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Shaun · 18-10-2011, 03:43 PM

Quote:

The Stone Roses have confirmed they have reunited at a press conference this afternoon (October 18).

The original line-up - frontman Ian Brown, guitarist John Squire, bassist Mani and drummer Reni - announced the news at the conference at London's Soho Hotel at 3pm (BST) this afternoon where they revealed plans for two homecoming gigs at Heaton Park on June 29-30 next year.

Brown declared:
This is a live resurrection, and you're invited, so you'd better be there.

They also revealed they are working on new material and intend to perform some at the shows. Tickets for the double header go on sale at 9.30am this Friday (October 21). For further information go to their newly launched The Stone Roses official website Thestoneroses.org.

To check availability of The Stone Roses tickets and get all the latest listings, go to NME.COM/TICKETS now, or call 0871 230 1094.

When asked if the band were working on a new album the frontman added: "We hope so. But we said that before didn't we?"

Later, Brown also said the band decided to finally reform because "at times like this you can uplift people" and the band would carry on "until the wheels fall off.

Whispers of a Stone Roses reunion started to circulate back in 2005 after Mani joined Brown onstage during his solo gigs in Blackpool and Glastonbury. However, Mani was quick to put a lid on reports of a full band reunion, telling NME at the time they would only reform when "Manchester City win the European Cup".

Meanwhile, on the 20th anniversary of the band's self-titled debut album in 2009, reunion rumours began to surface again, only to be shot down by Brown and Squire. To underline his stance, the guitarist even released artwork which stated: "I have no desire whatsoever to desecrate the grave of seminal Manchester group The Stone Roses."

However, it was in April this year that reunion rumours surrounding the group went into overdrive when Brown and Squire met at Mani's mum's funeral and reportedly buried the hatchet.

Mani once again angrily denied reports that the band were set to reunite, telling NME: "I'm disgusted that my personal grief has been invaded and hijacked by these nonsensical stories." Squire added that reforming for a bumper payday would be "tragic".

However, it seems that over the ensuing six months the band have ironed out their differences to some degree.

Reports that the band were back together surfaced on Friday (14), when a major music PR circulated an invite to a press conference for the following Tuesday, promising a "very importance announcement" but refusing to deny or confirm suggestions that the band in question were The Stone Roses.

Subsequent tabloid stories suggested that Brown had revealed details of the reunion to his friend Dynamo, a street magician who claimed he received a text from the singer confirming the band was to reunite. Meanwhile, Reni was more cryptic about his involvement, contacting NME to say: "Not before 9T will I wear the hat 4 the Roses again".

The reformation comes some 31 years after the seeds of the band were first planted, when Brown and Squire met at Altrincham Grammar School For Boys and formed short-lived Clash-inspired band The Patrol.

After short spells in other bands, the pair teamed up with future drummer with The Fall Simon Wolstencroft and bassist Peter Garner in 1984 to form the first incarnation of The Stone Roses, with Brown now taking up vocal duties. Within months Wolstencroft quit to join Terry Hall's band The Colourfield, paving the way for long term sticksman Reni.

In 1985 The Stone Roses recorded their first ever single, double A-side 'So Young/Tell Me'. Four years later they released their landmark self-titled debut LP, which entered the UK album chart at Number 32 in May 1989. They later scored their first Top 40 hit with 'She Bangs The Drums'.

That same year the band gained widespread notoriety when the power cut out during a TV performance on BBC's The Late Show. Brown repeatedly chanted "amateurs" at TV presenter Tracy MacLeod.

Signature anthem 'Fool's Gold' put the band firmly on the map with a Number Eight hit later in 1989, before the band played in front of 27,000 fans at their legendary/infamous gig at Spike Island in Widnes the following year, dubbed a "Woodstock for the baggy generation".

It took the band more than five years to release their second album, 1994's 'The Second Coming'. Although it marked a departure from their baggy debut and wasn't as warmly received by fans and critics as their debut, it still spawned the four-piece's highest-charting single when 'Love Spreads' went to Number Two.

Reni left the band in March 1995 and Squire followed suit a year later, citing "gradual social and musical separation" as the official reason for his departure.

The remaining line-up eventually split after a disastrous performance at Reading Festival in August 1996 - a gig that appeared to be the band's shambolic swansong until today's reunion announcement.

InOne · 18-10-2011, 03:45 PM

Should be good. But never really rated Brown live, especially in the past 4-5 years.

King Gizzard · 18-10-2011, 03:53 PM

meh

King Gizzard · 18-10-2011, 03:54 PM

Apparently he split up with his wife and lost loadsa money so there's your reason..

Iceman · 18-10-2011, 08:28 PM

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The rumours were true, The Stone Roses are back! Guitarist John Squire, frontman Ian Brown, drummer Alan 'Reni' Wren and bassist Gary 'Mani' Mounfield made the announcement at the Soho Hotel today.

John was very quiet, Mani was his usual unintelligible self and Ian seemed happier than he has for years. The big revelation was Reni though, who outed himself as the most witty, eloquent and charming man in pop. Read on for the reunited Stone Roses' thoughts on love, hurt, U2, the Daily Mail and the future.

On their future plans
Ian: "Our plan's to take over the world. We're going to go round the world next year. We're going to start off in our home town, Manchester... then after that we're going to take it round the world."
Reni: "If anyone buys the tickets of course."

On new material
Ian: "It's not a trip down memory lane, not at all. Yeah, we are doing new songs."

What have they missed?
Reni: "I've missed the never-ending snarking! Being a drummer, you've got to breathe occasionally, so I've missed these guys."
Mani: "Something magical happens when us four are in a room together and you can't put your finger on it and it's just so beautiful to catch back hold of it again."
Ian: "I've missed seeing them as players, because I'm the one that can sit there and watch them play - it's lucky for me."
Reni: "And he does, too. He doesn't do much."

