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Roses Legend Gives Up Music




















He admits he's barely strummed a guitar in the past year, but who needs rock 'n' roll when you can take the art world by storm instead?

Former Stone Roses legend John Squire unveiled his new artwork this week to critical and commercial acclaim.

I hear that just a day after the launch he's already sold more than half of his collection - with pieces ranging from £2,000 up to £28,000.

And John tells me he's enjoying his art so much that he's now shelved - for good - any more music projects.

He says: "Music and art are both disciplines that fulfil the same need, that is the need to create. I get the same buzz from creating a successful painting as writing a great song - it comes from the same place.

"But music has been put to one side for good. I'm enjoying this far too much to go back to music."

Hmm, rather scuppers any idea of a future Stone Roses reunion - of which he says: "A reunion is highly unlikely. I'd have to stop painting and that's just not in my plans."

Stars including fellow Manc music legend Liam Gallagher (pictured with John) and celebrity chef Jamie Oliver attended the glittering private viewing of John's brushwork at the Smithfield Gallery in London.

Jamie - a huge Stone Roses' fan - was among those snapping up pieces from the collection.

However, poor old Liam was bemoaning the fact that he wanted to buy a painting but his 'missus', All Saints singer Nicole Appleton, had banned him from buying any more art.

John tells me: "Liam's favourite painting was one called The Year of the Pig but he said he couldn't buy it because Nicole would kill him and they need a new kitchen."

John's artwork first came to prominence through the iconic album covers of the late 1980s and early '90s. His new works, created over the past three years, show a departure from past styles, working on large-scale canvases and built up of layers of plaster, sand, glue and oil paint.

John, who still lives in the region, has his own art studio in a converted outbuilding in the farm he lives on with his wife and children.

He's busy creating a whole raft of new artworks for a second London exhibition later in the year. He laughs: "I've got to take the kids to Portugal and do 30 paintings before September so I'd better get my skates on."

Source: www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk

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