Meeting the Manics - who's "done it"?

[LadyWoodbee]

My apologies if there already exists a thread with the same topic, I only looked back a couple of pages and didn't see one.

So as I'm new here, I was wondering how many and who of you have met the band, how and why and where. By "met" I mean a bit more than a random encounter in the streets, or the usual "could you sign this please, thanks". What I'm interested in are situations when you actually talked to them for quite a while, whether in a professional or a more private environment doesn't matter.

The reason why I'm asking this: during the last ten years or so, there have been numerous occasions where I could have met the band (or parts of it) through friends or acquaintances who work in "the business" (musicians, journalists, roadies, managers, people like that). Most of them know how much the band means to me, so they tried to convince me to tag along to meet them, but I chickened out each time. I'm too scared of being disappointed, I suppose, because almost every time I met one of my "heroes" it was a let-down and quite disillusioning, so there are bands/artists I can't really listen to anymore because of that. I wouldn't want that to happen with the Manics.

Now a friend of mine, who works as a journalist, has been asked do a feature or something on the Manics after the release of Futurology (probably on their next tour), and that friend wants me to come along and come up with a couple of good questions. I haven't really decided yet whether to do it or not.

On the one hand I'm thinking this will probably be the only opportunity for me to meet them in a situation which isn't all "hysterical, drooling fan girl hyperventilates because JDB is standing in front of her"; I could sort of hide behind a "professional facade" or something. On the other hand, it's this requirement to act professionally which kind of puts me off - there's a good chance I'd be too nervous to ask anything even remotely intelligent or to act coherently, which would be extremely embarrassing and also a bit of a problem for my friend.

Also, I can't seem to come up with any really good questions which haven't been asked before. My friend tells me it doesn't matter if the questions seem a bit too obvious or old to me, as I'm a "Manics nerd", but most people who'd watch the programme wouldn't know much about the band in the first place. I'm aware of that, of course, but that wouldn't keep me from feeling stupid asking those questions, particularly with that frown James seems to have on his face in interviews all the time - so hard to read!

Sooo.... Does anyone have anything interesting to tell? Have you met them? Were you nervous, were they nice? What would you do in my place? Say yes or no? What would you ask them?

[UEF]

I asked James to sign a guitar once but actually got a decent conversation about him. When I saw him after a gig a few years later he asked me about it, which I found odd and somewhat humbling.

[Porco]

I would love to meet them but I doubt I ever will.

I would like to think JDB wouldn't punch me for my contributions to the Blackstar thread. It all came from a good place. lol

[AK47]

I've met the band after a few gigs and its been a pleasure. I've seen some fans be a bit controlling and hogging the band but I understand the devotion.

[Son of Stopped]

Do you know what? I really couldn't think of what to say, so I'd just nod and move along!

[Europa Gluten Free]

I totally share the feeling of nervousness about meeting them. I have got things signed after a gig and chatted very very briefly to Seano and that is enough for me. I love the music group Manic Street Preachers and the musicians/artists who are the guys in interviews and on stage. I really have no desire to meet them in real life in a forced situation as it would be very likely that they wouldn't be the people we think or hope they might be. And that's cool. I'm a fan of the band but why the fuck would I want to be their mate!?

[SeanOfTheDead]

I've only met them at the National Treasures album signing in Manchester, and they were so so nice, so I really think you should go, you'll be fine! I recall Sean complimenting me on being one of the few people able to operate a camera, Nicky having similar hair to my mum, saying 'stay beautiful' to James (and taking a rather unflattering picture of him with me while he had the beard) and a very sweaty security guy.
I didn't bother mithering them after the Mancs Apollo gig in April, seen as Nicky hadn't been too well up to that point.

[The Gutless Wonder]

I got a polite shove from James after a gig at Wolverhampton! He asked some of us fans to move back a bit and politely shepherded about four of us back a bit. Didn't get the chance to speak to him after that though!

