Manic Street Preachers

[Invader Zim]

Greatest leftwing band ever?

I say yes!!!

Just buy or download (depending on your personnal perspective on piracy) an album called The Holy Bible, so dark yet so meaningful, every song has great lyrics... its just great.

Also generation terrorist is great as well... Infact all the albums and songs are great with the one exeption of You stole the sun, which is average.

[chamo]

I say yes too, but I haven't really liked any of their songs after the "This Is My truth Tell Me Yours" album; it all went drab and boring then.

The Holy Bible probably is the best album but all my tracks are on computer. The best single would have to be "Motorcycle Emptiness" or "If White America Told The Truth For One Day It's World Would Collapse".

[Urban Rubble]

What kind of music are these guys ? I don't know if I've ever heard them. Somehow I doubt that I'd like it, I don't know why.

[Invader Zim]

Originally posted by Urban [email protected] 7 2003, 11:55 PM
What kind of music are these guys ? I don't know if I've ever heard them. Somehow I doubt that I'd like it, I don't know why.
they are a rock band, a little indi perhaps, but really just great rock and roll. You must down load a song called motor cycle emptyness or Archives of pain. Masses againt the classes is an amazing song as well. Shit nearly all there stuff is good, even the crappy stuff like, you stole the sun from my heart.

[ONE]

I've heard of them, but haven't heard them(at least I don't think so)

I like the title "Archives Of Pain"

[YKTMX]

I respect them, but I wouldn't say I was a "huge" fan. There's always time for Motorcycle Emptiness or Masses Against The Classes though. And I always liked La Trissesa, even if it is a bit stadium (sp?) rock.

[ONE]

I just downloaded - Ahem, I mean bought 'Motorcycle Emptiness'; sounds good!

[Funky Monk]

I like some of their later stuff like If You Tolerate This...

Still have design for life as favourite though.

[chamo]

Originally posted by Funky [email protected] 8 2003, 11:31 PM
I like some of their later stuff like If You Tolerate This...

Still have design for life as favourite though.
Ugh, all the later stuff sucks.

It's too dull and boring old man indie and not as rock as the previous albums.

[Funky Monk]

Whats wrong with old man indie?!?!?!

[chamo]

You reply far too fast.

[Invader Zim]

"If you tolerate this then your children will be next" is a good song, even though it is one of the newer ones, I still like it, as a song. Its lyrics are great, you must admit.

List of what I recon are truly great songs: -

Masses against the classes (probably my favourate)
Archives of pain
4st 7lb
ifwhiteamericatoldthetruthforonedayit'sworldwouldf allapart (deep breath)
of walking abortion
Slash N'Burn
Nat west - Barclays - Midlands Lloyds
Motorcycle Emptiness
Design for life
If you Tolerate this your children will be next

They have many more great songs, but these are probably the best...

You may notice that the vast majority are on "The Holy Bible" or "generation terrorists" albums. If you are more into the grunge metal punk, then I would suggest The holy bible, if you be a hard core rocker who loves his electric guitar solo's then generation terrorists is more for you.

For an all round selection buy/obtain the (by slightly less legal methods) greatest hits album called "forever delayed".

PS hopefully Richie James Edwards isnt dead... and will come home one day.

[Funky Monk]

Sorry, didnt realise that was posted so recently.


Smeghead.

[Hegemonicretribution]

Saw them live at Glastonbury a couple months ago. Crowd surfing over 10's of thousands, I just passed into the security are at the last time round of the bit when he went "a design for life" as their encore song. I was high for weeks.

[Lefty]

I just got their album "Know your enemy" as a gift. It rocks my face.

[blackemma]

I just got their album "Know your enemy" as a gift. It rocks my face.

Great album. I've been a Manics fan since about '98 and went backwards in terms of how I learned about them, first hearing This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours then purchasing Generation Terrorists and onwards from there. I agree with you that Know Your Enemy is a fine CD and that people came down too harshly on it. If anything, it's much less pop than their earlier efforts (in my opinion, Everything Must Go is by far their most commercial release).

