A beloved B-side from the Roses' imperial period, Mersey Paradise is pure sunshine — an upbeat, jangly pop song carried by John Squire's bright, chiming clean guitar and an irresistible bounce.
What makes the tone. Bright, clean jangle with a light chorus shimmer and an upbeat, propulsive feel. Squire's chords and arpeggios ring out glassy and compressed, layered for width. It's a warm, sunny take on his chime — no grit, just clean sparkle riding a buoyant groove.
The analogue recipe. A bright guitar into a clean Vox or Fender amp, treble up, light compression and a subtle chorus. Keep the picking crisp and bouncy to match the song's lift. A touch of reverb for air, and layering to widen the shimmer. Clean throughout — the energy is in the groove and the chime.
On a Boss GT-100 / GT-1000 / GX-100. A clean amp model, bright EQ, compressor, gentle chorus, short reverb. No drive. Match the picking to the song's bounce and let the guitars sparkle. A double-tracked scene adds width.
On a Kemper. A clean, bright Vox profile with a compressor and light chorus. Keep it crisp and buoyant. The sunny feel is in the delivery — play it bright and bouncy and the tone follows.
Skip the guesswork. The Soulster Tonebook for fans of The Stone Roses → covers Squire's bright jangle settings and chains — and our John Squire guitar tone guide → goes deeper.
See all 80 Stone Roses prints →
Put it on the wall. The "Mersey Paradise" Film Noir print → and Studio Life t-shirt → celebrate a fan-favourite B-side. Also on the "Mersey Paradise" Practice print → and the "Mersey Paradise" Studio print →.
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