Stone Roses & Spike Island: The Story

Join James Hargreaves to discover the flawed pinnacle of the Stone Roses' ascendancy in their late 1980's - early 1990's heyday, a legendary concert to over 35,000 people on Spike Island.
CORRECTION - The Happy Mondays played 'Hallelujah' on the same TOTP as the Stone Roses.
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Many thanks, JH.

[@ChubbyChecker182]

1989 had a real feeling of revolution in the air (fall of the Berlin Wall, collapse of a number of regimes etc), and the Roses felt like the perfect soundtrack to that.

[@lucasm3879]

True, and Mandela was released in 1990... but then The Gulf War broke out, then the war in Yugoslavia in ‘91, so it turned out to be a brief interlude of peace.

[@lewangillard9701]

Love these docu-style videos. You've been making loads recently and I've loved every one, keep up the great work James!

[@slidenaway]

Hard agree!! Killing it lately James -- super appreciate all your work on these. Your use of primary sources (books and such) interspersed with VIDEO of all these different things -- it's such an amazing way to document these massive and impactful events. Keep up the good work man, we're all loving what you're doing!!

[@JamesHargreavesGuitar]

@@slidenaway Cheers Chris, more to come :)

[@JamesHargreavesGuitar]

Thanks Lewan, much appreciated :)

[@anfieldlegend]

i was there.... lots of drugs and not too many memories. brilliant times. love the docu, mate. great content and great style.

[@lenrichardson7349]

Can you be 100% sure you were there, not just illusion of the drugs.

[@yellowjackboots2624]

I had a bootleg cassette of this gig. When the band walk on stage, Ian isn't saying "Retire! Retire! Retire now! The time is now!" He is saying "Time! Time! The time is now! Do it now!" Just wanted to clear that up 😉

[@menlove251]

We got the coach up from London and we still got there very early. It was a long, long day. I remember feeling bored waiting for the Roses, but it was exciting when they came on. I had already seen them 3 times the year before in London, and the smaller gigs were the brilliant ones....I still have my tickets. I am glad i can say i was there.

[@DDD-vt5vb]

Said it before and I’ll say it again. Your videos are extremely entertaining and I’m a huge fan of yours mate.

[@JamesHargreavesGuitar]

Cheers DDD! Really enjoyed researching this one

[@mrkipling2201]

I’ve seen that Live Forever documentary a few times. Very good. Jon Savage was on it, a great music journalist who wrote England’s Dreaming, probably the best book about the punk scene in the mid to late 70’s. What a great video. One of the best I’ve ever seen on the Roses.

[@mrkipling2201]

That video of people on their way to Spike Island on that warm Sunday afternoon is brilliant. I’ve seen it a couple of times now and it’s a look back at a different time. A simpler time. I remember that summer as being really hot from about May to late September. I was 12 at the time of Spike Island. I was well into the Roses and the Mondays and I was gutted that I was just a bit too young to go. Plus I lived in London. Even though I like my life now I would still love to have a time machine and go back to 1989!! Oh well I can dream!! 👍👍🤣🤣

[@beyondthehorizon75]

I love your mini documentaries like this James! They’re amazing! And thanks for mentioning that Roses book. I’m going to have to get it! Cheers from 🇺🇸

[@eguy4337]

Happy Mondays performed Hallelujah on same T.O.T.P. episode as Stone Roses Nov. 89. Step On released the following spring.

[@waynesilverman3048]

Yep I've just typed that

[@lucasm3879]

Yeah with Kirsty McColl randomly! Rowetta hadn’t joined yet, she was definitely a better fit for The Mondays!

[@Johnny_Gibbons]

Another well researched, great vid; Cheers James. A bit of nostalgia for the old head's, a bit of history for the young'uns.

[@Darkglobe1977]

Huge Roses fan here. Thanks for doing this one. I expect a lot of work went into this. Much appreciated mate.

