Coming up Roses
Old bands never die, they merely reform. The music industry not being what it once was, a reunion tour has become an almost compulsory step for ex-acts of a certain vintage. Surely, though, the Stone Roses were different? After the much-delayed and ultimately disappointing second album followed by a slow, painful implosion and years of bitter recriminations, they looked to be one of the few bands destined to remain in the past tense. The wave of excitement that followed last year’s historic press conference and the giddiness I shared with thousands of others after successfully getting tickets to the Manchester homecoming shows were therefore more than justified. And yet, the question remained as to whether a reunion was the right decision. Sure, it was a financial no-brainer, but artistically the Roses resided in a rarified place that only a band who started out with such magnificent promise yet failed to live up to their true potential could ever reach. As undignified as...