SIMON SPENCE
The Stone Roses
War and Peace
Photography by
Dennis Morris, Lena Kagg Ferrero
and Sue Dean
VIKING
an imprint of
PENGUIN BOOKS
Contents
Photography
Cast
Prologue
1. The Patrol
2. Reni
3. Sweden
4. So Young
5. Hannett
6. Gareth
7. Mani
8. Leckie
9. Blackpool
10. ‘Fools Gold’
11. Madchester
12. ‘One Love’
13. Geffen
14. Second Coming
15. Reni II
16. Robbie
17. Fifteen Years
18. Reunion
Afterword
Illustrations
Bibliography
Notes
Gigography/Discography
Acknowledgements
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Simon Spence collaborated with Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham on the acclaimed memoirs Stoned and 2Stoned. He has written for the NME, i-D, Dazed & Confused and the Independent. He was at the Stone Roses’ legendary Blackpool and Alexandra Palace shows in 1989 and covered their seminal Spike Island show for The Face.
To Thalia, Theo and Sylvie
The Stone Roses
War and Peace
Based on 400 hours of interviews with over seventy of The Stone Roses’ closest associates, including six former band members, War and Peace is the first major biography of the band that defined a generation. Originally planned in collaboration with Reni, the reclusive drummer, this book had been a year in the making when the Roses, against all odds, announced their re-formation.
It is a remarkable coda to an astonishing story of a band like no other. In 1989 their debut album and the single ‘Fools Gold’ made them the most exciting British export since the Sex Pistols. With their incendiary aura the Roses became figureheads of the ‘Madchester’ movement.
War and Peace traces the band’s genesis, studded with violent gigs and abandoned recordings, and shaped by their infamous manager, Gareth Evans. As their jeans grew wider and their songs more anthemic, the Roses’ legendary gigs culminated in the era-defining Spike Island show in 1990. From this pinnacle the unravelling was spectacular. With the band refusing to play in America, arrested for vandalizing a record company and dragged through the High Court, the epic recording of their dark second album is the stuff of legend. They disbanded in turmoil in 1996.
Since then the Roses myth has grown even bigger. ‘I Wanna Be Adored’, ‘She Bangs the Drums’, ‘Waterfall’, ‘This Is the One’ and ‘I Am the Resurrection’ have become national anthems, and their first album is widely recognized as one of the best ever made.
But the true story behind their rise and fall – and resurrection – has never been told. Until now. From the Manchester backwaters to the worldwide 2012 tour, War and Peace lays bare the irresistible tale of the last of the great bands.
‘Revolution is not “showing” life to people, but bringing them to life.
A revolutionary organization must always remember that its objective is not getting its adherents to listen to convincing talks by expert leaders, but getting them to speak for themselves, in order to achieve, or at least strive toward, an equal degree of participation.’
Guy Debord, Situationist International (1961)
Photography
This book includes forty previously unseen photographs from Dennis Morris, Lena Kagg Ferrero and Sue Dean.
Dennis Morris shot to fame as a teenager photographing Bob Marley between 1973 and 1981, before taking iconic shots of John Lydon and the Sex Pistols. In 1985 Martin Hannett, then producing The Stone Roses, tried to convince the band to collaborate with Morris to develop their ‘look’ – a plan that was abandoned when Morris and John Squire didn’t hit it off. But Ian Brown and Reni kept in contact with him. The photographs in this book were taken during informal sessions from 1989 to 1995.
Lena Kagg Ferrero followed the Roses on their 1985 tour of Sweden with Toxin Toy. Her photographs of the Roses had been stored for more than twenty-five years in the loft of her father’s house. They are the rarest early shots of the band.
Sue Dean was a well-known face on the Manchester scene in the 1980s, and for a couple of years was the girlfriend of the Roses’ manager Gareth Evans. She was the only photographer to capture the Roses consistently throughout their lost years of 1986, 1987 and 1988.
The never-seen-before ephemera from this period was supplied from the archives of Howard Jones, manager of The Stone Roses from 1984 to 1986. Producer John Leckie also supplied private paperwork, as did Jive/Zomba’s Steven Howard.