[@smitcher]

I didn't get to see them in 1990 but I did see them on the 19th December 1995, the first of their 2 Barrowlands gigs of the Second Coming tour... Bloody great night it was too! Never had any tickets and paid some dodgy geezer in a pub who took us to the guest booth, told the person on the desk some name and me and my mate were let in...

[@smitcher]

Saw Paul Weller 9th November that year in Barrowlands too. Was there with an ex and a mate of mine and went to the toilet during the first or second song. Came back and she told me that my mate had been trying to spark up a joint in the dark and two huge security guards came up behind him, picked him up by the armpits and dragged him to the exit and put him out. He missed most of the show but managed to sneak back in with about 2 songs to go...

[@JamesHargreavesGuitar]

That's awesome!! I like the guitar work on Second Coming miles more than the first album - but I prefer the songwriting on the first album too. Was Robbie Maddix on drums when you saw them?

[@smitcher]

@@JamesHargreavesGuitar Yeah i'm pretty sure he was but couldn't be 100% sure... in fact I couldn't be 100% sure that Ian Brown was singing!! 🤣

[@smitcher]

@@JamesHargreavesGuitar Agree that guitar on second coming is fantastic compared to first album but yeah there's something different about the songs of the first album that makes them brilliant. Squire had seriously upped his game by then and always loved the guitar on The Seahorses album too...

[@JamesHargreavesGuitar]

If they'd had the songwriting magic of the first album combined with the guitar genius musicianship of the second... It would have been awesome. I feel like when they were in transition (Fools Gold & One Love) they came the closest to that perfect mix, while never 100% arriving somehow.

[@bobbybowmaniii9472]

Thanks for covering the Roses…

[@Sleepy_I]

Lovely stuff. Excellent work again James!

[@Alligator6002]

I had Squirrel and Bummed by the Mondays and then... I heard The Roses... When you fall in love with 2 bands like that at 14 you're in for life. I've still got all my 12" records, from both bands, every one,in as pristine condition as possible proudly present in my front room, I'll never grow up from that time

[@Surv1ve_Thrive]

Same here 👍🇬🇧

[@fredsmith4066]

These videos are class mate. Amazing footage of Noel in the Hacienda! Keep 'em coming!

[@rogermiller1727]

I was at Ally Pally aged 14, my first gig, and Spike Island the year later. I didn't know any better so had nothing to judge them on as per 'quality' Does it matter NO I was at the 2 most defining GIGS of our generation! Still got the tickets, still got the t-shirts! RAVE ON!

[@chrisknight2631]

Ooh you came to sunny Widnes for the Spike Island gig(?)!! I hope you checked out our many sites whilst you were here! 😂😂

[@stuartcarswell2815]

Never forget these times...spike island and the hacienda on the same weekend

[@SeanJepson7]

You had me at ‘Stone Roses &’

[@JamesHargreavesGuitar]

Hahahahahahahahahaha that genuinely made me laugh out loud.

[@Fazzat333]

Great video buddy.👍 I was lucky enough to see them @ Glasgow rooftops,Empress Ballroom,Ally Pally ,Spikes Island & Glasgow green (91&2013).☘️

[@flapstones]

he says 'Time, time, time, the time is now!'

[@manuelgallardo7694]

Top notch roses article. Cheers from LA mates!😎🤘

[@bendover9663]

The Stone Roses are such an important band in the lineage of British music, i feel like yes they were big then but probably since their reunion onwards they seem to have gotten more of the credit they deserved...

[@themountaingoat21]

The night I saw them at gaiety show bar in Portsmouth.my life was changed. We taped it, yes taped it!, and were listening to it the next day...it was great when the album came out soon afterwards and we could listen to these great tunes. Best quid fifty spent on seeing a band

[@MadeOfStone02]

22:38 Ian is actually saying “ The time is now! Not “retire now” Brilliant vid though, one of the most legendary gigs ever

[@evanphillips570]

I love Oasis but they never released an album that touched that first Roses album, Greatest of all time imo

[@slidenaway]

