They are the resurrection: The Stone Roses to reunite

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Following in the footsteps of Pavement, the Pixies and a whole raft of late ‘80s and ‘90s bands that either ended before their time or found themselves ready for a big paycheck, the Stone Roses have confirmed that they are reuniting for a 2012 summer tour.

In a press conference covered by the NME with typical breathless flair, all four original members appeared to announce the reunion, which will include two shows at Manchester’s Heaton Park in June. No festival dates could be confirmed as yet, but it’s even money that a Coachella appearance is in the works for the influential band whose richly melodic mix of dance music and a Byrds-like jangle set the template for the Manchester craze of the ‘90s.

Following up the group’s landmark 1989 debut proved difficult, however, and the long-delayed follow-up (humbly titled ‘The Second Coming’) failed to capture the same magic. After the departure of original drummer Reni and guitarist John Squire in the mid-’90s, the group limped to an unceremonious end in 1996.

Though lead singer Ian Brown indicated that the band was currently working on new material and that the reunion was on ‘until the wheels fall off,’ the years of acrimony and denial of any such rumors up to this point leave all long-term plans in question. Needless to say, however, for fans of that remarkable first record who maybe didn’t catch the band the first time around, this is the one.

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-- Chris Barton

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