1. Garner, Brown and Couzens on tour bus, Sweden, 1985 © Lena Kagg Ferrero.
2. Squire, Brown, Garner, Reni and Jones on tour bus, Sweden, 1985 © Lena Kagg Ferrero.
3. Couzens and Brown on stage, Sweden, 1985 © Lena Kagg Ferrero.
4. Squire and Garner on stage, Sweden, 1985 © Lena Kagg Ferrero.
5. Couzens, Brown, Squire and Garner on stage, Sweden, 1985 © Lena Kagg Ferrero.
6. Couzens, Brown, Reni and Squire on stage, Sweden,1985 © Lena Kagg Ferrero.
7. Reni and Brown on stage, Sweden, 1985 © Lena Kagg Ferrero.
8. Thin Line advert for 1985 Swedish tour. Courtesy of Howard Jones.
9. Garner, Reni, Brown and Squire on tour, Sweden, 1985 © Lena Kagg Ferrero.
10. Thin Line press release for ‘So Young’/‘Tell Me’, 1985, p.1. Courtesy of Howard Jones.
11. Thin Line press release for ‘So Young’/‘Tell Me’, 1985, p.2. Courtesy of Howard Jones.
12. Thin Line advert, 1985. Courtesy of Howard Jones.
13. Thin Line advert for ‘So Young’/‘Tell Me’, 1985. Courtesy of Howard Jones.
14. ‘So Young’/‘Tell Me’ single label detail, 1985. Courtesy of Howard Jones.