@@badgasaurus4211 lmao you're calling Don't Stop, Bye Bye Bad Man, Sugar Spun Sister, and Made Of Stone "weak"? Idk what planet you're living on but I suggest you return to Earth someday ;)

[@slidenaway]

@@badgasaurus4211 well I'm glad you can allow for Made Of Stone :D Still in the end it's a matter of opinion, so yeah I'm biased, you're biased, we're all biased lmao, that's not a good argument. All I can say is I think Don't Stop is cool (not my fave but not dragging anything down), Elizabeth My Dear is short so I don't think it matters that much, and Bye Bye Bad Man and Sugar Spin Sister are top pop songs, right in line with the rest of the record. Obviously you disagree and that's cool, but just know that plenty of people think as I do, that these songs are also great, and that's why we think the whole record is classic. Again it's cool if you don't (I was exaggerating for effect when I said what planet are you living on, to be clear) but it's not an uncommon or weird opinion to think these songs are top notch.

[@slidenaway]

@@badgasaurus4211 well I never said it was perfect either, so that's a straw man :) And your clarification about being biased didn't really help, idk why you used that word lol And yeah, I'm aware I'm pulling a bit of "majority opinion" argument, and that's not super solid. But it's better than nothing, in a completely subjective argument that neither of us can win! I will agree that the front and back of the album is better than the middle but to me (and plenty of other people lol) that doesn't mean it drags, or keep it from being classic. Anyway, let's just love the album and have a great day!

[@mrkipling2201]

That’s the great thing about music. Everyone has different opinions. It would be a boring world if we all thought and liked the same things. Cheers 👍👍

[@DuncYo]

We’re having a Madchester night! This is fantastic thanks!! love the Tony Wilson doc when Northside gradually built up their Rising Star song playing live …LOVE MANCHESTER MUSIC!! ❤️

[@theessay2530]

That’s mad the video of young Noel

[@doonyboy42]

I'm from Widnes and I was there. This vid is the best documentary I've seen so far. We did indeed get hostile toward the support acts. RuffRuff&Ready did a tune about PollTax and called us all 'Tories' for not being interested...we boo'ed them off. What I regret was booing off Gary Clail's OnU SoundSystem because his band included 2 respected bass players, Yah Wobble(PIL) and Doug Wimbish(James Brown, Living colour).

[@lucasm3879]

Didn’t Gary Clail call the crowd something like spoiled rich kids when he was boo’ed off? It does seem out of order to boo him, he made some good music, but the crowd seemed to get bored waiting all day with poor facilities like lack of food, drinks, toilets etc because of the lack of planning.

[@leighgarmory1434]

Great video mate. There aren’t that many gigs that are this legendary.

[@libertard6101]

That first album was sooo pure…. Tho loved second coming …. A natural progression

[@MrEazert]

I’ve listened to most all your videos whilst delivering to butchers in the south of England, great stuff mate

[@peteofhayes8111]

I have some great memories of that day in Widnes.. I grew up on the other side of the river, so the band basically played that fateful event on the doorstep..

[@davidjames579]

I heard that people in Widnes actually heard it clearer than those at the gig.

[@theselector4733]

Brilliant video. Lots of great info as usual. Just have one query. You say that Glasgow Green was Reni's last gig with the band. So, did they do any gigs between 1990 to 95 with any other drummer? I know that eventually Reni left in 95' and was briefly replaced by Robbie Maddix. Cheers

[@danielwarren3138]

Pretty certain they did no gigs between Glasgow Green and Robbie Maddix replacing Reni (Reni left after Second Coming was recorded, before they went on tour).

[@lucasm3879]

They definitely did no gigs in between Glasgow 1990 and the warm up gigs for the tour after Robbie M joined.

[@chrisknight2631]

I know that clip of Spike Island itself at the beginning is from the Live Forever documentary, so the caption is not your fault, but Spike Island is NOT in Merseyside, it’s in my home town Widnes, Cheshire. It’s on the banks of the Mersey, but not Merseyside. In 2009 Widnes and Runcorn, which form the borough of Halton, became, along with a few boroughs of Merseyside, the Liverpool City Region, but we still remain in Cheshire. We were once part of Lancashire, but never the ceremonial county of Merseyside. We’re quite adamant about that. Just becoming part of the Liverpool City Region knocked about 20k from our house prices, and it’s very annoying when people say we’re on Merseyside.

