Mod Cash-in?:The Incas

Scan c/o http://www.45cat.com

Scan c/o http://www.45cat.com

THE INCAS-One Night Stand/I'll Keep Holding On  U.K. Parlophone R 5551 1966

It's mystery time boys and girls.  I haven't a clue who these guys were, what their story was or how it was that a (presumably) British band covered a track each by two (then) current mod heroes The Small Faces and The Action on one 45.  This post also marks one of those instances where I'm writing about a 45 I never owned with scans borrowed from the coolest record website in the world (whom I regularliy contribute scans to). 

I first heard The Incas version of The Small Face's debut LP cut "One Night Stand" many years ago on a CD comp of dubious sources (but high quality nonetheless) called "Rare Beat Tracks Volume ?".  I found them in my handy "Record Collector" price guide and saw that the A-side was a tune called "I'll Keep Holding On".  What were the odds it was The Marvelettes/Action tune?  A few days ago a friend passed me Volume 14 of an even more dubious CD comp series called "Beat Club" (down loadable from a certain website that we neither condone nor publicize).  Contained within said disc was The Incas doing "I'll Keep Holding On".  It was indeed The Action tune, I call it that because it's a note for note carbon copy of The Action's interpretation of the Marvelettes number. It was released on the same label as the Action, 11 months after their version.  Neither version are bad, of course neither can compare to The Small Faces or Action tracks but I find it amazing that someone chose to cover a track a piece from each and issue it.  Was it a deliberate attempt at a "mod" cash in?  Was it the band's idea?  Or producer Mike Berry's? (Berry was certainly never one to play a part in a good old "studio only" band, in fact he did so later with The Shepperton Flames, which you can read about here).  If any of you readers out there can solve this mystery we'd certainly like to hear!

Hear "I'll Keep Holding On":

http://youtu.be/EKjiOu-8upw

Hear "One Night Stand":

http://youtu.be/WxrxUXNVdfU

ADDENDUM:
Reader Steve scarf wrote in and said:
"Hi.

 

The Incas were a popular local band in Scarborough, Yorkshire, UK. Same town and same time at which Allan Palmer was singer with a local band called The Mandrakes. A few years later Allan Palmer became Robert Palmer and the rest, as they say, is history

 

Signed by a London agent in 1966 The Incas had their shot at fame a few years before Palmer.

 

I think only three of them took the leap and went to London.

Chris Bagnall, vocals, Bob Woodyatt and Bri Thompson on guitars.

 

After spending eight or nine moths in London and releasing one single they returned to Scarborough.

 

Chris and Bri are no longer with us but Bob Woodyatt is still playing locally to this day.

 

Best regards,"