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Manic Street Preachers

 
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Manic Street Preachers

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Manic Street Preachers created controversy almost from the moment they started playing together, but by the end of the 1990s they had become one of the most popular bands in Britain. Influenced by musical trends from the 1970s—punk and heavy metal in their attitude and sound, and glam rock in their stage appearance—the foursome seemed never to hold back their strong opinions when it came to discussing the state of pop music or the world in general. While their early declaration that a group should release one big album and then disband earned them derision from the press, fans did not hold it against them for staying together. The band came to be familiarly known as the Manics, and elements of their offstage life seemed to live up to the term, especially for rhythm guitarist Richey James. His disappearance and possible suicide in 1995 deprived the other three members of a close friend, and was also one of a series of ill-timed setbacks that prevented the Manics from touring and promoting themselves in the United States. But James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire, and Sean Moore carried on the band’s name as a trio and continued to attract a larger audience and respect in England.

Although they formed the band while at the University of Wales, Swansea, the Manics had grown up together in the working-class Welsh community of Blackwood. The band had their genesis in a foursome called Betty Blue, which had the Manies line-up, with the exception of a man known as Flicker playing rhythm guitar instead of James. This group formed in 1986 to commemorate the tenth anniversary of a band they idolized—the Sex Pistols. By the time they released the self-financed, limited release single "Suicide Alley" in 1989, they had become the Manic Street Preachers. That same year Flicker left the band, and James joined his old friends. He would prove to be a figure who would help bring the Manies a wide notoriety, often at the expense of his own physical well-being.

At the outset the Manies’ attitude, sound, and appearance owed much to three of their major influences: outspoken rap group Public Enemy, the punk sound of the Clash, and the heavy metal of Guns N’ Roses. They attracted controversy, sometimes purposefully. Brad-field told Johnny Walker (Black) for the web magazine Addicted to Noise, "From the beginning we’ve set ourselves up to be judged, so it’s obvious we’ve always liked to be judged anyway." Their early stance that a band should break up after releasing one huge album certainly brought judgment from the British music press. The notoriety helped bring attention to their 1990 EP New Art Riot and their 1991 singles "Motown Junk" and "You Love Us." These two songs exemplified the band’s attitude toward the music that was popular in England at the time. The first one trashed a revered pop music sound of the 1960s, while the second mocked the self-serving acceptance speeches of music awards ceremonies.

The confrontational lyrics of the Manies’ songs came from James and Wire. After they had written their words, Bradfield and Moor would put them to music. While both lyricists expressedthe same kind of working-class anger at popular culture and social structures, James’ tended to be more personal than Wire’s. Bradfield described the difference between the two to Walker (Black): "Nick’s quote was ’Richey always wanted to be understood, but [I] never wanted to be understood.’The ironic thing is… Nick would write lyrics that more people understood, while Richey’s lyrics nobody understood." Bradfield wrote music to their lyrics from the time they first started writing, finding the inspiration for his melodies and arrangements in their words. He told Lili Moayeri of Launch, "I spend ages reading the lyrics before I write any music to it… I’ve always found that I connect to the music first, but within the lyrics is the sole reason the music’s connected with me."

But the Manies’ notoriety continued to grow for reasons otherthan their lyrics and music. James propelled them into the limelight during a 1991 interview with New Musical Express. When a reporter questioned the sincerity of the Manies’ proclamations about music and themselves, James stunned the interviewer by grabbing a razor blade and carving "4 Real" in his own arm. The incident solidified the Manies’ place as the inheritors of the punk legacy and attracted a lot of attention from the press, fans, and major record labels. Shortly thereafter they signed with Sony records and released their first single to reach the British Top 40,"Stay Beautiful."

Starting to make a name for themselves, the Manies made huge claims for their debut album, 1992’s Generation Terrorists. They boasted that it would outsell the biggest album by one of their rock and roll idols, Guns N’ Roses’ Appetite for Destruction. While the album didn’t quite live uptothe commercial hype, the individual songs continued to showcase the Manies’ attitudes toward contemporary culture. Songs such as "Slash n’ Burn," "Stay Beautiful," and "Another Invented Disease," tackled consumerism, youth culture, and drugs, respectively, with the group’s usual bite. They then proceeded to put to rest the question of whether or not they would actually break up by releasing the single "Suicide is Painless," a cover of the theme song from the movie MASH.

Their second album, Gold Against the Soul, brought a change in the Manies’ sound. Drawing more on Guns N’ Roses as an influence than on their punk roots, the album sounded more polished than their previous work. In retrospect Bradf ield told Walker (Black) that he "absolutely despised" the album. Even if the music sounded more mainstream than their previous work, the band had not become conformists, creating controversy with their public statements and behavior. Wire drew criticism for an on-stage remark that R.E.M.’s lead singer Michael Stipe resembled a dying Al DS patient. The more colorful figure who continued to draw attention for his behavior was James. Plagued with repeated bouts of depression, drinking, and anorexia, James took his penchantfor self-mutilation to new depths by appearing on stage in Thailand with knife-slashes across his chest.

