BECAUSE of all the "best ofs" and "rewind" stuff, we couldn't do this then - so we'll do it now: The Stone Roses comeback tour, which is just winding up, is an object example of how many people can get it so very wrong. You all know the story: the Manchester band's debut album was awesome and was, by common consent, the album of the last decade. Five years later, they finally got it together to bring out the follow up - but this time around there wasn't quite the same amount of Thesaurus plundering in search of superlatives.
The Second Coming showed a band moving their sound forward by paradoxically embracing the terminally unhip musical no go zone of "prog rock". The critics' response was derisory and attention swiftly shifted back to newer kids on the block such as Oasis. It was a tiresome replay of the arguments that came into effect when The Clash followed up the magnificent London Calling with Sandinista.
Down in Brixton a few weeks ago, Stone Roses opened up with the triple whammy of I Wanna Be Adored, Waterfall and She Bangs The Drums just to remind us all of those heady Blackpool/Spike Island days and when they started hitting in on the follow up album with Driving South, Good Times and Love Spreads, the five year gap was joined seamlessly and there was no doubt that you were in the hands of brilliance. An added fifth member (on keyboards) gives them an extra dimension, John Squire is a revelation, tan Brown is hitting the high notes and the new drummer does the harmonies just like Reni used to do.
"After being the laziest gits in the world, we've now become the hardest working band in the world," says bassist Mani afterwards and when asked for proof he says that there will be two new Stone Roses albums this year (one live, one studio), there'll be lots more touring and there'll be a new manager (with Irish connections) announced shortly.
First time around they used to sing "The past is yours, but the future is mine". They're still singing that line - this time with more conviction than ever.
The return of the shoegazers, part one: in the days before Britpop, the shoe gazing scene threw up some great single named bands such as Curve, Ride and Lush. Grange and changing musical fashions put paid to most of their careers but lush, fronted by the singing female duo of Miki Berenyi and Emma Anderson, are back, not with a bang, but with their characteristic ethereal vocals and Johnny Marr influenced guitar sound.
Their last album, Split (1994) was thoroughly underrated and sadly didn't get the push it deserved. Back in those days, Lush used to use Pulp as their opening act whenever they toured and they've called in a few favours for the new album, with Jarvis Cocker dueting with Miki on one of the songs The album's called Lovelife and it will be released soon, but for the moment there's a new single (Single Girl) in a record shop near you.
The wonderful Divine Comedy has just finished his new album, Casanova -expect plenty of sweeping orchestral moments. Young Neil will be previewing some of the new material, as well as dipping into Liberation and Promenade when he supports Gene at The Mean Fiddler on Saturday 13th . . . in yet another fixture clash situation, the NA8E Brats Bus Tour rolls into town on the same night, except their four bands will be playing at the SFX. Headliners for the tour are The Bluetones with Fluffy, Heavy Stereo (who are very good) and The Cardigans providing the top heavy support . . . "Lounge" is stiff making massive inroads into the club/live music scene and you'll all be thrilled to know that The Mike Flowers Pops will be coming over to play The Olympia on February 17th. If you want a ticket, you'd really want to act quickly, they're going as quick as the single.
