Clash Music

Ian Brown

King Monkey and icon of cool for over 20 years

In late 80’s Britain, rave culture exploded and The Stone Roses were the only young rock band that mattered. Ian Brown had the attitude to lead the way, announcing at the time, “We want to be the best of everything. To be all things to all people at all times. Aim for the stars and you’re gonna hit the ceiling. Never put up with second best.”
In a decade of vacuous stadium rock and, The Smiths aside, uninspiring ‘alternative’ offerings, The Stone Roses set out to destroy the likes of U2 and The Rolling Stones. They even famously turned down a Rolling Stones support slot in a defiant statement that second best wasn’t even acceptable when the self-dubbed ‘greatest rock ‘n’ roll band in the world’ came knocking. 1989 was a year for celebration, the grim Thatcher years were drawing to a close and post recession hedonism was in the air for the youth of the UK.