[@maxdecimus13]

As a Widnesian I did wonder how he could do a whole documentary without mentioning it was in Widnes!

[@dmanntube]

Happy Mondays performed Hallelujah on TOTP the night SR were playing Fools Gold. A seminal moment. We were in heaven, chatting about it with pals in school the next day

[@tavishurn2585]

Mates of mine went, I was in Lancaster Uni at the time. I probably refused to go because I couldn't be seen to be liking anything fashionable in those days 🙂. The flares still scared me though, and rightly so.

[@soundcheck9457]

great essey, thank you! btw in your video about lad-culture you said that Oasis was the first band in a long time, that speak with a working class acent and look like lads. But what about SR? For me it`s always seems like they are first ones. What do you think?

[@lucasm3879]

The Happy Mondays did it even before The Roses really, the Roses were still a bit unsure of their image in the mid 80’s - Ian Brown looked and performed like Morrisey! The Mondays were always the same image from day one. You could actually argue The Farm from Liverpool were too.

[@ryangettig274]

Good Report!Saw The Stone Roses -MSG-NYC-June 2016 &they still had it & totally captivated the audience.I do remember Reni kinda glowing & Ian Brown(who had a cooll t-shirt saying "own Brain"remarking on Reni's shirt?:)Maybe the Reni's the heart of that band-we'd heard he'd been in town a few days DeeJaying with one of the Smiths:)Hope they come back to America before the world heaves & convulses to an end:)They have the best songs next to Blue Oyster Cult....

[@mywhychromosome]

"Own brain" is an anagram for Ian Brown.

[@davefloyd9443]

Reni was the musical glue. Lots of people have said that Brownie can't really sing and Squire just riffs extremely loudly. Both of them have been shown to be complete arseholes at times.

[@oasisvex315]

when the stone roses came onto stage I had always though Ian said the time, the time, the time is now

[@maquismark5852]

He did mate.

[@oasisvex315]

@@maquismark5852 yeah thought so, the subtitles just said otherwise so I was confused lol

[@davidjames579]

@@oasisvex315 Same here. It makes more sense as everyone had been waiting for the Main Event.

[@modernchampionmusic81]

Great sat morning watch👍

[@coronationstreetgta6968]

Deserve a lot more views and Subscribers , I really enjoy these Documentary videos. Really interesting to learn the learn the history on theses incredible bands.

[@Dan-zr5em]

Excellent James!

[@jacquelineholmes4633]

me too

[@rizzledizzle3443]

Shoulda been a springboard onto a fools gold/something's burning style album, Reni and mani at the forefront, instead they disappeared.

[@mrkipling2201]

Definitely. Unfortunately court cases and the inability to release any music meant lethargy set in.

[@rizzledizzle3443]

@@mrkipling2201 in an alternate universe....yes agree, good points and I love second coming but it was John's album.

[@matthewotooleis]

If they did an album around that time it would have been the nuts. One Love, Fools Gold, Somethings Burning, What The World Is Waiting For. Like Hendrix mixed with acid house.

[@matthewjdouglas6471]

@@matthewotooleis I think of turns into stone as a legitimate record/album it's fantastic

[@ChorltonandtheWheelies]

I still think about that day. Me and my best mate didnt have tickets but the night before one of our 'frenimies ' was bragging about having tickets so we got up on the Sunday depressed as fuck and being 18 and that - went anyway. EVERYTHING went our way that day, we had very little money but got on the train for nowt, we got the tickets at cost coz of this girl we met, I even got to SEE a lot better than most as this guy let me sit on his shoulders ( he said he was from the MNE or Sounds ) the only thing I regret is swopping my camera for 2 pints of lager - not coz it was a good camera but coz of the photos of the day on it. You get so few days in life like that - I'm glad this was one of mine 🍋

[@davidjames579]

How did you get back?

