JOHN SQUIRE GALLERY by Paul Stevens (c) www.johnsquiregallery.co.uk

"Bye Bye Badman"

john squire, bye bye badman, 1988, oil on canvas, 31" x 26.5"

Bye Bye Badman, cover image for the Silvertone debut LP 'The Stone Roses' (April 1989) (it was also used as the cover for the 'I Am The Resurrection' 12" released by Silvertone April 1992).

"The lemons aren't part of the picture, they're real lemons, nailed on because it was photographed on the wall - the photographer didn't have a rostrum camera. It ties in with the lyrics of 'Bye Bye Badman', to do with the Paris student uprisings in May '68. Me and Ian saw a documentary on it and liked the clothes: there was a guy chucking stones, with a really nice jacket and desert boots. The students used to suck on lemons to nullify the effects of tear gas. That's why the tricolour's there. The green is inspired by the water at the Giant Causeway in Ireland, where we went before a gig at Coleraine University." (Speaking to Select Magazine Nov 97)

Used - with the addition of three lemons and the requisite typography - on the cover of The Stone Roses� first album in April 1989. "It was based on the colour of the water and the foam at the Giant�s Causeway", John says. "We went there before a gig at Coleraine University. I actually wasn�t happy with it, which is why the tricoleur ended up on there; that and the situationist theme of the song." ('John Squire Artworks 1988 - 2004')

COMMERCIAL USE

DISCOGRAPHY ENTRY
BYE BYE BADMAN LYRICS

DISCOGRAPHY ENTRY
I AM THE RESURRECTION LYRICS

LTD EDN PRINT

previously available for sale

ADDITIONAL PICTURES / DETAILS

STUDY

albert von allen, spring fever, 1961

This 1961 piece by Albert Von Allen entitled 'Spring Fever' (the piece pays homage to Jackson Pollock) reminds me a lot of John's piece 'Bye Bye Badman' as it uses very similar tones to John's piece with the addition of red and yellow colours and the obvious lack of the 'tricolor'.

GIANT'S CAUSEWAY, CO. ANTRIM, N. IRELAND

manchester exhibition photo - mick knaggs

manchester exhibition photo - mick knaggs

The lemons also featured on a number of adverts and promotional material for the debut album's release and later found itself on several Stone Roses ticket designs. Also, both the Lemon design and 'Bye Bye Badman' artwork was used on the US-only 1992 promo 2 track CD Standing Here/Elephant.