Some tunes for you today! The Stone Roses remain our favourite band, but there’s a lot more to them than many folks realise.
The band’s 1989 eponymous debut album is widely regarded as one of the finest albums of all time.
But after that, legal issues caused by record labels curtailed their output. So, for those who aren’t aware, we’d like to flag up a few of the band’s finest, lesser-known moments.
Obscure Stone Roses Songs
One of the erroneous arguments against The Stone Roses’ brilliance is the band didn’t record many songs and only released one album of any worth.
That’s totally incorrect as the band wrote scores of songs, recorded most of them, but many simply didn’t make it onto an album.
In fact, the band abandoned its real debut album (Garage Flower) in 1986 after recording it with Martin Hannett. The band wasn’t pleased with the album, so decided not to release it to focus on new material.
Now that’s a hell of a confident and mature approach for any upcoming band to take. Its eventual record label, Silvertone Records, released Garage Flower in 1996 against the band’s wishes.
The Stone Roses members were, in fact, so prolific there will be many other tracks they recorded now sadly lost to time.
But their definite peak was around 1989 and the years surrounding that, with many incredible songs released as B sides to singles and almost forgotten to obscurity.
So we’re wrapping a bunch of them together here for you to have a gander at. Why? As the songs are very bloody good.
Pearl Bastard
Pearl Bastard was recorded around the time of The Stone Roses’ eponymous debut, but didn’t make the album as it sounded too similar to Song For My (Sugar Spun Sister).
And so it lay forgotten for 20 years, until in 2009 it was revealed for the first time on the 20th anniversary release set.
At the time, bassist Mani expressed surprise no one knew about the song at all.
But it’s classic Roses at their best—beautiful, melodic, mysterious, and brooding. Nice, eh?
I’m Without Shoes
The Stone Roses had a habit of taking songs they already had, then reversing them and adding lyrics over the top of an already great song.
Here’s an early example of this process in action. But you can also hear arguably their best effort with Waterfall becoming Don’t Stop.
Simone
This was included as a B-side to the CD and cassette single version of She Bangs the Drums in 1989.
We’re not 100% sure, but we think it may be Where Angel’s Play reversed.
That was another fantastic Stone Roses song in its own right that never got an official album release. And if we’re right, then it’s also fabulous when reversed.
The Sun Still Shines
The Sun Still Shines came about around 1987 along with Sally Cinnamon, marking the band’s total musical about-face from post-punk hellish noise to proper melodies.
So you can can compare and contrast, below is The Stone Roses in 1985 when drummer Reni was the main star of the show.
The Sun Still Shines was never officially released by the band and certainly hasn’t been played live since circa 1987. It’s available on bootlegs only.
Sugar Spun Sister
Here’s an early demo from one of the band’s most underrated songs.
From 1986, it layers on the psychedelia a great deal more than the eventual 1989 album version. But, again, very pretty and melodic!
This version features different lyrics, with the final version titled Song For My (Sugar Spun Sister). And a glorious little number it is.
Going Down (early demo)
Going Down was another B-side single release, although it eventually made it onto The Complete Stone Roses Album (1995). A collection of the band’s many single releases.
However, this is an early demo that puts the song in acoustic form.
It’s odd listening to it without Reni’s drumming, and Squire’s electric guitar, over the top. We think it works better that way. Still, it’s a fine acoustic number as well.
Ride On
Recorded as a B-side to a single from the Second Coming (1994) album, it’s quite ridiculous Ride On wasn’t one of the main songs on the album.
Although the album received mediocre critical responses, with this one you can hear the band at their best.
The usual enigmatic lyrics, Squire’s fantastic guitar work, Reni at his best on the drums—and with his amazing, soulful backing vocals.
Professional Moron 
Yas! That’s this mornings music sorted and I’m a very happy bunny!
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Glad you like them! There’s a lot of rehearsal bootlegs from the Second Coming years around 1993-1994 I might compile for another post. A lot of it is just Reni, Mani, and Squire jamming. But Reni was on bloody fire around the time and it’s incredible stuff.
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I usually write in silence as the voices in my head interfere with the music. Today I’ve given myself the day off to read and enjoy other people’s work. Thank you! I’d be up for hearing the rehearsal bootlegs as well!
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Yeah, I can’t write except in total silence. Sometimes a bit of classical. There’s only one person I’ve ever met who said she needed lots of noise around to write.
I also once had a bloke sit next to me on a tram reading George Orwell, but with pelting dance music coming out of his earphones at deafening volume. Takes all sorts!
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I had no idea the boys had worked with Martin Hannett. A Stone Roses album helmed by him would have been interesting to say the least!
Some pretty great tunes in there.
I can see why they cut Pearl Bastard, but it is a hell of a tune, even in demo form. As for I’m Without Shoes and Simone, I didn’t know the whole inverting the song and putting new lyrics on top of it was something they had done more than once. And they got great results again. Pretty trippy stuff. Simone is almost like an ambient track.
It’s cool how The Sun Still Shines shows them carving that jangle and melodic style that would make them stars. They are not there yet at that point, though it is a very nice track, but you can see they are getting there. It was also pretty nice to catch a glimpse of their post-punk noise days. I had never seen that.
Sugar Spun Sister might be underrated, but in my book it is one of their best tunes. Its beauty and catchy nature is already evident in that demo.
I was already familiar with Going Down because of The Complete Stone Roses, which is a stellar collection.
And it’s easy to see Ride On is from the Second Coming era. It has the identiy of that album all over it.
Awesome post! 😀
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Pearl Bastard just came out of nowhere in 2009 and really hasn’t been discussed much since, I do wish they’d played it on their reunion gigs. Despite the similarities to Sugar Spun Sister.
One of my frustrations as a Stone Roses fan is when people say “They only did one good album”. Which just isn’t the case, there’s a wealth of classic material. So I’m going out me way to flag it all up!
Kind of apt, I suppose, living in Manchester. Reni’s family background is Brasilian, I believe, so I always dig that cultural element he added to everything. Hell of a drummer!
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Yeah, they sure had more than that album. They had enough material floating around for, at least, another very solid release, and that goes without mentioning Second Coming.
I had no idea about Reni’s family. He’s a hell of a drummer indeed. Not to generalize, but we Brazilians seem to have a knack for percussion. So maybe some of that’s in his blood! =P
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Yes! Brasil is legendary for its drumming. Seriously, that’s a sign of intellect and creative brilliance right there. And it more than delivered in Reni’s roots!
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