Stone Roses documentary to be released "late spring/early summer"
The Stone Roses: Made of Stone will be directed by Shane Meadows and contain the only official footage of the band's comeback gigs
Stone Roses fans are in for a treat later this year when a new documentary about the band by This is England director Shane Meadows will be released.
Meadows’ film, entitled The Stone Roses: Made of Stone, will contain the only official footage of the Manchester band’s comeback performances from their world tour, according to an announcement from Film4.
The 40-year-old director was granted unprecedented access to the group for almost a year and documented everything from the press conference in October 2011 which announced the Roses’ return to their triumphant reunion shows at Manchester’s Heaton Park last summer.
As well as capturing the anticipation and ecstasy of the band’s fans, the film also showcases Ian Brown, John Squire, Mani and Reni on stage and on the road in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Lyon, Hamburg, Belfast and Japan.
Discussing Made of Stone, Meadows said: “When Ian Brown rang me to tell me my favourite band of all time was getting back together again, it was like every Roses fan’s wildest dreams were coming true.
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“People tell you that you can’t recapture your youth, it won’t be the same. I don’t believe that. I’m going to make up for the nightmare of a lifetime at 17 years old, being sat in a flat having a bad trip when I could have been at Spike Island, being part of one of the most momentous things ever.”
Formed in 1983, The Stone Roses found fame at the turn of the ‘90s after their eponymous debut album spawned the hit singles I Wanna Be Adored, Fools Gold and She Bangs the Drums.
After legal battles with their record label and the release of the group’s follow-up album Second Coming, the Roses originally split in 1996. They announced their reunion in 2011 following 15 years apart, and tickets for their comeback shows sold out in record time.
Made of Stone is currently in post-production and is expected to be released "in late spring/early summer."
Katherine Butler, the film’s executive producer, said: “It’s hard to think of a film that could be any more exciting – a combination of Shane’s wonderfully insightful directorial eye, the seminal genius of The Stone Roses, and our brilliant friends at Warp – what else is there to say? We’re thrilled.”
Shane Meadows, a filmmaker renowned for his unique directorial style, humour and emotional intelligence, has previously made This is England and Dead Man’s Shoes as well as the Channel 4 drama series This is England ’86 and ’88. His follow up to those series, This is England ’90, is expected to air on C4 later this year.
If you’re in the mood for more from the Stone Roses, have a look at our favourite TV performances from the band.
See footage of the Roses' breakthrough May 1990 Spike Island concert, which was attended by 27,000 fans, below:
