Manchester legends The Stone Roses have confirmed their reunion plans to a packed press conference in London today (October 18th).
The band, who have always distanced themselves from seemingly constant rumours of reformation over recent years, have now caved into the temptation of a return to the live scene, and will play two massive, homecoming gigs at Manchester’s Heaton Park on June 29th and 30th 2012. They have also confirmed plans for a world tour there after, with new songs included in the set.
Despite appearing to downplay the fresh rumours which surfaced last Friday, drummer Reni will once again be a part of the band, as will frontman Ian Brown, bass player Mani and guitarist John Squire, who has always seemed to be the biggest obstacle to any potential reunion in the past. Just last June, he labelled the current trend for reunions as ‘tragic’.
After years of gradual evolution in both sound and line-up following their formation in 1983, The Stone Roses released their long-awaited debut album in 1989, an album which is now cited by many as one of the greatest British records of all time. Its fusion of classic rock melodies with the acid-dance sound being so embraced by their Manchester contemporaries of the era was a hit with fans across the musical spectrum, and remains an inspiration for any budding rock star to this day.
In1990, the classic single ‘Fools Gold‘, and the era-defining gig at Spike Island, further cemented their status as the most important band of their generation.
Despite the success of their self-titled debut, turbulent times were in store for the Roses, as inter-band tensions and record company issues delayed a follow up until 1994, by which time Oasis had already begun to muscle in on the void their problems had created. When it eventually did emerge, ‘The Second Coming‘ was viewed largely as a disappointment by critics.
By 1996, the band had virtually disintegrated, thanks to the departures of Reni in 1995 and Squire just under a year later. Their final public act would prove to be a less-than-satisfactory headline appearance at that year’s Reading Festival.
Though many have praised the four bandmates for resisting the urge, and money, to reform since then, others will see these new gigs as an opportunity for The Stone Roses to finally lay the ghost of their fractious end, and instead write a new, more deserving final chapter in the story of one of the UK’s greatest bands.