[@ChorltonandtheWheelies]

I would b lying if I told you- everything after the Roses is a blank and me an her don't speak anymore so can't ask her - I *think* we followed the crowds back to Manchester on 🚆

[@davidjames579]

@@ChorltonandtheWheelies No worries. Thanks for the memory. I'm a bit obsessed with Spike Island, so love hearing anything about it. I didn't realise they were still running trains that late, so I did wonder.

[@ChorltonandtheWheelies]

You've got to remember it was 30 years ago - I went to see Russell Brand in Blackpool last week on the train and the amount of times our tickets were checked was bordering on the ridiculous, you could 'jib' on trains (as we called it) pretty easily back then. As for the late hour - I *assume* they put on late trains coz they didn't fancy the alternative! Crowds of E'd up /drunk 'Roses fans stuck (in what felt like) the middle of nowhere! I don't blame you for being a bit obsessed bout it - shows you have good taste! Another thing (apart from the camera) that I'm gutted about is losing the ticket, I'm usually good like that for example I've seen Oasis 8 times and have managed to hold on to 7 outta the 8, but The Spike Island ticket was beautiful 😢 sadly it's been lost among the way. I've just gone to look at those Oasis tickets and the first one was £8.50! The last one (11 years later) was £32.50. Sorry if this bit is boring to you David but I've put it in for James coz we all know he loves a bit of them! Thanks for the question - was nice to take another trip down memory lane! 😊✌

[@jezwotton2126]

Great vid but at 5:30 you say the Mondays performed Step On , it was actually Hallelujah when doing TOTP at the same time that the Rose's did Fool's gold

[@dmanntube]

The Roses went from playing to a handful of people at the start of 1989, to 30K at Spike Island within 18 months. A magical time. The Roses had peaked, all down hill from here, sadly.

[@eguy4337]

Happy Mondays first album released 1987.

[@eRiBuSmAn]

Great insight...just for the record, it's Paul Oakenfold. Not Oakenfield.

[@gchampi2]

Was supposed to be there. Got sideswiped by a van just north of spaghetti junction. Spent the afternoon getting glass removed from my right eye. Got home around 10:30pm. Knew a couple of guys who were there. One said it was the greatest gig ever. The other got the crap kicked out of him & had his wallet stolen...

[@boovleeds137]

Brilliant vid. Keep them coming 👏

[@mrkipling2201]

Didn’t the Happy Mondays enter a battle of the bands night at the Hacienda?? Apparently they finished last but Tony Wilson signed them anyway!!

[@lucasm3879]

The first night Sean made Bez dance for them in 1985 (off his face on microdot acid!)

[@X14366]

Manny playing MC Styles vs 808 State in sound check - bliss.

[@jmccabe82]

Need to say man I love this channel your a class act

[@costanzauk]

I love your videos man. keep it up!

[@marshy1499]

I'm from Widnes where spike island is ..I was 15 and somewhere in that crowd after jumping over the fence at the Ashley way end ...God knows hw many times I've seen Brownie.....

[@faunoram]

Excellent video !!

[@garysmith4418]

Brilliant, what a Fkn great day . Came from the wirral and had my ticket. What a fkn day. Best concert I have ever been to. This is a fantastic insite mate...WOW !!

[@Gravedigger2024]

Would love to see you do a video on the political theme running through the first Stone Roses album. Apparently the lemons and French flag on the album cover are references to the Parisian student-worker rebellion of 1968. Bye Bye Badman is also supposed to be about that great event. And Elizabeth My Dear is an obvious dig at the British monarchy. Then there’s the Jackson Pollock-inspired art. Pollock was a radical leftist. It’s always great when your favourite bands make meaningful statements as well as great tunes.

[@jacquelineholmes4633]

I think someone's planning just such a video/film

[@unitedmad9580]

@@jacquelineholmes4633 Who? Would love to see it

[@J8D2]

Ian still is a staunch leftist. Pity he went down the Covid conspiracy rabbit hole.

