It’s now more than twenty years since the Manic Street Preachers appeared. In early 1991, they were completely out of step with the times, and revelling in it. In an indie world which had yet to completely get to grips with grunge, and was more involved with the post-Madchester fallout that was baggy and the far more interesting shoegazing scene, the Manics were articulate, intelligent and more than a little bit confrontational.
I was fourteen when they appeared, and even before I’d heard a note of their music (remember: no internet QED no spotify, iTunes or file-sharing then) I was mesmerised. It would be many years before I saw them live (alas, not until 1998 – but several times subsequently), and the band continued to grow.
Ironically, for a band who promised to release a double album and then split up (I had that on in the van at work today, Generation Terrorists has dated very well), they are shortly to release their twelfth LP Rewind The Film.
The first single to be taken from it is ‘Show Me The Wonder.’ The band have had a huge number of chart singles, and I don’t see why this shouldn’t follow. It’s gorgeous and summery, and manages to do what 2001’s ‘So Why So Sad’ didn’t quite pull off…
This, meanwhile, is the title track, featuring vocals from Richard Hawley.
i have been very cynical about the manic street preachers for many years (but Everything Must Go () remains one of my absolute all time favourite albums) but I did rather enjoy both of these. Good videos too, which added to the atmosphere (because of course the soundcloud link is broken now, but I found a video on youtube).
Thank you for your enthusiasm, I’m not sure i’d have given them a second thought otherwise.
Argh!!
See this is what happens when it became impossible to post mp3s, and we started having to use soundcloud instead.
Glad you like it, though…