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diceriadelluntore · 3 years ago

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Storia Di Musica #223 - Manic Street Preachers - Everything Must Go, 1996

La storia di oggi nasce nel 1986 per un anniversario: i 10 anni dalla formazione dei Sex Pistols. Un gruppo di ragazzi di Blackwood, nel Galles, decide di formare una band nel ricordo delle gesta degli irriverenti paladini del punk. Si chiamano all’inizio Betty Blue, che non è propriamente un nome che fa pensare al punk, ma quando durante un pomeriggio da busker a Cardiff di James Dean Bradfield, leader, cantante e chitarrista, un tizio sentendolo suonare gli chiede: “What are you, boyo, some kind of manic street preacher?” decidono di cambiarlo. Nascono così i Manic Street Preachers, un gruppo che ha ormai oltre trenta anni di vita musicale e che ha una parabola pressoché unica nel panorama britpop, movimento che sinteticamente sto raccontando in queste domeniche maggiaiole. Quando nel 1988 pubblicano il primo singolo, autoproducendolo, Suicide Alley, sono un terzetto composto da Bradfield, Sean Moore alla batteria e Nicki Wire al basso e anche seconda voce. C’è però un quarto componente “occulto” che in un primo momento era l’organizzatore delle trasferte e autista ufficiale, Richey Edwards, che contribuisce dapprima ai testi per poi scoprirsi talentuoso chitarrista, tanto che dà una svolta decisiva alla band: dapprima con White Riot, che riporta sulla scena musicale inglese la “rivolta” dopo gli anni dei Clash e connota, come inizieranno a scrivere le riviste musicali, i MSP come leftist (aggettivo che anzi riempie di orgoglio i nostri, non ne faranno mai problemi delle loro idee politiche e nel 2001 suoneranno al Teatro Karl Marx di L’Avana con Fidel Castro nel pubblico). Ma la svolta è anche estetica e situazionista: durante un concerto Edwards si scrive sul petto “4 Real” con una lametta per dimostrare la totale credibilità del gruppo agli ideali. Nel 1992 il primo album, Generation Terrorists, arriva addirittura nella Top 20, e la band per mesi lo annuncia come il loro “prima e unico album”. In verità è l’ennesima trovata di Edwards, e ha già canzoni notevolissime come Slash ‘n’ Burns e la magnifica Motorcycle Emptiness (che va segnalata anche per l’orgoglio del loro accento gallese, evidentissimo nel modo in cui Bradfield pronuncia “motorcycle”). Di fatto la band non si scioglie e bissa il successo con Gold Against The Soul, che addirittura arriva alla posizione numero 8. Ma il successo coincide con un periodo nerissimo per la band: prima muore il manager e amico d’infanzia Philip Hall, poi Edwards va in depressione, soffre di anoressia e di alcolismo. Nel modo più tragico, alla vigilia del primo tour americano a sostegno di The Holy Bible (1994), nel febbraio del 1995 Richey Edwards scompare, senza lasciare nessuna traccia, nel vero senso della parola perchè ancora oggi la sua vicenda è in parte irrisolta, sebbene la Polizia Inglese lo abbia ritenuto “presunto morto” nel 2008. La band in un primo momento decide di fermarsi, ma è soprattutto Nicki Wire a spronare gli altri a continuare: in lunghe registrazioni per tutto il 1995 e primi mesi del 1996, ne tirano fuori un disco che si distacca molto dal suono “tipico” dei Manics (così chiamati dai sempre più numerosi fan) e che li fa diventare portabandiera del britpop. Everything Must Go (1996) sembra già dal titolo un invito a passare oltre, e lo fa regalando un suono scintillante, arioso e fresco sebbene metà dei testi delle canzoni siano opera di Edwards. Il disco è costruito sul loro sguardo critico sulla società contemporanea: lo scimmiottare gli Stati Uniti in Elvis Impersonator: Blackpool Pier (che inizia così: American trilogy in Lancashire pottery\Is so fucking funny, don't you know) o nella fortissima Enola\Alone (che secondo Wire si ispira addirittura a Camera Lucida di Barthes); Small Black Flowers That Grow In The Sky racconta dei maltrattamenti di animali in cattività, The Girl Who Wanted To Be God, scritta da Edwards, prende il titolo da una composizione di Sylvia Plath, che probabilmente Edwards sentiva molto affine al momento. Interiors è dedicata a Willem de Kooning, il grande pittore astrattista, che soffriva di Alzheimer, Kevin Carter alla vita dell’omonimo famoso fotografo che documentò le carestie africane degli anni ‘80 e ‘90 (vinse il premio Pulitzer per la fotografia con lo scatto, drammatico, di una bambina scheletrica inseguita da un avvoltoio durante una carestia nel Sudan). Due singoli, la stupenda A Design For Life e Everything Must Go vanno in classifica, così come l’album, che debutta direttamente al numero due e più volte durante il 1996 va in vetta alla classifica. Nel 1997 vince i due premi più prestigiosi ai Brit Awards, album dell’anno e band dell’anno, e nel 1996 il New Musical Express lo nomina disco dell’anno; ancora oggi considerato un classico della musica britannica, tanto che è stabilmente in tutte le classifiche dei migliori dischi inglesi di sempre. Il successo viene bissato due anni dopo da This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours, trascinato dal singolo If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next, i cui primi versi dicono “The future teaches you to be alone\The present to be afraid and cold\"So if I can shoot rabbits then I can shoot fascists". La band con alti e bassi continua ancora oggi ad avere un certo seguito, con picchi di popolarità come quando nel 2007 con Nina Persson dei Cardigans ottenne successo internazionale con Your Love Alone Is Not Enough. Un disco da riscoprire e una band da riascoltare.