15. Ticket for Warehouse 1, 1985. Courtesy of Howard Jones.
16. The Patrol, 1980 © Sue Dean.
17. Squire, Brown and Garner in rehearsal, 1987 © Sue Dean.
18. Brown in rehearsal, 1987 © Sue Dean.
19. Squire, Garner and Brown on stage, 1987 © Sue Dean.
20. Brown on stage, 1986 © Sue Dean.
21. Reni on stage, 1986 © Sue Dean.
22. Reni on stage, 1987 © Sue Dean.
23. Brown and his tattoo, 1988 © Sue Dean.
24. Mani in 1987 © Sue Dean.
25. The Roses at Warehouse 2, 1985 © Sue Dean.
26. Mani, John Leckie and Brown outside the International II, 1988 © Sue Dean.
27. Mani, Gareth Evans and Tim Booth outside the International II, 1988 © Sue Dean.
28. Garner, Squire, Reni and Brown signing the contract, 1987 © Sue Dean.
29. Band contact list. Courtesy of Howard Jones.
30. Mani, Brown, Squire and Reni studio shot, 1989 © Dennis Morris.
31. Reni, Squire, Mani and Brown studio shot, 1989 © Dennis Morris.
32. Fax from John Leckie, p. 1. Courtesy of John Leckie.
33. Fax from John Leckie, p. 2. Courtesy of John Leckie.
34. Fans at Spike Island, 1990 © Dennis Morris.
35. Dressing room at Spike Island, 1990 © Dennis Morris.
36. Crowd shot, Spike Island, 1990 © Dennis Morris.
37. Squire and Brown on stage, Spike Island, 1990 © Dennis Morris.
38. Brown on stage, Spike Island, 1990 © Dennis Morris.
39. Brown on stage, Spike Island, 1990 © Dennis Morris.
40. Squire on stage, Glasgow Green, 1990 © Dennis Morris.
41. Reni on stage, Glasgow Green, 1990 © Dennis Morris.
42. Brown on stage, Spike Island, 1990 © Dennis Morris.
43. Glasgow Green, 1990 © Dennis Morris.
44. Cressa, Brown and Reni on stage, Glasgow Green, 1990 © Dennis Morris.
45. Reni, Mani, Squire and Brown on stairwell, Dennis Morris’s studio, 1994 © Dennis Morris.
46. John Leckie’s post-resignation fax, p. 1. Courtesy of John Leckie.
47. John Leckie’s post-resignation fax, p. 2. Courtesy of John Leckie.
48. Brown in Morris’s studio, 1994 © Dennis Morris.
49. Mani in Morris’s studio, 1994 © Dennis Morris.
50. Squire in Morris’s studio, 1994 © Dennis Morris.
51. Reni in Morris’s studio, 1994 © Dennis Morris.
52. The band in Morris’s studio, 1994 © Dennis Morris.
Cast
Principal characters in order of appearance
Phil Jones: concert promoter, Alexandra Palace and Spike Island
Gareth Evans: manager of The Stone Roses and owner of the International and International II clubs
Ian Brown (nickname IBEX): singer, The Stone Roses
Matthew Cummins (RIP): Evans’s business partner, co-manager of The Stone Roses and co-owner of the International clubs
Paul Oakenfold: DJ at Alexandra Palace and Spike Island
Dave Haslam: author; DJ at Blackpool Empress Ballroom, Alexandra Palace and Spike Island
Dave Booth: DJ at Blackpool Empress Ballroom and Spike Island
Adrian Sherwood: producer; remixed ‘One Love’ and support act at Spike Island
Philip Hall (RIP): press officer, The Stone Roses, and the band’s manager in 1993
John Squire (often Johnny): guitarist, The Stone Roses
Stephen ‘Cressa’ Cresser: The Stone Roses’ road crew and on-stage vibes
Mani (Gary Mounfield): bassist, The Stone Roses
Peter Hook: Joy Division and New Order; producer of ‘Elephant Stone’
Steve Lock: Granada TV producer, filmed Alexandra Palace
Roddy McKenna: A&R at Jive/Zomba
Kevin Cummins: NME photographer
Si Wolstencroft: original drummer in The Stone Roses, 1983–4
Pete Garner: original bass player in The Stones Roses, 1983–7
Andy Couzens: original guitarist in The Stones Roses, 1983–6
Pennie Smith: NME photographer, The Stone Roses’ photographer
Mensi (Thomas Mensforth): lead singer, Angelic Upstarts
Mike Phoenix: scooterboy and founder of the Twisted Wheel SC club
Johnny Poland: scooterboy and style influence
Johnny Bolland: scooterboy and manufacturer of the Stone Roses T-shirts
Kaiser (David Carty): scooterboy and singer, The Waterfront
Chris Goodwin: drummer, The Waterfront
Michelle ‘Mitch’ Davitt: Ian Brown’s partner
Sue Dean: photographer and girlfriend of Gareth Evans
Rob Hampson: scooterboy and bassist in The Stone Roses, 1987
Geno Washington: soul sensation and life coach
John Breakell: owner of Spirit Studios
Caroline Reed: first manager of The Stone Roses, 1984
Tony Wilson (RIP): co-founder of Factory Records
Garry Johnson: Sounds writer and band champion
Howard Jones: manager of The Stones Roses, 1984–6
Tim Chambers: co-founder of Thin Line Records
Martin Hannett (RIP): producer; co-founder of Thin Line Records
Steve ‘Adge’ Atherton: The Stone Roses’ tour manager
Tony Michaelides: DJ, Piccadilly Radio, Manchester
Paula Greenwood: Piccadilly Radio/Piccadilly Records and PR at the International clubs
Bob Dickinson: journalist, Manchester
Andreas Kemi: The Eye magazine, Swedish tour promoter
Toxin Toy (Harald Sickenga, Micke Mürhoff, Anette Svensson and Christian Adelöv): co-headliners of Swedish tour
Glen Greenough (RIP): The Stone Roses’ first roadie
Lena Kagg: photographer on Swedish tour
Clive Jackson: singer with Doctor & The Medics
Slim (Paul Haley): The Stone Roses’ road crew
Martin Pendergast (‘Little Martin’): Haçienda DJ and ‘Baldrick’
Al Smith: ‘Baldrick’ and The Stone Roses’ road crew
Phil Saxe: source of flared jeans, 1983–4, and manager of the Happy Mondays
Chris Nagle: engineer for Martin Hannett
Dennis Morris: photographer, artist, stylist and club runner
Helen Plaumer: John Squire’s partner
