The 500 - #498 - The Stone Roses - Stone Roses

This is the third in an ongoing series, the first can be found here and the second here.

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

So, here's my plan. 

• 2 records per week & at least 2 complete listens.
• A quick blog post for each, highlighting the important details and a quick background story.
• No rating scale - just an effort to expand my appreciation.

Album # 498

Album Title: Stone Roses (Debut)
Artist: The Stone Roses
Released: May, 1989
My age at release: 23
How familiar am I with it: Somewhat
Song I am putting on my Spotify Mix: Fools Gold
Great Lyric:

"Stands on shifting sands,
The scales held in her hands,
The wind it just whips her away
And fills up her brigantine sails."

The Stone Roses landed on my radar in the mid-90's. A high school friend had moved to England and he and I stayed in touch through letters (pre-email). At one point, we exchanged cassette tapes. I filled mine with the songs that were popular here and his highlighted the music he was hearing in London. I'll admit, I didn't recognize a single name - Oasis, Blur, Travis, Suede, Happy Mondays and The Stone Roses. It would be another 6-12 months before some of them gained a North American beachhead. 

Of all these bands, it was Portishead that really struck a chord with me. My girlfriend, now wife, had also discovered Dummy and the track Glory Box got plenty of airtime in my apartment and car.

A few years later, I was teaching, but continued to bartend to make ends meet. Several of the serving staff had spent a year abroad and they raved about The Manchester Movement - and The Stone Roses in particular. Most of my family lives in the Manchester area (Rochdale, Littleborough) so, I felt an odd kinship. A local pub had a weekly Brit-Pop night, so I began to hear them more often - mainly Love Spreads.

I enjoyed listening through this album in its entirety. My favourite track, and the one I added to my Spotify list, is Fools Gold - I'm a sucker for a groovy bass-line and funky percussion.

Things I learned:

The album cover is Jackson Pollack inspired and is intended to reference the 1968 Paris Riots - hence the flag in the top left. Lemons are depicted because they were used as an antidote to tear gas.

The Manchester Scene was dubbed "Madchester" - how did I not know that until today?

Next: #497: The White Stripes: White Blood Cells