[@Gravedigger2024]

@@J8D2 yeah, he ruined things a bit with his ridiculous anti-vax nonsense. But for putting out songs like ‘Illegal Attacks’ I guess we can let him off.

[@rob5249]

@@J8D2 lol 😂

[@CK-ceekay]

Bit late to this one, but great to see. I had no idea about the shambles of the lineup hahah

[@thevale2456]

That debut album is one of the greatest records ever, it’s a shame the Roses never continued that momentum but obviously there’s a reason for that with them trying to get out of their label etc.

[@kyledavis828]

excellent content man 🔥🔥🔥

[@bendog73]

Good video, plus I was there. The Mondays, though, did Hallelujah on that totp....

[@BackToBackJames]

23:40 the infamous Bonemobile. Guigsy also went there with Bonehead. So did Chris Hutton, who was the singer for the band at the time.

[@supershedseven]

Very good video, its a shame the Spike Island presser isnt available anywhere as that would have been a fun watch. Typical of Evans to try and make money off it!! It's a very unique story is the Roses and you can't blame them for coming back and getting the big payday. Only slightly incorrect bit of this is towards the end after Spike Island. The gig in Belfast wasnt in a Big Top Tent, it was in a Leisure Centre (now gone) and capacity would have been 1600-2000 but not important really. Quality!

[@GreenhorseRecords]

Good vid - was there, long day, frustrating but elating- as with Heaton Park - I didn’t get a beer as queues were impossible- but when ian comes on stage he says “ time time time the time is now” not retire retire - all good otherwise

[@stevesmith9015]

Spoke Island …….. I was there !

[@stefanlundin9649]

The roses were never Britpop

[@thevale2456]

No but that debut album laid down the blueprint for what came to be Britpop in the mid 90s

[@davefloyd9443]

The Roses laid foundations for Britpop in the same way that House of Love laid foundations for shoegaze. They were both pioneers, but both were well above typecasting into those 'genres'

[@lucasm3879]

The track they used to come onstage to at the time was the instrumental of Dissmasters - Small Time Hustler

[@johnnymancspice]

Shambolic? Yes. A little scary? Yes. But…when Redemption Song was played on the pa after the fireworks as we all trudged off the site n I don’t think I’ve ever felt love like it 💜

[@kegalormoon]

The last Roses gig was at hampden

[@RockyBritalian]

1:57 Nevever seen that photo before. Cheers!

[@ChubbyChecker182]

There's a very interesting video to be made about the Roses after 2013 (after which their comeback just became a tribute act to themselves).... Alas I don't think we will ever know what the heck went on, and how they ended up doing Awful One in 2016 and the same set till 2017, and then the years since they finally split again. I genuinely loved the comeback of 2011-13, and if it was just a cash in then they fully deserved their pay day, but it really felt like one of the best bands of all time were going to do something amazing for a while there (but didn't). That Reni huh, don't know anything about him except he is a genius drummer. Ah well, still love em.

[@chrisknight2631]

Have you watched Made of Stone? It’s a great doc about their comeback, released in 2013, I believe. If you haven’t, definitely do so as it’s fantastic! It covers the show in Amsterdam that they were booed off from for not doing an encore, with Brown telling the crowd to get all their boos out of their system, and that the monitors had nearly deafened Reni so he’d already left to go home. Whole thing collapsed after that. He is one of the best drummers ever - up there with the legends. If they had released more than one decent studio album in their original run (I don’t count The Second Coming as being in their first run, because if took them literally five years constant work to make it!) he’d be remembered by all as one of the best. It’s a shame, really. Then you’ve got what Squire did to his band during The Seahorses hey-day, if one can call it that (that’s not in the doc). Add once more to that that Brown now being a bit of a nut-job and the band must go down as one of the most dysfunctional yet enigmatic bands ever! Anyway, I’m babbling a bit now - just watch Made of Stone if you haven’t already - you’ll love it, guaranteed (it’s not all negative, btw).

