stafford with cinematography by J.P. Conway, this video was filmed in the expansive Southern Cemetery in Didsbury South Manchester, which dates back to 1700 and was used throughout the Victorian era. Now a public park, people are invited to wander among the tombstones… to literally Walk among the Spectres.
Following the resounding triumph of their ‘Bone Architecture’ album in 2021, the duo present the second chapter of this exploration, upholding their lockdown-inspired tradition of sending ideas back and forth between North Carolina and Manchester. Creating this album unconsciously – perhaps even telepathically – their musical connection has ignited this album with an infectious energy and spirit.
Based in North Carolina, Brazil-raised trash blues guitarist Marco Butcher (Jam Messengers, Jesus and the Groupies) provides a solid backbeat, jumping with a frenetic rhythm. This foundation ranges from a mess of blues to a stumbling electro beat with Dwayne Eddie funeral guitar. His forays into dance and Hip hop see him mess with the rhythmic DNA, often inspiring the creation of a new dance shuffle at will.
“I have discovered that I spend a lot of my time knowing what I don’t want to sound like. My musical education began with punk and then, when I came to University in Manchester in the early 80s, I found myself submerged into the strange beat infused darkness of the Big city post punk music scene (Joy Division, ACR, The Fall) and I had to form the Inca Babies to make sense of it all,” says Harry Stafford.
“Now 40 years later, while I have never forgotten that seismic guidance, my interests, and influence stretch so far, I need someone like Marco to constantly surprise me.”
On August 1, ‘Walk Among The Spectres’ will be available from fine music platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music andBandcamp. The full album ‘We Are The Perilous Men’ will be released on September 8.
CREDITS
Harry Stafford – vocals, piano, organ, wah wah guitar, jazz flute, synth
Marco Butcher – drums, percussion, guitars, sequencers, bass, keyboards
Tex Napalm – Drones and loops
Produced and Mastered by Marco Butcher at Boombox Studio
Catalogue no. BLRLP0057
Video directed by Harry Stafford
Cinematography by J.P. Conway
Harry Stafford on the net
Facebook | Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram | Soundcloud | YouTube | Vimeo | Spotify | Apple Music
Marco Butcher on the net
Facebook | Bandcamp | Twitter | Spotify | Apple Music
