NME - News




NME 27th July 1996 Issue



JOHN SQUIRE
Squire on a drum'n'bass tip






John Squire plans to recruit two members for his as-yet-unnamed new band and hopes to play live in the UK by August.

Talking to NME this week, Squire also said that his reasons for leaving The Stone Roses were down to personal and musical differences.

Speaking of his new project, Squire said he has already met a bassist, someone he came across on the night that he left the Roses.

He said: "I went out to get pissed the night I left and I saw him playing. I arranged to meet him and he gave me a demo tape, which was really good. I gave him a few songs to see what he's like at thinking on his feet and to see how creative he is. Depending on how that turns out, I might have my first recruit."

Squire is also considering a drummer that he has in mind.

"I'm going to a gig in Birmingham to see him. But he's not a Brummie, I think he's from Ipswich, or something. But he sounds good. I've decided that I don't even want to get into rehearsals until I've seen people playing live. So that's the only criteria."

Of his new band, Squire said he is going to need a lot of luck.

He added: "It's not just a question of getting people who can play, are fairly easy to socialise with and, that when you stand them in a line, you've got a band. You need a bit of luck."

Squire said he was hooked on the adrenaline rush that goes with "sticking your neck out and tempting people to either chop it off or pat you on the back" and added, "It'll be a big buzz, coming out again."

Asked whether his new band members had to look good, given the strong visual identity of the Roses, Squire said: "I don't know. That's very subjective. I don't really know what my criteria are, who makes a good band member. They might look good and be a complete c---. I think I just know. I'll just go to a gig and walk out and the clouds will part and there'll be a shaft of light and a hand.

"I want to work with talented people. I don't want to be in a band that doesn't need me at rehearsals. I quite like playing. I think I write some good songs as well. I don't want to lose that control.

"I do like a lot of my own songs and I don't really know how I do it. I don't want to mess around with it too much. Maybe that's narrow-minded.

"I'll see what happens. It's going pretty well at the moment with just me and the rest of the band wafting in the ether somewhere."

Squire says he has not written with anybody else since the Roses.

He said: "Steve (Adge, The Roses' former tour manager) is telling me that we should be gigging in August, but, y' know. That would be good, I'd like that. It all depends on how long it takes to recruit the rest of the band because I don't want to rush into it for the sake of it and have some sham of a band for one album and then flake away and do something else next year. I want it to be a long-term thing. So providing I can find everyone quick enough, then August isn't out of the question; but I know from past experience that it's unwise to specify dates. But I'll try and be more punctual now."

Squire said he planned to make several albums with his new band, but added: "Yeah. It's hard work going to hundreds of crummy little gigs and getting pissed. It'll take a while to get to an intuitive stage. I don't want to squander that and then move on. So yeah, I'm definitely looking at it long-term. I want a manager, proper one. But I don't want to get into a situation whereby it's me and the manager interviewing band members. The band has to come first, then we'll all decide who's going to manage us."

Since Squire announced his decision to quit the Roses, fans have pestered him at his home forcing him to move.

The rest of The Stone Roses have not yet spoken about their plans, although there are unconfirmed rumours suggesting that former Verve guitarist Nick McCabe may join them.






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