Ian Brown, the former lead singer with The Stone Roses has a new single out. Illegal Attacks is an anti-war song featuring Sinead O'Connor urging the US and UK governments to "bring the soldiers back home". The striking thing about the song, to my mind, is its scarcity value. The War in Vietnam brought us anti-war songs by Glen Campbell (Galveston); Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young (Ohio); Edwin Star (War!); Donovan (The Universal Soldier); Steppenwolf (Draft Resister); Billy Joel (Goodnight Saigon); Bruce Springstien (Born in the USA); Jimmy Cliff (Vietnam) Nina Simone (Backlash Blues) and many, many more . Why have the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which are as deeply unpopular, not generated a similar body of work?
posted by MrMerlot on Aug 29, 2007 - 86 comments

"November the 23rd, 1989, and possibly the most influential British guitar band of the last twenty years were making their debut on Top of the Pops. The group were Manchester's the Stone Roses. Having just released one of the most acclaimed debut albums of all time, they had the world at their feet. But then it all went horribly wrong. Within a few short years, the Stone Roses had split."

Sensational Stone Roses BBC documentary Blood on the Turntables in one two three four five six parts.
posted by Item on Aug 26, 2007 - 106 comments