Deaf And Smartphone Speakers Assessments Ltd;
The eighties is here to stay. However I was minded of Mercury Rev covering Joy Division.
That is a gorgeous Manics chord progression. And it sounds like Nicky.
I was into the album with Decline&Fall. But that plus this 10 second clip. How can anyone be doubting the beautiful music we'll be getting?
And was is 2020's music anyway? I'd zoned out when it got plink plink plinkatee a plink so no idea what it's done since.
But FRIDAY oh that's going to make things brighter.

You'll like this, the answer to that question turns out to be "Critical Thinking".

So what do we reckon then? Just the release of the next single or something more along the lines of album/tour announcement? The teaser feels a bit grander than I remember Decline and Fall getting.

I reckon it'll be new video, album and tour announcement (I hope so anyway).

Yeah agree, certainly the single and the album.

It’s usually about 3 months from album announcement to release so this week lines up for an early new year date.

And what will they do with the Richey anniversary then? Clearly this has all been timed to coincide with it. Will they talk about him alongside the new album? Deflect it with the new album? Ignore it altogether?

I think they should mention Richey and maybe some of the songs on the album are about him, like the other albums indirectly and the ones that Nicky sings.

I hate to say it but they can't keep going on about Richey. It's probably what has been holding them back. A song here and there maybe but I think they have been good in not bringing it up constantly. Respect his life and memory and leave it at that.

Think this confirms we finally have a Nicky lead vocal Manics single! (From This week's Jools Holland)

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Gao22FjW4AARGoY?format=jpg

I suspect wrt Richey, there will be an Instagram post at most and if asked in an interview they will say ".. really hard on the family...". JFPL really drew a line under it and it serms the band feel like there's nothing left to say especially in public. My gut feeling is that there is latent tension between the band and Rachel, and they've all concluded the it's best that Rachel is the bearer of Richey's legacy.

The band sing about history art and nostalgia, they may as well include him .... as part of, not in a monetary sense. They always regard Richey at concerts.

It's 30 years. That's longer than the poor guy was alive. The band continually treat his memory with respect and acknowledge him respectfully without making a big deal of it. They don't need to say or do anything more.

The press and everyone that didn't know him personally but continue to mythologise him are just morbidly picking on a scab that needs to heal.

They have written songs about Richey and may do so again but I don't think they will do it because it's a a specific anniversary. Those emotions aren't easily put down once they're recalled and one can't just separate the good from the bad. Probably why the wire wanted burn and bury the JFPL tapes instead of releasing it. It's not healthy as someone who lost someone to suicide. 15 years later, I still haven't found all the pieces let alone picked any up. Richey has been gone longer than he was alive, his legacy does and can speak for itself.

He was part of the band and it's not a big deal. They don't need to do anything anymore and after all, the songs are their thoughts not his words, though as a band member who they knew, he is indirectly included in some of the songs. That's just how it is. I think the press probably don't have much to say anymore actually. What is unusual is how some complain that the band have lost their original sound, when they are exploring with different eras and instruments in their songs.

I'm not sure what you're getting at here. Earlier you state that you think they should mention him but what you've written here kinda says that you think they don't (which is what I said).

It's much too easy to say that they've lost their original sound when they never had an original sound. Everything was heavily influenced, instead they would take different eras and interpret them into something, that still had some soul, that was their own.

I think the reaction to lifeblood really damaged the band which is why their version of trying something new now just really consists of songs that ape eras and magpie the shiny bits of bad 80s music and ends up sounding like something Spandau Ballet rejected for being twee.