The Stone Roses
On a windswept spit of land in the Mersey estuary in 1990, around 27,000 fans gathered for the Stone Roses' Spike Island show, the high-water mark of Madchester.
Their self-titled debut, produced by John Leckie, mixed 60s jangle and harmonies with the swing of dance music, thanks to Reni's loose, funky drumming, Mani's bass and John Squire's shimmering guitar under Ian Brown's laid-back vocals. 'I Wanna Be Adored' and 'She Bangs the Drums' became anthems, and the extended groove of 'Fools Gold' bridged indie and rave.
A legal fight with their label and slow sessions delayed Second Coming until 1994, the band split in 1996, and a 2011 reunion filled stadiums before ending in 2017. Mani died in 2025.
If you like The Stone Roses you should check out: The Smiths, New Order, Oasis, The Verve, Blur, Spiritualized, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix
