Over the past thirty years, John Squire’s musical contributions have been sporadic. Following The Stone Roses’ split in 1996, Squire ventured into various projects, including the formation of The Seahorses, a couple of solo records, and a reunion with The Stone Roses.
However, he found contentment in creating art and playing the guitar for personal enjoyment, prioritizing family above all. Describing his current life, Squire emphasizes, “Family first and everything else around it,” expressing his ability to derive satisfaction from playing the guitar and creating art without the need for public recognition. He insists he wasn’t yearning to be rediscovered but rather cherishing a fulfilling personal life.
Family first and everything else around it” is how he describes his life now. “I still can get an easy buzz from playing the guitar without making a record. Same goes for art – I can paint and make things without showing them in public. So I can get that fix and spend time with the kids. I wasn’t crying in the wilderness waiting to be rediscovered.”
Gallagher’s admiration for Squire finally materialized when the two met on a street in Monmouth, near the Welsh studios where The Stone Roses and Oasis were recording. Despite Gallagher’s long-standing admiration, their meeting was characterized by mutual respect, with Squire appreciating Gallagher’s approach as that of a fellow musician.
The dynamic changed when Gallagher invited Squire to join him on stage at Knebworth in the summer of 2022. The experience, distinct from playing the guitar at home, is vividly described by Squire as “the difference between dropping a grain of rice into a kitchen sink and a Bikini Atoll test” – an electrifying moment.
The idea of collaborating on new material arose during rehearsals, and both artists found it to be an obvious and exciting prospect. Squire shared song sketches with Gallagher, who then visited to record them.
Shortly afterward, they flew to Los Angeles to record a full album with renowned producer Greg Kurstin, known for his work with Adele and Foo Fighters. The resulting album, a substantial work, draws deeply from their shared influences while maintaining a strikingly contemporary sound.
Gallagher is mindful of balancing a classic sound with freshness, acknowledging the importance of sounding current in the competitive music industry. While expressing the desire to sell records and secure radio play, he cautions against excessive hype, noting that individual preferences will ultimately shape opinions, as he took a shot at Bjork for some reason.
“You don’t want to be going too retro,” Gallagher explains. “Even though our sound’s classic and that, you’ve still got to sound fresh. At the end of the day we’re here to sell records. If we sell ’em we sell ’em, we’re not going to bend over backwards to f***ing sell a record, but you want it to get on the radio. And you’re only going to get on the radio if you’re sounding kind of in the now.” Still, he’s keen to temper expectations: “There’s no point me over-egging it. If you’re into that type of thing, you’re going to love it. And if you’re into f***ing Bjork, you’ll hate it.”
