The Stone Roses: War and Peace

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The Stone Roses: War and Peace Page 33

by Spence, Simon


  19 ‘I didn’t hear a bad song until I left home’: John Squire, NME, April 1989.

  20 ‘We became friendly at thirteen, fourteen … he was the loner’: Ian Brown, Uncut, February 1995.

  20 ‘Virtually everything we did … how long it would take’: John Squire, XFM, July 2007.

  21 ‘the most exciting thing I’d ever experienced …’: John Squire, Guardian, September 2002.

  24 ‘That stuff came easy … the sound’: John Squire, XFM, July 2007.

  25 ‘I was always on the move … kids everywhere’: Ian Brown, Record Collector, February 1998.

  28 ‘The first thing I did was scrub pots’: Ian Brown, NME, November 1989.

  29 ‘a barman at the local, a labourer … maintenance firm: John Squire, Aesthetica, July 2005.

  29 ‘The Scooterboys were not Mods’: Ian Brown, Melody Maker, June 1990.

  31 ‘They’d try to … fight them every week’: Ian Brown, Record Collector, February 1998.

  32 ‘We’d kick fuck … anything like that’: Mani, Scootering, January 2004.

  33 ‘We always used to think the southern Manchester … good music’: Mani, Scootering, January 2004.

  33 ‘We were having problems … all their lot’: Mani, Scootering, January 2004.

  33 ‘We’d heard about this kid … He ain’t no fighter’: Ian Brown, Record Collector, February 1998.

  34 ‘We were joint singers … play his guitar’: Ian Brown, Record Collector, February 1998.

  2. Reni

  37 ‘It was my cousin who told me … I loved it’: John Squire, Mojo, May 2002.

  37 ‘I had a friend who worked … brought him down’: Ian Brown, Record Collector, February 1998.

  39 ‘Geno was like … it was, like, okay’: Ian Brown, Record Collector, February 1998.

  40 ‘We started a few rehearsals … three weeks with her’: Ian Brown, Record Collector, February 1998.

  41 ‘spent a lot of time with “Red House” ’: John Squire, XFM, July 2007.

  42 ‘proper rocker’: Ian Brown, Uncut, February 1998.

  42 ‘When I went to the audition … I just had to join’: Reni, Melody Maker, June 1990.

  44 ‘For an eight-track … definitely’: Ian Brown, Swedish interview, 1985.

  44 ‘They had some kind of passion … a tune’: Ian Brown, Buzzin’, May 1987.

  44 ‘Wild sounds with attractive melodies … the contradiction’: John Squire, Debris, December 1988.

  46 ‘We came off stage … with Townshend’: Ian Brown, Record Collector, February 1998.

  46 ‘We were told he’d said … nicking Reni’: John Squire, Mojo, May 2002.

  47 ‘You didn’t have to be Mystic Meg … a wild weekend’: Garry Johnson, The Punk Poet blog, January 2010.

  47 ‘turned down by every single one … massive bender’: Garry Johnson, The Punk Poet blog, January 2010.

  48 ‘leap around … and safe’: Ian Brown, Swedish interview, 1985.

  50 ‘These were the things … meant something to us’: Ian Brown, Mojo, May 2002.

  3. Sweden

  54 ‘I was aggressive on stage … people remembered us’: Ian Brown, Uncut, February 1998.

  56 ‘Too much enthusiasm … with the safer mix’: Ian Brown, Buzzin’, May 1987.

  56 ‘We don’t want to be clothes horse puppets’: John Squire, City Life, March 1985.

  56 ‘We’re five people who all want to be a front man’: Ian Brown, City Life, March 1985.

  57 ‘The respect and musical integrity … would be ideal’: Reni, Buzzin’, May 1987.

  59 ‘I told him we were a big group … eight or nine shows’: Ian Brown, Record Collector, February 1998.

  61 ‘It was great … We got in the daily papers’: Ian Brown, Record Collector, February 1998.

  61 ‘We all write all the music … we’re just a 1980s band’: Ian Brown, Swedish interview, 1985.

  63 ‘really could happen … I couldn’t go back’: John Squire, Mojo, May 2002.

  4. So Young

  68 ‘The situation got a little crazy … touch and go for a while’: Ian Brown, Melody Maker, February 1987.

  69 ‘It was where we got our following’: Ian Brown, Record Collector, February 1998.

  69 ‘I knew exactly how it should look … be complete’: John Squire, Spin, May 1990.

  70 ‘dreadful angst-ridden rock … day we heard it’: Ian Brown, Buzzin’, May 1987.

  70 ‘it was was alright at the time … powerful and raw’: Reni, Buzzin’, May 1987.

  71 ‘They were a big influence … loved about The Beach Boys’: John Squire, XFM, July 2007.

