The Stone Roses was an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1983, the foundational act of the Madchester movement with the classic lineup of Ian Brown, John Squire, Reni, and Mani. The 1989 self-titled debut is one of the most celebrated British rock albums ever made — start there; Second Coming (1994) is the long-delayed sequel. Explore The Stone Roses vinyl, CDs, and reissues at Wax Trax Records.
The Stone Roses formed in Manchester, England in 1983 around Ian Brown (born February 20, 1963, Warrington, Lancashire), John Squire (born November 24, 1962, Manchester), Andy Couzens, Pete Garner, and Reni (Alan John Wren, born April 10, 1964, Manchester). Mani (Gary Mounfield, born November 16, 1962, Manchester) replaced Garner on bass in 1987, completing the stable classic four-member lineup. They are widely cited as one of the most important English rock bands of the late 1980s and the foundational act of the Madchester movement (the late-1980s and early-1990s Manchester scene combining indie rock with acid house and dance music influences) alongside Happy Mondays, Inspiral Carpets, and James. Their 1989 self-titled debut is widely cited as one of the most important British rock albums of all time and established the foundational Madchester template. They had protracted multi-year Silvertone Records contract disputes that delayed their 1994 follow-up Second Coming. The band dissolved in 1996 amid creative tensions and Squire-departure (Squire form The Seahorses in 1996, with Squire-Brown estrangement). They reformed in 2011 for 2012 Heaton Park reunion shows (cultural moment) and toured until 2017, then dissolved again. Their foundational influence on British rock and the Madchester movement is widely cited.
The Stone Roses's sound is foundational to Madchester as a recognized scene - combining indie rock, alternative rock, baggy, Madchester, dance-rock, jangle pop, and psychedelic rock with Ian Brown's distinctive vocal delivery, John Squire's foundational lead guitar work (integration of psychedelic rock and dance rhythms), Reni's virtuosic drumming, and Mani's distinctive bass approach.
Original Silvertone Records and Geffen Records pressings of the Stone Roses catalog are foundational items in British rock collecting, with collector premiums on rare pressings.
Listeners new to The Stone Roses typically start with The Stone Roses (1989).
