Stone Roses back justice fight

The band, whose eponymously-titled debut album released in 1989 was voted the greatest of all time by The Observer before they split in 1996, shocked music fans when singer Ian Brown and guitarist John Squire made a surprise appearance on stage at the 'Justice Tonight' concert at the Manchester Ritz.

The tour, in aid of the Hillsborough Justice Campaign, kicked off in Cardiff on Thursday night with a special guest appearance from James Dean Bradfield of the Manic Street Preachers but the sight of Brown and Squire on stage together for the first time since 1995 will be hard to beat.

Having recently announced they were reforming to play three sold-out shows to over 200,000 people at Heaton Park in Manchester next June, the fact that they chose a night in aid of Hillsborough to make their live comeback after 15 years is testament to their support for the cause.

The pair joined Mick Jones of The Clash, The Farm and Pete Wylie on stage to play 'Elizabeth My Dear' and the Clash songs 'Bankrobber' and 'Armagideon Time' - including the chorus line of 'A lot of people won't get no justice tonight' - before Brown, a lifelong Manchester United supporter, called out for applause for Liverpool at the end of their set.

"When Mick Jones asked us to perform for the cause, we didn't even need to think about it," Brown told liverpoolfc.tv backstage after the show. "It felt amazing to get up on stage with John but tonight wasn't about the Stone Roses, it was about Hillsborough. It was about injustice. I've always said, 'It's not about where you're from, it's about where you're at' and tonight you saw Liverpool and Manchester united. We're two ends of the same city in my eyes and if we'd got it together, London would never have got a look in."

John Squire, Stone Roses (above centre): "People have asked about Manchester United and Liverpool but I don't buy into petty rivalries, this is about justice. It's bigger than football. Mick Jones is our hero and when he asks you to help, you help. It's a simple as that. We were delighted to be asked and delighted to play although I'm not sure they needed another guitarist up there! Seriously though, if us playing helps raise even a little bit more awareness about what happened in 1989 and to the families since then, then tonight will have been worth it. These people - the families - have been stitched up and that's why Pete Wylie, The Farm and Mick Jones are taking the tour around the country. I'm sure the Liverpool concert next Friday will be special with the crowd."

Pete Wylie (above right): "What can you say about tonight? Mick Jones playing Clash songs, The Farm doing 'Altogether Now' with the whole crowd singing along and Ian Brown and John Squire on stage together again... That's rock and roll and it was all for the 96. It means so much to us that what happened in 1989, why it happened and what has happened since is never forgotten. To see a great crowd from Manchester and lots of fans from Liverpool turn out to support the cause together says a lot about both cities."

Peter Hooton, The Farm (above left): "The Stones Roses sold 225,000 tickets in just over an hour last month. They didn't need to do tonight but they did and I can't thank them enough. It's unbelievable they chose tonight - at this gig - to get up on stage together again. They were totally into it and the fact that they hung around afterwards to talk to everyone - fans from Liverpool and Manchester - was special. The opening night in Cardiff with James Dean Bradfield was amazing but tonight was unbelievable. Mick Jones is a legend and for him to join us on every night of the tour is fantastic."

Mick Jones, The Clash & B.A.D (above): "This is what rock and roll is about for me. Protest music. Fighting injustice. I'm a QPR fan but I feel like an honorary Scouser at times as I've got so many good friends from Liverpool. The Clash always had a lot of love from Liverpool and I guess we've stayed friends all these years. The 'Don't Buy The Sun' concert in September was one of the most emotional nights I've ever been on stage. You could feel the passion in the crowd. It was so good - and for such a good cause - that it just made sense to take it around the country to try and raise awareness. It feels like the families are edging closer and closer to finding out the real truth after over 20 years and if this helps, even just a little bit, then I'm happy. Music unites people but injustice unites even more people. That's what this tour is about."

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