I WAS IN Oxford at art school on a foundation course in early ’89 when I first heard The Stone Roses and John Squire. Ride had had their first rehearsal at the end of ’88 and I bought Made Of Stone – I preferred the B-side, Going Down – but then I got the album and saw them live at Oxford Polytechnic and had my mind blown.
I took my camera to do a photography project, spent the whole day there, went to the soundcheck, had a chance encounter with Ian Brown in the bar while John and Reni were playing. At that point, my biggest influence had been Johnny Marr. Ihad been a teenage Smiths fan and his style had really informed my playing – but John Squire felt like a stage
on.
It was the fluidity with which he played. It had elements of Johnny Marr’s playing and also George Harrison’s playing and there were so many melodic hooks going on but it felt
liquid
– very Hendrix-y. It took from the blues tradition but without being clichéd.
And it was so warm.