Jan 1978: Brown and Squire grow up in Mancunian suburb of Sale, and later Hulme. Having become close friends around the age of 13, they later form a punk-inspired band called The Patrol (Brown has seen The Clash at age 14 in 1977), and play about five youth-club gigs with local punks Corrosive Youth. Brown, who roadies in his youth for post-punk English band Angelic Upstarts, flirts with bass guitar, then Mounfield dabbles in the role, before Andy Couzens is added as official bassist, with Simon Wolstencroft, later of The Fall, on drums. Brown sells his bass for £100 and buys a scooter; Squire joins The Waterfront, whose line-up also features Mounfield.
Jan 1983: Brown meets '60s rhythm and blues giant Geno Washington at his girlfriend's party in Hulme, and Washington encourages him to be a singer.
Jan 1984: 'Stone Roses' name is adopted; Squire and Brown become songwriting partnership. Wren joins on drums, having replied to local advertisement placed by Brown. Couzens becomes rhythm guitarist, and Pete Garner joins on bass.
Dec 1984: First gig as Stone Roses at Moonlight in Hampstead, north London, at anti-heroin benefit staged by Pete Townshend. Wren joins Townshend for Pictures Of Lily and Substitute.
Jan 1985: Play shows in Sweden after Brown is introduced in Berlin to a promoter who promises them gigs after he tells him he is in a big group from Manchester. The band lives in the promoter's flat in Stockholm for a month. Returning home, they sign to Thin Line, a Manchester indie formed by their first manager, Howard Jones, also the original manager of the Hacienda club.
Sep 1985: First single So Young, backed with Tell Me, released on 12-inch by Thin Line, limited to 1,200 copies. Produced by Martin Hannett (already much revered for his work with the Buzzcocks, Joy Division, New Order and many others), the single becomes popular locally. Brown later describes it to Record Collector as 'pre-Mary Chain and full of feedback'. NME's review calls it 'a right silk purse'. At the band's critical peak in 1990, mint copies of this single, which, like future Roses releases, features artwork by Squire, were valued by Record Collector at £70.
Jan 1986: Band builds local reputation at secret warehouse parties in Manchester (often small-hours affairs that take place under the arches in Fairfield Street after club nights at the burgeoning Hacienda). They become the first band in nearly ten years to play a live session for Manchester commercial station Piccadilly Radio.
Jan 1987: Now with Gareth Evans, who ran Manchester's International clubs, as their manager, the band signs to Black, a new imprint of indie label Revolver.
May 1987: Sally Cinnamon released as 12-inch single by Revolver/Black. 'Would-be Springsteens, big in Manchester,' grumbles NME.
Sep 1987: They play an all-day indie festival at Sefton Park in Liverpool, now with old friend Mounfield on bass.
Jan 1988: They become the first signings (in an eight-album deal) to Silvertone, a new label owned by Jive Records and run by industry veteran Andrew Lauder, who had signed the Buzzcocks during his days at EMI's United Artists label.
Jun 1988: Living in Kensal Rise in London, they start sessions for their first Silvertone album.
Oct 1988: They release their first single for Silvertone, Elephant Stone, produced by New Order's Peter Hook and mixed by their future producer, John Leckie. Extra track on 12-inch, Full Fathom Five, is an early foray into sonic experimentation, comprising Elephant Stone played backwards with vocal overdubs.
Nov 1988: Band embarks on first national tour, which features spontaneous onstage dancing by former Happy Mondays roadie, Cressa.
Feb 1989: Made Of Stone released as single in competition with Black label's alternative version of Sally Cinnamon, a demo recording whose release the band strongly disapproves. In its Made Of Stone review, NME says, 'Irrevocable proof that everything's coming up Stone Roses. And about time too.' During the year, they rise to the forefront of what comes to be known as the 'Madchester' rock-dance scene and, less comfortably, the 'baggy' movement, with Happy Mondays, The Charlatans and others.
May 1989: Their self-titled debut album enters the UK chart, initially peaking at #32, but re-charting repeatedly as the band?s popularity grows - it later reaches #19. Many reviewers are ecstatic: 'This record is godlike,' drools Melody Maker; NME is slightly more restrained, describing it in a 7/10 review as 'an aural Big Mac laced with psychedelic dill'.