In the midst of all this personal turmoil, James took on most of the lyric writing responsibilities for the Manies’ next album, The Holy Bible. Released in 1994, the album returned punk sounds to their repertoire, while retaining some of with the glam and metal sound that had dominated Gold Against the Soul. The lyrics, though, especially distinguished The Holy Bible. The Trouser Press Record Guide characterized them as "some of the most articulate, upsetting and brutally decadent in pop memory." Again they tackled social ills from personal, political, and philosophical perspectives. "4st. 7lb." gave a first-person account of anorexia, while "IfWhiteAmerica Told The Truth For One Daylts World Would Fall Apart" expressed a blunt social outrage, and "Archives of Pain" directly acknowledged the work of French philosopher Michel Foucault.

This personal writing evidently failed to exorcise James’ demons, though, and he entered a mental hospital for a short stay. When he returned the Manies were on the verge of an American tour. While a previous trip had failed to draw much attention across the Atlantic, the strength of their latest work gave hope that this time they would break through. Before they could go, though, James disappeared. His car was discovered near a bridge notorious for suicides, but no body was ever found. Eventually, police called off the search, even though reported sightings of James, alive and well, persisted for years. Under the circumstances the remaining Manies’ understandably canceled the American tour. Without the tour, their record company decided not to release The Holy Bible in the United States.

Bradfield, Wire, and Moore decided to keep the Manies going astrio. In 1996, they released Everything Must Go, which included lyrics that James had written before vanishing. This new version of the group received high praise for their first album, which was named the number one album of the year by Melody Maker magazine and ranked number two in the New Musical Express critics’ poll for the year. The web site Excite noted a change for the better for the band: "Perhaps most striking was their new sober image—the make-up, military garb and much of the bravado were gone—and their characteristic disaffection seemed more pertinent and controlled. Despite losing a member, the band had discovered a new voice, delivering a collection of powerful and socially aware songs." On the heels of this strong performance, the Manies again made plans for an American tour, this time opening for the immensely popular band Oasis. Unfortunately for the Manies, Oasis’ Gallagher brothers had one of their infamous feuds, and the tour was canceled.

Even though they couldn’t seem to make it across the Atlantic, their popularity and stature continued to grow at home. In 1998, they scored their first number one single with "If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next." The song, along with its album, This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours, continued to rack up honors for the Manies. They sweptthe major categories for the New Musical Express’ annual awards, earning honors for best album and single of the year, along with being named band of the year. In spite of this success, the Manies had to wait almost a year for the album to be released in the United States. Bradfield insisted that making it big in American no longer mattered as much as it once did, telling Moayeri,"With America, you either got to be mentally in love with conquering it oryou just go and not care. I think we’re like that."

This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours showed the Manies continuing to evolve musically while stilltackling social injustice. The range of Bradfield’s guitar on the album prompted Michael Molenda of GuitarPlayerto describe it as "a brilliant tutorial for guitarists wishing to develop a facility for evocative textures." Lyrically, though, the familiar anger remained. The Manies stirred some controversy with "S.Y.M.M." (South Yorkshire Mass Murderer), an attack on how police handled a deadly soccer riot. This unflinching commitment to what they believe in has remained a constant throughout the band’s somewhat star-crossed career. Their fans appreciate the Manies’ integrity so much that they voted for Wire as their top choice for Prime Minister in a poll conducted by New Musical Express. Perhaps nothing else sums up so well the status and respect that the band has achieved.

Selected discography
Stay Beautiful (EP), Columbia, 1991.
Generation Terrorists, Columbia, 1992.
Gold Against the Soul, Columbia, 1993.
The Holy Bible, Epic, 1994.
Everything Must Go, Epic, 1996.
This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours, Virgin, 1998.

Sources
Books
Buckley, Jonathan and Mark Ellingham, editors, Rock: The Rough Guide, Penguin, 1996.
Larkin, Colin, editor, The Encyclopedia of Popular Music, volume 5, Muze, 1998.
Robbins, Ira, editor, The Trouser Press Guide to ’90s Rock, Fireside, 1997.

Periodicals
Guitar Player, September 1999, p. 84.

Online
"Everything Must Go," Excite, http://music.excite.com.
"Manies Landslide Victory at Polls," New Musical Express, http://www.nme.com (January 26, 1999).
"Manic Street Preachers," Excite, http://music.excite.com, (November 26, 1999).
"Manic Street Preachers," Launch, http://www.launch.com(November 26, 1999).
"Manic Street Preachers," All Music Guide, httpV/allmusic.com, (November 26, 1999).
"The Manic Street Preachers: (Do) You Love Us," Addicted to Noise, http://www.addict.com (November 15, 1999).
"Manic Street Preachers: The Whole Truth," Launch, http://www.launch.com, (May 17, 1999).
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Manic Street Preachers

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Biography

Dressed in glam clothing, wearing heavy eyeliner, and shouting political rhetoric, the Manic Street Preachers emerged in 1991 from their hometown of Blackwood, Wales, as self-styled "Generation Terrorists." Fashioning themselves after the Clash and the Sex Pistols, the Manics were on a mission, intending to restore revolution to rock & roll at a time when Britain was dominated by trancey shoegazers and faceless, trippy acid house. Their self-consciously dangerous image, leftist leanings, crunching hard rock, and outsider status made them favorites of the British music press and helped them build a rabidly dedicated following.

