The new clues that suggest missing Richey staged his own dissapearance

[Mr Richey]

Of course he staged his own disappearance; he wasn’t kidnapped!

I see no significant new information here whatsoever. It’s well known that he was regularly withdrawing large amounts of money in the lead up to his disappearance, that he left packages to be found both at the hotel and his flat, that he stopped taking his medication and that he abandoned his car by the Severn Bridge. The only new thing mentioned here is that he was interested in visiting Israel. That’s it. Not exactly earth shattering stuff, is it?

[UEF]

The one thing that makes me think that he's probably not with us any more is that eventually you'd probably come back for the money that had been accusing in the bank account in the years since.

I think the band think this too. "Richey never had a mobile phone" etc - suggests he didn't stick around long enough to get one.

I don't blame his family for not being chums with the band. Why should they be?

[Elizabeth M]

There’s no way Richey will be remembered widely for anything but his troubles and disappearance, especially because he was never really famous for anything else. That may do an injustice to him as an individual or as an artistic talent, but it’s human nature.

As for the book, it could be interesting, but to me it doesn’t seem there's any question as to whether or not Richey staged his disappearance. I think it has always been pretty obvious that he staged it. The questions is what happened to him afterwards. Still no answer to that, of course. I feel for Rachel and the other loved ones he left behind. It’s a horrible thing to live with.

[wireobsessed]

Originally Posted by Mr Richey

Of course he staged his own disappearance; he wasn’t kidnapped!

I see no significant new information here whatsoever. It’s well known that he was regularly withdrawing large amounts of money in the lead up to his disappearance, that he left packages to be found both at the hotel and his flat, that he stopped taking his medication and that he abandoned his car by the Severn Bridge. The only new thing mentioned here is that he was interested in visiting Israel. That’s it. Not exactly earth shattering stuff, is it?

Totally agree.

I totally understand if people hate what I'm about to write but this has really got to me. I won't read this book. Over the past two days I've become increasingly pissed off with what's been publicised and written. I know I've not read the book but from what has been written via Wales Online and The Sunday Times there doesn't seem to be much new evidence of anything. I get that Rachel is still grieving and frustrated and angry. God knows we all would be but it's her decision again to produce a book that just reinforces the "stereotypical" tortured rock star image of Richey. If she want to reclaim her brother this is not the way to do it. Too many people will simply focus on the sensational stuff-the anorexia, the drinking, the cutting and self harm, the psychological and mental health issues and then the way the book appears to push the idea that he was obsessive about disappearing. The front cover even seems to have been chosen to show the eternal "rock-star" image. If she'd wanted to reclaim him as her brother she should have used a different image.
That said, what has got to me most has been the issue she seems to have with James, Sean and Nicky. The Times article states she is angry with the band and it's hardly hidden. What the hell has she got to be angry with them for? They have acted with dignity and love from the moment Richey left. They still don't know the truth and have suffered just as much. Perhaps she should have considered that. They've clearly not been involved in this and you can't imagine them issuing any kind of reply or statement. It will inevitably hurt them for all sorts of reasons. It's been an incredibly tough 18 months for the boys and Nicky particularly, I wonder if Rachel ever considered that when she was involved in this and particularly with the press articles surrounding the book release? Mourning for a loved one brings back all those feelings of loss you've experienced before, I feel for Nicky so much. It must feel like a smack in the face.
I hate exploitative journalism and this feels so much like that. The release date coincides with Richey's disappearance, the press focussing on the mythology, which Rachel claims to want to avoid, the cover photo, publicly expressing anger at the band and raising the issue that Richey didn't like them or get on with them before his disappearance.... I could go on.
Wherever and however he is, I hope he's found peace. If he is out there living a quiet, happy life this won't help him either. Let things be, rakeing over details, myths and whatever's won't help anyone; least of all Rachel. Some things need to be left well alone; this is one of them.

[Routine Builder]

With regards to Picturesque, I remember at the time Nick stating that they had been working on the
lyric together hence why they felt they could use it. This does kinda makes sense to me, Motorcycle Emptiness is a Hodge Podge of three or four seperate songs.

I have severe doubts that the band would just pilfer the leftover lyrics for a free EP. I don't personally ever remember Rachel talking about the band though, I never seen anything to suggest there was a private feud.

[Routine Builder]

Wire Obsessed comments pretty much captures how I feel about the book and its release.

[River Boy]

Originally Posted by Elizabeth M

As for the book, it could be interesting, but to me it doesn’t seem there's any question as to whether or not Richey staged his disappearance. I think it has always been pretty obvious that he staged it. The questions is what happened to him afterwards. Still no answer to that, of course. I feel for Rachel and the other loved ones he left behind. It’s a horrible thing to live with.

