John Squire

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For the British poet and historian of that name from 1882–1958, see Sir John Squire.
John Squire in 2003
John Squire in 2003

John Squire (born John Thomas Squire on 24th November, 1962 in Broadheath, Manchester) is an English musician, guitarist and artist. He was a founding member of The Stone Roses and The Seahorses.

[edit] Background

In 1980 Squire missed out on the opportunity to meet his idol Joe Strummer but his then best friend Ian Brown and another friend gate-crashed a recording session in Manchester where the Clash were recording Bank Robber.

From 1984 to 1996 he was the lead guitarist for The Stone Roses, one of the most influential acts of its era. He grew up on Sylvan Avenue in Timperley and after attending Heyes lane Junior School, he passed the 11+ exam and went on to attend Altrincham Grammar School for Boys where he met Ian Brown - who coincidentally also lived on Sylvan Avenue but went to a different primary school. His partnership with Roses' lead singer Ian Brown (who he had been friends with since their teens when they had bonded over a love for punk rock) formed the heart of the band's lyrical and musical output. As a guitarist, Squire was known for his spiralling riffs and amazing live solos. He was amongst the most accomplished British rock guitarists of the 1980s, alongside Johnny Marr of The Smiths.

Band infighting and rumoured cocaine abuse led to his departure from The Stone Roses on April Fool's Day 1996. Following an appearance alongside Oasis at their legendary Knebworth concert, playing guitar on Champagne Supernova, he formed his own band, The Seahorses (a pair of NME readers wrote in to point out that this name is an anagram of 'he hates roses', but whether this was intentional is disputed). The album Do it Yourself was released in 1997, but The Seahorses disbanded due to creative differences in 1999.

Following a three year hiatus, Squire finally released his first solo album, Time Changes Everything in 2002. A concept album followed in 2004 entitled Marshall's House.

Besides music, Squire is also an accomplished artist. His artwork has adorned album covers and promotional posters for his music. In the 1980s, Squire's artistic style was heavily influenced by the action painting technique of Jackson Pollock. In recent years, Squire has shown a broader use of mediums and has incorporated newer influences to his work. One of his artworks formed the cover for Travis's 1997 release U16 Girls. In 2004, Squire held two well-received art exhibitions in London and Manchester.

Although it has been over a decade since he left the Roses, Squire still has a lasting feud with ex-bandmate Ian Brown. In a 2005 Q magazine article, Squire blasted Brown, claiming that "When he (Brown) was stoned, he was at best a tuneless knob and at worst a paranoid mess" (but he was only responding to queries about what went wrong with the Second Coming sessions and the state of Brown's vocal due to his marijuana habits). Although both Brown and Squire have performed Stone Roses songs in their solo gigs, a band reunion seems unlikely. Surprisingly, in May 2005 Squire hinted at intentions for a Roses reunion at Glastonbury that year.

[edit] Discography

Albums

Singles

  • "Joe Louis" (2002)
  • "Room In Brooklyn" (2004)

Live Albums/EPs

  • Time Changes Everything Live EP (Japan only) (2003)

[edit] External links

The Stone Roses
Ian Brown - John Squire - Mani - Reni
Discography
Albums: The Stone Roses - Second Coming
Related articles
Madchester - Britpop - John Leckie - The Seahorses
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