I was only 5 when, in 1989, The Stone Roses released a debut album that would leave an indelible mark on the UK rock scene. At that age I can't say I was really able to appreciate the finer points or the significance of the album. I didn't hear about this must hear album until years later when Britpop was exploding on the scene and everyone was citing The Stone Roses as an influence.
This week sees another re-release of the album to mark the 20th anniversary of it's release having also released a 10th anniversary edition in 1999. This time round you have three options depending on how much you want to spend! The entry level (£8.68 amazon) is The Special Edition which is a remastered version of the album plus the full length version of Fool's Gold. The mid-range Legacy Edition (£24.98 amazon) adds The Lost Demos album and a DVD live from Blackpool. Then for those to whom money is no object there is The Collectors Edition. This contains 3 CDs, 3 LPs, 1 DVD, 2GB USB, 1 book and 6 art prints!
I have to say this has never been, and I'm pretty sure will never be one of my favourite albums. I enjoy listening to it and I understand how important an album it was, I just find myself preferring the stuff it influenced! When you look at British rock music through the 90's so much of it can be traced back to a few pioneering bands such as The Smiths and Happy Mondays and The Stone Roses would definately be counted among these. The artwork as well has become iconic with lead guitarist John Squire creating a Jackson Pollock influenced cover that is instantly recognisable.
20 years on I am sure there are many people too young to know about The Stone Roses and to know about this album. To those I would say this is an important piece of British music history and an essential listen. Tracks like "I Am The Ressurection", "I Wanna Be Adored" and "She Bangs The Drums" are timeless classics and need to be heard at least once.
If you already own the album then I would say, unless you are a die-hard Stone Roses fan, it is not really worth buying this 20th anniversary edition. If you want to check it out for yourself then you can listen to the three discs of the Legacy Edition on Spotify here http://open.spotify.com/album/2hPgN0wHJ3efQg3DwaLIvW
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