[bgdaniels]

Hi guys -

Probably my first post here, but I've been lurking since the late 90's! Anyway, in response to the question about meeting the Manics:

I saw them a couple of times on their last US tour in '09. And yeah, the first time I met them, I met them in a crowd of folks after a show in Philadelphia where I got their autographs and Nicky was holding court. Not very intimate, but it was cool nonetheless.

However, after their NYC show at Webster Hall, my friend and I decided to go to the bar cattycorner from the venue and continue our evening. We randomly looked up about 30 minutes after arriving and there is a crowd of people standing around an SUV. We thought "huh, what's that all about?" and walked outside. Sure enough, it was Sean Moore, in the back of a black SUV talking to some fans who had been following the band around the country. So we decided to stick around.

Eventually, the crowd dispersed and my friend and I stood there chatting with Sean for about 20 minutes, really about all kinds of things. The Manics in the US, what their show in the UK is like, their following here, etc. At the time, he said they were planning on coming back and hopefully bringing their full lighting rig/etc. so that their US fans could get a real Manics show. He even mentioned them trying to play Bonnaroo and really, it seemed, make an effort here. He was a super cool guy and couldn't have been more generous with his time. It was certainly a night I'll never forget.

As we know, none of that stuff came true and all US Manics fans continue to be basically ignored by the band (for reasons I'm sure beyond their control - they spent their own money to come tour that year and couldn't afford to do the things they wanted.)

But the one thing I will say, and I'm sure most people would agree, is that the band truly seems to love and respect their fans. It is one of the most unique relationships in music, IMO. If you're a Manics fan, you're a Manics fan. Like all of you, I could rattle off a thousand random facts about the band that might scare them because I know too much. And hell, I'm from the US and have only been to the UK for like 5 days - I found out about them very randomly back in the mid-90s when I was a teenager, so I'm not the typical fan. But that's the kind of relationship that they have created and nurtured with their fanbase, and they all seem genuinely honored that they are as adored as they are. So what I would say to you LadyWoodbee is to enjoy the moment and be yourself - they couldn't be a nicer group of guys, and I'm sure they'll be more than pleased to hear about what a big fan you are. In a way, there's no greater honor in a band than to be truly loved, and they're one of the bands that really get it. Because You Love Us.

[Porco]

That's a proper first post, that is!
Welcome to the forum bgdaniels.

[bgdaniels]

Thanks buddy! I mean, I've been reading MSPKYE posts for like over 15 years. I even think s/he used to post on an Idlewild forum I lurked on as well! But I figured I'd dip my toe in the water amongst the hardcore fans of which I count myself one.

[The Gutless Wonder]

Welcome to FD bgdaniels! Always nice to hear from Manics fans from further afield!

[grimlock]

That's a great story. I missed out on the JFPL gig because it was 18+ and I was a couple months from turning 18 (heartbreaking, I can't even watch the Newbury Comics video without feeling a bit dead inside).

I was going to try to meet James after the 2nd O2 Brixton night in April, but it was either meet James or miss the tube and I hadn't memorized the night buses nor did I want to be stuck in Brixton for the night so...

[repeat]

Had the opportunity way back in 1993. A friend got us free tickets with a back stage pass because they worked in a record shop. Two of my mates went backstage and hung around a bit sheepishly but didn't meet them because the place was apparently swarming with record company reps etc. so they came back out without seeing them.

That same gig though, we were waiting to go in when we first got there and one of our friends was running late, so we stepped out of the que for a bit so that we could be spotted. The que was full of GT era fans all made up with leopard print, eyeliner etc, and suddenly two guys appeared to be shoving their way through the crowd up to the door and we realised it was James and Richey! Nobody recognised them because James had just had his hair bleached and they were wearing the khaki outfits. Only we could see them properly because of where we were standing.

[Dac X Lee]

Almost exactly 10 years ago, amongst my SLSK contacts whom I used to chat often with, there was a Welsh boy who said he spent some time with the Manics and said they were friendly, and that James was very down on earth and taught him some guitar too. But that was a long time ago, you know....