THE STONE ROSES' drummer Alan 'Reni' Wren has quit the band, apparently after a series of rows with the other three members.
In a short statement, the Roses said: "Reni has left. He has been replaced by Maddix who is 25 and who is a friend."
Reni's replacement is Robert Maddix who used to drum with Ruby Turner and Hot Chocolate's Errol Brown, Rebel MC, singer Joe Roberts, Terrence Trent D'Arby and a series of lesser-known Manchester bands including Gina Gina. One of Maddix's friends, keyboardist Andy Williams, said: "I played with him on the Errol Brown tour about three years ago. I'd say well done to him. He's very hard working. He always gets the best out of a situation."
The band refused to comment on why Reni had left and also refused to give further details of Maddix.
However, NME has discovered Maddix - who joined the band on April 1 - was born in London and has seven brothers and sisters. The Maddix family moved to Manchester when he was 12. One of his brothers is a failed boxer who had to quit because of a detached retina. Another, named Ozzy, is the area manager of Top Man in Manchester while other brothers and sisters work in the catering industry. Two sisters are married and living in the US and his father is involved in property and now lives in Connecticut.
Ozzy said: "Robert was always bumping into them and when he found out the other bloke (Reni) was going, he asked if he could join. This is what he's always wanted to do. We've just been celebrating since he joined. But you can't contact him at the moment because he's lost his mobile phone."
NME understands Reni has been on the verge of leaving since 'Second Coming' sessions, which ended late last year at Rockfield Studios, in Wales.
The rows were apparently fuelled by Reni's annoyance at John Squire and Ian Brown earning more money than him and Mani. He was keen for the band to be more rock 'n' roll, although the NME also understands John Squire attacked the drummer for being "lazy".
In recent months, Reni failed to appear in Roses interviews, photo sessions and even the video for 'Ten Storey Love Song', which featured a friend of the band wearing a cardboard mask of Reni's face.
One source claimed: "Mani has been going round Monmouth telling people what's happened. But there was tension before all this. They were rowing when they were recording. When they finished doing 'Second Coming' someone asked their producer if he was looking forward to seeing them play live. He apparently said he didn't know if they'd stay together that long."
In an NME interview in March, John Squire said: "We hope we'll be together this time next year, but we can't say…… it's a random universe. I can really see us all drifting apart if the band didn't exist."
Maddix will make his live debut with the band in Oslo on April 19. They are also tentatively lining up a UK tour for summer, although no dates have been confirmed. Their only scheduled UK gig is at Glastonbury on June 24. A secret 'warm-up' gig prior to their European dates is not ruled out.
Meanwhile, the next Stone Roses single will be 'Begging You', featuring dance versions from Manchester remixer Johnny Jay.
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