For much of the band's early career, it was impossible to separate the rhetoric from the music and even from the members themselves -- the group's image was forever associated with lyricist/guitarist Richey James carving the words "4 Real" into his arm during an early interview. As the British pop music climate shifted toward Brit-pop in the wake of Suede, the Manics didn't achieve fame, but they did have notoriety. Legions of followers emerged, including many bands that formed the core of the short-lived "new wave of new wave" movement.

But as the group climbed toward stardom, the story didn't get simpler -- it got weirder. James' behavior became increasingly bizarre, culminating on the group's harrowing 1994 album The Holy Bible. Early in 1995, James disappeared, leaving no trace of his whereabouts. The remaining trio carried on with 1996's Everything Must Go, the album that established them as superstars in England, yet that came at the expense of the arrogant, renegade gender-bending and revolutionary rhetoric that had earned them their initial fan base. It was a bizarre, unpredictable journey for a group that once proclaimed that all bands should break up after releasing one album.

James Dean Bradfield (vocals, guitar), Nicky Wire (born Nick Jones; bass), Sean Moore (drums), and Flicker (rhythm guitar) formed Betty Blue in 1986. Within two years' time, Flicker had left the band and the group had changed its name to the Manic Street Preachers. In the summer of 1988, a fellow student at Swansea University, Richey James (born Richey Edwards), who had previously been the group's driver, joined the band as rhythm guitarist. They began recording demos, eventually releasing the single "Suicide Alley" in August. "Suicide Alley" boasted a cover replicating that of the Clash's first album, which indicated the sound of the group at the time -- equal parts punk and hard rock. A year after the single's release, NME gave it an enthusiastic review, citing James' press release -- "We are as far away from anything in the '80s as possible."

Indeed, the Manics were one of the key bands of the early '90s, and their career didn't get rolling until 1991. The New Art Riot EP appeared in the summer of 1990, followed by a pair of defining singles -- "Motown Junk" and "You Love Us" -- in early 1991 on Heavenly Records. The singles and the Manics' incendiary live shows, where they wrote slogans on their shirts, created a strong buzz in the music press, which only escalated in May. James gave an interview with Steve Lamaq for NME in which Lamaq questioned the group's authenticity; after an argument, James responded by carving the words "4 Real" on his arm. The incident became a sensation, attracting numerous magazine articles, as well as a major-label contract with Sony. Many observers interpreted the action as a simple stunt, but over the next few years it became clear that the self-mutilation was the first indication of James' mental instability.

"Stay Beautiful" was the Manics' first release for Sony, and it climbed into the British Top 40 late in the summer of 1991, followed early in 1992 by a re-recorded "You Love Us," which peaked in the Top 20. By the time they released their much-hyped debut album, Generation Terrorists, in February 1992 -- a record the band claimed would outsell Guns N' Roses' Appetite for Destruction -- they had already cultivated a large and devoted following, many of whom emulated their glammy appearance and read the same novels and philosophers the group name-dropped. The Manics had been claiming that they would disband following the release of their debut, yet it became clear by the fall, when a non-LP cover of "Suicide Is Painless (Theme from M*A*S*H)" became their first Top Ten hit, that they would continue performing. Nicky Wire and Richey James had become notorious for their banter throughout the British music press, and while it earned them countless articles, it also painted the group into a corner. Comparatively polished and mainstream compared to its predecessor, Gold Against the Soul, the group's second album, appeared in the summer of 1993 to mixed reviews.

Shortly after the release of Gold Against the Soul, the Manics' support began to slide as the group began to splinter amidst internal tensions, many of them stemming from James. Nicky Wire ran into trouble over on-stage remarks about R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe dying of AIDS, but Richey James was in genuine trouble. Suffering from deepening alcoholism and anorexia, James entered prolonged bouts of depression, highlighted by incidents of self-mutilation -- most notoriously at a concert in Thailand, when he appeared with his chest slashed open by knives a fan gave him. Early in 1994, he entered a private clinic, and the band had to perform a number of concerts as a trio. James' mental illness surfaced on the group's third album, The Holy Bible. Reportedly recorded in a red-light district in Wales, The Holy Bible was a bleak, disillusioned record that earned considerable critical acclaim upon its late-summer release in 1994.

Although the Manics' critical reputation was restored and James was playing with the band, even giving numerous interviews with the press, all was not well. Prior to the American release of The Holy Bible and the band's ensuing tour, James checked out of his London hotel on February 1, 1995, drove to his Cardiff apartment, and disappeared, leaving behind his passport and credit cards. Within the week he was reported missing and his abandoned car was found on the Severen Bridge outside of Bristol, a spot notorious for suicides. By the summer, the police had presumed he was dead. Broken, but not beaten, the remaining Manics decided to carry on as a trio, working the remaining lyrics James left behind into songs.

