Stars: Ian Brown, John Squire, Mani, Reni
Out to buy: On DVD
This is the first time the precocious figureheads of the Madchester era have found their way on to DVD. But if you are looking for enlightened reflection or a lavish testament to their genius, this isn’t it. All that a clutch of live clips — including a recording of the band’s gig at the Empress Ballroom, Blackpool, in 1989 — prove is that Ian Brown’s singing was often scandalously out of tune. Meanwhile, the videos for Fool’s Gold and I Wanna Be Adored, in which the band trudge through a variety of desolate landscapes beneath trippy psychedelic overlays, rank among the least inspiring yet shot.
But as a record of how a cocksure quartet of Mancs collided with a bewildered mainstream media at the fag-end of the 1980s, the extras are priceless. A truly painful interview with Brown and the guitarist John Squire is a masterclass in rock’n’roll disinterest, while a comical feature for the defunct Rapido show follows the band as they lark about with fruit at a greengrocer’s.
The highlight, however, is the band’s infamous live television debut on The Late Show, which was truncated by a power cut midway through Made of Stone. The unfortunate presenter is attempting to paper over the cracks when a scowling Brown appears over her shoulder, periodically yelling “Amateurs!” As he notes elsewhere on the disc: “It takes time for people to fall in love with us. But it’s inevitable.”
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DVD extras Rapido feature, interview, television appearances
Ed Potton