That I do not know, sorry :\


Not to mention that F charted at #2 in the UK, whereas RTF landed at #4 (if I remember right). But then of course that's only down to sales on the release week.

Futurology with WMTTB

Yes, this was a huge surprise to me too. I don't really understand why Futurology sold the way it did, as I would consider it the more accessible of the two. Futurology is also musically much more similar to SATT, TIMTTMY and EMG, which were very commercially successful.

No problem at all! Thanks for finding the data.

Oh was that just the first week sales? I don't even know where to look for up to date figures.. Wonder what Holy Bible sales figures are like now, taking into account the original formats, 10th and 20th anniversary and the RSD picture discs...

Looking back, I think there was a fair bit against Futurology as far as timing goes. Rewind The Film had the advantage of being the come back album after cracking on for three years and not that long after the International Treasures tour, which I think must've helped em regain a bit of popularity?

As for Futurology, I'll be surprised if that went off as planned cos it doesn't make sense. Rewind The Film did, Resistance Is Futile does, album out, give everyone a couple of weeks to learn the words then tour. Wonder how much of the album will get an airing too. My top three from Futurology never even got played, Next Jet, Black Square, Misguided Missile.. Just thinking about the Postcards tour too, seeing the merch with I Think I've Found It and Don't Be Evil on t-shirts and badges, but neither em being played. Would've thought if it's good enough to go on a t-shirt it's good enough to go in the setlist, weird.

Soz, this got a bit rambling.

Found that very strange at the time too. Wondered of the back of that if I Think I've Found It and Don't Be Evil were maybe intended to be singles.

I loved the tour, but is that their most unplayed album? As far as I recall they've never played Auto-Intoxication, I Think I've Found It, All We Make Is Entertainment and Don't Be Evil.. A Billion Balconies Facing The Sun and The Future Has Been Here 4 Ever were only played a couple of times each too. Strange for such a long initial tour and still so much of it to not get touched. Wonder if any of em ever will be.

The topic is "Renaissance" so what Manics song could I try and get on the playlist?
I did think "Pretension/Repulsion" due to Odalisque by Ingres reference but think that might be a century after the initial renaissance period. Any ideas?

Very good chance nothing will be picked, bit of a running joke about me always trying to get Manics onto it.

Statistically, Lifeblood is the album with the least plays.

I meant least represented, sorry. They've never played Emily, Glasnost, Always/Never or Fragments on tour. Well, they did Fragments in session so really just the three songs that've never been performed live, with four on Postcards. Both are 12 track albums, so 3/4 Lifeblood and 2/3 Postcards. If we're counting Fragments... Which I'm not sure we should...

Then again, I've seen Everything Will Be and Firefight too. Shame none of the Postcards b-sides got an airing.

A Song for Departure got touted a couple of times recently, and on Jools Holland back in the day.

Aye, missed A Song For Departure both times round, would love to see it live. Ah, well at least I got To Repel Ghosts, think that's only been played twice.

Ah I get you.

As you say, most Lifeblood songs got an airing, although a lot of the chances of songs getting a run out has more to do with the length of the tour and the length of the album. Owing to the THB 20, Futurology did get a rough ride, with only WMTTB, Europa and the title track getting any significant airtime. The others that were played are in single digits.

Of course, tour length and song age does play a significant part. With an 8 date tour coming up that means that (statistically,) the chances of any of the new songs getting more of a handful of plays is low just by virtue of the fact that they are competing with the classics. Presumably one or two will be kept on for future tours (if the last few albums are anything to go by.)

Does anyone remember Nicky's Secret Society, around the time of IKTZ? It'll all very wavy lines, but I seem to remember it being a mailing list. You signed up and got a download. I can't remember which song, and I don't recall ever actually getting any e-mails.

I do! I don't think I ever got any emails either.

Ha! Wasn't just me, then. Do you remember what the download was?