Manic Street Preachers

[Pico]

I love the Manics!

My favourite songs are:

La Tristesse Durera

Born A Girl

Faster

Australia

Kevin Carter

Motown Junk

You Stole The Sun From My Heart

Your Love Alone Is Not Enough

Everything Must Go

... and of course The Masses Against The Classes. The video for You Love Us is great. I hate Motorcycle Emptiness though.

I'm going to have a listen to The Holy Bible very soon, on a rainy day or something.

I wonder where Richey might be.

[wasted]

Wow wasted! You're obviously a huge Manics fan

I've got the You Love Us single downloaded, it's great. I haven't heard the Heavenly version of Stay Beautiful, gotta look it up. I've been trying to find other stuff from them, you know b-sides etc. I've got Lipstick Traces and it's great but I wanna hear all of the b-sides (especially the ones recorded before Richie disappeared) but I've only been able to find the ones from Send Away The Tigers and the ones on Lipstick Traces unfortunately...

And I definitely agree that the lyrics on the Holy Bible are genius, they're very heavy and pretty hard to understand at times but they're awesome... And I also agree about Generation Terrorists being Appetite/UYI, the only thing that sort of ruins it is the same thing that ruins the Illusions: the production, which is way to polished imo.

EDIT: That version of I'm Just A Patsy is awesome Btw, do you know who plays the rhythm guitar live nowadays?

If you want good b-sides check out Everything Must Go cd singles. Theres 2 of each single. One has epic string arrangements of the songs. The other more punk singles. I think you might not have strings ones on Lipstick Traces.

The production of GT was done on purpose. They were most miserable band in the world but wanted to have that American FM radio proudction on all these sick songs. It works on You Love Us and Condemned to Rock N Roll. Actually I like the production. I even liked Damn Dog for a few weeks. Methadone Pretty was one of my favorites at the time. Now I see the Genius of Little Baby Nothing video with Tracii Lords that porn star Slash fucked.

I mean who wrote this song? Was it Desmond Child?

[wasted]

I love the Manics!

My favourite songs are:

La Tristesse Durera

Born A Girl

Faster

Australia

Kevin Carter

Motown Junk

You Stole The Sun From My Heart

Your Love Alone Is Not Enough

Everything Must Go

... and of course The Masses Against The Classes. The video for You Love Us is great. I hate Motorcycle Emptiness though.

I'm going to have a listen to The Holy Bible very soon, on a rainy day or something.

I wonder where Richey might be.

I thought Richie may have just disappeared because he left a note. Didn't just go mad and jump in the river. There have been sightings in Thailand but ultimately no one saw in jump in the river. He was a big J.D. Salinger fan. Talked about disappearing (in terms of a fake identity) as the last thing undone in rock n roll and had a song called Elvis Impersonator on Everything Must Go. But I think a person with a history of mental illness...I guess he's dead. But he lives on through the Manics presence today and in his quotes which were very well planned, well thought through propaganda. He really did deconstruct rock n roll and the Manics did supercede such rubbish as Bon Jovi, making it an artform again.

My Favorites are

GT - Generation Terrorists

LB- Lifeblood

HB - Holy Bible

GATS - Gold Against the Soul

SATT - Send Away The Tigers

EMG - Everything Must Go

TIMTTMY - This is my truth tell me yours.

KYE - Know Your Enemy

Repeat (Punk meets Public Enemy) GT

1985 - LB - Nostalgic look at the birth of emo

You Love Us - like a Halocaust - GT

Another Invented Disease - GT - How scientists invented AIDS to make money. Call me cynical...

Methadone Pretty - GT - How the worship the form of the rock n roll junkie but can only get good glue.

So Dead - No one fucks as good as Marilyn. GT

Condemned to Rock N Roll - HB - Coma anti-Rock song.

The Intense Humming of Evil - HB - Auswitz happened and it wasn't fun.

Sleepflower - Nirvanaesque. Gold ATS

Yes - everythings for sale. Selling out is easy. HB

4st7lbs - introspective analysis of own anorexia. spooky HB

Interiors - Willem De Kooning song. EMG

Small Black Flowers in the Sky - EMG - like Polly/Nirvana but better lyrics.

Mr. Carbohydrate - British National Anthem post-Richie sports rock chip song.

Intraveous Agnostic - Sonic Youth influence Manics album. - KYE

Tsunami - This is my truth, sell me your surfboard - TIMTTMY

The Love of Richard Nixon - Manics empathise with failures of Nixon, he's a person too you know.