Jul 1989: They make the UK singles chart for the first time with She Bangs The Drums, which NME and others compare to The Monkees. Despite the now-deafening buzz about the band in the media, it reaches only #36. 5,000 12-inch copies are also pressed including a colour print.
Aug 1989: The band's first appearance on a Billboard chart in the US arrives when She Bangs The Drums enters the Modern Rock Tracks airplay chart.
Nov 1989: What The World Is Waiting For/Fool's Gold single released. Named Single Of The Week in all three weekly rock papers, it debuts at #13 and peaks a week later at #8 in a 14-week run in the Top 75, which will remain easily the band's best ever performance. The second track is listed as Fool's Gold 4.15 on the seven-inch edition, referring to its running time, and Fool's Gold 9.53 on the 12-inch. It also appears as their first CD single.
Nov 1989: They make their Top Of The Pops debut playing Fool's Gold in the same week Happy Mondays make theirs with Hallelujah.
Dec 1989: The band returns to the studio to start work on their second album. Expectations of a summer 1990 release prove to be off by four-and-a-half years.
Dec 1989: Black reissues Sally Cinnamon again. It spends a week in the first chart of the new year at #75, returning two weeks later to reach #46.
Jan 1990: The Sally Cinnamon reissue, and an unsanctioned video, leads to one of the most infamous incidents in the Roses' career when they mount a paint attack on FM Revolver's headquarters and cause over £20,000 of damage.
Jan 1990: Their debut album enters the Billboard 200 chart, climbing to #86 in a respectable 26-week run.
Mar 1990: Elephant Stone debuts, and peaks, at #8 in the UK.
Mar 1990: Band fined £3,000 in court over FM Revolver attack.
Mar 1990: Made Of Stone debuts at #20, passing Elephant Stone on its way down at #25 and giving the band two songs in the Top 40 for two weeks.
Mar 1990: The band plays a landmark gig for 30,000 fans at Spike Island in Widnes, Cheshire.
Mar 1990: She Bangs The Drums re-charts at #34, giving them three Top 75 singles this week.
Jul 1990: One Love enters the UK chart at #4. NME calls it 'a needle in the ear for radio programmers everywhere'.
Sep 1990: Silvertone's re-issue of the previous November's What The World Is Waiting For/Fool's Gold re-charts at #22. As the band are openly courted by major labels, Silvertone attempts to hold them to their contract, resulting in long and acrimonious litigation that stops them setting foot in a studio for many months to come.
Mar 1991: They sign to Geffen Records in a reported £2m deal. Brown later confirms that the label did indeed pay £1m upfront and a further £1m on (eventual) completion of the album.
May 1991: The Roses are officially freed of their obligations to Silvertone when a High Court judge rules that their contract with the label constitutes restraint of trade.
Sep 1991: I Wanna Be Adored released as a single, charting at #20. 'The glory of the A-side is apparent to us all,' beams NME.
Nov 1991: Windsong releases the Blackpool Live video, while Wiener World issues The Complete Stone Roses video, which also includes Blackpool Live.
Dec 1991: Waterfall released as a single, becoming a new year #27
Feb 1992: They split with manager Evans, and for most of the rest of their time together are managerless.
Mar 1992: I Am The Resurrection becomes next Silvertone single and reaches #33.
May 1992: A remix of Fool's Gold is released by Silvertone, but spends only one week in the UK Top 75 at #73.
Aug 1992: Silvertone's Turns Into Stone compilation charts in the UK at #32 in a three-week run. 'The music's great, the idea stinks,' says NME in a 6/10 review.
Dec 1992: Evans files suit alleging unpaid fees. He settles out of court three days before the case is due to be heard in March 1995.
Feb 1993: Silvertone issues an eight-disc CD Singles Collection and a 10-disc 12" Singles Collection.