Dougie James: soul singer, club runner and original owner of the International
Roger Eagle (RIP): booker at the International
Stephen Lea: lawyer, acting for Andy Couzens and The Stone Roses
Dave Roberts: A&R at FM Revolver/Heavy Metal Records
Paul Birch: owner of FM Revolver/Heavy Metal Records
Simon Machan (‘Big Simon’): The Stone Roses’ road crew, live sound
Lindsay Reade: co-manager of The Stone Roses, 1987–8
Geoff Travis: founder of Rough Trade Records
Ian Tilton: Sounds photographer, The Stone Roses’ photographer
Steven Howard: managing director of Jive Records and Zomba Music Publishing
Clive Calder: founder of Jive/Zomba
Geoff Howard: Gareth Evans’s lawyer and The Stone Roses’ legal representative
Andrew Lauder: manager of Silvertone Records
Lawrence Stewart: engineer at Coconut Grove Studios
Paul Schroeder: producer and engineer on The Stone Roses, ‘Fools Gold’, ‘One Love’ and Second Coming
Chris Donnelly: co-founder of Gio-Goi
Anthony Donnelly: co-founder of Gio-Goi
Gareth Davies: The Stone Roses’ radio and TV plugger
Phil Smith: The Stone Roses’ road crew
Chris ‘The Piss’ Griffiths: The Stone Roses’ road crew
Greg Lewerke: Gareth Evans’s American manager and de facto The Stone Roses’ American manager
Nigel Kerr: booking agent, The Stone Roses
Jon Brookes: drummer, The Charlatans
Tim Vigon: creator of Made of Paper, the Stone Roses fanzine
‘The Bobs’: Eileen Mulligan, Shirley McGurrin and sisters Colette and Theresa Shryane
Bruce Mitchell: founder of Manchester Light & Stage Company
Geoff Wonfor: film-maker, videos for Blackpool, ‘Fools Gold’ and ‘I Wanna Be Adored’
Keith Jobling: The Bailey Brothers, Factory-affiliated film-makers
Joe Bloggs: Bushra Ahmed and Shami Ahmed, Manchester fashion company
Anthony Boggiano: manager of Inspiral Carpets
Barry Weiss: manager of New York offices of Zomba
Michael Tedesco: The Stone Roses’ American A&R at Zomba
Bruce Flohr: radio plugger at RCA
Robbie Snow: product manager at RCA
Mark Furman: Jive/Zomba business affairs
John Fruin (RIP): Jive/Zomba senior management
John Kennedy: The Stone Roses’ lawyer
David Geffen: owner of Geffen Records
Eddie Rosenblatt: president of Geffen Records
Gary Gersh: A&R at Geffen Records
Steve Jenkins: general manager of Jive Records
Maurice Oberstein (RIP): managing director of PolyGram
Patrick Savage: The Stone Roses’ accountant at OJ Kilkenny
Simon Crompton: acid house producer
Brian Pugsley: engineer on Second Coming
Trevor Taylor: owner of Square One Studios
Tom Zutaut: A&R at Geffen Records
Mark To
lle: producer on Second Coming (Manor Park Studios)
Al ‘Bongo’ Shaw: engineer on Second Coming (Manor Park Studios)
Simon Dawson: engineer/producer on Second Coming (Rockfield Studios)
Peter Leake: band manager
Bill Price: producer/mixer on Second Coming
Terri Hall: press officer, The Stone Roses
Doug Goldstein: manager of The Stone Roses, 1994–5
Bryn Bridenthal: head of PR at Geffen Records
Sophie Muller: video-maker, ‘Ten Storey Love Song’
Robbie Maddix: drummer, The Stone Roses, 1995–6
Susanne Filkins: A&R at Geffen Records
Nigel Ipinson-Fleming: keyboards, The Stone Roses, 1995–6
Noel Walters: Ian Brown’s bodyguard
Martell Prince: The Stone Roses’ bodyguard
Aziz Ibrahim: guitarist, The Stone Roses, 1996
John Nuttall: Reni’s manager
Simon Moran: promoter; manager of The Stone Roses, 2011–
Prologue
It was 4 January 1990 and the snow was blowing in off the River Mersey as concert promoter Phil Jones surveyed the Spike Island landscape. Stood beside him, grinning broadly, was The Stone Roses’ manager Gareth Evans, who just before Christmas had made an application to the local council to hold a one-off gig on the island. The site seemed massive and a bit surreal to Jones, and he warned Evans it would be a huge undertaking to get the application agreed by the Licensing Authority and the police. But Jones agreed that if it came off it was going to be a totally unique event – which was exactly what the band wanted.
Evans and Jones had searched for weeks for a suitable location to put on such a show, one that would surpass the Roses’ night on 18 November at Alexandra Palace in London. While the band had been left under-awed by that gig, the numbers had given Jones confidence. He’d sold 7,500 tickets for Alexandra Palace and estimated he could easily have shifted three times that number. Acid house and rave had opened up a world of possibilities. Through 1989 organizers like Sunrise, Energy and Biology had set up a series of raves in ad hoc countryside locations close to London, with attendances estimated at between 20,000 and 30,000.
No guitar band had pulled off anything close in size or style to these headline-grabbing raves. But the Roses believed they could. Evans and Jones had spent some time fruitlessly scouring the area around the Thames Estuary in Essex. ‘You could have done amazing gigs at any of the places we visited but they had nothing there,’ Jones recalled. ‘Some were just quarries or abandoned caravan parks that were quite near to water.’ In the summer the pair had organized a tour of seaside resorts for the Roses, and although it had been ultimately abandoned the idea had culminated in the band’s epochal show at the Empress Ballroom in Blackpool. Putting on a gig close to water still dominated their thoughts.