#manic street preachers #everything must go #1996 #recensione

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meta-squash · 5 years ago

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Intro to the Manic Street Preachers

(In which I wish I still had photoshop so I could make one of those silly slideshow type posts)

It’s come up in at least 3 separate conversations recently that I (or someone) should make an “intro to/how to get into the Manic Street Preachers,” so I’m gonna do that.

Also I tried to be brief but when it comes to the Manics and also writing in general that is not in my nature.

So here goes, a Manics 101 that is slightly longer than I anticipated but not as long as I might have made it:

First of all, a brief Manics history/bandmembers 101:

James Dean Bradfield - Lead singer, lead guitarist. Writes most of the music for the songs. Also has the job of cutting down the lyrics into something he can actually sing.

Nicky Wire - Lyricist, bassist. Writes the lyrics for the songs, with Richey and alone. Says he can’t play bass but is actually quite good. Loves to wear dresses/skirts onstage and is generally a fashion disaster. Has a big mouth and loves to criticize other bands. Has OCD and loves to clean. Is 6′3″ and has great legs and loves to mention both of those things.

Sean Moore - Drummer. Also writes some of the music. Is the only Manic who is classically trained, and sometimes plays trumpet on tracks. Sarcastic and small. Generally quiet and doesn’t like interviews. Is the only Manic actually active on social media (Twitter).

Richey Edwards - Lyricist, rhythm guitarist. Wrote most of the lyrics with Nicky and was essentially the band’s spokesman. Was extremely intelligent. Couldn’t play guitar well, basically stuck to power chords and usually forgot them anyway. Struggled with severe mental illness and addiction. Disappeared in 1995; his body was never found.

The band have all known each other since they were children and all lived in the same neighborhood. The band itself started basically in about 1989. Their thematic mantra was “culture, alienation, boredom and despair.” They were inspired by The Clash, Situationism, the Miners Strike and the various existentialist or absurdist literature they’d read. Their sound and style have changed pretty much every album. They’ve never managed to break into the American music scene but they are/were popular in Asia and Europe. Most of their songs are political or emotional, and rarely talk about love or relationships in the traditional sense. They didn’t go aboveground until 1996 and didn’t get a number one in the charts until 1998.

Where to start:

The Manics have changed their sound/style a lot, so it sometimes depends on what you like.

The bands most popular/charted songs are: Motorcycle Emptiness (1992) Faster (1994) A Design For Life (1996) If You Tolerate This Then Your Children Will Be Next (1998) Your Love Alone Is Not Enough (2007) Rewind The Film (2013) Walk Me To The Bridge (2014) International Blue (2018)

But, like I said, it depends on what you like. So, here’s a rundown of suggestions for songs to listen to in order to get into them. I’ll link the song itself, give a little description of the album/song style or sound, themes, etc. Possibly some extra info if I think of any. And probably reasons why it’s a good introductory song. I’ll go chronologically, but feel free to pick and choose.

Motorcycle Emptiness - 1992. Generation Terrorists. An epic glam/punk rock anthem critiquing and despairing over the nature of society and modern culture. The band has said that if this song wasn’t included on the album, it would not have been successful. It’s also one of the coolest guitar songs the band has. This is often a starting song for most people.

Slash N Burn - 1992. Generation Terrorists. A much more punk rock song, a critique of the destructive nature of entertainment and “first world” culture, how entertainment means people ignore the ills of the world. This song is a good intro to their more social/political lyrics, and good for those who like the punk sound.

Bored Out Of My Mind - 1992. Generation Terrorists B-side. I’m including this because it was the first b-side I fell in love with. This is an acoustic piece, a lot more yearning and, well, tired/bored. It basically takes a punk riff and slows it down into something a lot prettier.

