Fools Gold

The Stone Roses, 1989, from Fools Gold (single). Solo by John Squire.

Squire's wah-drenched lead weaves through the extended dance groove, mixing funk with psychedelia.

Fools Gold is built on a long, hypnotic groove, and John Squire's guitar weaves through it rather than sitting on top. His wah-drenched lead lines slip in and out of the funky bass and drums, sometimes rhythmic, sometimes melodic, blending funk scratch with psychedelic colour. The track's length gives him room to develop ideas slowly, and it became one of the defining records of the Madchester scene. It showed indie guitarists that they could borrow from dance music without losing their edge. Listen for how Squire uses short, choppy wah phrases to lock into the beat, then stretches into longer lines as the groove deepens.

Fools Gold by The Stone Roses is featured in our Britpop (#17) list. The solo is played by John Squire and the song was released in 1989.

In our lists

• The 25 Greatest Britpop Guitar Solos — #17
• Wah & Talk Box Solos — #15
• The Best The Stone Roses Guitar Solos — #2

Sources