Date: Sun, 3 Nov 1996 14:38

Hmm, let me think here...Okay. My Roses story actually started with oasis. In october 1995, I bought, whats the story. I loved it, and eventually became obsessed with oasis, therefore becoming obsessed with all things british. I've gone through my oasis phase, my pulp phase, and sorry to say even my blur phase. In the may 1996 issue of vox, there was a pic of the roses on top of the alps from 89, I think, with the heading 'that's it, squire'. It was a paragraph or so about squire leaving the roses. I remembered the roses from hearing love spreads a couple of years back on the radio, and liking it, and also I'd heard just how good they were. And , I though ian was really, really cute (always a positive factor in a band). So about a week later I went out and bought the complete stone roses. I loved that, too, and I listened to tell me and fool's gold over and over. I was aware that john and reni had already left, but I was still hoping that the rest of them would come back here and take over america.They didn't, but thats another story.

Then I bought second coming. I really didnt like it as much. The day I bought it, the guy at the record store told me what "A fucking awesome song breaking inot heaven is". I agreed with him, but still I don't think the album is as good as it couldve been (although I love begging you and love spreads). So, second coming was sort of a dissapointment. Last august, I went to colorado, where I finally got a copy of the stone roses. The first time I listened to it, it was.........God, I can't even describe it. Hearing the full version of I wanna be adored was absolute heaven. That and the complete.....Were the only albums I listened to on vacation. I remember on the plane ride home, listening to made of stone. It was night. So the entire downtown of chicago was lit up. I remember looking out the window, hearing ian, hearing john, mani, reni, and thinking how wonderful life is. Truly the happiest I've ever been.

On august 27, I went to see oasis on the first concert of this cursed american tour. Liam wasnt there, so noel sang. Every song he sang - slide away, wonderwall, chanpagne supernova - I related back to some roses song. I then realized what an important part of my life the roses are. They are to this day. I just listened to the stone roses for the umpteenth time, and each song still affects me like it did the first time I heard it. I cried when the roses broke up, naturally, but I came to realize that even at reading, they weren't much of a band. They were 5 individuals doing each part on their own. The vibe wasnt there, and thats a huge part of what made the roses the roses. But I still love the music they created, and no matter what happens to me or them in the future, they will always hold a special place in my heart. And whatever bands reni and ian form, seahorses, primal scream.......I'm hoping they will come close to matching what the roses have done to my life.

I love all you guys