Anyway, here's my general thoughts on their albums, presented chronolically and going by Rollingstone rating system (* = poor; ** = fair; *** = good; **** = excellent; ***** = classic):

Generation Terrorists: Solid debut. Contains many beloved songs including one of my favourites "Stay Beautiful" as well as the classic "Motorcycle Emptiness". ***1/2

Gold Against the Soul: Good follow-up, but not as good as GT. While some of the songs stand out (e.g., "Sleepflower"; "Roses in the Hospital"), many tracks lack inspiration and come off as filler. Still, the album has its moments and "La Tristesse Durera" is one of the most inspirational songs written by the band, or any band for that matter. ***

Holy Bible, the: Arguably their first or second best album, I'm not sure which. Stand-out tracks include "Ifwhiteamericatoldthetruthforonedayit'sworldwouldf allapart", "Archives of Pain", and "Revol". Album depicts Richey's personal problems at their peak, as demonstrated by the ever-depressing "Die in the Summertime". "Yes" is a lyrical masterpiece. ****1/2

Everything Must Go: Their most mainstream effort. Half the songs could make it onto MTV and be considered pop by the majority of viewers. Not only does the album contain several love ballads ("Enola Alone"; "Further Away"; "No Surface All Feeling") but it proves downright bubblegum in parts: "The Girl Who Wanted to be God". To be fair, there are some good tracks ("Elvis Impersonater- Blackpool Pier"; "Interiors (Song for Willem De Kooning" as well as the much-adored single "A Design for a Life"), but they don't make up for the otherwise lackluster effort put forward by the Manics when compared to past efforts. Still worth owning if only for the title-track. **1/2

This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours: Perhaps their second best album. Criticized for being mainstream, this album in fact delivers a solemn introspection into the thoughts of the band with regards to many issues, personal and political. The lyrics read like Wire's diary might sound if he were hungover and having just had an argument with his wife, but that's not necessarilly a bad thing. The hit single "If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next" is a genuine classic and confronts the contradiction between absolute pacifism and the wanting to make the world a better place, while offering a look at the emotions behind the Spanish Civil War. The opening track, "The Everlasting", is another masterpiece and worth of being released as a single. Other tracks balance the album out nicely, including the uplifting *sarcasm* "My Little Empire" in which Wire contributes backing vocals. Overall, excellent effort by Manics, which suffers only from being a little slow at times and perhaps not offering enough variety. Still, the concept of the album demands such unity among tracks, the most emotional of which being the touching "Nobody Loved You" in which the band addresses for the first time the thought that Richey, its former rythm guitarist and one-time chief lyricist, may be dead. Classic album. ****

Know Your Enemy: Underrated album which offers an intriguing insight into the minds of the Manics, especially lead lyricist Nicky Wire. Though the album is good, its main fault is that it lacks consistency. Taken individually, many of the tracks could be considered among the Manics best: take for example "Wattsville Blues" - a chilling number in which Nicky Wire takes over lead vocals and provides an acoustic-sounding backdrop over which he rants and spews his well-known cynicism towards life, politics, and his hometown. Other tracks offer a refreshing step forward for the Manics including the Bradfield-penned "Ocean Spray" and the excellent final number, "Freedom of Speach Won't Feed My Children". Unfortunately, some tracks are outright disasters, including "Miss Europa Disco Dancer" which, except for its amusing ending, should not be forgiven as disco and politics should never mix, especially on a Manic Street Preachers record. Nonetheless, the album is an enjoyable listen if one keeps an open mind and considers the Manics influences and where the tricks likely came from. ***

For those new to the Manics, I hope my guide to the albums offers some help. As you can see, I'm quite a devote fan: I recently got a tattoo based on the design portrayed on the cover of Generation Terrorists with the words "Stay Beautiful" inscribed. I cannot recommend any band more highly to fans of sincere emotional/political music except for maybe His Infernal Majesty (of which I also have a tattoo) than Manic Street Preachers. Do yourself a favour and run to your nearest record store, library, or computer and immerse yourself in the music. It's truly a beautiful thing.

PS: I also recommend downloading several Manics b-sides, many of which are available on the rarity album Lipstick Traces: A Hidden History of the Manic Street Preachers. The best b-side, though not available on LT being "The Masses Against the Classes". Download it... now.

[Hegemonicretribution]

Masses against the classes is great, I am playing it live on Sunday, my Pianist/voclas/bass Is a massive fan, we chilled and worked it out a month or so back. Will unleash at a pup in a few days, can't wait :). It'll be good because at the moment the obnly other Manics song we play i "A design for life" and that is partly because of my Glastonbury experience.Future plans for "You love Us" very soon as well.

