The Stone Roses: Made of Stone

The so-called Madchester scene of the 1980s gave to Britain and the world bands such as New Order, Happy Mondays and The Stone Roses. The last of these has been a lifelong passion for director Shane Meadows, whose upbeat documentary looks back at the band’s history, but largely focuses on the circumstances surrounding their reunion in 2012. After sixteen years’ silence, this comeback was just as unexpected as the erstwhile meteoric rise of a band which to this day enjoys cult status in Britain. The film clearly underlines the significance of the musicians, yet it also captures them as ordinary guys. The goofy punk rockers have matured into gents who like to relax with a nice cuppa during rehearsal but, as the gig approaches, we see the power begin to emerge. Although the film acknowledges the fact that nothing can actually beat being there itself, no viewer can fail to notice that The Stone Roses have lost none of their magic. In amongst the band’s fans, almost a quarter of a million of whom came together for a spectacular gig in Manchester, you might well recognise some of the characters familiar from Meadows’s feature films.