Melody Maker 1987

"THIS is where my life started," declares Mad Pete from beneath a Johnny Thunders mop-top. "Consider the pre-Roses part of my existence as irrelevant, it just doesn't compare with that's happening now."

Pete is bass player with crack Manchester outfit The Stone Roses and he's currently sitting on top of the world.

Behind him lie two years hard labour in pursuit of the perfect pop song and he knows now the journey is nearly over.

"None of us has ever considered this band a hobby," continues guitarist John. "We got together with the deliberate intention of composing classic songs and that's just about what we've done."

Comparisons to The Monkees abound. How on earth did they get here?

"Well, we started out playing at warehouse parties around Manchester, explains vocalist lan. "We'd decide upon a location early in the week, stick a load of posters up around the town advertising our appearance and then there'd be a thousand plus people tum up on the night. That's really where we learned our craft as a live band.

"There was one night, for example, when we were playing under Piccadilly Railway Station and the police were outside threatening to break up the party. To be honest, the situation got a little crazy because they'd miscalculated as to how everyone would react. We went on stage just as the tension was about to explode and managed to diffuse the bomb with our set but it was touch and go for a while. Unfortunately that marked the end of the warehouse scene in Manchester."

The Stone Roses immediately graduated onto the city's club circuit selling out every venue around, the "House Full" notices going up well before nine.

"Yeah, we've got a massive following around this city," enthuses Reni the drummer. "But we're not very well known elsewhere. It's only recently that we've decided to widen our horizons a little. We've paced it perfectly. Our first single, "Sally Cinnamon', is about to be released and, after that, we'll start talking to all the majors who've been sniffing around. Talking to the majors? What of Mandestas grand "Indie-rock" tradition? The Smiths, The Fall, New Order

"Oh, sod that," says lan. "They're all a generation older than us and those days have gone anyway.
If you want to talk about tradition, did you know we're the best band since The Hollies to broadcast a live performance from a certain local radio station?"

BS