Obviously, you can like a band and not be keen on their fans. Very much the case with the gentle psychedelic heads who feel a bit intimidated by the casuals who follow The Stone Roses. All that mysticism and flanged, swirling guitars, all with cans of Stella Artois lobbed at it. It’s a strange mix of things, but there we are.
It’s a reality that the same person can, at the weekend, call a footballer a fat wanker, but also get lost while singing along to “sometimes I fantasise when the streets are cold and lonely, and the cars they burn below me.” Read that lyric from ‘Made of Stone’ again as prose. It’s magical, lofty stuff and it resonates the same way with a certain type of lad who probably makes jokes about his mates being ‘gay’.
It’s less of a leap to imagine that same lad chanting along with Oasis song, but Oasis’ debt to The Stone Roses is evident from the ’60s haircuts, parkas and love of heavy, psychedelic guitars. Again, it might not be immediately obvious that Oasis are basically a Freakbeat group, but they are, aren’t they?
So now, we’re looking at a collaboration album between Liam Gallagher and John Squire, and snippets have been shared online, and worryingly/happily [delete as applicable], it doesn’t sound too bad. Let’s not get carried away and say that it sounds ace, but it definitely doesn’t sound bad.
You’ll have to swerve the maracas thing, aping vintage Ian Brown and all that pish – but just listen to the song. Kinda White Album-ish? Like, longhair psych, rather than mod-psych?
Fact is, in isolation, once upon a time, Liam sang like an angel and John Squire wrote one of the finest psychedelic records England ever produced. It could be a thing that works. Of course, there’s been diminishing returns with Liam on solo outings, not that Oasis fans have minded. He’s had huge sellout shows and sounds enough like Oasis to scratch an itch for those that would like to see them reform.
Squire’s band The Seahorses had a hit which didn’t match the heights of phase one era Roses (but probably wasn’t that far off the second phase Roses, right?) and there was a couple of solo LPs too. However, if music fans were allowed to be excited about Crosby, Stills & Nash, then you’d be forgiven for getting worked up about two big surnames like this releasing something.
As yet, there’s no name for the album, nor a release date, but there’s a single due on Friday, and that’s a fact. And there’ll be shows too. The single is called ‘Just Another Rainbow’, and some outlets have been given advance copies to listen to before release (delightfully old-school that, seriously) and the consensus seems to be that it’s rough and ready, energetic, tuneful and a hodge-podge of blues, psychedelic rock, garage and all the things you think John Squire would have Liam Gallagher tackle. It’s going to be acidy. Squire is clearly in acid mode, and we could always do with some hallucinogenic music, right?
Gallagher, speaking of the LP, ever the shy boy, said: “It’s the best record since Revolver – I’m being humble it pisses all over it.”
Naturally, Squire is a little more reserved than the frontmen he works with, and has said this new song is “about disappointment, and the sentiment is that you never get what you really want. But I don’t like to explain songs…”
There’s no getting away from it – this might be fantastic. Even for someone who hasn’t ever been moved by Oasis, but likes The Stone Roses. Squire, it seems, needs the fire to his ice [insert Derek Smalls ‘lukewarm water joke’ here] and Liam it’s clear, always sings best when complimented by someone a little more sensitive than he.
Will it be era defining? Probably not – that’s a young person’s game you feel. However, if you’re in the market for psychedelic rock music with some virtuosity and bombast, then it’s hard to imagine this lacking in either of those things. It’ll be a hit though, there’s no question about that. Fans of The Stone Roses, Oasis, professional Mancs, casuals and Stone Island dads, C90 indie kids, Britpoppers and lager boys will definitely ensure this is a big deal.
The more interesting thing is how it’ll be received by people who wouldn’t normally give a Liam Gallagher project the time of day. Will John Squire be the man to make people think ‘oh shit – I get it now!’ or allow themselves to get over their muso hump, and just enjoy something that doesn’t want to hide behind it’s own haircut.
We are firmly in the latter camp, and honestly, if this ends up ushering in a new appreciation for psychedelic rock music, then who are we to fold our arms and sulk about it? May as well get the bags in and enjoy ourselves eh? Provided of course, it isn’t woefully bloated and doesn’t stink up the place. You imagine, to get John Squire out of his art studio, it might take something a bit special, right?
If you want it on 45, click here. Otherwise, it’ll be streaming everywhere and played to death on 6 Music and Radio X.
The Pop Corporation 
Leave a comment