The Manic Street Preachers returned in December 1995 opening for the Stone Roses. In May 1996, they released Everything Must Go, which was preceded by the number two single "A Design for Life." Their most direct and mature record to date, Everything Must Go was greeted with enthusiastic reviews, and the Manics became major stars in England. Throughout 1996, the band toured constantly, and most U.K. music publications named Everything Must Go Album of the Year. Despite their growing success, several older fans expressed distress at the group's increasingly conservative image, yet that didn't prevent the album from going multi-platinum.

Everything Must Go didn't just go multi-platinum -- it established the Manics as superstars throughout the world. Everywhere except America, that is. The album received a belated release in the U.S., appearing in August of 1996, and the group attempted an American tour, opening for Oasis. It should have led to increased exposure, but a blowup between the Gallaghers led to Oasis canceling the entire tour, leaving the Manics at square one. They returned to the U.K. and toured, receiving a number of awards at the end of the year. They didn't deliver their much-anticipated follow-up, This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours, until August of 1998. The album was another blockbuster success in the U.K., Europe, and Asia, but it didn't receive a release in America, since the Manics were in the process of leaving Epic in the U.S.

For a while, there was simply no interest in the Manics by American labels, but another multi-platinum album and numerous awards in Britain revived interest. The band signed with Virgin, which issued This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours in the U.S. during June 1999 -- nearly a year after its initial release. Know Your Enemy followed in 2001, although it was not well received, and the band moved to Sony for British distribution of 2004's Lifeblood. Both vocalist/guitarist James Dean Bradfield and bassist Nicky Wire followed this release with solo albums, and then reconvened in 2007 to record the edgier, punk-influenced Send Away the Tigers with producer Dave Eringa. After its release, the band quickly set to work on another album, using Richey James' abandoned lyrics as inspiration. "All 13 songs on the new record feature lyrics left to us by Richey," the Manics wrote on their website in early 2009. "The brilliance and intelligence of the lyrics dictated that we had to finally use them." Titled Journal for Plague Lovers, the album was recorded on analog tape by veteran producer Steve Albini and released that May. Postcards from a Young Man, the band's tenth studio album, followed in 2010. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi
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Manic Street Preachers

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Manic Street Preachers

Manic Street Preachers performing live in London
Background information
Origin Blackwood, Caerphilly, Wales
Genres Alternative rock, hard rock, post-punk, glam punk
Years active 1986–present
Labels Columbia, Epic, Heavenly
Website www.manics.co.uk
Members
James Dean Bradfield
Nicky Wire
Sean Moore
Past members
Richey Edwards

Manic Street Preachers are a Welsh alternative rock band formed in 1986 consisting of James Dean Bradfield (lead vocals, lead guitar), Nicky Wire (bass, lyrics), and Sean Moore (drums, percussion). The band is part of the Cardiff music scene and were at their most prominent during the 1990s. They are colloquially known as "The Manics" or simply "Manics".

Manic Street Preachers were originally formed as a quartet but primary lyricist and rhythm guitarist, Richey Edwards, vanished on 1 February 1995.[1] In November 2008, thirteen years after his disappearance, he was officially declared presumed deceased.[2]

In 1992, the Manics released their debut album, Generation Terrorists.[3] Their combination of androgynous glam punk imagery and critical social lyrics about "culture, alienation, boredom, and despair" soon gained them a loyal following and cult status.[4][5][6] The band's later albums retained a leftist politicisation and intellectual lyrical style while adopting a broader alternative rock sound.[7]

The group's enigmatic lyricist, Richey Edwards, gained early notoriety by cutting the words "4REAL" into his arm with a razor blade (narrowly missing an artery and requiring seventeen stitches) in response to the suggestion that the band was less than authentic.[8] The dark nature of 1994's album, The Holy Bible, reflected the culmination of Edwards' instability.[9]

Following Edwards' disappearance, Bradfield, Moore, and Wire persisted with Manic Street Preachers and went on to gain critical and commercial success, becoming one of Britain's premier rock bands.[10] Altogether, they have garnered eight Top 10 albums, fifteen Top 10 singles, and have reached number one three times with their 1998 This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours album, the 1998 "If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next" single, and the 2000 "The Masses Against the Classes" single.[11][12][13]

Additionally, Manic Street Preachers have also won the Best British Album and Best British Group accolades at the BRIT Awards in both 1997 and 1999 and were lauded in 2008 by the UK music publication, the New Musical Express (better known as the NME), for their lifetime achievements.[14]

The group's ninth studio album, Journal for Plague Lovers, was released on 18 May 2009 and features lyrics Edwards had eerily written weeks before his disappearance.[15]

Manic Street Preachers released their tenth studio album, Postcards from a Young Man, on 20 September 2010 which was preceded by the pre-release single, "(It's Not War) Just the End of Love".

