Melody Maker 31st August 1996 Issue



STONE ROSES
Death Or Glory at Reading 96?




The first light-strewn notes of The Stone Roses' "I Wanna Be Adored" are, of course, pure, heart-ravishing magic, and you've probably memorised them. It's just as well. Because as soon as the "elegantly wasted" – I'll think before I say that again without shame – Ian Brown opens his mouth, a hoarse, bullish, dumbfoundingly unrecognisable bellow comes out. And the nightmare starts.

F***. F***. F***. I'm lost for words: it's like taking notes at a road accident. By "She Bangs The Drum" – bass intro, guitar shimmer, strangled bark – I think I've started to cry. And I've got company: around me, people are gasping. Shocked into silence. And then, worst of all, laughing. "He's f***ed," says a voice behind me, pitilessly. A woman who says she's seen nearly every Roses gig since "The Second Coming" stands frozen with her hand over her mouth. Shakes her head. And walks away.

And the band plays on. With utter professionalism. With new guitarist Aziz played all the notes without a falter. And the dancing girl dancing, and the light show shining. And soon there's a lot more space to move around in where I'm standing. "Hey," Ian calls out, cajoling, jigging expectantly on the spot, "You're a little bit quiii-et!"

"It's the shock, mate," mutters someone.

I've never seen anything on a stage like this. The only mercy, after the triumphantly arrogant proclamation of "I Am The Resurrection" hits sour, wincing, rock bottom like drunken pub karaoke never could, is that the set's bare-minimum short. Later, some people remind me Brown's always had a ropey voice, as though tonight's blank, anaesthetised slur had to do with wayward pitch, not tragedy. Paul Mather looks me right in the eyes and says it was the best gig he's seen in his life. Me, I'm thinking about people's faces as the band played on, and Ian Brown clutched his tambourine as hard as his face was vacant, and made "oogh oogh oogh" monkey noises to no one in particular, and danced like a boxer looking for the ropes. Or the floor. Or his own feet.

"When your heart is black and broken…" When we have to accept that an irreplaceable member of The Stone Roses has left the band.

The vocalist.
(JN)





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