  5. Hannett

  74 ‘We caught Martin at the wrong time … hard to work with’: Ian Brown, Record Collector, February 1998.

  76 ‘I walked into the control room … gone to the pub for a pint’: Ian Brown, Buzzin’, May 1987.

  78 ‘Martin taught us … pull our melodies out’: Ian Brown, Melody Maker, June 1990.

  78 ‘We weren’t really in control … we shoudn’t have’: Ian Brown, Buzzin’, May 1987.

  81 progression comes from hate: Ian Brown, Buzzin’, May 1987.

  81 ‘We were terrible at the start … and sleeping bags’: Ian Brown, Record Collector, February 1998.

  83 ‘That’s just stupid people … And we will be massive’: Ian Brown, Mancunion, February 1987.

  84 ‘Me and Reni decided … the copper couldn’t see him!’: Ian Brown, Record Collector, February 1998.

  84 ‘That caused us … of all Manchester architecture’: Ian Brown, M62, July 1988.

  84 As far as I’m concerned … rather dull and grey’: Reni, Buzzin’, May 1987.

  85 ‘I think we’d been in the room … dealing in them’: Ian Brown, Uncut, February 1998.

  85 ‘He was trying to impress us … underpants he was wearing’: John Squire, NME, November 1989.

  85 ‘We thought he was crazy … clicked straight away’: Ian Brown, Uncut, February 1998.

  86 ‘He didn’t have any fear … anyone was out of reach’: Ian Brown, Clash, April 2009.

  6. Gareth

  90 ‘It solved a lot of problems … a bad move’: John Squire, Debris, December 1988.

  91 ‘John didn’t want to … play with him any more’: Ian Brown, Clash, April 2009.

  92 ‘Took him to the cleaners … a lot of it was his fault’: Ian Brown, Record Collector, February 1998.

  95 ‘Me and John would plan … Wow this is it’: Ian Brown, Mojo, May 2002.

  95 ‘We got together with … original, commercial and inspirational’: John Squire, Cut, September 1987.

  96 ‘I’m not going in fucking there with him’: John Squire, indirect quote, interview with John Nuttall, June 2011.

  98 ‘A lot of people say … enough money to get out of it’: Ian Brown, Mancunion, February 1987.

  98 ‘The angle on these photographs … all at once’: Gareth Evans, Buzzin’, May 1987.

  99 ‘We blew it … a few thousand copies’: Reni, Buzzin’, May 1987.

  99 ‘As far as I’m concerned, we put out “So Young” … two songs’: Ian Brown, Buzzin’, May 1987.

  99 ‘It doesn’t bother us at all’: John Squire, Buzzin’, May 1987.

  100 ‘We learned how to write … hard as we always were’: Ian Brown, Buzzin’, May 1987.

  100 ‘firebombs on the end of his tongue’: Buzzin’, May 1987.

  102 ‘We thought they were wankers … the albatross’: Ian Brown, Record Collector, February 1998.

  7. Mani

  105 ‘in my bedroom pogo-ing about with my tennis racket’: Mani, Smash Hits, July 1990.

  105 ‘I got hold of Squire’s number … first, he said’: Mani, Mojo, February 2001.

  105 ‘I always knew I was the main man’: Mani, Scootering, January 2004.

  106 ‘was playing catch up when it came to John and Reni’: Mani, Mojo, February 2001.

  106 ‘Andy Couzens had gone … around us knew it’: Ian Brown, Uncut, February 1998.

  106 ‘
We’d rearranged the songs … bass lines got funkier’: Reni, Mojo, May 2002.

  106 ‘Northern Soul was doubly … hear it in the music’: Mani, Mojo, May 2002.

  106 ‘You’ve got to look like proper scallies’: Mani, Mojo, February 2001.

  106 ‘The next night … played to about five people’: Mani, Red Issue, February 1996.

  108 ‘We had rated New Order’s … hit on his name’: Ian Brown, Debris, December 1987.

  108 ‘We wanted people to hear what he could do’: Ian Brown, M62, July 1988.

  110 ‘Pennie Smith had made a comment … guitars early on’: John Squire, XFM, July 2007.

  111 Evans turned on the charm … ‘real blast’ working with him: Roddy McKenna, in Breaking into Heaven by Mick Middles (Omnibus, 1999).

  111 ‘A lot of bands in the city … we’re of some value’: Ian Brown, Debris, December 1987.

  114 ‘I wanted to sign to Rough Trade … as far as I was concerned’: John Squire, Mojo, May 2002.

  115 ‘We all passed round this telephone directory … and signed it’: John Squire, Mojo, May 2002.

  115 ‘We were musicians … had a good time with him’: John Squire, Guitar, July 1995.