In 2011, Manic Street Preachers released National Treasures – The Complete Singles, a compilation consisting of all thirty-eight of the band's previously issued singles. The release also included a newly recorded cover version of the 1983 song by The The entitled "This Is the Day".[16]

Contents

History

Formation and early years (1986–1991)

The band was formed in 1986 in Oakdale Comprehensive School, Blackwood, Caerphilly, south Wales. During this time, Bradfield had tried writing lyrics, but this later changed and Wire wrote all their earliest lyrics, leaving Bradfield, alongside the classically-trained Sean Moore when he joined, to write the music. Original bassist Flicker (Miles Woodward[17]) left the band in early 1988, reportedly because he believed that the band were moving away from their punk roots. The band continued as a three-piece, with Wire switching from guitar to bass, and in 1988 they recorded their first single, "Suicide Alley". Edwards joined the band on guitar and often made contributions to lyrics with Wire, designing record sleeves and other artwork, and driving the band to and from gigs.

In 1990, they signed a deal with label Damaged Goods Records for one EP. The four-track New Art Riot attracted as much media interest for its attacks on fellow musicians as for the actual music. With the help of Hall or Nothing management, the Manics signed to indie label Heavenly Records. The band recorded their first single for the label, entitled "Motown Junk".

Their next single, You Love Us, sampled Penderecki's "Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima" as well as Iggy Pop. The video featured Nicky Wire in drag as Marilyn Monroe and contained visual references to Betty Blue and Aleister Crowley. In a now legendary interview with then NME journalist Steve Lamacq, Edwards carved the phrase "4REAL" into his arm with a razor blade to prove their sincerity.[18] He was taken to hospital and received a total of seventeen stitches. Columbia Records of Sony Music UK signed the band shortly afterwards and they began work on their debut album.

Generation Terrorists to The Holy Bible (1992–1995)

Manic Street Preachers in Japan c.1993

Their debut album, Generation Terrorists (About this sound sample (help·info)), was released on the Columbia Records imprint. The liner notes contained a literary quote for each of the album's eighteen songs and the album lasted just over seventy minutes. The record contained six singles and sold 250,000 copies.

The second album, Gold Against the Soul, was released to mixed reviews but still performed well, reaching number eight in the UK album chart and displayed a more grungy sound. The nature of the lyrics also changed, with Edwards and Wire eschewing their political fire for introspective melancholy.

By early 1994, Edwards' personal difficulties became worse and began to affect the other band members as well as himself. He was admitted into The Priory in 1994 to overcome his problems and the band played a few festivals as a three-piece to pay for his treatment.

The group's next album, The Holy Bible, was released in August to critical acclaim, but sold poorly. The album displayed yet another musical and aesthetic change for the band, largely featuring army/navy uniforms. Musically, the band had shifted to a lo-fi post-punk sound. In support of the album, the band appeared on Top of the Pops, performing its first single, "Faster", which reached No.16. The performance was extremely controversial at the time, as the band were all dressed in army regalia. Bradfield wore a 'terrorist-style' balaclava. At the time, the band was told by the BBC that they had received the most complaints ever.[19]

Shortly after, on 1 February 1995, Edwards disappeared from the Embassy Hotel at Bayswater Road in London after checking out at 7:00 am. His car was found abandoned 17 February 1995 at the Severn View service station near the Severn Bridge, which has since acquired notoriety for being a suicide spot. A car park attendant reported it had been there for three days; police search of the car revealed that it had been lived in for a few days. Edwards was never seen again, although the band have kept a percentage of the royalties aside should he return. He was declared presumed dead on 28 November 2008 by his family. The band commented that they respect their decision. Manic Street Preachers was put on hold for six months and disbanding the group was seriously considered, but with the blessing of Edwards' family, the other members continued.

Everything Must Go to Know Your Enemy (1996–2003)

The first album without Edwards, Everything Must Go, contained five songs either written or co-written by Edwards, and was released to overwhelmingly positive reviews. The bulk of the lyrics were written solely by Wire including number two hit single "A Design for Life". The album was shortlisted for the 1996 Mercury Prize award for best album, and won the band two BRIT Awards for Best British Band and Best British album, as well as yielding the hit singles "Australia", "Everything Must Go" and "Kevin Carter".

Manic Street Preachers live in London in 2005

1998's This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours was just as successful across most of the world, and gave the band their first number one single in "If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next". (About this sound sample (help·info)) It was written about the Spanish Civil War and was inspired in equal parts by George Orwell's Homage to Catalonia and The Clash's "Spanish Bombs". The album also included the hit singles "You Stole the Sun from My Heart", "Tsunami" and "The Everlasting". Again the Manics won the Best British Band and album awards at the BRIT Awards in 1999.

On 31 December 1999 they played at the 'Leaving the 20th Century concert' in the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, the first and biggest ever concert to be held there with 80,000 people attending.

In 2000 they released the limited edition single "The Masses Against the Classes". Despite receiving little promotion, the single hit the number one position on the UK Singles chart, beating U Know What's Up by Donell Jones to the top. The catalogue entry for the single was deleted (removed from wholesale supply) on the day of release, but the song nevertheless spent seven weeks in the UK chart.[20]

In 2001 they became the first popular western rock band to play in Cuba, (at the Karl Marx Theater) and met with president Fidel Castro. Their concert and trip to Cuba was documented and then released as a DVD entitled Louder than War.

