Jubilee Manics playlist

[The Gutless Wonder]

Originally Posted by dora

I think none of them would have had any greater success on their own. They gave each other a tremendous amount of self-confidence, imo it is almost a sacrilege talking about the most important band member

Well said!

[Smiling#Girl]

Originally Posted by dora

I think none of them would have had any greater success on their own. They gave each other a tremendous amount of self-confidence, imo it is almost a sacrilege talking about the most important band member

That's what I meant.

[raven]

Originally Posted by SHR

Yeah, speaking of, what are the Manics doing for the jubilee? Those songs don't have much conviction to me considering they talk about doing an anti-jubilee gig then don't bother to follow through with something quite simple. (No, this isn't in the same vain of asking Richey to take his own life to prove he's '4 REAL') Yeah, that's right Nick, dismiss anything remotely political as 'Red Wedge'! All talk as per.

At the risk of sounding like a disgruntled 6th former, what is there to celebrate about these three men any more? The past?

The band proclaim themselves to be something other than what they are (a political band/a band that makes a difference/a band with a vision) and really those days are long behind them, and have been really since Richey left. Richey was very post modern in the sense of an individual trying to make a change, do something different and was vocal about that. Yet the other three are now really trying to get people to celebrate with them a personal victory, a victory that the three of them have lots of money and don't have to really work a 9-5 for a living, which is hard to get excited about. Whilst there is nothing at all wrong with being that kind of band or hanging up your boots, what is wrong is just how they represent themselves to be something otherwise, something they used to be (and are most certainly not these days) that just doesn't sit right with me. It's a bit like a impersonator band really, a bit of a parody. Why pretend to be something you are most evidently not/trade on a past that made them important thanks mostly (if not wholly) to Richey?

Makes you think of all the roles Richey played in the band: historian, philosopher,politician, poet, orator, artist, designer, image and media mogul, to name but a few. The other three will always be musicians to me, and musicians only. Richey could have joined any other band and made them massive, it was his letter writing as 'Minister of Properganda' that got them noticed after all. I think without him, these three would have been another dead end 'Funeral In Berlin' kind of band.

Originally Posted by The Gutless Wonder

Er, no, they would have been the Manic Street Preachers with or without Richey. I don't think James' talent would have stayed hidden away for long, with or without Richey's lyrics. Yes, I love Richey's lyrics, but putting him above the rest of the band members is something that has always been a bugbear for me. And let's not forget the talented Mr Moore as well!

Originally Posted by SHR

Any other meat and potato bloke in a band could have done the music and Nicky contributed mediocre lyrics at best. Richey did the letter writing and got people interested. It's my bet they wouldn't have been noticed and put into the media spotlight if it weren't for Richey. He could have done it for any band but did it for the MSP.

They were friends first and foremost and then a band and Richey wouldn't have fitted as comfortably in anywhere else and no one else but the rest of the band would have got him as well as they did....Richey handed over essays or sat and wrote with Nicky - they all helped shape them into songs and write the music that best reflected the mood and meaning. And there was an energy and attitude and a naivety about them all that was very attractive back then and they lost that for a time because they lost their mate.
I think their energy and attitude has never really survived losing Richey....they became a different band but how you can dismiss everything they've done since then?? Personally I thought Postcards lyrically was near perfect...like Nicky had found his own voice.
The band themselves have never dismissed Richey's role...if anything it's held Nicky back a little, he's often seemed self conscious about his lyrics and the first to bow to Richey...but they've written some excellent songs in the years since & Postcards to me felt like the band used to feel like way back...albeit with less glitter n eyeliner

Originally Posted by The Torture Garden

I was going for ones with explicit references in the lyrics or title, so Masses will definitely be added, thanks. The tenuous ones raised a smile though!

Back to your question
I'd add on All We Make is Entertainment...a state of the nation address...fitting for marking an historical event like the Jubilee

[The Gutless Wonder]

Good point about AWMIE Raven! And also well said with regard to the rest of your post as well!

[astrogirl]

Originally Posted by SHR

The other three will always be musicians to me

Sorry to contribute to the derailment but... seriously, are we really trying to call Nicky Wire a musician?! Oh dear...

[The Gutless Wonder]

Originally Posted by astrogirl

Sorry to contribute to the derailment but... seriously, are we really trying to call Nicky Wire a musician?! Oh dear...

And never call Sean 'just a musician'!

[Smiling#Girl]

Originally Posted by astrogirl

Sorry to contribute to the derailment but... seriously, are we really trying to call Nicky Wire a musician?! Oh dear...

I think Nicky himself will be surprise if someone calls him a musician.