[Invader Zim]

Originally posted by [email protected] 19 2003, 01:09 PM
Masses against the classes is great, I am playing it live on Sunday, my Pianist/voclas/bass Is a massive fan, we chilled and worked it out a month or so back. Will unleash at a pup in a few days, can't wait :). It'll be good because at the moment the obnly other Manics song we play i "A design for life" and that is partly because of my Glastonbury experience.Future plans for "You love Us" very soon as well.
Greatest hits version or GT version with the cool guitar solo?

You have to play slash and burn, one of the greatest songs they have ever made.

Greatest lyrics: -

"Love's Sweet Exile"

between the billboard masturbation across highways of metallic isolation
there lies the deafening screaming of the millions wiping out the diseased pages
of apathy that bleed our innocence...

Love's sweet exile
Love's sweet exile

We blur into images of state coercion
Classified machines die misunderstood
City reflections pour out misery
We don't count cos we hate

Raindown alienation
Leave this country
Leave this country
Raindown alienation
Leave this country
Leave it

Despair seeps through and cuts our eyes
Unified collapse of everything inside
We understand but can't accept
You are not dead cos we hate

Raindown alienation
Leave this country
Leave this country
Raindown alienation
Leave this country
Leave it

Our lives drift into a faceless sense of void
Everything of meaning becomes destroyed
There's too much concrete for us to breathe
We are kept down cos we hate

Love's sweet exile
Love's sweet exile

Raindown alienation
Leave this country
Leave this country

Raindown alienation
Leave this country
Believe it

Love's sweet exile
Love's sweet exile

[Hegemonicretribution]

Haven't worked out the solo yet, it was just a rough transcription, and as we do a lot of improv solo fit in wherever. But I will make sure I get the real solo learnt over the nex few months.

The version we worked it out to was the one with the solo, h had it downloaded (has the albums as well but..)

What is your favourite you love us version? Normal, or the one with the Iggy Pop style ending?

[Invader Zim]

Originally posted by [email protected] 20 2003, 01:10 AM
Haven't worked out the solo yet, it was just a rough transcription, and as we do a lot of improv solo fit in wherever. But I will make sure I get the real solo learnt over the nex few months.

The version we worked it out to was the one with the solo, h had it downloaded (has the albums as well but..)

What is your favourite you love us version? Normal, or the one with the Iggy Pop style ending?
Whoops, i didnt see that... Resurection time.

The version on the GT album is infinatly better... :D

[Danton]

They're shit...

[Invader Zim]

Originally posted by [email protected] 6 2003, 06:02 PM
They're shit...
That thesis of a post really opend my eyes about the Manic's Danton, however though the post was simply huge, could you expand that view a little, perhaps as to why they are shit?

[Hegemonicretribution]

To as structured a response as that I can say only one thing. Your "gay"

[Anastacia]

They are really great. Not the best leftist band though but I really love them. Have listened since 98 I guess. Then I didn't have a political opinions but I really agreed with most of the lyrics. Like I agreed with Offspring's. Later when I stopped and thought things I realized I was a leftist all the time. I really like the early angry sound and lyrics. Everything must go and TIMTTMY weren't so good but after Know Your Enemy they have made many great songs.


PS hopefully Richie James Edwards isnt dead... and will come home one day.

I think so too. He wasn't really good guitarist ("I can't really play guitar. Ijust stand there and pose.") but he was a really good lyricist.

I think this is Richey's song. I'm not sure but this is really good song anyway.

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
Everything's for sale

For sale
Dumb ****'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 by 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's 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

[El Commandante]

I love the Manics, a really great angsty band ... but Know Your Enemy was a really poor album - it's just not up to scatch compared to the earlier albums.

[Invader Zim]

"Archives Of Pain"

I wonder who you think you are
You damn well think you're God or something
God give life, God taketh it away, not you
I think you are the Devil itself

If hospitals cure
Then prisons must bring their pain
Don't be ashamed to slaughter
The centre of humanity is cruelty
There is never redemption
Any fool can regret yesterday
Nail it to the House of Lords
You will be buried in the same box as a killer, as a killer, as a killer

A drained white body hangs from the gallows
Is more righteous than Hindley's crotchet lectures
Pain not penance, forget martyrs, remember victims
The weak die young and right now we crouch to make them strong

