The Stone Roses, one of the seminal bands to emerge from the Manchester indie rock scene in the 1980s, said Tuesday they were reuniting and announced concert dates for next year.
Band members led by singer Ian Brown had long denied they intended to get back together after splitting in 1996 amid rows and legal wrangles.
But they have put aside their differences and said they would play shows at Heaton Park in Manchester on June 29-30 next year, plus further concerts around the world.
Guitarist John Squire said he and singer Brown, who were childhood friends, had begun to heal old wounds when they met by chance at the funeral of bass player Gary 'Mani' Mounfield's mother.
"When me and Ian met by chance it changed everything. In some ways it felt like 15 years ago was yesterday," Squire said at a press conference in London to officially announce the reunion.
"Our plan is to take on the world," Brown said. Asked how long they would stay together second time round, he replied: "We will ride it as long as we can."
The band are already rehearsing and working on new material. "It's not a trip down memory lane. We are doing new songs," Brown said.
Mani said: "There's something magical happening when us four are in a room together. You can't put your finger on it. It's just so beautiful to get hold of it again. Missed it, you know."
The band were however unable to confirm rumours that they will be one of the headline acts at Glastonbury in 2013. The festival is not taking place next year.
The Stone Roses recorded just two albums and their 1989 self-titled debut is regarded as a seminal work, fusing psychedelic pop with dance music.
With tracks such as "Fool's Gold" and "I Wanna Be Adored", they were one of the leading lights of the "Madchester" indie scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s, alongside acts like Happy Mondays and The Charlatans.
Brown has since pursued a solo career and made a brief appearance in the 2004 film "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban".
Copyright 2011 AFP Global Edition
