I am still unsettled in knowing that at some point Brian Warner had a "very tasty ass" instead!

This made my day:

https://i.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/...me_419-238.jpg

Ha, spoken like a true politician

If you felt you didn't give up any part of your soul when you went big, why is the first song on Know Your Enemy - the reaction against that middle ground - called "Found that Soul"?

I win, Jimbo. Send me a free Blackstar amp and all is forgiven.

How about this - KYE gives us some of Sean's best drumming across the whole discography. There's loads of inventive passages, heavy and powerful stuff but also graceful and restrained sections. Pretty much every song has him doing something interesting with the drums. I think overall Sean is a much better drummer than he's ever given credit for (and that's not accounting for the other musical contributions he makes) but this album in particular really showcases his talent I feel.

Mine finally arrived! And only a week late!

Definitely. The remix/remaster has really emphasised his drumming, especially on the Solidarity tracks.

I did keep thinking "Oh Sean kept thst drum fill quiet in 2001!" as I was listening.
And glad packages are finally arriving.
And oh, number four https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/albums-chart/

Aye, made No.4 which is a great result on paper. It sold 93 copies more than the album in 5th place apparently haha, very close.
04 5,519 Manic Street Preachers - Know Your Enemy [total: 227,231]

Yep, this was one of the first things that hit me after listening.

Is five and a half thousand sales considered good these days - and does that figure include streams or just physical sales?

Assuming a unit price of £30 that's just over £150,000, minus production costs, all the remastering costs, etc and any limited advertising. Doesn't feel like it leaves a huge amount for the band in terms of income.

5,519 sales isn't that many at all to be fair, but then album sales aren't as high as they used to be sadly, largely due to streaming now. It'll probably sell a few hundred copies next week and not even make the top 100 in the chart again, as this was its first appearance in the top 100 for 21 years!!

:-)

The interview was indeed a bit Brian May-ish

- And now describe everything non-perfect, what Queen ever did, please
- Brian May: ""

what's wrong? I cannot quote!

Anyway: After a few tries I created the ideal Know Your Enemy Reissue tracklist:

1. Masses Against the Classes
2. Intravenous Agnostic
3. Found That Soul
4. The Convalescent
5. My Guernica
6. Dead Martyrs
7. Close My Eyes
8. Just a Kid
9. Door to the River

That's actually not a bad album.

Of course Close My Eyes would need a remastering, but...

Oh come on now Donk, at least throw "Baby Elian" in! The new mix is a stunner.