Completely agree, I've always thought that it was obviously a staged disappearance, not a suicide. Obviously there's no way of knowing if it went well or if he's still alive somewhere now, but I don't understand why so many respond to the idea that he's alive as if you're debating the existence of the Loch Ness monster or something.

I'm interested in the book, purely because it has Rachel's approval. I was very surprised to learn she had agreed to anything, so she must have felt the content was fresh enough (I ignored the last attempt which emerged a few years back and just seemed to repeat stuff from the biographies).

Didn't read the whole of the article though. Will reserve judgement as journalism, by its nature, provides a very clumsy summation of anything slightly complicated. So will decide what I think when reading the book, as granted some of the content in the article will be abbreviated and poorly detailed.

Originally Posted by wireobsessed

Totally agree.

I totally understand if people hate what I'm about to write but this has really got to me. I won't read this book. Over the past two days I've become increasingly pissed off with what's been publicised and written. I know I've not read the book but from what has been written via Wales Online and The Sunday Times there doesn't seem to be much new evidence of anything. I get that Rachel is still grieving and frustrated and angry. God knows we all would be but it's her decision again to produce a book that just reinforces the "stereotypical" tortured rock star image of Richey. If she want to reclaim her brother this is not the way to do it. Too many people will simply focus on the sensational stuff-the anorexia, the drinking, the cutting and self harm, the psychological and mental health issues and then the way the book appears to push the idea that he was obsessive about disappearing. The front cover even seems to have been chosen to show the eternal "rock-star" image. If she'd wanted to reclaim him as her brother she should have used a different image.
That said, what has got to me most has been the issue she seems to have with James, Sean and Nicky. The Times article states she is angry with the band and it's hardly hidden. What the hell has she got to be angry with them for? They have acted with dignity and love from the moment Richey left. They still don't know the truth and have suffered just as much. Perhaps she should have considered that. They've clearly not been involved in this and you can't imagine them issuing any kind of reply or statement. It will inevitably hurt them for all sorts of reasons. It's been an incredibly tough 18 months for the boys and Nicky particularly, I wonder if Rachel ever considered that when she was involved in this and particularly with the press articles surrounding the book release? Mourning for a loved one brings back all those feelings of loss you've experienced before, I feel for Nicky so much. It must feel like a smack in the face.
I hate exploitative journalism and this feels so much like that. The release date coincides with Richey's disappearance, the press focussing on the mythology, which Rachel claims to want to avoid, the cover photo, publicly expressing anger at the band and raising the issue that Richey didn't like them or get on with them before his disappearance.... I could go on.
Wherever and however he is, I hope he's found peace. If he is out there living a quiet, happy life this won't help him either. Let things be, rakeing over details, myths and whatever's won't help anyone; least of all Rachel. Some things need to be left well alone; this is one of them.

The decisions regarding cover and timing, etc., would have come from the publishing company who would be sensitive to sales above all else. That does not mean that the book doesn't come from a good place.

Could be worse. The first US publisher to publish The Hobbit put an emu on the cover.

[Routine Builder]

Originally Posted by Routine Builder

With regards to Picturesque, I remember at the time Nick stating that they had been working on the
lyric together hence why they felt they could use it. This does kinda makes sense to me, Motorcycle Emptiness is a Hodge Podge of three or four seperate songs.

I have severe doubts that the band would just pilfer the leftover lyrics for a free EP. I don't personally ever remember Rachel talking about the band though, I never seen anything to suggest there was a private feud.

Thanks MSPEDIA!

http://www.foreverdelayed.org.uk/msp..._Phill_Jupitus

[wireobsessed]

Thanks xx

[Routine Builder]

Honestly, I'd prefer a release of Richey's 'Opulence' folder over another 'tragic icon' fake biography by a would be author with too little imagine to have an original idea. I imagine there's reams and reams of unreleased material that would tell us more about Richey the artist.

[wireobsessed]

Totally agree abt the publishers and release dates etc, just leaves a bit of a bad taste personally. I wish Rachel the best and hope this helps her, I just find it really strange that suddenly there appears to be issue with The Manics. To my knowledge this has never been suggested before; I wonder why now?

[Anaconda Vice]

Originally Posted by GregRoss

If Richey is alive, which I doubt, he clearly doesn’t want anyone to bother him. So why look for him? Give him the respect he deserves (yes, I know that was not a compliment in Archives of Pain but I mean it as one here).

I understand his sister is still distraught and having recently lost both her parents she probably feels even more alone in the world.

I would love for him to be alive and hopefully happy.

But if he alive is it’s up to him to come forward.

My sentiments exactly.

