1. “Sally Cinnamon” – The Stone Roses
(From the single “Sally Cinnamon”)
1987
The roots of The Stone Roses reach back as far as 1983 when Ian Brown and John Squire first were part of a short-lived band called The Patrol. Over the next several years the various members of what would eventually become The Stone Roses worked together and apart in a variety of projects and with a variety of other musicians until by late 1984 the Stone Roses were formed with Ian Brown on vocals, John Squire on guitars, Andy Couzens on rhythm guitar, Pete Garner of bass, and Reni on drums. This line-up would play gigs around the UK and record a debut single, “So Young/Tell Me”, with famed producer Martin Hannett. Hannett would also go on to record an album with The Stone Roses in 1985 but the band disliked the production sound of the record and had already begun to evolve their sound in the more rhythmic direction that would become known as Madchester, and so the album was scrapped. That record would finally be released in 1996, after the band broke up, as Garage Flower. With the band still not making much headway on making a name for themselves Ian Brown and Reni tried to drum up some attention by spray painting the band’s name all over their hometown of Manchester. While most of the attention achieved by this vandalism proved to be negative, it did raise the profile of the band to some degree and soon The Stone Roses would record and release their second single, “Sally Cinnamon”. “Sally Cinnamon” did not make it onto the UK pop charts but it did eventually peak at #3 on the UK indie chart and earn The Stone Roses more attention, ultimately leading to a record deal with Silvertone Records that the band would come to resent and have to resort to a legal battle to get out of. “Sally Cinnamon”, while recorded in 1986, was not actually released as a single until 1987 and by then The Stone Roses sound had evolved even further. After The Stone Roses became more famous, and while in the middle of a legal battle to get out of their original contract, their former label would re-release “Sally Cinnamon” as a single, where it would peak at #46 on the UK charts. However, the band refused to make a video to help promote the single and so a video was made for the song without them. To protest this action The Stone Roses broke into their former label’s offices and trashed them, damaged several cars, and threw paint all over the office, including on an employee. “Sally Cinnamon” is a catchy indie pop song that draws on British Invasion influences and is a forerunner to the Britpop genre that would rise a few years later; a brief insight into a path not taken by The Stone Roses who would instead help to pioneer the more dance-oriented and psychedelic Madchester scene.
Follow all the posts at the Alternative Reality site: www.alternativealbumsblog.wordpress.com
Alternative Reality: An Alternative Music Blog 