That Sobering Thought - Forever Delayed

Jimi A · #1 27-11-2014, 17:02

I must admit I've been caught up in the excitement of THB20. I've been listening to the album constantly for eighteen of those years. And while I don't always take in just have savage the content is I still never treat it as just another album.

But my eager greed to get my tickets for the tour and buy the boxset it did slip my mind that we're also on the cusp of the 20th anniversary of Richey's disappearance.

Maybe it was the Manics revisionist (or so it seems) description of the recording process as a time of re-establishing control. Maybe it was the apparent justification all across the press of an album you're not really allowed to play in public. Maybe it's been because over the past year and a half it's felt like the boys are back, properly. Somehow amongst all this I, for my sins, forgot what came very soon after and it just struck me whilst sat at my work computer what a difficult time next year will be for the band, the Edwards family and his friends.

Earlier this week marked eleven years since I lost my best friend to cancer. He was just twenty one. That eleven years consists almost all of my twenties, various jobs, some bands and the end of a couple of serious relationships. I guess a lot. But still Monday hit my like a brick and it messed me up.

The Manics are very private in terms of the personal life but their career seems to be doing so well at the moment and it seems like they're in a good place. But I am sure next year will be such a difficult time for them because you can't help add weight to an event when you can place a significant time since it happen on it. I'm still all excited still for the tour and the boxset. I just remembered that soon after that people lost a friend, son or brother.

UEF · #2 27-11-2014, 17:52

I don't know if next year would be any different for them. I'd imagine they've come to terms with it to an extent.

LIPSTICK TЯACES · #3 27-11-2014, 21:16

Everyone is different. It's easy to feel that we know them enough to guess how they will feel but as you point out, we know them as rockstars, not as private people (best friend, family etc.). They themselves may be surprised at how they react!

I know personally when you can round something off to a decade it makes a difference somehow. I remember last year saying how it was 18 years since I left school. It made me feel old but you know, ok. The other day I spoke to someone about a 20 year reunion next year... they said the words "two decades", and how a person born on the day we left would be just finishing their degree made me nearly choke on my tea in shock!

How old was Richey when he joined the band? 20ish? In these near 2 decades Richey has been missing, someone was born, just ended their teenage years and may be setting up a band of their own at that same age as he did. All in that time he has been gone.

I don't know about the band but this 20 year thing is certainly having an effect on me! LOL

handbag · #4 27-11-2014, 22:24

First post is exactly the reason I'm really not into celebrating 20 years of THB. Maybe for fans who weren't born (eek), or very young at the time, the impact of Richey's disappearance wouldn't hit them as much.

All I know is my brother died in Autumn '95 and I've never come to terms with his death, just learned to adapt to him not being here any more. For Richey's family and friends I can imagine it's worse because they don't know where he is. At least I know my brother is. If he was a missing person I really have no idea how I could deal with that.

A lot's happened in 20 years, but it still seems like not very long ago. I remember Whiley and Lamaq asking Richey to get in touch with the band on the day the news he'd gone MIA hit the news. I can remember EXACTLY where I was and what I was doing, but I can't remember what I was doing last week.

handbag · #5 27-11-2014, 22:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by UEF

I don't know if next year would be any different for them.

Anniversaries are always tough for most people.

Takk · #6 27-11-2014, 23:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by UEF

I don't know if next year would be any different for them.

Exactly, I imagine it's with them all the time, I think the fans probably blow anniversary out of proportion. Him being gone 20 years isn't any different from 19 or 21 when it comes down to it.