I am Just A Patsy - So am I, dude. SATT

Solitude Sometimes Is - It is you know, it really is - LB

I've only really got into the "Holy Bible" album. I should really check out "Generation Terrorists" sooner or later really.

I see their later stuff and it just makes me cringe.

If you like Holy Bible you might like Know Your Enemy sonically and Lifeblood ideologically. Lifeblood is Holy Bible for 30 somethings. If you are under 30 - see Generation Terrorists. If you have a mortgage This is my truth is the way to go. If you work in a bank, maybe the Greatest Hits - sorry manics joke.

Edited February 24, 2008 by wasted

[wasted]

Wow wasted! You're obviously a huge Manics fan

I've got the You Love Us single downloaded, it's great. I haven't heard the Heavenly version of Stay Beautiful, gotta look it up. I've been trying to find other stuff from them, you know b-sides etc. I've got Lipstick Traces and it's great but I wanna hear all of the b-sides (especially the ones recorded before Richie disappeared) but I've only been able to find the ones from Send Away The Tigers and the ones on Lipstick Traces unfortunately...

And I definitely agree that the lyrics on the Holy Bible are genius, they're very heavy and pretty hard to understand at times but they're awesome... And I also agree about Generation Terrorists being Appetite/UYI, the only thing that sort of ruins it is the same thing that ruins the Illusions: the production, which is way to polished imo.

EDIT: That version of I'm Just A Patsy is awesome Btw, do you know who plays the rhythm guitar live nowadays?

"Zapruder the first to masturbate" - the zapuder film. We love celebrity deaths. So manics.

"It's just an ambulance at the bottom of a cliff" - It's like suicide.

And my favorite Manics lyric is from Miss Wire.

Mr Carbohydrate is like the British National Anthem

Mr. Carbohydrate by Manic Street Preachers

They call me Mr. Carbohydrate

It's the only thing I can digest

Xenophobia or general disinterest

I must catch up with all this stuff

They call me a boring fuckhead

They say I might as well work in a bank

I tell them I wish I was, they tell me that I'm sick in the head

They say that I'm sick in the head

They call me Mr. Carbohydrate

They call me Mr. Inadequate

They call me Mr. Paranoia

They call me Mr. Hypochondria

Have you heard of Matthew Maynard

He's my favourite cricketer

I would rather watch him play than pick up my guitar

Than play with my guitar

People tell me I should get out more

But the TV is my best friend

Cynicism is the only thing that keeps me sane

The only thing that keeps me sane

They call me Mr. Carbohydrate

They call me Mr. Inadequate

They call me Mr. Paranoia

They call me Mr. Hypochondria

Sometimes I just stay in bed

And think about the day

When I can retire, forgetting everything

I'll forget everything

Forget everything

Forever but not today

When I cannot, cannot say

No more yesterdays

No more yesterdays

[Dead Flower]

This is a mighty fine thread, wasted.

[wasted]

We tries our bestests for the nations, sirs.

Sorry, 20 years of Manics propanganda just came typing out of my stumpy fingers.

But Manics really are everything GNR are not in terms of kissing fans ass. They react to everything from fans to the press. All the albums are reactions to last. The meanings are there in everysong for the fans to find.

It's like a hypnotic religion. They are a pop rock band. I don't feel like they are a rock n roll band - it's not about freedom - it's about failure, disillusion, sport and kp crisps.

Maybe on Holy Bible they are truly a rock n roll band.

"Leave the burbon on the shelf

and I'll drink it by myself"

The dream is for Manics to open for GNR in 2014 on the Reunion Tour. Nobody would care about opening acts. This is a perfect arena, I mean 800,000 stadium, for the Manics to play their Punk Ballads.

Edited February 25, 2008 by wasted

[wasted]

Lyric Analysis of The Week

Yes

- Holy Bible.

"Yes"

