About this blog

If the (paraphrased) title of this blog is very familiar to you then there's a good chance that you are a Manic Street Preachers fan. Possibly of the old school, 'I've been there since the start' variety, maybe someone who collects not only the numerous albums and singles over the years but the limited editions, rarities, promos, press cuttings and assorted paraphernalia that your average Manics devotee couldn't do without.

I admit that I fit the bill for the above, which is why I have decided to write this blog, trawling through every bit of Manics memorabilia that I own, relating stories, reviews, general opinions and a decent helping of deadpan humour along the way. However, I'll also admit that I'm not your stereotypical Manics devotee - I've never worn leopard print, white jeans or makeup, I haven't read the majority of the literature they have quoted over the years and most importantly I have never owned a feather boa. Did I mention the deadpan humour? Oh, you got it already...

One thing I can say is that my life would be different if I had never heard the Manic Street Preachers. The obvious differences are that I would be richer and have more shelf space, but I think any serious Manics aficionado would say that there's a certain way of thinking and a hunger to fill your brain to breaking point that comes with the territory. Although I'm now struggling to rid myself of images of the robot Johnny 5 from the film Short Circuit demanding 'more input'......

I first came across the Manics in 1991, around the time of Motown Junk. I seem to remember 3 things, in no particular order: a 10 second clip of the video at number 9 in the Indie Charts on the Chart Show, a performance and interview on BBC2 programme Snub and a one page introductory article in Select magazine. I was intrigued by all three because I thought they were funny. I would have been about 12 or 13 at the time and four young lads with funny haircuts, wearing blouses and white jeans, jumping around playing tinny punk was obviously a new experience. Very different to the chart music I was fed previously and the baggy and shoegazing bands that were starting to build up my older brother's record collection.

I think I must have seen the Select article first because I remember looking at the names and instruments in the lineup details and, having seen Richey at the front in the picture, naturally assumed that he was the singer, James. By process of elimination I then had James as Nicky, Nicky as Richey and Sean the only one I actually guessed right. Must be a drummer thing. Seeing the actual performances put me straight on the others.

By the time the original Heavenly version of 'You Love Us' came out I had taped it off the radio (on Mark Goodier's Evening Session) and started the ball rolling for everything that followed. The initial comedy factor had faded and I was well on the way to having a new favourite band....

I think I probably do subscribe to the view that there have, in effect, been two different bands named Manic Street Preachers. It's absolutely unavoidable that, despite his minimal musical input, the band became something quite different after Richey disappeared. The critics' view would be that 'different' in this case means mature, safe, boring even, however it would be difficult to predict what would have happened had Richey still been around.

As I mentioned, in this blog I will detail every release and piece of memorabilia that I own. This is partly to share with other like-minded people and partly just to remember. Some avid fans, through age or whatever reason, may not have been following the early events of the band which sparked such devotion from a very loyal fanbase. I can't imagine that reading about them is the same somehow, but from here on in.....this is my truth.