Manic Street Preachers appreciation thread (Britpop discussion welcome)

[Howard Alan Treesong]

This is mostly for when Groo gets back.

I've been listening to The Holy Bible for the past week off and on (I wouldn't say "non-stop"--it's a bit too heavy for that.)



It's really odd. More than anything it reminds me of MBV's Loveless--the vocals buried deep in the mix, and a really strong emotional impact despite being nearly incoherent. I suppose it's technically "Britpop" but the pop melodies seem to be designed to cut and harm rather than cradle and elevate.

I dunno, no real topics for discussion here. Just a shame that this album never saw a decent US release back in the 90s. Did you ever grab/listen to the "U.S. mix"? Was released a few years ago.

Also, my first exposure to the band was hearing Motorcycle Emptiness at a Kiryu club in like 2003...I grabbed the song when I got home and listened to it for about two weeks straight. I can't even explain why. What's the story with MSP? Are they underground or Oasis-level superstars?

[Mr. Gundam]

I've been a fan of the Manics since 1998, when I was volunteering on a Kibbutz in Israel and heard If You Tolerate This on the radio. I was fanatically obsessed with MSP, Pulp, and Mansun from about 1998 - 2001. They were huge in the mid to late 90s in the UK and used to sell out Wembley Stadium, but I'm not sure if that happens anymore.

    * One of The Writers' Best Albums (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - The Daily Telegraph
    * Writers' Best Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - Melody Maker
    * Reader's Band of 1996 (Runner Up) & "Writers' Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996" - NME
    * Writers' Best Live Band of 1996 - NME Brat Award
    * "Writers' Best Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - Vox
    * Writers' Best Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - The Sunday Times
    * "Writers' Best Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - Sky
    * Writers' Best Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996 & Readers' Best Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - Select
    * Readers' Best Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - Q Awards
    * Writers' Best Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - Music Week
    * One of Writers' Top Ten Albums (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - Metal Hammer
    * Writers' Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996 (Runner Up) - Kerrang!
    * One of Writers' Top Five Albums (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - Independent On Sunday
    * Readers' Best Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - Hot Press
    * Writers' Best Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - The Guardian
    * Best Album & "Best Group" - BRIT Awards, 1997
    * Best Band In The World Today - Q Awards, 1998
    * Best Album & "Best Group" - BRIT Awards, 1999
    * Q Merit Award - Q Awards, 2006
    * Best Track (Your Love Alone Is Not Enough) - Q Awards, 2007
    * 'God Like Geniuses' - Shockwaves NME Awards, 2008


I really want A Design for Life in Rock Band, that would be brilliant.

[Howard Alan Treesong]

I got waaaaaay into Pulp back in the late 90s. Still love them and even Cocker's solo career.

One of my strongest memories of Pulp is getting Different Class just before going on a ski trip in college. I'd never skiied and I only went because I had this terrible crush on a girl. Of course I go on the trip and she immediately hooks up with this other guy and I feel like shit. So instead of going skiiing I shut myself up in a closet back at the abandoned villa and listened to Different Class on repeat from morning til night.

In retrospect, that seems like ideal listening conditions for Different Class, really.

[Mr. Gundam]

Yeah, Pulp is still one of my favorite bands of all time, I'm glad I was able to see Jarvis when he came through Seattle last Spring.

I remember the Manics played Seattle in 1999 during their tour in support of This is My Truth, but it was at a 21+ venue, and I was just a lowly college freshman. I tried to sneak in, I mean, REALLY tried hard to sneak in to the venue, but no go. They haven't been back since, and probably never will tour America ever again.

[Howard Alan Treesong]

It's weird, cause I never got into the whole Oasis/Blur thing at all, but I got SO into Pulp. Wow.

I still think Different Class is one of the top 10 albums ever made, and This is Hardcore is a great left-turn departure for the band. Too bad they kind of fizzled out (though We Love Life has some great tracks).

[Mr. Gundam]

I also used to LOVE Placebo back in the day (Placebo, You Don't Care About Us, and Black Market Music, and even Sleeping with Ghosts), but in the last few years, they've evolved into something that doesn't appeal to me.

[Howard Alan Treesong]

new tag

[Mr. Gundam]

It's weird, cause I never got into the whole Oasis/Blur thing at all, but I got SO into Pulp. Wow.

I appreciated Definitely Maybe and What's the Story, but I'm a Blur fanboy through and through.

I still think Different Class is one of the top 10 albums ever made, and This is Hardcore is a great left-turn departure for the band. Too bad they kind of fizzled out (though We Love Life has some great tracks).

I totally agree with you, Different Class is near-perfect. At my wedding, my wife and I used album art for the center pieces/table numbers at the reception. Different Class was used for Table #1: the wedding party. It's now in our hutch in the dining room. 

[Howard Alan Treesong]

I totally agree with you, Different Class is near-perfect. At my wedding, my wife and used album art as the center pieces/table numbers at the reception. Different Class was used for Table #1: the wedding party. It's now in our hutch in the dining room. 