You can buy her, you can buy her

This one's here, this one's here, this one's here and this one's here

Ev'rything's for sale

For sale? dumb cunt's same dumb questions

Oh virgins? listen, all virgins are liars honey

And I don't know what I'm scared of or what I even enjoy

Dulling, get money, but nothing turns out like you want it to

And in these plagued streets of pity you can buy anything

For $200 anyone can conceive a God on video

He's a boy, you want a girl so tear off his cock

Tie his hair in bunches, fuck him, call him Rita if you want

I eat and I dress and I wash and I still can say thank you

Puking - shaking - sinking I still stand for old ladies

Can't shout, can't scream, hurt myself to get pain out

I 'T' them, 24:7, all year long

Purgatory's circle, drowning here, someone will always say yes

Funny place for the social, for the insects to start caring

Just an ambulance at the bottom of a cliff

In these plagued streets of pity you can buy anything

For $200 anyone can conceive a God on video

He's a boy, you want a girl so tear off his cock

Tie his hair in bunches, fuck him, call him Rita if you want, if you want

I eat and I dress and I wash and I can still say thank you

Puking - shaking - sinking I still stand for old ladies

Can't shout, can't scream, I hurt myself to get pain out

Power produces desire, the weak have none

There's no lust in this coma even for a fifty

Solitude, solitude, the 11th commandment

The only certain thing that is left about me

There is no part of my body that has not been used

Pity or pain, to show displeasure's shame

Everyone I've loved or hated always seems to leave

And in these plagued streets of pity you can buy anything

For $200 anyone can conceive a God on video

He's a boy, you want a girl so tear off his cock

Tie his hair in bunches, fuck him, call him Rita if you want, if you want

Power produces desire, the weak have none

There's no lust in this coma even for a fifty

Solitude, solitude, the 11th commandment

Don't hurt, just obey, lie down, do as they say

May as well be heaven this hell, smells the same

These sunless afternoons I can't find myself

Two dollars you rub her tits

Three dollars you rub her ass

Five dollars you can play with her pussy

or you can lick her tits

Choice is yours

The Analysis

The song starts with a quote which sums up the song, it works as a metaphor for the band who sold out from the start. Human prostitution as a metaphor for artistic authenticity.

Dumb questions works as both what do you want sexually? And interview questions about whether they were "4 Real". The Manic Street Preachers - the band that likes to say Yes. This mimics the TSB bank commercial of the time. The lyric rejects the idea of purity and rejects materialism as a cure to his fatalistic, almost sarcastic embrace of the trappings of success. Obviously sidetracked by a tortured soul, our man Richie can't find solace in rock n roll excess, but it's his job...

Not only can you buy people. But God on a tv. Whatever you want, baby we've got your disease. The lyric is so blunt that it actually negates the latent thrill this situation might evoke. Consumerism as a 20th century grotesque nightmare.

The Chorus

Well, you know this isn't Def Leppard. Edward's way of dealing with this situation is to carry on. To be polite, to have etiquette. To wash and dress and have good manners, not to be a spoilt arrogant rock pig. He famously had the politics of an old lady. He respects the elderly. He doesn't scream like Munchs painting, he cuts himself to get this pain out. Intensely intense? Yes, but c'mon aren't we rocking yet?

I 'T' them? I've forgotten this reference. It might mean check them off, like smashing groupies is boring routine. He's describing the social scene, were its so easy for him and someone will eventually say 'yes' to him even if he's drowning in vodka. Still finds time to cast despise on the insects (like sheep, you know the hordes cramming the malls, me I'm all about the mall) who mill around him, the consumer slaves really. An ambulance at the bottom of a cliff. This life isn't worth living, its like suicide, or being undead, that kind of deal.

He goes on to take it on a political route. Power of advertising sets up this scenario, the weak can't resist the cheap thrills but he he can't find lust even if he gets to pay for it. It's sort reminds me of the line in American Psycho, "I wasn't interested in anything, other than how much money he earned." Again his remedy to this situation is offered: solitude is his only relief from this, his only denial.

He has given up hope. Only thing he can say is that he's tried everything against his better judgement and it offered nothing. Whether it was pity or pain he was ashamed of it. Not even a guilty pleasure!!!!! This guy is seriously fucked. Finally anything he loves, he loses.

Ok. Then he basically says fuck it. Just obey the advertising slogans, drink, smoke crack, sleep with hookers, it's all the same. Hell is the same as heaven. He has now lost himself. He has lost his principles, he's gone like Izzy Stradlin'.

The last line is just like letting go. Giving in to tempatation and really going to town on this chick. All hope is lost, it's a very unsexy scene. Lenny Kravitz wouldn't approve.

Overall, it's a rocking anti-rock n roll song, very sharp kinda neo-marxist realist lyrics suit the searing wirery punk rock. Welcome to hell, it's all down hill from here.

[wasted]

the 40 million dollar MTV video of Yes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvChA8W8lKA

[SunnyDRE]

Off Topic:

Does anyone know if they ever found out what happen to Richey James? Did the police eventually just rule him dead?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manic_Street_...E2.80.931997.29

[wasted]

I think after 7/8 years missing persons are declared dead. The weird thing is that he left behind alot of lyrics and every album seems to carry something of him. Like Imperial Body Bags is very Edwards and sounds like it came off Holy Bible. Theres always this feeling that he may have had himself committed. An asylum type place will take you in, even a monastry. Leonard Cohen does this, he sits on a mountain somewhere just trying to become a monk.