Roses In The Hospital - 1993. Gold Against The Soul. This is the song that made me fall in love with the band. It’s a critique of the mental health system, and a song about unhealthy coping mechanisms. This album has more of a grunge-feel to it, and is a lot more produced. The song features stair-stepping power chords and a grunge rhythm section with pop flair.

La Tristesse Durera - 1993. Gold Against The Soul. A grunge-style song about the way elderly veterans are (mis)treated and/or ignored by the general public once they no longer serve a purpose. This song has an excellent bassline and some great vocals.

Faster - 1994. The Holy Bible. This is the song the band itself and most fans hail as their masterpiece. An industrial/punk/hard rock song that has been described by James as “a set of sarcastic commandments for the modern age” and by Richey as being about self-abuse and “society speeding up - finds worth is failure.” It is a song that is utterly autonomous and judgemental, an Ubermensch of a song that is extremely powerful. It is, in the words of Simon Price “warped metal and tungsten under unendurable torque.”

This Is Yesterday - 1994. The Holy Bible. The calmest song on the album, this piece is a nostalgic look at the past. I’m mostly including it because the guitar riffs are simple but very pretty. (And because my roommate, who isn’t a fan, said she likes it a lot.)

ifwhiteamericatoldthetruthforonedayitsworldwouldfallapart - 1994. The Holy Bible. A fast-paced criticism of racism in the US and UK, filled with political and historical references. An industrial/post-punk style song with some excellent riffs and even better harmonies.

A Design For Life - 1996. Everything Must Go. An anthem for the working class. This song features strings and is a lot more “epic” than previous songs. The album itself is calmer, more radio-friendly. This was the band’s first big hit and the first album after Richey’s disappearance; it reached number 2 on the charts at its release.

Everything Must Go - 1996. Everything Must Go. A song ushering in a change in the band’s sound. It is the introduction of a larger, wider wall of sound, and the anthemic rock style of the album.

Small Black Flowers That Grow In The Sky - 1996. Everything Must Go. A song written by Richey before his disappearance, about the abuse of zoo animals. (In my opinion) The demo is better than the studio version, as it is a yearning acoustic piece that allows the guitar to echo the fragility of the lyrics. (The studio version has a harp that overshadows both guitar and lyrics, so I linked the demo which is my favorite.)

You Stole The Sun From My Heart - 1998. This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours. Lovely lyrics and a simple riff. This album has a cleaner, clearer sound. This song’s sound is optimistic even if the lyrics are slightly sadder.

I’m Not Working - 1998. This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours. A much slower, sadder song. I include this song because I think the lyrics describe a universal feeling. It’s a song that really shows the emotion of James’ vocals.

If You Tolerate This Then Your Children Will Be Next - 1998. This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours. The band’s first ever #1 single. This is an anti-fascist song about the Spanish Civil War, warning people to be aware of injustices. It’s anthemic and full of echoing guitars.

Intravenous Agnostic - 2001. Know Your Enemy. A return to their old punk sound. This is a slightly more anthemic take on the punk sound, but it works. The lyrics are weird but interesting.

Baby Elian - 2001. Know Your Enemy. A political song about Elian Gonzalez, a Cuban refugee who, as a 7 year old, was the center of an immigration and international custody battle between the US and Cuba.

Freedom Of Speech Won’t Feed My Children - 2001. Know Your Enemy. Another political song. I just love it because it’s SO anti-American.

Judge Yr’self - 2003 (1994). Lipstick Traces. This is from an anthology album, but it was an unreleased song recorded in 1994. Its lyrics are almost Nietszchean, intense and repetitive. Yet another huge hit with most fans, with themes and sound similar to Faster. An excellent if momentary resurfacing of their industrial sound of THB.

Empty Souls - 2004. Lifeblood. This album is more more digital-sounding, a lot more glacial than previous albums. The song is sad and aching, but very beautiful. It features a gorgeous piano riff and lingering guitar chords to complement the lyrics about loneliness.

Your Love Alone Is Not Enough - 2007. Send Away The Tigers. Their biggest hit since Tolerate. It’s a duet with Nina Persson, the lyrics a conversation between two people about what makes someone gain contentment and what does/doesn’t help. This is much more a radio-friendly rock song.

Anorexic Rodin - 2007. Send Away The Tigers B-side. Another favorite b-side and favorite among fans. The lyrics are clearly about Richey Edwards, but the best thing about the song is the fast-paced marching of the distortion guitar and the badass punk rock chorus.

Imperial Bodybags - 2007. Send Away The Tigers. This song is incredibly late 60s/early 70s-feeling, for some reason. An excellent grooving riff drives a song about war and imperialism and how civilian deaths are trivialized.

