Nicky Wire of Manic Street Preachers on the death of rock'n'roll

John Harris speaks to Nicky Wire, lyricist and bassist for the Manic Street Preachers, about the decline of rock music and how the disappearance of former band member Richey Edwards has affected their music

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Nicky Wire
• Manic Street Preachers
• Music
• Culture
• John Harris
• the guardian
• indie music
• britpop
• pop
• indie
• Pop Music
• Independent Music
• Alternative

[AndPlus]

Is rock n' roll dead? Utterly stupid question. Its like asking if jazz is dead because it doesn't happen to be in the pop charts at this particular moment. Anyway, rock n' roll is more of an ethos than a style of music, which certainly isn't dead if individuals such as Wire who are making music still believe in it. Also 3:00 is 2:29

[LetsGetHighOnMorris]

That one guy is right. It's hiding and I'm one of those who have dug deep for it. I don't agree with all Nicky's points, but at least he has reasons to back up his position unlike the idiots who just say "OH ROCK IS DEAD. IT'S GONE."

[Colliermoose]

@richievegas01 I agree with you on Pulp, especially with This is Hardcore, but the same goes for the Manics. The Holy Bible is also stunning and groundbreaking, to the point where you think it's perhaps even better than the triumphant, iconic British albums of the 90s such as Definitiely Maybe and Parklife etc. Many ignore it because it's a difficult swallow at first, but once it clicks in, like Kid A, it's an IMMENSELY rewarding listen. Great fun even...

[richievegas01]

@Colliermoose Kid A is stunning. Innovative, daring, hugely successful and completely wrong footed all the journalists at the time. (NME - 'A mistake', 7/10). The Manics weren't musically inventive at all. Thom Yorke doesn't even do interviews anymore and Radiohead are still successful. Pulp were more groundbreaking than they were given credit for, 'This Is Hardcore' is unbelievably dark for a mainstream release.

[Colliermoose]

@richievegas01 Have you not heard The Holy Bible? It's better than everything Damon, Jarvis, and even Thom were responsible for... (well except for Kid A, that is my favourite album of all time).

[onecureforman]

We are here! Very alone but trying sincerely hard.

[totallytotal2010]

nope

[richievegas01]

Rock and Roll is dead. Absolutely, couldn't agree more. You get these washed up old fuckers appearing on weekend TV cookery programmes nowadays, that's not sticking it to the man now is it? What band was it that did that again? Erm, oh yeah, The Manics. They were crap in 1991, they were crap in 2001 and they're still crap in 2011. Nicky Wire isn't fit to tie Damon, Thom's or Jarvis' shoelaces.

[SovereignBeing]

i dont think of MSP as the missing member band..

Chris martin sold out? ! lol i love nicky not only is he the sexiest bass player on the planet, he speaks out as a voice of rock/politics/social commentary.

rock on the Wire.! i'll be your real friend...;-)

[Generation1Terrorist]

whenever Nicky smiles in an interview i always find myself smiling with him