Over the years, with all the things said about the subject of Richey disappearing like he did, I reached this conclusion:

After The Holy Bible and everything he was going through personally that year, he knew that he had to change something. That meant in his mind, perhaps leaving EVERYTHING behind.

To Richey, just leaving the Manic Street Preachers wouldn't have been enough. He'd then just be an ex-rock star, while his friends may have carried on. Imagine him hanging around Cardiff, with the Manic Street Preachers carrying on without him. It would be a constant reminder of that darkness he went though and was still going through.

So yeah, maybe he thought that leaving the band was never going to be enough and he had to make a total break from everything. He hasn't been found because when he went, he didn't want to be found. If someone found him, they'd want him to come back home and he would be back to square one.

That would a hard pill for those around him back then (the band, and his family) to swallow, but I don't know. I'm obviously not him.

Originally Posted by Routine Builder

Honestly, I'd prefer a release of Richey's 'Opulence' folder over another 'tragic icon' fake biography by a would be author with too little imagine to have an original idea. I imagine there's reams and reams of unreleased material that would tell us more about Richey the artist.

Yeah, a "scrapbook" of sorts, scans of his writings, without context or any kind of emphasis on anything, left for people to read would be an interesting document of the kind of writer he was, the "poet" he's often been described as by his former bandmates.

[Velocitygirl]

I'd be interested to know where this story about "Vivian" came from and how they know she was in his hotel room. All the more intriguing because they seemt to be relating a verbatim conversation that was supposed to have happened between her and Richey. I forget the wording, but it was something along the lines of him trying to give her his passport, adding that he wouldn't be needing it anymore.

How do they know there was a woman in his hotel room? How do they know about a convo they had? That all seems like such a stretch to me. And, really, wtf is the point in him giving her his passport? What conceivable use would she have for it?

As for the woman down the hairdresser's who claims "everyone" knows he's living in a kibutz in Israel ... well, that's just bollocks. Clearly, not everyone knows that.

As for Rachel Elias' anger toward the remaining band members, that is understandable. In her position, I'd be lashing out too. But, IMO, the remaining Manics have handled Richey and his disappearance with endless tact, sensitivity and dignity. Nicky, in particular, seems particularly heartbroken. You only need to listen to Holy as the Soil to know that, or just listen to him talking about Richey etc.

It's just an awful situation all around. And, like everyone else, I hope Richey is alive and well. Meanwhile, I strongly suspect he is not.

[roi]

Originally Posted by Velocitygirl

I'd be interested to know where this story about "Vivian" came from and how they know she was in his hotel room. All the more intriguing because they seemt to be relating a verbatim conversation that was supposed to have happened between her and Richey. I forget the wording, but it was something along the lines of him trying to give her his passport, adding that he wouldn't be needing it anymore.

How do they know there was a woman in his hotel room? How do they know about a convo they had? That all seems like such a stretch to me. And, really, wtf is the point in him giving her his passport? What conceivable use would she have for it?

As for the woman down the hairdresser's who claims "everyone" knows he's living in a kibutz in Israel ... well, that's just bollocks. Clearly, not everyone knows that.

As for Rachel Elias' anger toward the remaining band members, that is understandable. In her position, I'd be lashing out too. But, IMO, the remaining Manics have handled Richey and his disappearance with endless tact, sensitivity and dignity. Nicky, in particular, seems particularly heartbroken. You only need to listen to Holy as the Soil to know that, or just listen to him talking about Richey etc.

It's just an awful situation all around. And, like everyone else, I hope Richey is alive and well. Meanwhile, I strongly suspect he is not.

Wasn’t there an interview with her perhaps 10 or 15 years ago where she speaks positively of the band members? I’m sure I remember this. Obviously it’s a fairly complicated and difficult situation, but much of the dislike from her i’ve read about seems to have been from second hand reporting rather than directly from her.

[Velocitygirl]

Originally Posted by roi

Wasn’t there an interview with her perhaps 10 or 15 years ago where she speaks positively of the band members? I’m sure I remember this. Obviously it’s a fairly complicated and difficult situation, but much of the dislike from her i’ve read about seems to have been from second hand reporting rather than directly from her.

I really couldn't say. I haven't read many interviews with Rachel at all, tbh. One of the few I have read she stated she hadn't seen or spoken to the band since they attended her father's funeral (I don't know what year that was). I think I heard somewhere that she wasn't happy about his lyrics being used in Journal. Which does seem strange. Assuming Richey didn't leave those lyrics with the band so they could line budgie cages with them, it seems only natural that he wanted them to be used to make more music. That was his blessing for the band to carry on without him. But, like I said, I can understand if she's upset with the way things have gone.