"Whatever happened to all of the heroes?" sung The Stranglers in 1977. Over 30 years later and these words still resonate with many as the modern world is consistently swamped with villains, whether political (Cameron) or musical (Cowell).
Even many of our heroes have been making things difficult for themselves this year. Morrissey trivialised Anders Behring Breivik's massacre in Oslo, Ryan Giggs destroyed his brother's marriage and Mick Jagger formed a band with Joss Stone. So it was with giddy, parka and Adidas Originals clad excitement that the news of the Stone Roses resurrecting was met with on Tuesday, October 18th.
With rumours of the Roses reforming becoming an annual tradition, the usual derisionary sneers were aimed in the direction of those reporters who suddenly began clamouring to be the first to break the news days before the Soho press conference took place. However, this time round, there seemed to actually be some weight behind the rumours. Ian had attended Mani's Mother's funeral earlier in the year, which began the ball rolling in the tabloids, although Mani was quick to vehemently hit out at those who had intruded on his mourning in an attempt to sell papers.
Disrespectful intrusions aside, Mani's denials did nothing to hush the Chinese whispers doing the rounds. Reni even got in on the act, with a cryptic message dropped into the NME offices reading, "Not before 9T will I wear the hat 4 the Roses again".
Finally, less than a week later, messrs Brown, Squire, Mountfield and Wren filed into a Soho Hotel lobby to field questions, belittle Daily Mail writers and give millions of fans a reason to book the following Friday morning off work. The Roses would be returning to Manchester in June 2012, for two shows at Heaton Park.
Two quickly became three as the tickets came and went quicker than an X Factor contestant's career and hundreds of touts enjoyed the biggest payday of their careers. Ian Brown's response to this record breaking morning was suitably heroic as he declared "I intend to celebrate by jumping up and down for the rest of the day".
Of course, it was never just going to be three shows. Every festival from T In The Park to Fuji Rock and beyond struck deals to have the Roses include them in their historic, Lazarus like comeback.
Typically, some steadfast critics mumbled that the Roses were never very good live and that the shows would ultimately disappoint and so on and so forth. Funnily enough though, no one has ever seemed to mind that Ian Brown doesn't possess the vocality of Freddie Mercury, nor will anyone descending on Heaton Park on Friday 8th June be expecting anything revolutionary from the Roses. What they will get however, is a reunion actually worth caring about. A reunion of one of Britain's most important, beloved bands, back from the depths of their 1995 demise and with the old simian swagger still in tact.
Unlike so many heroes, the Roses aren't back simply to save the day, they're back to serve as a reminder of how there's always a game changer out there. The Beatles did it when guitar music was supposedly "on it's way out" in the early sixties, then came Bowie and after him The Pistols before the Roses did actually save the day in 1989. But now, most importantly, in their (forgive the pun) Second Coming the Roses can enjoy the happy ending they never had the first time round.
So, who's ready for June 8th? See you down the front at Heaton Park.
Until next time,
Keep on Keepin' on,
Baia
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