Kill Yeltsin, who's saying?
Zhirinovsky, Le Pen,
Hindley and Brady, Ireland, Allit, Sutcliffe,
Dahmer, Nielson, Yoshinori Ueda,
Blanche and Pickles, Amin, Milosovic
Give them respect they deserve
Give them the respect they deserve
Give them the respect they deserve
Give them the respect they deserve

Execution needed
A bloody vessel for your peace
If man makes death then death makes man
Tear the torso with horses and chains
Killers view themselves like they view the world, they pick at the holes
Not punish less, rise the pain
Sterilise rapists, all I preach is extinction

Kill Yeltsin, who's saying?
Zhirinovsky, Le Pen,
Hindley and Brady, Ireland, Allit, Sutcliffe,
Dahmer, Nielson, Yoshinori Ueda,
Blanche and Pickles, Amin, Milosovic
Give them respect they deserve
Give them the respect they deserve
Give them the respect they deserve
Give them the respect they d e s e r v e

I love the Manics, a really great angsty band ... but Know Your Enemy was a really poor album - it's just not up to scatch compared to the earlier albums.

It was better than Every thing must go, and has some great songs on it. People really seam to over rate that album...

[Danton]

They're just shit....

[ComradeRobertRiley]

revol
the masses against the classes
from despair to where
everything must go
suicide is painless


their my manic favs

[Paavo from Hungary]

Did anybody see that: Manic Street Preachers Louder than war(Live in Cuba) . In the extra part the band cope with Fidel Castro. Fidel asked from the Baby Elian song.

[Motorcycle_diAries]

I agree.
Well, i downloaded all the songs by the band that i can find on the net. These guys really Rock, and they got great lyrics too.The Holy Bible, so dark yet so meaningful...They all are downloaded.

[Zombad]

I bringing this post back to the forum to make sure people still talk about the manics. :D .. I'm going to see them on the 18th of april, seen them once before and they were godly... so good live........ the holy bible is more than just an album its like a really in depth book, once your inside its hard to get out

for those who have never listened to the manics, it has to be the early stuff, however i am a big fan of their new album 'lifeblood' if you get the chance try to download some of it off the net

whose responsible? you fucking are

[Dr. Rosenpenis]

Don't like 'em.

[FatFreeMilk]

What a stupid thing to say. I think they're great and I've only heard like 2 songs.

The masses against the classes kicks ass.

[celtopunk]

Originally posted by [email protected] 1 2005, 09:01 PM
What a stupid thing to say. I think they're great and I've only heard like 2 songs.

The masses against the classes kicks ass.
What to say you don't like them? I'll try and give them another listen but they just don't strike a chord with me either

[FatFreeMilk]

jaykay man, RZ is my boy. They strike lots of chords and they all kickass.

[Vanguard1917]

I used to be a big fan of the manics. I have all their albums. I'm not actually a big fan of the Holy Bible. Everything Must Go is my favourite album of theirs (prob one of my fave of all time). A Design for Life is a genuis masterpiece. I love Masses Against the Classes. You guys should check out the Lipstick Traces album (if u already havent). It's a double disc of unreleased or b-side tracks. Songs like Socialist Serenade and Prologue to History are great.

But i would have to say that the Clash are the greatest political band of all time. With lyrics like: "when they knock at your front door, how're u gonna come? With your hands on your head, or on the trigger of your gun?" (Guns of Brixton), you cant go much wrong.

[Invader Zim]

Originally posted by [email protected] 1 2005, 07:42 PM
Don't like 'em.
How much have you heard? You see every single album is in a totally different style, so a person who appriciates hard rock can listen too the first two albums, but would hate their later stuff. The third album is almost a punk/rock album. The fourth and firth are more like indie and the sixth is a weird combination of all the above (but probably the weakest album) and the new one is relaxed soft rock.

[Dr. Rosenpenis]

I've heard The Girl Who Wanted to Be God, A design for Life, and Motorcycle Emptiness.
I should probably look into it more, but I wasn't really impressed with their style, so I probably won't.

[Motorcycle_diAries]

I downloaded almost all their songs. I love those guys. They are so damn cool. U know what? I think they are on the top list of "MOST TALKED ABOUT BAND" :)
Cus this is for like 1001 times i'm seein a thread about these guys.

[seraphim]

The manics are excellent, If you tollerate this.... is a song all about the Spanish Civil War and they were the first western band ever to be allowed to play in Cuba. Probably the most political leftist band from the western world.