When the Stone Roses’ self-titled debut album appeared in 1989, guitarist John Squire became the biggest indie guitar hero since Johnny Marr.
Both hailing from Manchester, England, they exhibited more than a few similarities in their styles, but Squire’s playing channeled a much deeper ’60s groove.
He made no secret of his love for Jimi Hendrix, favoring a Strat for iconic songs such as “I Am the Resurrection” and “She Bangs the Drums.”
The trademark sound of the early Stone Roses records, however, was the clean, chiming arpeggios that Squire utilized, played on a Gretsch Country Gentleman or a Hofner T4S.
The Roses’ influence on the U.K. scene was instant and immense, spawning numerous similar bands in their wake and igniting the indie/retro/dance phenomenon that became known as Madchester.
Squire managed the neat trick of creating constantly evolving, interesting guitar parts that could stand up in their own right, eschewing the obvious for intricate, rippling waterfalls of arpeggios, riding on waves of delay and reverb that transported the listener back to the late-’60s summertime vibe of the Byrds.
The band’s follow-up album, Second Coming, saw them morph into a Zep-like riff-based behemoth.
Soon after it was released in late 1994, the Stone Roses imploded.
In 1996, Squire formed the Seahorses who released their sole album, Do It Yourself, the following year.
The guitarist then went on to release two solo albums – 2002’s Time Changes Everything and 2004’s Marshall's House – before deciding to focus on his talents as a painter (Squire created the Jackson Pollock-style painting featured on the cover of the Stone Roses' debut album.)
In 2011, rumors of a Stone Roses reunion began to circulate and the following spring the band played their first public concert since their mid-‘90s breakup at Parr Hall in Warrington, U.K.
This fantastic clip captures the palpable excitement in the room as the Stone Roses return to the stage and kick off their set with "I Wanna Be Adored."
Order Shane Meadows' Stone Roses film, Made Of Stone, here.