[@maratonlegendelenemirei3352]

@@chrisknight2631 Nothing wrong with babbling, I could read more of your Roses thoughts.

[@chrisknight2631]

@@maratonlegendelenemirei3352 haha well it’s very kind of you to say that. I do tend to just go on and on and on! When I then come across a comment from a while ago I realise that I don’t proof read them so my autocorrect has them difficult to follow! 😂😂

[@chrisknight2631]

@@RaveSceneTribute have you ever met him? He’s a ducking nut job regardless of his views. And he doesn’t just “question things” and you very well know it, don’t act so dumb, it’s unbecoming.

[@lucasm3879]

They also released the track Beautiful Thing in 2016, which is far better than All For One and showed they still had potential to make new music. They just don’t really get on with each other anymore though, I think apart from Mani. Squire has said in the last few weeks in a Guardian interview about his album with Liam Gallagher that they didn’t seem to want to be in a band together, let alone make an album. The Shane Meadows video of them practicing Waterfall and Adored in 2012 in the rehearsal room is fantastic though, it showed all their individual talents combining and Brown was singing great.

[@waynesilverman3048]

No big deal but happy Mondays played halliloha not step on when they did that 'Madchester' double show?

[@jacklevine7933]

Never see that footage of brown spinning a globe in his hand, is that the reference on the definitely album cover?

[@lucasm3879]

No it’s unrelated. Oasis did a Definitely Maybe doc in 2004 and went back to the flat - Noel said the globe represented him having the world in his hands at the time in ‘94. He also said it’s Ribena not red wine in the bottle!

[@denisehomestlno5470]

To me Blackpool was the one , I was a britpop lad so missed the roses although absolutely besotted with them I read every book got every album and singles even the awful John hannet produced lost album that was released by one of there former labels , anyway I heard there was a live from Blackpool on VHS so I went to the local back street record store (remember them) and I asked if they had it the owner said no but he can order it for me and come back in 2 weeks (life befor Amazon) right do 2 long weeks went by and I went down to purchase my tape stone roses on my Walkman it was only about a mile walk but it couldent feel any longer , Ili kept thinking wat if he doesn't have it , so I get there and he had it I rushed out the store to get home it took ages to get back il, so I get in run upstairs as if I'm in dieing need of a piss 0ut the tape in and then.................nothin just them white lines going up and down the screen, where the hell are the roses so I take it out fast forward to end and back a few times do the the tracking (anyone remember all shit we had to put up with don't get me started on setting the timers on a VHS LMFAO) anyway nothing,. I want back down with a cricket bat only joking I went and had to order it again 2 weeks later I got it and still have it to this day cos after all that I don't have the heart to, anyways cheers James spike island sure was an event it's just a shame that crowd couldent hear the sound as it was blowing all over the place , the roses and oasis have brought me 20 years of joy and I'm happy that a new generation are digging it and getting there guitars out ✌️

[@mrkipling2201]

You mean the Garage Flower album produced by Martin Hannett?? I actually think it’s pretty good. Got some good early stuff on there like ‘ Heart on the Staves ‘.

[@philpatton5652]

I was there

[@MaxellAdGuy]

The kids had fun, and that’s all that matters.

[@ogabugabedj1977]

I'm disappointed that the live forever documentary had been removed from youtube in my country, i really want to watch the rest of the episodes. But that's never going to happen 😔

[@mikewilson3581]

What a fantastic debut album. They really could have taken over the world. Of course, I think the same of the original line up of The Pretenders. Fortunately no one died in the Roses. Ever think of doing one on Mark E Smith's troubled 90's? Especially that New York incident when he punched girlfriend/keyboardist Julia Nagle.

[@CircRhyth1981]

Paul OakenFOLD for future reference 👍🏻 Great vid

[@JamesHargreavesGuitar]

Woooops. I always miss something. Ah well.

[@davidjames579]

On that day he was Paul in a field, so there's that.

