Twisting my melon man – what’s bringing the 90s back?
Written by Tyler Blenkinsopp on 19th January 2023
The influence of the indie bands of the 90s and late-80s is undeniable. 30 years on, the influence of the Gallagher’s, the Madchester bands and Blur, with their bucket hats and Lennon sunglasses, is still strong.
Arguably the most influential of them all were the Stone Roses, who rose in the 80s and had a huge impact on some of the big names, not least Oasis.
The controversy and rebellion caused by their eponymous debut album inspired a whole generation to take a stand and become individuals.
It turned heads in the UK and the rest of the world. They brought a voice to the people who didn’t have a place, and guided them to one. It made them feel as they belonged for the first time.
It helped the country as a whole see the North in a new light. It was no longer looked down upon; Ian Brown and the band had given a confidence to the place, not seen since the heyday of The Beatles.
The praise they got from this album drowned the criticism and the attempts to defame the band and strip them of their rightfully gained popularism and respect.
The criticism and controversy drove them to create more music and in turn more controversy.
They stood up against the control which their manager exerted over them. They showed that rebellion and chaos was the way to bring changes where we want them. It taught us to not be afraid to stand up for what we believe.
The influence of indie had been set, but could it be upheld? Uncertainty crept in with fear of the stone roses being a one album wonder and their influence being brushed off.
Until two brothers grasped the falling torch and created Oasis, another Manchester based band topped the charts upholding the responsibility and raising the bar for bands to come.
Unfortunately, the bands started to fail and crumble with the pressure. Indie died and became an underground subculture. The Stone Roses caught everyone’s attention both negatively and positively, no one could dent the mass influence they took over the youth.
Over the past few years, we have seen reports of this culture revitalising and dusting off the baggy jeans and bowl cuts. The Stone Roses have now seen an increase in listeners with over two million listeners per month now. It is clear the comeback is well underway.
Why is it happening though? Why has the album come back and influenced the new generation?
One reason many people believe the indie spike has happened is due to the 2012 film “spike island” being centred around The Stone Roses’ largest concert and following the eager fans willing to give anything and risk everything for access into the gig.
With this rise of individuality and the choice of these bands and styles being so readily accessible it is allowing our generation make ourselves who we want to be.
These albums are so easy to access and the ability or us to spread our ideologies, our views and our ability to educate each other.
The rise of indie has also increased our sense of belonging, people at pubs and clubs bonding over our similarities in our tastes and discussing our differences. The indie culture is growing more and more each day, with more people learning about this culture and finding themselves and their place.
The creation and the revitalisation of this subculture was only made possible from one man and his bands debut album created with the intent to inspire a generation and bring power to the north.
