I Am The Resurrection … (Again)

This week saw the news that there is a possibility of The Stone Roses re-forming. So, just give us a minute before I start while I do a massive yawn. ** yawns ** Ah, that’s better In the late eighties The Roses represented a change in attitudes towards music as they kind of morphed dance/rave music with indie guitar music. Not really groundbreaking stuff, but to many they were considered one of the greatest bands ever that released one of the greatest albums ever. Now, don’t get me wrong, I never disliked The Stones Roses, but I also never really got into them the way most people did (I was into heavier music at the time). I could take them or leave them really, but what does make me yawn is the whole process of bands reforming. I’m also in the mindset that thinks about the people who were fans of the band then and now. It was near enough twenty years ago when most people I know walked around in their baggy tops and semi flares wearing beany hats on top of their bowl head haircuts and dancing like Ian Brown. With all due respect I think most of us now have beer bellies and losing most of our hair so dancing around like king monkey man may well make those of us who were into The Roses look a bit daft (ala: Cozzy’s wedding) ahem. I also think the only interesting thing in this whole story would be to see Bobby Gillespie’s reaction to Mani leaving Primal Scream. Not too pleased I’d guess. Now, I know many of you avid readers will no doubt be pulling the hypocrite card out to show me after by Blog a few months back about Blur reforming. But, that for me personally was good news as I was a massive fan of Blur. The Roses, The Smiths & The Clash I am/was not. But as regards reunions in general, I, and most people, do know the only reasons most bands re-form is for the money. But, some bands are pretty special that they really don’t need to reform as they sold many millions of albums over their long or short careers. Just look at the likes of The Clash, The Smiths and up until now The Roses = all resisting the temptation of that extra pay day that could well result in the purchase of a small island off the Caribbean somewhere. A week doesn’t go by without the news of some obscure band from the seventies or eighties reforming (it’s only a matter of time before Dollar reform after David Van Day’s histrionics on I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here). Even many modern bands have spilt up and re-formed. Most notably being The Verve and Take That. As everyone knows Take That are Satan’s little cocks suckers and would do anything for money, just look at their adverts for Tesco’s and Morrison’s (also see: Bill Hicks’ stand up routine about New Kids on the Block & Debbie Gibson) Now, I know that Take That are not really considered to be an ‘important bands’ when it comes to what most of us know as being decent music. But, they do have a massive fan base of millions and a band of that size reforming means a lot to the music industry’s (sorry for saying this) - ‘bigger picture’ … Reforming & new album & massive tour = money (and absolutely shit loads of it) and plenty of pairs of damp knickers up and down Britain to boot. Now, everyone who reads this knows I’m not the biggest fan of multi national corporate all-controlling music machines that most big labels are. The reasons for I won’t go into. And for me that is also the reason why I don’t like bands reforming as it’s just another example of how money can ruin things. Take a look at one of the ‘special’ bands for example: The Pixies were always considered to be one of the best bands to come out of the Seattle Grunge scene along with Nirvana & Soundgarden. A few years ago The Pixies announced they were reforming. They did the big glitzy press conference with all the fireworks and record execs doing back-flips about their reunion. But what I remember the most about the Pixies press conference was them announcing that there would be no new album, but just a tour. Their reasons = money (no doubt). I was gob smacked. Now, roll the clock forward and take another look at the possibility of The Stones Roses reforming. Do you really think they need the money? John Squire had a pretty successful few albums with The Seahorses, Mani has been in Primal Scream for nearly a decade, Ian Brown is considered to be one of Britain’s most successful male soloists and Reni … er, ok! Maybe he could do with a bit of spare cash, but lets be honest here their 1st (and maybe their 2nd) albums sold well and still sell pretty well today so I really don’t think all of them are short of a few bob. There are a few bands that I personally wouldn’t mind seeing get back together as they are the bands that never really made it big in a commercial sense. Bands like nineties indie rockers Gene for instance. They were a pretty good band who had some clever tunes, but were never really given a good crack of the whip. Instead we have the likes of The Stones Roses & Take That sweeping up the few remaining reserves of money that is left in the bare cupboard of the British Music Industry. Another favourite of mine, as most of you know, were Pavement. I would kill to see them play, but thinking about it from a logical & possibly an emotional sense, I don’t really think deep down I’d be happy about shelling out shit loads of money to watch a bunch of balding middle aged blokes with pot bellies pretending it was 1994 again knowing very well my hard earned cash is going towards their new found appetite for donuts and full fat coke addictions as they’re probably all too old to do the drink and drugs thing all over again. But, I’m gonna end this Blog now as all this talk of bands reforming for the money is actually making me feel pretty sick as to me, music isn’t all about money and promoting your celebrity in the long run is it? It’s about quality and credibility and giving your average person on the street the rare chance to feel good about them selves by listening to music that makes them happy isn’t it? Let’s just hope Shed Seven aren’t reading eh? Mol