I might even rank it higher, I just threw "top 10" out there cause it's easy for me to agree to. If we get into "top 5" we'll have to start splitting hairs. and by best album I don't just mean in terms of how awesome the music is, but overall coherency as an album and total bullet-to-the-brain impact as a single entity. Awesome on your wedding tables--that is a clever and great idea.

And yeah, if I have to take sides in the great Britpop wars of 1995, it's Blur over Oasis without blinking--but I just /liked/ them, yeah? They didn't gut-punch me the way Pulp did.

Also, if it's not clear from my OP, I never really listened to any Manics besides the Motorcycle Emptiness single a few years back. But Phonogram made me track down The Holy Bible in a major way, mostly because the cover of the final issue is such an awesome reworking:



(That's the goddess Britannia, brought back from the dead by her psychotic phonomancer followers.)

[Mr. Gundam]

I totally agree with you, Different Class is near-perfect. At my wedding, my wife and used album art as the center pieces/table numbers at the reception. Different Class was used for Table #1: the wedding party. It's now in our hutch in the dining room. 

I might even rank it higher, I just threw "top 10" out there cause it's easy for me to agree to. If we get into "top 5" we'll have to start splitting hairs. and by best album I don't just mean in terms of how awesome the music is, but overall coherency as an album and total bullet-to-the-brain impact as a single entity. Awesome on your wedding tables--that is a clever and great idea.

And yeah, if I have to take sides in the great Britpop wars of 1995, it's Blur over Oasis without blinking--but I just /liked/ them, yeah? They didn't gut-punch me the way Pulp did.

Also, if it's not clear from my OP, I never really listened to any Manics besides the Motorcycle Emptiness single a few years back. But Phonogram made me track down The Holy Bible in a major way.

I love Blur, really do, but I can't relate to them in the way that Pulp does. It probably suggests that I'm a pretty messed up dude emotionally, but Jarvis' lyrics speak to me in a way that no one performer does.

[Eric P]

PHONOGRAM

BRITPOP

PATEL EST GOD?

[Cormacaroni]

I like most of the Manics' stuff a lot. Gold Against the Soul is probably my favorite as a complete album, despite being somewhat overlooked.

I used to play 'Design for Life' in a cover band. good times

[Polari]

I love Pulp and strongly recommend people check out the deluxe edition of His 'n' Hers. The second disc contains some of the best songs Pulp ever did; Street Lites, Seconds, Your Sister's Clothes, Deep Friend in Kelvin and His 'n' Hers are all incredible. The first disc is, of course, the best album Pulp released and is well worth the price of admission alone.

Where's the Suede love? Dog Man Star is still the Britpop album to beat, released before the thick and vapid got a stranglehold on the genre. The debut is also excellent, Sci-Fi Lullabies showcases the incredible depth they had and although Coming Up is something of a surrender to the thick and vapid it's still got some excellent songs (Beautiful Ones, By the Sea, Picnic by the Motorway).

I've always meant to check out The Holy Bible. Going to do it now. Thanks thread.

P.S. First Elastica album is incredible. Second one isn't bad either, especially Mark E. Smith's cameo.

[TVC15]

She is Suffering



Manic Street Preachers and Blur are my fave britpop bands.

EDIT:  That first Elastica album is pretty fun to listen to.

[Polari]

I listened to it in the bath this morning. Got me all pumped up before I realised I didn't actually have anything to do today.

[Howard Alan Treesong]

I love Pulp and strongly recommend people check out the deluxe edition of His 'n' Hers. The second disc contains some of the best songs Pulp ever did; Street Lites, Seconds, Your Sister's Clothes, Deep Friend in Kelvin and His 'n' Hers are all incredible. The first disc is, of course, the best album Pulp released and is well worth the price of admission alone.

P.S. First Elastica album is incredible. Second one isn't bad either, especially Mark E. Smith's cameo.

Hmm, will do. I have all the albums but only the "main" albums, plus a few random b-sides off of singles. I'd argue strongly Different Class is better than His 'n' Hers (actually, I don't even consider it an argument ) but His 'n' Hers vs. This is Hardcore is somewhat arguable.

...Oh, man, this is embarassing. I've spent my whole life conflating Elastica and Republica. Fuck me.

[abrader]

i have never heard or heard of this - I will check it out!

[Polari]

Bump 'cos I've listened to this a bit lately. Pretty intense. Being young I kind of missed this and the only image I had of them was from their (with apologies to Simon Amstell) "If you tolerate this then your children will be embarrassed" phase.

Where was this album when I was 14? I would have been in love. That stupid riff in "She is Suffering" cracks me up every time. On the whole I'm not sure I like the album, but I do like listening to it, if that makes any sense. I don't really agree with it in a lot of respects, but find parts of it pretty enjoyable.

[Himu]

I DOWNLOADED FEEDER'S ENTIRE DISCOGRAPHY OMG

[Mr. Gundam]

 

I want A Design for Life in Rock Band.