  8. Leckie

  117 ‘to handle such a cool act’: Roddy McKenna, in Breaking into Heaven by Mick Middles (Omnibus, 1999).

  118 Brown described the gig as ‘perfect’: M62, July 1988.

  119 ‘We want to be the first band … bigger than The Beatles’: Ian Brown, NME, June 1988.

  119 ‘We’ve got to get in the middle … our own way’: Ian Brown, M62, July 1988.

  120 ‘We wrote most of the first album … only had about eight’: Ian Brown, Uncut, February 1988.

  120 ‘ “I Am the Resurrection” started out … sounds really good’: Reni, Guitar, July 1995.

  121 ‘Everything was worked out’: Ian Brown, Uncut, February 1998.

  124 ‘Pop music was saved … done nothing for ten years’: Ian Brown, Spin, October 1989.

  124 ‘We didn’t play acid house but we did enjoy it’: Ian Brown, Mojo, May 2002.

  124 ‘We saw some of the spirit … governments don’t want that’: Ian Brown, Mojo, May 2002.

  125 ‘Football hooliganism got finished overnight … look at us’: Ian Brown, Guardian, February 2002.

  125 ‘You can make yourself everlasting by making records’: Ian Brown, Melody Maker, November 1988.

  126 ‘If I thought we’d remain … going to be huge’: Ian Brown, NME, November 1988.

  126 ‘Love and death. War and peace. Morecambe and Wise’: John Squire, Transmission, October 1998.

  127 ‘There were only three or four … like everybody else’: Cressa, ‘This Is the Daybreak’, May 2003.

  9. Blackpool

  129 ‘When we started, Factory … things started to happen’: Ian Brown, Mojo, May 2002.

  131 ‘It was me who coaxed them … with your fingers kind of thing’: Ian Brown, Mojo, May 2002.

  132 ‘We were getting right down … didn’t really know the part’: John Squire, Guitar, August 1997.

  132 ‘And we just said, Yeah we know … we were good’: Ian Brown, Clash, April 2009.

  132 ‘Even on songs we’ve got that … less exciting for us’: Ian Brown, Q, July 1990.

  133 ‘We wanted the tune to be familiar … the lyrics clearly’: Ian Brown, Uncut, February 1998.

  133 ‘A big thing was happening … real and beautiful’: Ian Brown, Uncut, February 1998.

  133 ‘The E-scene is just going to explode … in the provinces’: Mani, NME, June 1988.

  134 ‘Your eardrums sound like … as an A-side’: Ian Brown, Melody Maker, March 1990.

  136 ‘Everyone I know has always liked rock music … there any more’: Ian Brown, Record Collector, February 1998.

  136 ‘It takes effort to sound effortless’: Ian Brown, NME, April 1989.

  136 ‘The lemons aren’t part of the picture … tricolour is there’: John Squire, Select, November 1997.

  139 ‘I’ll be severely disappointed … end of 1989’: Ian Brown, Melody Maker, June 1989.

  139 ‘I think I’ve got divine knowledge … about clothes’: John Squire, Melody Maker, June 1989.

  139 ‘I’d like to shoot Prince Charles’: Ian Brown, Melody Maker, June 1989.

  141 ‘I think Buckingham Palace … cardboard boxes’: Ian Brown, Melody Maker, June 1989.

  141 ‘If you want to be as big … in that forum’: John Squire, Sounds, August 1989.

  141 ‘After the first few interviews … we’ve resisted that’: John Squire, Sounds, August 1989.

  142 ‘People around us, press officers, said … It’s us’: Ian Brown, Sounds, August 1989.

  142 ‘The Roses still had an awful lot … and good bye’: Gareth Evans, in Breaking into Heaven by Mike Middles (Omnibus, 1999).

  142 ‘We wanted to give people … beyond just a concert’: Ian Brown, NME, August 1989.

  143 ‘Having done a tour … vibe in the air here’: Ian Brown, NME, August 1989.

  143 ‘We didn’t know or expect that … had the hat on’: Ian Brown, Clash, April 2009.

  144 ‘I don’t usually think about anything … Labour Party conference’: Ian Brown, NME, August 1989.

  144 ‘Proper dancing’: Ian Brown, Clash, April 2009.

  10. ‘Fools Gold’

  146 ‘I wasn’t familiar with the song … made it what it was’: John Squire, Mojo, May 2002.

  146 Mani said clubbing was for research: Scootering, January 2004.

  146 ‘Three geezers who are skint … end up dead’: Ian Brown, Independent, November 2010.

  152 ‘Ally Pally was the best legal alternative’: Ian Brown, Q, February 1990.

  153 ‘Anything is possible … not having it any more’: Ian Brown, Sounds, August 1989.

