Manic Street Preachers - Funtime Tour of The Holy Bible

[Dino]

Am looking forward to the return of the Manics. I liked Lifeblood! Viva Fragments! No money to buy tickets yet, but when I reap my winnings from the European Lottery Guild, would like to see Cardiff Uni, AND stay in a top hotel! Or I could wait until later in the year until the inevitable winter stadium tour. Providing the album doesn't get leaked online like Lifeblood did. DON'T leak it online if you get the chance!

[Rob McCow]

Hurrah! See, there are still some whole-hearted Manics fans left

[Dave Tudor]

I heard the new single, 'Your Love Alone' for the first time yesterday, and it's really rather good!

[Paul Monk]

Despite expressing my lack of interest in the Manics, I've just spent ages trying to hear the new single on the net. Old habits and all that.

Its actually quite catchy and you've got to love old Nina Cardigan as well.
I'm slightly looking forward to the album now

[Dave Lewis]

Where did you find it, Paul? I was too slow to spot the thread and subsequently missed the 'listen again' of Dermot's show where he played it.

[Paul Monk]

Check your private messages Dave!

[Rob McCow]

Manic Street Preachers have confirmed the details of their new album 'Send Away The Tigers'.
The band have revealed the tracklisting for the record, which is released on May 7.
The album will be preceded by single 'Your Love Alone Is Not Enough' on April 30, which sees the band team up with The Cardigans singer Nina Persson.
The full tracklisting for their new album is:

'Send Away The Tigers'
'Underdogs'
'Your Love Alone Is Not Enough'
'Indian Summer'
'The Second Great Depression'
'Rendition'
'Autumnsong'
'I Am Just A Patsy'
'Imperial Bodybags'
'Winterlovers'

The band will also be hitting the road for a 23-date sold-out jaunt of the UK in May.

The tour calls at:

Cambridge Corn Exchange (May 8)
Leeds University (9)
Cardiff University Great Hall (11, 12)
Glasgow Barrowlands (14)
Newcastle Academy (15)
Sheffield Octagon (17)
Carlisle Sands Centre (18)
Preston Guildhall (20)
Wolverhampton Civic Hall (21)
Norwich UEA (23)
Nottingham Rock City (24)
Llandudno Venue Cymru (26)
Manchester Apollo (27)
London Forum (29)
London Astoria (30)
London Shepherds Bush Empire (31)
Bristol Colston Hall (June 2)
Truro Hall (3)
Southampton Guildhall (5)
Brighton Dome (6)
Leicester De Montfort Hall (8)
Reading Hexagon (9) (Ooo! Shame we missed this one)

Manic Street Preachers then head to this year's V Festival.

The Welsh trio will join the likes of The Killers, Snow Patrol and Foo Fighters for the two-day bash, which takes place over the weekend of August 18 and 19.

They've teamed up with The Cardigans. Doomed, we're all doomed Captain!

[SiHart]

Reading Hexagon (9) (Ooo! Shame we missed this one)

I'm sure we will be able to live with the disappointment.

Si xx

[Rob McCow]

But there might have been a guest appearance from The Cardigans.

And.

[SiHart]

Damn! You got me there.

Si xx

[Milky Tears]

Think I just caught the end of the video for 'Your Love Alone Is Not Enough' with Nina Cardigan Persson on Bliss!!

Sounds promising.

[Paul Monk]

I have had the new album for 2 days now and its pretty good. Almost back on form. Probably about equal with This Is My Truth at the moment. There are some gloriously Everything Must Go-y moments though. Overall they stopped being so worthy and pompous and have made an album where they seem to be enjoying themselves.

[Dave Tudor]

I think it's fantastic, miles better than the previous two - although that wouldn't be difficult!

[Paul Monk]

I agree. I think that having some time away and making the solo albums has given them a new lease of life.

[Dave Tudor]

It's got that 'classic' Manics sound, too, hasn't it? The single exemplifies this, and that one song is the best track they've done in years. It's also a very short album (it's less than forty minutes long), and so it hasn't got that overblown feel to it, which, great as it was, 'This Is My Truth...' tended towards. They're really back on form.

I really wish I had bothered to get tickets for the tour, but they're all sold out now.

[Dave Lewis]

Belatedly bought it. I love it! Send Away The Tigers and Indian Summer are genius.

You know it's a good post-Richey Manics album when, for the first time ever, there's a song where the music lets a song down, rather than the lyrics...

Guess which one!

[Dino]

Autumnsong is the next single (don't know when) and this Friday, tickets go on sale for winter tour. Cardiff International Arena on the menu. No idea of the price, but given the last tour sold out in two hours... 9.30 A.M. they go on sale, alas, can't afford it (so I hate it all...geddit?) but you probably could. Under starters orders!

[Dave Tudor]

Ooh, now that's interesting, although, rather perversely, if they're playing big arenas this time around, I won't be quite as interested - I've already seen them twice at Birmingham NEC, and I would really have liked to have seen them somewhere smaller. Ah well, let's see.

[Dino]

Autumnsong released next week 23 July. Available to download that week as well, but I'm not sure you'll get the b-sides. Do you want Rianna to have an ELEVENTH week at number one? (kill me now!!!) Or would you like the Manics to have their third number one? I'm choosing the Manics of course, but we can't do it without your help. I beseech thee, Planet Skaro, make the charts matter again!

[Dave Lewis]

Autumnsong is a piss weak song, one of the worst on the album. It almost sounds like the Manics have belatedly developed a sense of humour, but sadly it isn't a very funny one.

[Paul Monk]

I quite like Autumnsong

[Dave Lewis]

What have you done to your hair, done to your hair, done to your hair?

[Dino]

The Manics are releasing their Christmas single tomorrow, for FREE as a download. "The Ghosts Of Christmas" will be available from www.manics.co.uk. Not sure if you have to sign up. Their tour stars this Sunday. Looks like my brother never got the ticket for Edinburgh then...
Sign up for the single,even if you have no intention of looking at their site ever again! Happy Christmas!

[Rob McCow]

I'll sign up for any old crap, me.

And a new Manics single certainly falls under that remit!

[Dave Lewis]

I got one of my regular emails from the Manics tonight - we're best mates of course - and this is what it said:

We thought you would like to know that we have been making music. We have been in the studio with Mr Steve Albini recording live – to tape – analogue – no digital hiss – no Pro Tools – no safety nets. Quite scary, daunting but invigorating.

All the songs we are recording are lyrics left to us by Richey. Finally it feels like the right time to use them (especially after the last 18 months being so amazing with Send Away The Tigers). Musically, in many ways it feels like a follow up to the Holy Bible but there is also an acoustic side – tender, romantic, nihilism, “Small Black Flowers That Grow In The Sky” esque. It’s a record that celebrates the genius of his words, full of love, anger, intelligence and respect. We have to make this great. Wish us luck.

We hope to release the record next April or May. The working titles are “Journal for Plague Lovers” or “I Know I Believe In Nothing But It Is My Nothing”.

Hmmm... I think... hmmm... erm....

Is that the sound of something amazing approaching from over the horizon or the dismal metallic dirge of the bottom of the barrel being scraped?