Peeled Apples - 2009. Journal For Plague Lovers. First track on the album and an intense, sludgy punk intro. The band has said that the lyrics of this song are pretty impenetrable but the visuals they provide are fantastic. One of my favorites, and so much weird, aggressive, wild energy. This album consists entirely of songs Richey gave to the band just before his disappearance. Because of this, the album’s sound kind of combines the sounds of The Holy Bible with the slower, prettier sounds that the band developed over the years.

This Joke Sport Severed - 2009. Journal For Plague Lovers. A short, stark acoustic song about the failure of love and one’s own inadequacy. This song is gentle and simple, with yearning vocals and lovely chords.

All Is Vanity - 2009. Journal For Plague Lovers. A song closer to the post-punk sound of The Holy Bible. A lilting riff that disintegrates into a much harder sound complements the lyrics that illustrate a conflicted idea of the self and a desire for answers.

Postcards From A Young Man - 2010. Postcards From A Young Man. This song returns to the huge, anthemic sound of Everything Must Go. The drumming/guitar is a lot “bouncier” than most Manics songs, but the tune itself has some really interesting turns. The lyrics look back on the past, lamenting losses but refusing to be brought down by them.

Some Kind Of Nothingness - 2010. Postcards From A Young Man. Another anthemic song that incorporates strings/a choir, this song is another nostalgia trip, this time a bittersweet mourning, an acceptance of grief and the ache of memories. It features guest vocals by Echo & The Bunnymen’s Ian McCulloch.

Red Rubber - 2010. Postcards From A Young Man B-side. This is a surprise bop. A song about Leopold II’s violent colonization of central Africa (and takes the title from a documentary of the same name), it features synthesizer sounds and distortion guitar. It starts out sound slow and meandering, but suddenly picks up to a frenzied punk pace. The chorus is catchy as hell and angry as hell.

Rewind The Film - 2013. Rewind The Film. This album is almost entirely acoustic. The song itself features Richard Hawley (although I personally like the demo version with Nicky Wire on the vocals) and emphasizes its simplicity with acoustic guitar and simple piano and strings parts. This is yet another nostalgia song, wishing to re-experience happy memories. This one is not as grief-stricken as the other ones, and instead almost seems like a haze-tinged daydream.

As Holy As The Soil (That Buries Your Skin) - 2013. Rewind The Film. A Nicky Wire vocal, this is a song specifically written to/for Richey Edwards. An acoustic piece that features a beautiful trumpet solo from Sean, this song also grieves for the past and remembers good times. But this time it asks for those who are being grieved to return, and reminds them of how much the narrator (Nicky) loves them. This is a song that is so emotional it hurts to listen to but it’s also impossible to stop listening to it.

30 Year War - 2013. Rewind The Film. A departure from the nostalgia-trip of the last few songs, this song talks about the history of Wales and the government war on the working class during the 80s. It also features some lovely trumpet work from Sean and a really cool clapping-style drum beat. The lyrics describe class-related struggles and accuse the rich and the bourgeoisie of using propaganda to blame the poor/working class for their situation and to keep them from rising up in resistance.

Walk Me To The Bridge - 2014. Futurology. This album is a transition into prog rock/krautrock. This song features a heavy marching bassline and synthesizers, a huge glacial sound that opens up into a chorus with shining chords. Nicky says it’s about “the idea of bridges allowing you an out of body experience as you leave and arrive in different places,” but the demo also contains a number of Richey-specific references so who knows.

Sex Power Love And Money - 2014. Futurology. The power of this song mostly rides on power chords that structure it and the almost metallic-sounding synth and drums. The song itself is so fun it’s almost silly, a critique of technology and the entertainment industry that simultaneously takes itself seriously and takes the piss. It is a criticism of the entertainment industry and the way that capitalism erases originality and organic-ness. But it’s also just a fun musical romp that is almost reminiscent of late 90s/early 2000s Bowie.

Futurology - 2014. Futurology. This is a gentler song that fuses the huge glacial sound with something more sunny. The band describe the lyrics as “a statement of existential socialism – belief that humanity is still a viable ideal.” The lyrics and the guitar are optimistic and big, with a nice bass riff supporting the synth sounds behind it.

International Blue - 2018. Resistance Is Futile. A gorgeous, soaring song. Jumps off the back of Futurology’s proggy sound but adds more body. The song itself is about painter Yves Klein and his creation of the color Yves Klein Blue.

Broken Algorithms - 2018. Resistance Is Futile. Returning to their punk roots in terms of the rhythm section and crunchy guitar chords. A song also returning to Nicky’s perpetual subject: the critique of society’s thoughtless dependence on technology/social media and the consequences it can have on social awareness and creativity and the self.

#manic street preachers #manics #old repost #music meta #manic street preachers meta #intro to the manics #this is old as hell but i added rif to the end #and if there's a new album released next year maybe i'll add to this like i added withdrawn traces to the book review post #tbqh i only listen to like half the rif album on a regular basis oops

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