  155 Mani, bluntly, said the gig was ‘crap’ and ‘a disaster’: Scootering, January 2004.

  155 ‘Ally Pally wasn’t what it should have been’: Ian Brown, Uncut, February 1998.

  155 Squire had aimed to put the ‘human touch’ back into acid house: John Squire, Spin, October 1989.

  155 ‘We never intended to sound like a 1960s group’: Ian Brown, Spin, October 1989.

  155 ‘We said a little prayer … and it did’: Ian Brown, Later with Jools Holland, 2004.

  157 The show ‘felt like a vindication for the city of Manchester’: Mani, in Stone Roses ‘Talking’ by Brian Chapman (Omnibus, 2003).

  11. Madchester

  159 ‘I’m not particularly keen … shit me out again’: Ian Brown, NME, November 1989.

  164 ‘We want to keep moving … doesn’t end at Manchester’: Ian Brown, The Face, January 1990.

  164 ‘The next album will be … don’t want to sound like a band’: John Squire, The Face, January 1990.

  164 ‘We said no to the Stones … they’re just patronizing’: Ian Brown, The Face, January 1990.

  164 ‘We sat in the International … refuse to support’: Gareth Evans, in Breaking into Heaven by Mike Middles (Omnibus, 1998).

  164 He had already called U2 ‘drivel’, Lou Reed ‘a miserable bastard’: Ian Brown, in Stone Roses ‘Talking’ by Brian Chapman (Omnibus, 2003).

  164 Bruce Springsteen ‘always sounds like he’s having a shit’: Ian Brown, NME, July 1990.

  164 ‘We were never strung out’: John Squire, Q, February 2005.

  164 ‘A lot of the drug stuff … trying to make us notorious’: Ian Brown, Uncut, February 1998.

  165 ‘Ecstasy wasn’t the band’s fuel … and create’: John Squire, Rolling Stone, May 1990.

  165 ‘We’re the most important group … our potential yet’: Ian Brown, NME, December 1989.

  167 ‘We should have been negotiating … ahead of the band’: Gareth Evans, in Breaking into Heaven.

  169 ‘They answered the front door … called the police’: John Squire, Q, November 2002.

  169 ‘He thinks we’re just puppets … to make an appointment’: Ian Brown, NME, March 1990.


  170 ‘The police woke me up … next to my bed’: John Squire, NME, March 1990.

  171 ‘I didn’t know abstract expressionism was an offence’: John Squire, NME, March 1990.

  171 ‘Just the sweetest irony … wrote “Exhibit A” on it’: Mani, Mojo, May 2002.

  12. ‘One Love’

  172 ‘He kept telling us to slow down’: John Squire, Q, February 2005.

  173 ‘The Manchester scene … records or newspapers’: John Squire, Rolling Stone, May 1990.

  174 ‘We feel we’re the only … the Sex Pistols, definitely’: Ian Brown, Rolling Stone, May 1990.

  174 ‘We don’t want to be an English phenomenon’: John Squire, Rolling Stone, May 1990.

  174 ‘There’s a lot of other British groups … as Manchester’: Ian Brown, Rolling Stone, May 1990.

  175 ‘big lad’s court’: Reni, NME, March 1990.

  175 ‘We’re going to get our bottoms smacked … in prison’: John Squire, NME, March 1990.

  177 ‘It needs more than … it needs loads of them’: Ian Brown, NME, December 1990.

  177 ‘We’ve never gone out of our way … it’s where you’re at’: Ian Brown, Rolling Stone, May 1990.

  177 ‘I felt like we were flogging something … An attitude’: John Squire, Smash Hits, July 1990.

  178 ‘The best ever’: Ian Brown, Number One, July 1990.

  178 ‘We all looked at each other … to another level’: Mani, Scootering, January 2004.

  179 ‘I came home from Glasgow Green … eighteen months’: Cressa, ‘This Is the Daybreak’, May 2003.

  179 ‘America doesn’t deserve us yet’: Ian Brown, in Stone Roses ‘Talking’ by Brian Chapman (Omnibus, 2003).

  179 ‘We’re just naturally stubbon … we’ll turn it down’: John Squire, in Stone Roses ‘Talking’.

  179 ‘defining gig of a generation … top record man in the industry’: Gareth Evans, in Breaking into Heaven by Mike Middles (Omnibus, 1999).

  180 ‘I liked the idea of sending them … rock star class’: Gareth Evans, in Breaking into Heaven.

  182 ‘We tried in vain … but it was a poor chorus’: Ian Brown, Record Collector, February 1998.

  183 ‘bigger than The Beatles … put together’: Ian Brown, Smash Hits, July 1990.

  183 ‘Some people say … But they say fuck all’: Ian Brown, Melody Maker, December 1989.

 

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