What changed John Squire's mind after his famous Statement?
John: "Everything changed when me and Ian started seeing each other again. It was surreal, we went from crying, laughing about the old days, to writing songs in a heartbeat. I think in some ways it's a friendship that defines us both, and it needed fixing. So there is no grave."
Ian: "This is a live resurrection that we're inviting you to, so you'd better be careful!"

What's Reni been up to for the last 15 years?
Reni: "I've just been keeping out of the way of you guys on the whole - just trying to retire. Desperately."

A third album?
Ian: "We hope so, but we said that before didn't we... we'll keep writing and if it hits our standards we'll go with it. We're not here to destroy anything. It's as precious to us as it is for someone who's followed us for years."

Ian 'Loverman' Brown asked if the band will do some dates in Ireland
Ian: "Yeah. Always got plans for dates in Ireland... and then we've got some shows as well."

Do they still want to 'save the world from U2'?
Ian: "We'll have another go, yeah."
Reni: "There's nothing wrong with U2!"
Mani: "I like Bono, he's me mate, man."
Reni: "They're good players and they're great songwriters."
Ian: "I'd like to put it on the record that they're actually bobbins."

On being reunited by the death of Mani's mother
Ian: "We think a beautiful thing's come out of a really sad situation."
Mani: "Good things can come out of grey clouds."

What about their day jobs?
Mani: "Where I'm concerned with Primal Scream, I'm going to have to back off. It's been heartbreaking because they've been my family for the last 15 years. They really saved my arse."
Reni: "They might be saving your arse again!"
Mani: "They know where I am with it. I've never written it off. So I've been allowed to go follow my dream, so I'll be eternally grateful for that."
Ian: "I've parked my solo thing in a lay-by and jumped in another vehicle and I'm in that now."

Will this go on forever?
Reni: "Nothing goes on forever... I'd be happy if it goes on for 12 months. We're not teenagers. I'm going to be at least 36 when this thing starts."
Mani: "It's a suck it and see thing. If we're enjoying it and the music's coming and it's credible, then why stop doing it?"
Ian: "We'll ride it till the wheels fall off like last time. And they did fall off, didn't they?"
Reni: "That's a phrase we can take from U2 - 'rattle and hum'. It rattles and hums! And then it'll fall to bits. You've got to test it to the limit and then just break it."

Have they still got it?
Ian: "If we didn't have it in us, we wouldn't be sat here wasting our own time and everybody else's time. We've got kids. There's no way we're coming here to show ourselves up."

Is this all about the money?
Mani: "It's never been about the money. I've been out constantly on tour for 15 years since the Roses finished and I get stopped at every city of every country in the world every day and I'm asked by people, 'Will it happen?'. People have got dreams that they want to see happen and it'd be nice to satisfy their dreams and get it done, cos I'm ******ing sick of being asked that question and answering it. Simple as that!"
Ian: "The money's always been on the table. We could have took that money any time we wanted - every year, two, three times a year we've had offers, all the way down the line."

Why was Ian so adamant that this would never, ever, ever, EVER happen?
John: "I just couldn't see it happening. And I resented the fact that people were trying to force it on me. But when me and Ian met by chance it changed everything. It completely changed my outlook and made me think it was possible, it might even be enjoyable. And that's turned out to be the case. We've rehearsed, we've written songs and in some ways it seems like 15 years ago was yesterday. It's quite strange."
Mani: "It was just so natural when we got back in that room. It was uncanny, unreal man. You couldn't put a Rizla paper between them."
Ian: "I had a go, though."

On Shaun Ryder's comments...
Ian: "Any comment Shaun Ryder makes is alright by me. There's always truth in Shaun Ryder's comments."

Getting over the past
Ian: "We've got no hate for each other, and we never have."
Reni: "When you're creating you don't have to resolve hate. Life's full of hurt, you're never going to get away from the hurt - you grow away."
Ian: "Love resolves it. Love. Love's deeper than the hurt."
Reni: "You never forget, you never forgive, you just create."
Ian: "Love conquers all."
Reni: "New stuff really does conquer all."

So how much new stuff can we expect?
Reni: "17 new stuffs."

Why now?
Ian: "Because I think we're great. I think we've still got it. And I think we've got something to give to people. And I think in times like this we can uplift people. We're doing it for ourselves, I'm not gonna lie. We wanted to announce our reunion the day after the riots, but it was important to play together before we announced it."

On playing that first song together
Ian: "It was 'Shoot You Down'. It sounded great. Funky. It was a treat. My own private treat. Like a lapdance really."

© Rex Features / Brian Rasic

Was it like the old days?
Ian: "It sounded better than the old days. For a start, Mani's had another 15 years playing so he's a better player than he was 15 years ago."
Mani: "Are you saying I was s**t then?"
Reni: "Since Ian quit smoking, he's like Johnny Mathis this kid."

On their new contemporaries
Ian: "Boring."
Mani: "Very, very bland, isn't it? No-one's saying nothing."
Reni: "I've seen something good - The Dirty North, from Wythenshawe - they were great."

On coming back in Manchester
Reni: "I want to apologise to the people of Manchester that we didn't have time to get a tent together. Or we couldn't find a tent that we thought would be big enough. Because we know it's going to be wet. And windy."

Being asked a question by the Daily Mail...
Ian: "What does it feel like to represent a newspaper that used to support Adolf Hitler? And supports the banker Kabbalists that are running the world? Did you vote Tory?"

No
Ian: "No-one ever votes Tory, do they?"

There's the full Interview, can't wait, hoping they do Oxegen next year, it'll give me a reason to go.