No Manics bandwagon?

[Son of Stopped]

Sometimes I wonder if IRL my individual appearance puts people off getting into the Manics, even though I don't wear make up and have never worn leopard print after all this time.
I do like the Manics, I'd call myself a fan and recommend them to anybody whenever a music conversation starts up. Worst I've ever had from someone is "Oh yeah, my Dad likes them" but that was over ten years ago.
I think people thinking them a 90's band is a bigger misconception than Richey was their lead guitarist/singer.
The no bandwagon, Topshop (But I still see the Working Class Hero t-shirts on sale) new fan shortage is of no fault to the bands music.

[cricri]

I agree with Adele.
In my point of view, the amount of knowled(g)e you must have in order to understand the Manics (this obvs doesn't apply to random listeners) is something to be proud of.
I don't think I'm able to fully understand them yet, but I'm working on it, and this hunger for more IWRWHW (), but above all, is something no one should feel ashamed for.

[Ermintrude the Cow]

Hahahaha, amusingly enough me and a friend were talking on Facebook, and a mutual friend just said "I don't understand this conversation, are you talking about the Manics again?!"

We weren't, and it amuses me that everyone thinks any obscure reference I make is a Manics one.

[Littlesue]

I'd say they were on the edge of being majorly big in 98 but Wire being the inverted snob that he is decided to look down on certain fans and that put a lot of people off. Over the years when I've mentioned I've been a Manic's fan I've had people say how surprised as they see them as only appealing to the more Middle Class and not low life like myself

[Ermintrude the Cow]

Originally Posted by Littlesue

I'd say they were on the edge of being majorly big in 98 but Wire being the inverted snob that he is decided to look down on certain fans and that put a lot of people off. Over the years when I've mentioned I've been a Manic's fan I've had people say how surprised as they see them as only appealing to the more Middle Class and not low life like myself

I really hate that attitude. Just because their lyrics are more meaningful that "I PREDICT A RI-YOT" and they reference 'intellectual' stuff, that means nothing. They're working class people themselves, and I really resent this implication that only the middle classes have brains.

Also, you're blates not low-life Sue! I think you're cool.

[Son of Stopped]

Ha ha! "Baby what you done to your hair" is too challenging for some teens now, as they usually got theirs shaved off!

[Ermintrude the Cow]

I'd say it's more relevant than ever given all the silly emo styles I see in the city centre on Saturdays!

[The Gutless Wonder]

Originally Posted by Son of Stopped

Ha ha! "Baby what you done to your hair" is too challenging for some teens now, as they usually got theirs shaved off!

Kids just aren't in to dyeing their hair green these days!

[Bryter Layter]

Originally Posted by Ermintrude the Cow

It's the same for Suede though, better band than Blur, Radiohead put together but very few bands cite them as an influence.

Adele, what a great sense of humour you have.

Originally Posted by Dancing Kirby

The Manics are a guilty pleasure. Well, pleasure isn't necessarily the right word these days.

I don't really have this problem as most people over here don't know who they are. I do get a lot of flak from certain friends who find my fondness for a guy who hacked himself up and then disappeared under a shroud of secrecy, slightly disturbing. I'd be offended if these same people didn't have an obsession for Michael Buble. Now that's horrifying.

I've tried on numerous occasions to get younger fans interested in the Manics by compelling them to listen to THB and more recently, JFPL. Most dig them, but when they go to check out other albums, they're not impressed at all. I think in terms of their music, with the exception of the Bible, they've never really pushed the envelope enough musically to inspire like-minded musicians (I'm reticent to use the term "indie/alternative" to describe their music as I don't really think it is alternative music for the most part). Plus, constantly dissing your albums merely because they didn't sell very well doesn't exactly inspire confidence in aspiring musicians, does it?

I would like to mention however that Richey Edwards, regardless of his lack of music ability, is highly regarded within the music industry - many of the Manics contemporaries as well as more recent musicians have cited him as an influence or someone they admire for various reasons.

[The Gutless Wonder]

Probably the reason I love James so much is that he's never put himself first in the band even though he's the frontman. It's always 'Richey/Nicky this, Sean that'. He deserves alot more recognition from the music industry than he sometimes gets but that's another thread altogether which has probably been done a million times before anyway! And they've done such a variety of stuff over the years that no, you can't really pin them down as just being 'indie/alternative'.

[tzb]

Originally Posted by Son of Stopped

Sometimes I wonder if IRL my individual appearance puts people off getting into the Manics

Your individual appearance never hurt The Move or ELO's career, I wouldn't worry about it

[MarilynRoxie]

Originally Posted by The Gutless Wonder

It's always 'Richey/Nicky this, Sean that'.

Okay, I'm going to have to stop you right there - Sean is always getting neglected by perhaps most fans and some critics! There are not even very many Sean-related fansites or, er, fanfiction. I mean, there's a two primarily James-centric ARCHIVES of that stuff. In terms of the popularity I have seen around (not my own ranking), I would rank them thusly: Richey > Nicky > James > Sean. Nicky and James seem to cyclicly trade places in terms of popularity, and Richey is on top more in certain circles, and less so in others (but the intrigue and fannishness around him seems to generally win out in terms of ranking them as above).

[Bambi]

The reason there is no Manics bandwagon is that the Manics were never, ever cool.

[The Gutless Wonder]

Originally Posted by MarilynRoxie

Okay, I'm going to have to stop you right there - Sean is always getting neglected by perhaps most fans and some critics! There are not even very many Sean-related fansites or, er, fanfiction. I mean, there's a two primarily James-centric ARCHIVES of that stuff. In terms of the popularity I have seen around (not my own ranking), I would rank them thusly: Richey > Nicky > James > Sean. Nicky and James seem to cyclicly trade places in terms of popularity.

I was referring to how James bigs the others up in comparison to himself. But yeah, I'm well aware of the media's focus on Richey and Nicky and Seanus being practically ignored. The Richey thing did grate on me for a few years (not against Richey himself ) but I think I'm at peace with it all now. With regards to the band as they are now I think they are happy with the level of fame that they have. I'm happy that they have a level of fame that doesn't interfere with their private lives and they can still wander around Cardiff without being mobbed apart from when they are doing a gig there!

[The Gutless Wonder]

Originally Posted by Bambi

The reason there is no Manics bandwagon is that the Manics were never, ever cool.

Very true! But it's like they are so uncool that they're cool! James always says they were nerdy when they started!