Manics Want Mozzer

[goinghome]

- Manic Street Preachers have said that they would still love to meet up with Morrissey.

The band referenced the singer and his Smiths-era songwriting partner Johnny Marr in their track '1985' from the 2004 album Lifeblood.

Speaking to BBC Radio 2, bassist Nicky Wire and frontman James Dean Bradfield revealed that they recently met three of their favourite '80s artists after speaking to Mike Scott of The Waterboys, Jim Kerr of Simple Minds and Ian McCulloch of Echo & The Bunnymen.

Wire said: "There's only Morrissey left, because they were the four of our great icons of the '80s, really."

Bradfield added: "The unobtainable Morrissey, probably."

Wire responded: "You never know."

Morrissey was this week announced as the headliner of the Hop Farm Festival in Kent. - http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/news/a307945/manics-eye-unobtainable-morrissey-meet-up.html

 

[Librarian On Fire]

I believe more and more than Nicky Wire is the new Morrissey. Nicky is happiest when he's at home. He takes all his pop culture references seriously. He's a champion for the underdog. I love this quote he gave Q magazine in their February 2011 issue, " I just find that, asI get older, I expect less", he says. "You can't expect to be happy all the time. You get snatches of it - playing with the kids, swimming, just looking out the hotel window. A few minutes everyday is all I expect." Wonderful. I can accept that. I would also think that Morrissey must feel a pang of envy watching a band like the Manics get better with each album they record and still be loved and appreciated by the press and fans. Also in the interview the band say that the recording of the album and getting it right is more important than playing live.

I hope Nicky does meet Morrissey I know they would get along really well.

 

[butley]

I realise my opinions don't effect your appreciation of the Manics but I don't think Nicky Wire is the new Morrissey. He seems reasonably well adjusted and down to Earth granted but his statements are cumbersome and contrived.
The band are truly awful-musically I always perk up when I hear them until the tuneless heavy-handed lyrics come in.
Morrissey once said that The Manic Street Preachers could never save anybody's life and I see what he means.
Richey Edwards runs a jacket potato stall in Chapel-en-le Frith by the way

 

[Librarian On Fire]

[Richey Edwards runs a jacket potato stall in Chapel-en-le Frith by the way[/QUOTE]

Swear I saw him in Burger King in Mission Bay Auckland.
Butley, your comments are valid it's refreshing to read a intelligent reply. Wouldn't you agree that the Manics have taken over in attracting intelligent, well read, politically aware fans more than the Smiths ever did? One to discuss over a pint.

 

[joe frady]

In the early & mid 1990s Nicky & Richey gave the sharpest interviews, generally, since Morrissey's mid-80s interviews. I so wanted to like them but, for me, they were all mouth and no trousers. Superb in theory, but then the music begins, and that voice Ugly ugly ugly. Which can be nice, in some cases. But I never found any of the beauty and sublimity in their own songs as much as I did in their copious references, quotations and influences.
I still find Nicky Wire to be an interesting figure in the pop sphere, amidst a general dearth of such figures, but I can't see him and Morrissey getting along. Just a feeling, can't really explain. Perhaps if Morrissey had undergone a university education he would have come out the other end as something like Nicky Wire. Or not.

 

[butley]

I think the Manics reckon they have more of an intelligent fan-base than they do. I think theirs is a semi-skimmed rebelliousness. I'm sure it's not rose-tinted beer goggles but The Smiths were subversive yet it was hard to say why. They just seemed to get under people's skins,well Morrissey did, and it was virtually impossible to not have an opinion,good or bad,of him.Like all mainstream figures: Madonna, Gaga, Boy George , Elton John, Amy Winehouse etcetera everybody has their view. The Manics are simply not interesting enough to illicit a response from the general public. They have a following but I reckon their fans are just people who are intelligent in their spare time. Like The Cure,they are for solicitors who want to be a bit weird and rebellious at the weekend or on bank holidays. Oh and somebody should tell Nicky Wire to stop wearing bloody frocks. He looks like a Rocky Horror fan,which is no compliment.

 

[joe frady]

people who are intelligent in their spare time

 

[Sheridan Whiteside]

Naked City - C4 circa 1993 - Caitlin Moran interviewed Nicky Wire and they were discussed the Finsbury Park 'incident' and Wire said of Morrissey 'He is just a sad old bitter man'

My mind was made up on him from that day. Tosser, he can stay at home with his Dysons.

 

[joe frady]

Naked City - C4 circa 1993 - Caitlin Moran interviewed Nicky Wire and they were discussed the Finsbury Park 'incident' and Wire said of Morrissey 'He is just a sad old bitter man'

My mind was made up on him from that day. Tosser, he can stay at home with his Dysons.

I'd forgotten that one, until you just mentioned it. Funny, cos I usually have a flawless photographic recall of people who've 'dissed' Morrissey in the past. Times, dates, places, precise quotes, etc. Oh for shame.
I do remember another scintillating piece on that C4 show with Caitlin Moron conducting a 'debate' about Racist Moz and the Finsbury Park Flag. It involved some tit from Fun-Da-Mental and Sonya form Echobelly. I almost shot my TV it was so pathetic. Sonya later said that the piece was cut to absolute ribbons in favour of the F-D-M bloke. C4 allowed her about 2 words, but lots of pretty reaction shots though.

 

[Librarian On Fire]

God, Sonya from Echobelly was lovely. Really really lovely.

 

[Librarian On Fire]

For Morrissey it's animal rights, for Nicky it is public libraries. Two causes I will always rally around and support. Nice article from Nicky,

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/feb/07/nicky-wires-library-closures-manics?CMP=EMCGT_080211&

 

[Helen]

I'm representing for the Manics/Morrissey fanbase crossover.

I'm really not sure how James' voice is 'ugly'. I personally find his voice quite beautiful to (the point that it looks incongruous coming out of the body of a short bloke who likes pies). When I saw the Manics in Brixton in January, his voice nearly moved me to tears. At least he doesn't do random yodels, unlike *someone* I could mention....

I think it would be very interesting if they wrote a song for him, as they did with Shirley Bassey (even if they didn't go as far as a McCulloch style duet). If you haven't heard this yet then be prepared for how spine-tingling this is. It's really beautiful and again... tears rose in my eyes. (really - if you like big, bombastic songs and 60s stuff, John Barry especially, then please do give this a listen)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5DXQnK3dC8

And check out the black and white photos in that montage a fan did - photoshop Morrissey into that with your mind. Heck, I think Morrissey could even do a beautiful cover of it. Except maybe change references to Tiger Bay to... erm... Manchester ship canal or something.

"I am a grumpy old git,
there's no denying who I am,
Forever old, I remain
the bloke from the Manchester ship canal...."

See, that works.

Anyway, that's enough about me before I start to sound like a Medieval mystic with the Gift of Tears. STOP CRYING, HELEN! No, no, I can't... people keep using minor keys and it's making me emotional.

 

[Johnny]

I'm not a huge fan of the Manics albums but they have done some stonking singles over the years and Motorcycle Emptiness is pure class.

Saw them live just before Richy went awol and they were excellent.

Instead of an intro tape they played the entire debut album from Dexys Midnight Runners which is one of,if not the,best debut albums ever.