The Stone Roses, those loveable scally-types from Manchester, are back in the super Top 40 with their ace new waxing "Fools Gold / What The World Is Waiting For". Bitz decided the time had come to speak to singer Ian Brown about the accusations "levelled" at The 'Roses and sort out the truth from the fiction……
1) You're very rich.
"I wish we were. I'm not bothered though, huh huh ha ! I just live off anyone who'll give me anything."
2) You used to be a dodgy goth band.
"Not true, but we used to have a bassist who had hair down to his hips. We were loud, noisy, tuneless, big-mouthed, brash and bratty, but never dodgy.
3) You're really into fashion.
"I suppose we are. Trousers ? Well, them three (i.e. the rest of the group) wear parallels but I wear flares, but definitely not over 21". It's ridiculous, you look like a clown. Why do I wear flares ? 'Cause they swing when you walk so it's perpetual motion. It's important for your state of mind. It's also important that they come right down to the bottom of the floor so your shoes're obscured, 'cause if you've got half-mast trousers on then you look like an idiot as well.
"When you walk down the street with a pair of 21" hipsters on it's like being in the house with your slippers on. I get laughed at more than stared at. It doesn't bother me. I'd rather be laughed at than not, every time."
4) You're musical geniuses, recalling a bygone golden age and transforming it into a new musical movement for the early '90s.
"It's a bit of a weight to bear but we'll take it. Yeah, I'm having that one."
5) You refused to support The Rolling Stones and Bros on tour.
"Yeah, we don't really want to support anybody. We don't wanna warm up for anyone."
6) You are all very old.
"I'm 24 now, too old to be doing what we're doing. Why am I doing it ? Can't think of anything else to do - I'm stuck with it now, huh ! The others all consider themselves too old, yeah, they're all 23, 24. Yeah, we've missed the boat."
7) You're dead hunky.
"Hunky ? I don't know about that. I'm too thin. All right then, I am. The rest of the group are all really hunky. We're accidentally hunky."
8) You're all hippies.
"Nah. Hippies are asleep and we're wide awake."
9) Your new song is about the environment.
"No. Fools Gold is about greed. Would we ever do a song about the environment ? I don't know. I saw Sting on German TV and he looked really patronising, like a teacher. (Funnily enough, Sting used to be a teacher !). I think that could put people off issues like that, but I'll say what I think about anything. What do I think about the environment then ? You should stop killing whales and dolphins for a start."
10) You're really really stroppy.
"Sometimes I'm stroppy, yeah, but sometimes you have to be, don't you ? I never start rows though. I'm not stroppy with people who are straight with me."
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