Nov 1993: As the seemingly endless wait for the band's second album continues, former Happy Mondays manager Nathan McGough says, 'They can afford it, 'cos they got a million pounds off Geffen!' And producer Leckie offers, 'We spent too long tossing the songs around... booking a studio for six weeks and only having one song is a bit... disheartening... but they're in great shape. I think the album'll come out in the spring [of 1994], and people are going to love it.'
Nov 1994: Love Spreads released as first Geffen single. As a measure of the anticipation surrounding its appearance, NME runs reviews of it by 16 of its staff; Terry Staunton calls it 'John Squire's debut solo single' and Ian McCann says, 'The Roses are now a pub Zeppelin,' but four other writers predict it will be a #1. It actually reaches a career-best #2.
Dec 1994: Second Coming finally appears in UK record stores, debuting on the chart at #4. The press are not amused. NME's review, headed 'Anti-Climax Blues Band,' asks, 'Are you ready to be heartbroken?' and gives it 6/10.
Feb 1995: Second Coming debuts in the US at #47 but never climbs higher, spending a total of 13 weeks in the Top 200.
Feb 1995: They come as close as they ever get to the Billboard Hot 100 chart when Love Spreads reaches #55 on the Hot 100 Airplay survey.
Feb 1995: Ten Storey Love Song released as second single from Second Coming, reaching #11.
Apr 1995: Wren departs, immediately replaced by 25-year-old friend of the band Robbie Maddix.
Apr 1995: Another Silvertone remix of Fool's Gold appears, remixed by Tall Paul, this time reaching #25. 'Here we go again,' groans NME, 'Silvertone setting up the milking stool under their biggest cash cow.'
May 1995: Silvertone goes back to the well yet again for a new 21-track compilation, The Complete Stone Roses, which somewhat poignantly matches the #4 UK peak of Second Coming.
Jun 1995: After Squire breaks his collarbone in a biking accident in Marin County, California, on a day off after their 11-day US tour, they pull out of today's scheduled appearance at the 25th anniversary Glastonbury Festival, to be replaced by Pulp.
Sep 1995: Go! Discs' two-CD charity album Help released today (Saturday). Includes live-in-the-studio version of Love Spreads, recorded, like the rest of the album, only five days before. Squire designs some of the album cover art and then a Christmas card to benefit the recipient charity, War Child.
Oct 1995: NME reports that the band are planning a new studio album for next year in addition to a live release, either an album or an EP.
Oct 1995: Begging You released as another single from Second Coming, sporting a remix by Carl Cox, charting at #15.
Oct 1995: Before a show at the Metro in Melbourne, Mani tells the Australian press: 'We're really at the start of our career. After all, with only two albums so far, this is just the beginning, really.'
Nov 1995: A 19-date UK tour begins in Bridlington.
Dec 1995: They headline Sheffield Arena supported by Black Grape.
Dec 1995: They play Wembley Arena, supported by Manic Street Preachers. The Times approves, stating that the band 'ended a year of upheaval and backlash by doing the right thing: putting themselves before a still-adoring British public'.
Mar 1996: Squire announces his departure from the band. In a statement, he says: 'I believe all concerned will benefit from a parting of the ways at this point, and I see this as the inevitable conclusion to the gradual social and musical separation we have undergone in the last few years.'
Apr 1996: In their own statement, the remaining Roses say: 'We feel as cheated as everyone else who's heard the news. We are in the middle of recording the next LP. We're disgusted, yet feel strong and more optimistic than ever.'
Aug 1996: The Squireless Roses, now featuring sometime Simply Red guitarist Aziz Ibrahim, play the Reading Festival to universally dire reviews that seem to signal their death-knell.
Oct 1996: In a statement, Brown says: '... It's a pleasure to announce the end of the Stone Roses... peace be upon you.'
Nov 1996: Garage Flower, a compilation of the band's early demos with Martin Hannett, is released on the Garage label, and spends one week on the chart at #58.
Feb 1999: A third remix of Fool's Gold, on the Jive Electro label, is released, also reaching #25 and giving the song its fourth chart run.
Oct 1999: Silvertone issues a tenth anniversary version of the self-titled debut album, now including a new cover, new sleeve notes and a second CD with extra tracks plus promo video clips and excerpts of home videos.