Former Stone Roses frontman Ian Brown no longer despises Irish rockers U2 because he has unwittingly developed a "grudging admiration" for the band.

The FEAR hitmaker originally thought U2 frontman Bono was a "faker" after his wholesome performance at the original Live Aid concert (85), but has had a gradual change of heart as his respect for the band's longevity grew.

Brown says, "I felt he was a faker. I watched Live aid in 1985 and thought, 'He's gone down and seen a black girl in the crowd, he knows the world is watching.' I could see that he was acting.

"But now I suppose I've a grudging admiration for the way they stuck together. None of them are jealous of Bono - they let him do his thing. That's what a band should be, allow each other to breathe."