[@edmundblackaddercoc8522]

I was lucky went to both spike and Blackpool, good f'ing days.

[@jezjukes]

They gave out tickets to anyone who , either just turned up, or signed the" free the roses" petition, outside of wolverhampton Crown Court. My late mate, lloyd Austin can be seen on alot of the photos. (Big shaggy hair and inspirals, cool as fuck t shirt).Great weekend.?!? But, all a bit more than off it.

[@davidjames579]

Was that the 5000 long Guest List?

[@jezjukes]

@@davidjames579 :) just tickets. Was it really 5000? I'd probably have been just as business minded.

[@DJmonAtomic]

Oakenfold !

[@krissymarklewis1793]

I loved the Stone Roses, the vocals were hit and miss but the rhythm section was tight as fuck as well as Squires guitar flourishes.

[@michaelbuckingham4030]

Agreed. Ian's live singing was generally terrible. The only weak point of the band imo

[@krissymarklewis1793]

@@michaelbuckingham4030 sometimes he was great, just think a few er....factors may have affected him.

[@staffh3815]

As always ,,,,,,tight,,, what a band ,special.😎

[@slidenaway]

well the vocals weren't hit and miss on the records at least! :)

[@stevennapier1081]

You should do a video about The Verve.

[@SGPriv227]

Haha! Little Noel at the hacienda

[@mywhychromosome]

Sorted for E's and Whizz

[@wesmatron]

I was there!!!!

[@waynesilverman3048]

Some one caught the testicle on the spike, top of the fence when trying to get in free !

[@briansays2286]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@EportChris]

Fumny that seeing spike island these days you'd have no real clue a revolution took place there.

[@matthewjdouglas6471]

I've got 3 copies of war and peace, and read each one, 😆 🤣

[@shaneblaneyseerilydysfunct7663]

Have another #takebackthecharts tune uploaded on my channel, "Real to Real". One of my better songs I wrote in a while. "Hopeless Romantic" Is worth a look too

[@DJmonAtomic]

I think the power cut was a work for publicity

[@davidjames579]

By the BBC?

[@DJmonAtomic]

@@davidjames579 i’d imagine the manager , the band and The BBC were in on it or just the manager and the beeb. Nothing on TV is truly live

[@davidjames579]

@@DJmonAtomic Okay, thanks.

[@nobbystyles4807]

i went to the hacienda in late 89 it was amazing but it turned into a fucking wanker fest pretty quickly in the following years

[@andrewconrad2859]

The Roses were destroyed, primarily by 1) terrible management 2) cocaine, and 3) one man's all-consuming obsession with Led Zeppelin. I for one can completely understand why John got so immersed in the mystique of the Zep. It happened to me too.

[@lucasm3879]

I’d agree with those contributing factors but add in a few others, in no particular order - 1. Musical differences, mainly between Brown and Squire, about the influence of beats, funk and dance culture on the second album sound. Squire always seemed to be wary and fairly uninterested in the rock dance hybrid, and as we saw with Brown’s solo career, he embraced it. 2.) The collective pressure felt by the band of what to do next after so much praise heaped on their debut (and their own lofty claims about what they aimed to achieve). 3.) Changing life circumstances, ie having kids, moving to different areas and become less connected as people. 4). Collective laziness, or at least lack of drive, after receiving their big advance from Geffen in May ‘91. 5.) No manager, no producer after Leckie left in mid ‘93, and also probably Brown smoking too much weed. 6). Possible disillusion at how Manchester and the Hacienda’s utopian vibe in ‘89 turned a lot more moody and gang infiltrated around ‘91 (The Hacienda shut for four months in Jan ‘91 after bouncers were shot at). That’s more my own speculation though, although it was a noticeable backdrop and seemed to negatively impact the mood of the Happy Mondays and New Order a little too).

[@AJREMINGTON85]

the fact they caught tape of a young noel gallagher in the club…

[@staffh3815]

I was there ,it was a shit show,support acts were shocking,but what a day

[@kieron63]

Spot on!🖖