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Gibbon it laldy
IAN BROWN, the former Stone Roses singer, is taking care of unfinished business and carving a solo career. Words; Fiona Shepherd
Hear ye. hear ye! 'I wouldn’t change a thing.‘ proclaims Ian Brown without the slightest hesitation. ‘To appreciate the joy you need the pain. We were never lucky. but that‘s what we got.’
ls this the same Ian Brown who spent the best part of a decade perpetuating his truculent image as lead mouth of The Stone Roses. arguably Britain’s most influential band since punk‘.’ And then when he could be drawn to communicate. would come on like music‘s answer to Muhammed ‘I am the greatest‘ Ali'.’ Not only has the man now acquired the ability/desire to conduct interviews in something more than a series of grunts. he is also prepared to expose his modest. humble. vulnerable side. This Ian Brown is sanguine. This Ian Brown is relaxed in the face of hefty promotional duties the length and breadth of the country (which he has to shoulder himself now that he‘s solo). Readers. this Ian Brown is a pleasure to talk to. And il m' regrette rim. Top one. Sort . . . no. that was ten years ago.
The Stone Roses story is a classic one of highs and lows including the departure of key members. drummer Reni. then guitarist John Squire. currently diluting his powers in The Seahorses. They limped on before imploding. with bassist Mani jumping ship to join Primal Scream (‘he‘s worth a lot more than that. but it‘s great for him‘).
So what did [an do next‘.’ He went on holiday. To
They called as arrogant but i see it as self-belief and this is a country where seii—beiiei is not encouraged. We could back it up, though. We was in the right piace at the right time.’ tan Brown
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lan Brown: the ape of things to come
Morocco. Spain. Mexico (his favourite destination). New York. Canada.
‘lt was mostly to think back on what had happened.‘ he says. ‘It was the first time in ten years that I wasn’t The Stone Roses‘ singer. so in a way it was time for myself. The Roses finished so abruptly that I just needed a little break to get away. but most importantly to make sure that any grudges that I had. that I released them.‘
Before this year's re-emergence with the Mir space station-inspired ‘My Star". lan Brown‘s last public utterance had been his statement on the Roses split in which he directed his ire at the ‘filthy‘ music business rather than any individuals.
‘lt’s a powerful game.‘ he says. ‘and I don't feel I can play no games. I always feel I can set my own agenda. It‘s a filthy business not only because of what can go on but because of what it can do to a kid. It makes a nice kid mean and nasty just to protect himself. It sucks a kid into a completely different mindset.‘
(fir/inislu'il Mun/rev Biminvss is the come-ahead title of the debut album which makes a fair account of itself with the shuffley heats. wah- wah guitar and striking lyrical imagery familiar from the Roses. Brown says he thinks it‘s a good album and looks forward to making a great one. Sounds like a changed attitude from the Roses days.
‘They called us arrogant but l see it as self—belief and this is a country where self-belief is not encouraged. We could back it tip. though. We was in the right place at the right time. It's a lot harder for one man to make the same impact that a band did. but I‘ll take what comes.‘
Ape and at ‘em. boy.
Unfinished Monkey Business is released on Polydor on Mon 2 Feb.
Big mo uth
A new year, a new future and the same old dribbling pile of bollocks from the wise heads of the music industry.
'lt’s ace being a pop star innit? | ‘aven't lifted a finger for twenty years! Best job in the world. ’Aven’t lifted a finger for twenty years!’
1’54:le s it’ player, tells of the
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’Don’t like it. Not commercial enough. Take a year off and write some better songs.’
{Te/hi E'l'lt‘fl, .‘lre heat." til One Little llPtl/til" z'ym his res/i ww to Chi/Vilniuw'1h.) who i tho“, handed rum tlm for loli'hi/mper, the album flat wort: to Nil/iier One in the [rites and s/>.:«t'.wn-_>«l Hill/IONS of sales of the single ‘l‘i/htln/mp/riq' l’Vllll li/ll(lS/(}ltl, dripping them from the label was .1 probably l7()l his best idea. ’The only thing that got Michael excited was my tie. It was a Flintstones one that I had just bought in Disneyworld, featuring Fred playing golf. He thought it was great, said how much he loved Fred Flintstone, and he invited me to visit him if I was ever in California.’
lat/tie .r‘o’mr'ig', the man who iriarried film mm in son and Us.) Marie Presley, rut .ill‘, tl‘w highl/qht :’ l the whole affair in far a“, Jackson was "OW. erned Sadly, Presley’s response remains unrecorded. ’They're all full of shit. It doesn’t matter if the devil's got red horns or blue horns. It’s like, fuck off. Half the politicians are putting plastic bags over their heads, bumming each other and taking drugs and then dictating to us what we should do with our lives. Fuck you.’ D] Hype explains to MHZ/k why he won ’t be standing for par/lament at the next elect/on
’The worst thing you can do is make a taboo for yourself, so no cover-up jobs. Or you can recite the Elizabethan proverb: "When brightly burn the fires below, the thatch above does early 90." ’ Howm 8 explains how to deal with lie/rig loll/tally challenged.
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23 Jan»5 Feb 1998 THE U8T51