It is not often when a band is both the most talented and most popular group in the country. Prior to the rise of the Stone Roses, the only such band I can think of is the
Beatles, although I have little idea of exactly
how popular
The Smiths were. But I digress. Bands that are both popular and talented can walk the line between
pop and the "artier" genres. Such were the Stone Roses.
Briefly
Britain was seized by
Madchester mania and many wondered if the Stone Roses would actually be the next Beatles. Their eponymous album was nothing sort of stunning. Sadly, this was not the case; the Stone Roses did nothing for a few years but engage in legal wrangling and watch
football. When they finally got around to releasing their sophomoric album,
Second Coming, interest had waned and the album wasn't quite the masterpiece many were expecting. The Stone Roses broke up soon after
John Squire left to form a more active band, the
Seahorses.
The other major
Madchester group, the
Happy Mondays, was torn asunder by
drug abuse.