Manic Street Preachers 'The Holy Bible'. How can a band decline so much?

[Matt M]

I hate when a band declines so badly that you have to regularly listen to them when they were good in case your brain dismisses their entire work completely.
This certainly applies to the Manics and, in my opinion, the greatest album ever made - The Holy Bible.

I'm interested to hear what people think of this album. Or people who haven't heard it, what they think. Either hate or intrigued I would imagine.

It was made just before self-harming, alcoholic, anorexic songwriter and rhythm guitarist Richey James Edwards committed suicide and was at the peak of his powers.
Although the band made some good stuff after, nothing came close to this album.

I don't think there have been many darker albums, certainly not by quite a commercially successful band.
On top of being very very dark (which is always interesting) I think the album can be educational. I know it's made a hell of a lot of people, including myself, look into some of the things mentioned in the lyrics and learn about history in particular.

Some of the themes and lyrics.....

"He's a boy, you want a girl so tear off his c*ck. Tie his hair in bunches, f*ck him, call him Rita if you want." - 'Yes'




"Cool, groovy, morning, fine, Tipper Gore was a friend of mine. I love the free country, the stars & stripes and an apple for mommy.
There ain't no black in the Union Jack. There ain't enough white in the stars & stripes." - 'If White America Told The Truth For One Day It's World Would Fall Apart'

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"Mussolini hanged from a butchers hook, Hitler reprised in the worm of your soul. Horthy's corpse screened to a million, Tisu revived, the horror of a bullfight" - 'Of Walking Abortion'

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"If hospitals cure then prisons much bring their pain. Don't be ashamed to slaughter, the centre of humanity is cruelty. There is never redemption, any fool can regret yesterday." - 'Archives of Pain'

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"I wanna be so skinny that I rot from view. I wanna walk in the snow and not leave a footprint." - '4st 7lbs'

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"I know I believe in nothing but it is my nothing. I've been too honest with myself, I wish I lied like everybody else" - 'Faster'

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"Arbeit macht frei, Transports of invalids, Hartheim Castle breathes us in, In block 5 we worship malaria.
Lagerstrasse, poplar trees, Beauty lost, dignity gone
Rascher surveys us butcher bacteria" - 'The Intense Humming of Evil'

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[sh1tehawke]

its an album that i respect more than like. as you say the subject matter is incredibly heavy and their decision to fit the music around richie edwards unedited lyrics makes it a tough listen in parts.

its a bit too grim for continuous listening but it is a fascinating record, you're basically listening to richie edwards psyche implode over a post punk soundtrack.

i agree that they started to go downhill after this, everything must go was decent but they've not done much of interest since.

motorcycle emptiness was there high point imo.

 

[Matt M]

its an album that i respect more than like. as you say the subject matter is incredibly heavy and their decision to fit the music around richie edwards unedited lyrics makes it a tough listen in parts.

its a bit too grim for continuous listening but it is a fascinating record, you're basically listening to richie edwards psyche implode over a post punk soundtrack.

i agree that they started to go downhill after this, everything must go was decent but they've not done much of interest since.

motorcycle emptiness was there high point imo.

Yeah I didn't even bother with the last three albums.

I know a load of people who have seen them a couple of times this week, they're playing The Holy Bible in it's entirety on the tour.
I just couldn't be bothered to see them now. They're old and the passion is gone.