They’re back! Madchester scene pioneers The Stone Roses have announced their reunion after 15 years apart. Their classic lineup, vocalist Ian Brown, guitarist John Squire, bassist Gary “Mani” Mounfield, and drummer Alan “Reni” Wren have finally buried the hatchet and are ready to head back out on the road, having announced an initial two shows in their hometown of Manchester and confirming an “extensive” world tour and even new material.
On the day the shows went on sale, they sold out in under 14 minutes prompting them to immediately add a third show, which sold out almost immediately after it was announced. All three shows were completely sold out in 68 minutes making it the fastest selling rock concerts in UK history. Tickets are currently selling on e-bay for a million pounds each.
So what’s so special about this band that a majority of Americans have never even heard of? Well The Stone Roses are easily one of the most influential bands in UK history. Despite only releasing two albums, their debut self-titled album achieved such critical acclaim that several respectable magazines, including NME have named it the greatest ever. With singles such as “I Wanna Be Adored,” “Fools Gold,” and their biggest, “Love Spreads,” their songs have been considered classics on both sides of the Atlantic.
The Roses’ influence has been citied from bands such as Oasis and Coldplay. Having roared through the late 80’s and early 90’s, by mid-decade the band couldn’t hold on any longer and after John Squire and Reni’s departure and a disastrous performance at the Reading Festival in 1996, the band officially split.
The news of their reunion really shook the music world, as no one really ever thought it would happen. After years of denying any involvement with each other, the band all met up at Mani’s mother’s funeral and, despite not being under better circumstances, began the healing process for the members.
The media has been speculating ever since about their reunion, which the band denied every time. Just days before the announcement, Reni cryptically tweeted, saying, “Not before 9T will I wear the hat 4 the Roses again,” interpreted as 90 years old, but instead at 9:00 on Tuesday morning, the band confirmed their reunion in a highly publicized press conference. You may not know the band, but trust me on this one; this reunion is one of the most exciting and unexpected the music industry has ever seen.
