Manchester International II
supporting James for the 'Never Going Underground' - Anti-Clause 28 benefit gig.
30/5/88

THREE MINUTE pop songs will never be the same again!
One minute The Stone Roses are pounding out their best material, occasionally exploding into a wild rock frenzy of guitars and drums, and the next, singer Ian Brown starts throwing pints and sarcasm over the unsuspecting audience.

Not very nice at all, but then he does fancy himself as a bit of a star.
He's whirling around like a demented muppet crooning to no one in particular, and you want to hate the guy. The songs are so mellifluous though, in an Undertones sort of way, that you just get sucked in.

The Stone Roses are at present a support band with pretensions to greater things.
They've got the guts and they might just pull it off.


STEPHEN KINGSTON
Sounds