In this concert they revealed many tracks from their sixth album Know Your Enemy. The song "Ocean Spray" was written by James about his mother's battle with cancer. The first singles from the album, "So Why So Sad" and "Found That Soul", were both released on the same day. Other singles included "Let Robeson Sing".

The greatest hits (plus remixes) album Forever Delayed was released in 2002, containing two new songs, "Door to the River" and the single "There by the Grace of God". An album of B-sides, rarities, and cover versions album was released in 2003: Lipstick Traces, which contained the last song worked on with Edwards.

Lifeblood to Journal for Plague Lovers (2004–2009)

The band's seventh studio album, Lifeblood, was released on 1 November 2004 and reached #13 on the UK album chart. Critical response to the album was mixed. Tony Visconti helped the band produce three songs on the album, which was followed by a UK arena tour in December 2004. A tenth anniversary edition of The Holy Bible was released on 6 December 2004, which included a digitally remastered version of the original album, a rare U.S. mix and a DVD of live performances and extras including a band interview.

In April 2005, the band played a number of shows as the Past-Present-Future tour — announced as their last for at least two years. The band released an EP entitled God Save the Manics with only around 300 copies available and given out to fans as they arrived at the venue. After all the copies were gone, the band made the EP available as a free download on their website. In September, the band contributed the new track, "Leviathan", to the War Child charity album Help!: A Day in the Life.

The band's eighth studio album, Send Away the Tigers was released on 7 May 2007 on Columbia Records. It entered the official UK album charts at #2. Critical response to the album was largely positive, with some critics hailing the album as the band's best for a decade. A free download of a song entitled "Underdogs" from the album was made available through the group's website on 19 March 2007. The first official single released from Send Away the Tigers was "Your Love Alone Is Not Enough", which features The Cardigans' vocalist, Nina Persson. The second single, "Autumnsong", and a third, "Indian Summer", were released in August.

The band released a Christmas single in December. "The Ghosts of Christmas" was available as a free download on their official website throughout December 2007 and January 2008. In February 2008, the band were presented with the God-Like Geniuses Award award at the NME Awards ceremony.

The ninth Manics album, Journal for Plague Lovers, was released on 18 May 2009[15] and features lyrics left behind by Edwards. Wire commented in an interview that "there was a sense of responsibility to do his words justice."[21] The album was released to positive critical reviews, scoring 85 on Metacritic.[22]

Postcards from a Young Man (2010–present)

On 1 June 2010 the band announced on their homepage that a new album called Postcards from a Young Man will be released on 20 September 2010. James Dean Bradfield said that the album would be an unashamedly pop-orientated affair following 2009's Journal for Plague Lovers. "We're going for big radio hits on this one," he told NME. "It isn't a follow-up to Journal for Plague Lovers. It's one last shot at mass communication."

On 26 July 2010 the first single from the new album, "(It's Not War) Just the End of Love", was played on the breakfast shows of BBC Radio 2, BBC 6Music, XFm and Absolute Radio. It was released on 13 September 2010. The title had previously been suggested as a working title for the album by Nicky Wire. Three collaborations were also confirmed on the band's website later that day: Duff McKagan will appear on "A Billion Balconies Facing the Sun", Ian McCulloch adds guest vocals to "Some Kind of Nothingness" and John Cale will feature on "Auto-Intoxication".[citation needed] The band embarked on a UK tour to promote the album, starting in Glasgow on 29 September 2010. British Sea Power were the support act for the band on the tour. Two further singles have been released from the album - the McCulloch featuring "Some Kind of Nothingness" and the title track "Postcards from a Young Man".

The band initially announced that their next album has the working title 70 Songs of Hatred and Failure and will sound very different from Postcards from a Young Man. "The next album will be pure indulgence. There's only so much melody stored in your body that you can physically get onto one record. It was just so utterly commercial and melodic."[23] However Nicky Wire contradicted this in 2011 while doing promotion for their greatest hits compilation National Treasures. When asked why the band was releasing the compilation Wire stated: "It's just the end of an era. Not the end of a band. We're gonna disappear for quite a long time."[24]

A 38 track singles compilation, National Treasures – The Complete Singles, was released on 31 October 2011, preceded by a new single.[16]

Solo work

In late 2005, both Bradfield and Wire announced that they intended to release solo material prior to a new album by the band. A free download of Nicky Wire's debut solo offering I Killed The Zeitgeist was posted on the band's website for just one day - Christmas Day 2005. The album of the same name was released in September 2006. It charted at #130 in the UK. The sound of the album, which Nicky referred to as his "nihilistic anti-everything album", was inspired by, among others, Neu!, The Plastic Ono Band, Einstürzende Neubauten, The Modern Lovers, Richard Thompson and Lou Reed.[25] Only one official single was released: "Break My Heart Slowly" charted at #74. Nicky toured small intimate venues across the UK with his band The Secret Society, affording fans the opportunity of seeing their hero at close quarters.

