NME March 2001 LOST STONE ROSES SONG TO BE RELEASED ...as a single by audacious tribute band THE STONE ROSES are about to have a third coming, with the release of a new single, 'Sun Still Shines' later this year, NME can exclusively reveal. For the first time since John Squire left the band acrimoniously in 1996, talks are underway between the management of John Squire and Ian Brown, over the possibility of allowing the never-before-released Roses tune 'Sun Still Shines', into the record shops as a single later in the year. But Roses fans should not get their hopes up too much - this is not a signal that the band is to reform, as it will not be the actual Stone Roses recording the song, but tribute band, The Complete Stone Roses. Peter Lamb, manager of The Complete Stone Roses told NME that negotiations have been taking place with the original members of the Roses with their management to release the rights to record the lost Stone Roses song. 'Sun Still Shines' was one of about half a dozen songs which were demoed but never released, taken from the band's 'Second Coming' sessions. Lamb said: "It is a summery, funky happy tune which is the pick of some demos that the band had been doing before they split up. Everything is in place for the Complete Stone Roses to bring this off, the lads in the band are rehearsing the number at the moment, negotiations are underway and the signs are very favourable." The idea is that the Complete Stone Roses will record the song from scratch and then release it as a single with either original Stone Roses tracks, or some other covered tracks as B-sides. It is not the first time that the tribute band has received backing from the Roses camp. The Complete Stone Roses have already completed two UK tours with the help of former Roses bass man, Mani, now with Primal Scream. At a show at King Tuts in Glasgow in 1999, Mani gobsmacked the audience when he took to the stage with the band, and relived his famous bassline in a rendition of 'She Bangs The Drums'. On October 12, last year, the band filled in for Ian Brown at the Point in Dublin. Brown had been forced to pull out of the show at the last minute, so the band stepped up and delighted more than 6,500 punters with a full set of Roses songs. Lamb added: "For the Complete Stone Roses to release 'Sun Still Shines' as a single would be the ultimate tribute. We have a national tour in May/June and it would be great to have the single ready before then. We have contacted Ian Brown and John Squire's people about it and are now just waiting for the green light." Simon Moran of SJM representing John Squire and Steve Lowes of Retaliate First representing Ian Brown were unavailable for comment. Thanks to regular Rez for sending me this article, if you have any John Squire or Stone Roses articles that are not on my site, please feel free to email them to me.