I think he was legally declared dead but the case may have been reopened a few years ago, if there is a sighting. One of his school teachers claimed to have seen him in Thailand. I don't really believe this stuff cos I thought I saw him once in a shopping mall in Bath. Like who is that skinny wears black and that much make up!

[SunnyDRE]

Like who is that skinny wears black and that much make up!

All the kids who go to the Warped Tour.

[wasted]

Yeah obviously wasnt him, thats the point.

American Psycho fans can check out this Manics song called Patrick Bateman.

Very Eye of the Tiger ending.

[.Seal]

Here's a Guns N Roses reference from the piece.

"James was really trying to deconstruct that song (autumnsong) at one point because it was so obvious that it was Sweet Child O' Mine and Aerosmith's I See You Crying. And I just had to sit him down at one point and say, "if it sounds like you're ripping off Slash... it's a good thing. It's what you are." From that moment on, we didn't really have to work on anything. It just came naturally. We talked about not being afraid to be a tad clichéd. When we play live, we are a cliché - we play Paradise City and get up on the Marshall stacks. The hook line "Baby what you done to your hair?" is really close to an Aerosmith song. But it's a song about being young and connecting with something you love... a girl, a record you want to play twenty times in a row. Things that give you the power to go outside and believe you can actually do something. You get drenched in paranoia, being in a band. And it's stupid. Being in a rock 'n' roll band is just a euphoric kick."

Now I understand why I've always loved Autumn Song

Edited February 29, 2008 by .Seal

[wasted]

Always feeling torn and slow

Love song cull destroy poem

Misery and trauma making love

Best go shoot the fucking doves

The past is so beautiful

The future like a corpse in snow

I think it's all the fucking same

It's a life sentence babe

[lawrence]

didn't one of the members dissapear? was it richie?

[UseYourAppetite]

didn't one of the members dissapear? was it richie?

Yeah, Richey James Edwards, I think it was in like 1995, there have been several reported sightings of him over the years but nothing's been confirmed and who knows where he is now. 25% of the royalties still go into a bank account, which remains open should he ever return.

Edited March 1, 2008 by UseYourAppetite

[Shuffle]

I don't think Richey has been declared dead... His family had the option to do it a couple of years ago but didn't. If I remember correctly...

[wasted]

I think he was declared dead after 8 years. But the family said never give up hope, without a body. Which is true really, where the hell is the body? Even if you drown in the river it could get washed up on shore, tide could have taken it out to sea...I think they got the case reopened with new evidence, a sighting. He left his passport so he wasnt going nowhere. He could just be in Birmingham working in a warehouse. There isnt a man hunt on but maybe still on missing persons list. There are mental institutuions which will take you in and they have to keep it private, so...you know. Someone with manic depression could do something as crazy as just walk away from a situation and then be too scared to comeback. But looking at him talk you feel like he would come back and say, "I felt this was the last thing to do in rock n roll. To die and come back from the dead is bigger than Elvis and Jesus." Maybe he really is the messiah of rock everyone has been trying to put off on other people.

[wasted]

This album has staying power. A sonic delight.

My favorites are now Indian Summer, The Second Great Depression and Rendition.

First, I liked Send Away The Tigers, Autumn Song, Your Love Is Not Enough.

Then, Imperial Body Bags, I'm Just a Patsy and Underdogs.

Winterlovers is the one I expect to here at the football next year.

[wasted]

[wasted]

Recently found my copy of Know Your Enemy album.

Probably underated album. The most normal album they have done in that even though it looks like it might be their most political album its thier most solipsistic album.

Sort of like a hard rock album by Sonic Youth, with poppy singles. Let Robeson Sing is not very good but the rest is very good.

The rockers like Found that soul, Intraveous Agnostic, Dead Martyrs are amazing.

Epicentre, Miss Europa Disco Dancer, Freedom Speech Won't Feed My Children should have been singles instead of Ocean Spray - nice trumpet solo tho.

[motorcycleemptiness]

OMG my favorite band ever. Motorcycle Emptiness is probably the best song I've ever heard and the entire holy bible album is amazing.

This is My Truth Tell Me Yours is amazing as well!

[wasted]

I like all the albums. I can see why Gold Against the Soul and Know Your Enemy werent that well received but Lifeblood is very good.

KYE could have a better track listing. The order seems messy.

Generation Terrorists is classic anyway. HB a bit of a task but actually quite a few of those songs are catchy lil numbers.

Send Away The Tigers is the perfect record.

I wonder if it will be their last.