Bradfield's solo album, The Great Western was released in July 2006. It reached #22 in the UK. The sound of the album was inspired by, among others, Jeff Beck, Badfinger, Simple Minds and McCarthy. Two singles were released: "That's No Way to Tell a Lie" (#18) in July and then "An English Gentleman" (#31) in September. The latter is in remembrance of the first Manic's manager Philip Hall, to whom The Holy Bible had been dedicated. James toured the album with a band that included Wayne Murray, who would subsequently play second guitar for Manics live performances. James' solo gigs featured covers of The Clash songs "Clampdown" and "The Card Cheat", both from the album London Calling.

In a later interview, when the band were collectively asked what they had learned from making a solo album, Sean Moore dryly quipped, "Not to do one".

Collaborations and covers

The band released in 1992 a split single with The Fatima Mansions (a rock cover of "Suicide Is Painless") which became their first UK Top 10 hit. They have recorded many cover versions of songs by other artists, primarily as b-sides for their own singles. Bands to whom the group have paid tribute in this way include The Clash, Guns N' Roses, Alice Cooper, Happy Mondays, McCarthy, Chuck Berry, Faces, and Nirvana.

The band's first musical appearance since Edwards' departure was recording a cover of "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" for The Help Album, a charity effort in 1995 in support of aid efforts in war-torn Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Lightning Seeds' song "Waiting for Today to Happen", from their fifth album, Dizzy Heights (1996), was written by Nicky Wire and Ian Broudie. That same year, James Dean Bradfield and Dave Eringa produced Northern Uproar's first single, "Rollercoaster/Rough Boys". The 808 State song "Lopez" (1997) features lyrics by Wire and vocals by Bradfield. It is featured on their greatest hits album, 808:88:98. Kylie Minogue's sixth album, Impossible Princess (1997), features two songs co-written and produced by the Manics: "Some Kind of Bliss" (Bradfield/Minogue/Moore) and "I Don't Need Anyone" (Bradfield/Jones/Minogue) were produced by Bradfield and Dave Eringa. Bradfield provided backing vocals, bass and production for the Massive Attack song "Inertia Creeps" (1998), which features on their successful third album, Mezzanine. Patrick Jones' album of poetry set to music, Commemoration And Amnesia (1999), features two songs with music written by Bradfield: the title track and "The Guerilla Tapestry". Bradfield plays guitar on both songs. Furthermore, the track "Hireath" features a section called "Spoken Word", in which Nicky Wire talks about Welsh identity.

In February 2006, the band contributed a cover version of "The Instrumental" to the album Still Unravished: A Tribute to the June Brides.

In February 2008 the Manics covered Rihanna's hit song "Umbrella". Their version appeared on a CD titled NME Awards 2008 given away free with a special souvenir box set issue of NME magazine, which went on sale 27 February. Additionally, the Manics' version of the song was made available on iTunes since 5 March 2008.[26] Despite being chart-eligible (it reached number 47 in the UK[27]), the release was not intended as an official single.[28] Two further versions (Acoustic and Grand Slam Mix) were later made available on iTunes and now comprise a three-track Umbrella EP.

James Dean Bradfield and Nicky Wire contributed an original song, "The Girl from Tiger Bay", to Shirley Bassey's 2009 studio album, The Performance.

Band members

Current members

Former members

Touring members

  • Wayne Murray - rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2006–present)
  • Sean Read - piano/keyboards, percussion, saxophone (2006–present)
  • Guy Massey - rhythm guitar (2004–2005)
  • Greg Haver - rhythm guitar, percussion (2002–2003)
  • Nick Nasmyth - keyboards (1995–2005)
  • Dave Eringa - keyboards (1993–1994)
  • Anna Celmore - piano (2002–2003)

Timeline

Discography

Main article: Manic Street Preachers discography

Awards

  • Viewers' Favourite Album of All Time (The Holy Bible) - Newsnight
  • 15th Best Album of All Time (The Holy Bible) - Melody Maker
  • 10th Best Album Since Creation of Magazine (The Holy Bible) - Q
  • 18th Best Album of All Time (The Holy Bible) - Q
  • 10th Greatest Album of All Time (The Holy Bible) - Kerrang!
  • Best Band of 1996 - NME Awards
  • Best Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - NME Awards
  • Best Band of 1999 - NME Awards
  • Best Album (This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours) of 1999 - NME Awards
  • Best Track (If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next) of 1999 - NME Awards
  • Best Music Video (If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next) of 1999 - NME Awards
  • One of The Writers' Best Albums (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - The Daily Telegraph
  • Writers' Best Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - Melody Maker
  • Readers' Band of 1996 (Runner Up) & "Writers' Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996" - NME
  • Writers' Best Live Band of 1996 - NME Brat Award
  • Writers' Best Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - Vox
  • Writers' Best Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - The Sunday Times
  • Writers' Best Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - Sky
  • Writers' Best Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996 & Readers' Best Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - Select
  • Readers' Best Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - Q Awards
  • Writers' Best Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - Music Week
  • One of Writers' Top Ten Albums (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - Metal Hammer
  • Writers' Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996 (Runner Up) - Kerrang!
  • One of Writers' Top Five Albums (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - Independent On Sunday
  • Readers' Best Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - Hot Press
  • Writers' Best Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - The Guardian
  • Best Album & "Best Group" - BRIT Awards, 1997
  • Best Band In The World Today - Q Awards, 1998
  • Best Album & "Best Group" - BRIT Awards, 1999
  • Best Live Act - Q Awards, 2001[29]
  • Q Merit Award - Q Awards, 2006
  • Best Track (Your Love Alone Is Not Enough) - Q Awards, 2007
  • 'God-Like Geniuses' - Shockwaves NME Awards, 2008
  • The MOJO Maverick Award 2009[30]
  • Songwriting Prize at the Classic Rock Roll of Honour awards, 2011

