Rare Roses photos revealed

Simon Spence, author of The Stone Roses: War and Peace has published an amazing collection of never before seen Roses images.

The recently published book features a some exclusive photos from the early days of the Roses, but it seems they’ve only been the tip of the ice-berg.

Simon has published the full collection of images captured by Lena Kagg Ferrero in Sweden 1985 when the Stone Roses toured with Toxin Toy and more exclusive images from Sue Dean from the very early days. Well worth checking out.

 

Behind the lens with Kevin Cummins Roses splatter shot

Legendary music photographer Kevin Cummins shares anecdotes from his time photographing The Stone Roses at “Sonos presents… The Music, The Myths and The Mayhem.”

Having photographed everyone from The Happy Mondays to David Bowie, Duran Duran and of course, The Stone Roses, Cummins was once described by The Buzzcocks’ Pete Shelley as “sometimes more important than the bands themselves.”

Interviewed by music journalist Lois Wilson (Mojo, Q, Kerrang! and NME), Kevin Cummins talked through the influential late 80s-to-early 90s scene. Starting from his time as a student blagging into gigs with nothing more than an empty camera case all the way to shooting Joy Division in the snow and capturing the iconic Stone Roses ‘splatter shot’ NME cover from 18 November 1989.

“We spent the morning turning the place into a polethene cube so when the band turned up and lay in place, Guitarist John Squire opened a gallon tin of paint and just threw it across them! I kept thinking, “god, this isn’t going to work at all, this is not what I thought it was going to be like! John continued to be build the paint up by throwing it across the band and then tipping it over his head and getting back into the shot so we built it up colour by colour. At the end of the shoot they needed to get showered but I had to break the news to them that there were no showers in the building so they put hand prints all down the stairwell of the building!”

For those who missed the event, here’s the video of Kevin Cummins talking through The Stone Roses iconic ‘splatter shot’.

Heaton Park review roundup

The Stone Roses, Heaton Park, Manchester
The Stone Roses, Heaton Park, Manchester

Stone Roses resurrected in Manchester, BBC News

“Each member contributes something different but utterly crucial to their magic. When they are good, they are glorious. It is musical greatness to the power of four.”

The Stone Roses – review, The Guardian

“It would take an almost superhuman effort not to be carried along with the mood of euphoria during Made of Stone or Love Spreads.”

The Stone Roses come home at heroic first night of Heaton Park, NME
The Stone Roses smash second night at Heaton Park, NME

The Stone Roses Return to Manchester, Rolling Stone

Stone Roses Heaton Park review, The Telegraph

The Stone Roses still sound vital, reassuringly cocky and strangely relevant. Even the staunchest fan may have harboured reservations about their ability to relight the glory days, let alone party like it’s 1989. But, tonight at least, they’ve exceeded all expectations.

The day cometh, Clash magazine (29 June)

It’s the day when The Stone Roses decided to fuck with their legend and hurl their spirit back into the sky for us to devour once more.

We’d come to taste the stigmata, and hope that their reconciled efforts would be good enough to slake our thirst for it to be as good as we expected.

Here’s to a new chapter, Clash magazine (30 June)

Watching the Roses walk on stage was an emotional experience – swelling pride, disbelief, euphoria and excitement all bubbled and boiled as 75,000 cheers greeted them.

Found more reviews? Post the links in the comments below and don’t forget you can leave your reviews and comments on our Heaton Park fan pages:

BBC 6 Music Stone Roses special wants your help

BBC 6 Music are broadcasting a Stone Roses special this Sunday and they want your help.

Now Playing @6Music is celebrating everything Stone Roses with a two hour fan sourced show playing the Roses’ hits, b-side, rarieties, influences, bands they’ve inspired – and anything else you can connect to band.

They’re looking for suggestions to make up the Ultimate Stone Roses Playlist and this is your opportunity to help shape the show.

To tell them what you want to hear leave a comment on their blog or Facebook page, Tweet using #Roses6Music, e-mail them or drop a track into their collaborative Spotify playlist.

If you just want to tune in, the show broadcasts this Sunday on BBC 6 Music at 6pm.

Stone Roses War & Peace author book signing

Author and journalist, Simon Spence promotes the release of his new book, The Stone Roses: War and Peace at hmv’s Market Street store in Manchester on Friday 29th June.

Simon, who reviewed 1990’s Spike Island for Face magazine, will be at the store from 1.00 pm to meet fans and sign copies of the new book which is published through Penguin.

The Stone Roses: War and Peace is based on 400 hours of interviews with over seventy of The Stone Roses’ closest associates, including six former band members.

The book traces the band’s genesis, studded with violent gigs and abandoned recordings, and shaped by their infamous manager Gareth Evans. The Roses’ legendary gigs culminated in the era-defining Spike Island show in 1990, yet 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.

Simon Spence will be at hmv Manchester, Market Street - Friday 29th June 2012 at 1.00 pm.