References

  1. ^ BBC Wales, "Manic Street Preachers - Richey Edwards",BBC Wales
  2. ^ Evans, "Missing Manic Street Preacher",Western Mail
  3. ^ Manics NL, "Generation Terrorists"
  4. ^ Owen, Paul, "The Manics' Lyrics Were Something Special",The Guardian, 27 Nov 2008
  5. ^ Clash Music, "Manics Member Officially Dead", Clash Music
  6. ^ BBC Wales Music, "Manic Street Preachers", BBC Wales
  7. ^ Independent, "Final Farewell For A Cult Hero"
  8. ^ BBC Wales Music, "Manic Street Preachers - Richey Edwards", BBC Wales
  9. ^ Cooper, Colin (11 May 2004). "On Second Thought: Manic Street Preachers - "The Holy Bible"". Stylus Magazine. http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/on_second_thought/manic-street-preachers-the-holy-bible.htm. Retrieved 28 May 2009. 
  10. ^ BBC News, "From Despair to Success", BBC News
  11. ^ EveryHit, "Number One Albums - 1990s"
  12. ^ EveryHit, "Number One Singles - 1990s"
  13. ^ EveryHit, "Number One Singles - 2000s"
  14. ^ BBC News, "Manics named 'godlike geniuses' ", BBC News
  15. ^ a b "New Manics album". The Fly.co.uk. 2009-03-19. http://www.the-fly.co.uk/words/news/top-news-stories/4363/new-manics-album. Retrieved 2011-09-13. 
  16. ^ a b "Manic Street Preachers to celebrate 21st anniversary with singles collection". Nme.com. 2011-07-26. http://www.nme.com/news/manic-street-preachers/58269. Retrieved 2011-09-13. 
  17. ^ "Richey's legacy lives on". BBC News. 31 January 2002. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1791412.stm. 
  18. ^ Richard Jinman (1 February 2005). "Fans keep hopes alive for missing Manic". Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2005/feb/01/arts.artsnews. Retrieved 13 August 2010. 
  19. ^ Interviews by Dave Simpson and Dorian Lynskey (29 July 2006). "www.guardian.com". London: Arts.guardian.co.uk. http://arts.guardian.co.uk/features/story/0,,1831497,00.html. Retrieved 13 August 2010. 
  20. ^ Manic Street Preachers, The Official Chart Company, http://www.theofficialcharts.com/artist/_/manic%20street%20preachers/, retrieved 2011-03-28 
  21. ^ "Manics Talk New Album". idiomag. 31 March 2009. http://www.idiomag.com/peek/73365/manic_street_preachers. Retrieved 1 April 2009. 
  22. ^ "Journal for Plague Lovers". Metacritic.com. 15 September 2009. http://www.metacritic.com/music/artists/manicstreetpreachers/journalforplaguelovers?q=manic%20street%20preachers. Retrieved 13 August 2010. 
  23. ^ "Manic Street Preachers reveal working title of next album". NME. November 19, 2010. http://www.nme.com/news/manic-street-preachers/53916. Retrieved 2010-11-21. 
  24. ^ Running time: 04:18 (2008-10-16). "Manic Street Preachers On The UK Riots - NMETV Latest Music Videos and Clips". Nme.Com. http://www.nme.com/nme-video/manic-street-preachers-on-the-uk-riots/1119962736001. Retrieved 2011-09-13. 
  25. ^ "Nicky Wire- Official Site". Nickyssecretsociety.com. http://www.nickyssecretsociety.com/ss/lists.php. Retrieved 13 August 2010. 
  26. ^ "All Hail The Manics Godlike Genius". Manicstreetpreachers.com. http://www.manicstreetpreachers.com/godlikegenius/fans/. Retrieved 2011-11-02. 
  27. ^ [1][dead link]
  28. ^ "Manic Street Preachers / Blogs / Diary / Nick's Blog March 2008". Manicstreetpreachers.com. http://www.manicstreetpreachers.com/07/blogs/diary/2008/03/27/nicks_blog_march. Retrieved 13 August 2010. 
  29. ^ "The Q Awards". everyHit.com. http://www.everyhit.com/awardq.html. Retrieved 13 August 2010. 
  30. ^ "MOJO Honours List '09, The Winners! (Mojo Honours 2009)". Mojo4music.com. 26 March 2008. http://www.mojo4music.com/honours2009/2009/06/mojo_honours_list_09_the_winners.shtml. Retrieved 13 August 2010. 

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