Manics gigs for Lions Tour Confirmed

[Jiminy]

Originally Posted by Librarian On Fire

The call to arms didn’t really muster the troops. There’s me, Autumn Girl, and our mutual friend.

Well, some of us happen to think that the X Factor is an affront to everything that is good and true about rock'n'roll. Also, I ran into Britomart just in time to see the train pull out.

[mar]

Originally Posted by Librarian On Fire

I have to say how healthy and fine they all looked. James was clean shaven. Sean, a bit of stubble and Nicky still the beard. Nicky was in his cammo blazer. Sean in very nice navy and deep green blazer and James in the black military shirt. All three of them were just really, really nice. Oh and I spotted Sean with a great big heavy looking mobile phone and busy with it! Nicky had the camera. I never thought 22 years ago sitting in a cold lounge room at my parents old house listening to “Generation Terrorists” that I would ever met the band. On a cool, golden lit winter’s afternoon in an non descript warehouse I was the most contented person on the planet.

P.S I have some photos but the posting rules say I can't send attachments.

So happy for you! Sounds like a great meeting, loved the "James comes back and Sean chases him up for an autograph" part haha

You can't send attachments but you can upload your pics in a place like http://postimage.org/ and then post them as images here. Not that you have to but it would be so nice to see them

[MSPKYE]

Ah twitters been funny the last 5 mins watching a bunch of kiwi teenagers explode with 'WHO THE FUCK ARE THEY?!?!'

Tolerate seems an appropriate choice for X factor

[mar]

They would be even more freaked out if Nicky was wearing a dress...

[Abstract Unknown Girl]

Originally Posted by Librarian On Fire

Also the judges on NZ X Factor are all singers of varying degrees. James gave a cracking "All right darlin?" to Mel Blat. I think that's her name. She was in some English girl band.

Haha she was in All Saints, I had no idea she was on X-Factor over there. Tbh I'd have thought she was even more obscure to a non-UK audience than the Manics

Great story and video! If you want to share your photos you'll need to upload them to something like www.photobucket.com rather than as attachments.

[FacelessSenseOfVoid]

Ahh yes, All Saints. I had a soft spot for them.... I think James must have had a soft spot for one or two of them as well.

[bachelorette]

Originally Posted by FacelessSenseOfVoid

Ahh yes, All Saints. I had a soft spot for them.... I think James must have had a soft spot for one or two of them as well.

As in collecting them like he did with the Spice Girls?

[FacelessSenseOfVoid]

Originally Posted by bachelorette

As in collecting them like he did with the Spice Girls?

Precisely! I thought he only "had" Mel C, though? Isn't it ironic that the link between the Manics and Mel C now is a certain Nick Nasmyth?!

[bachelorette]

Originally Posted by FacelessSenseOfVoid

Precisely! I thought he only "had" Mel C, though? Isn't it ironic that the link between the Manics and Mel C now is a certain Nick Nasmyth?!

In a video interview at Big Day Out Festival (forgot the date, typical!) Nicky tells the interviewer James slept with Ginger and James reluctantly agrees. It's on youtube somewhere still I guess.

[FacelessSenseOfVoid]

Originally Posted by bachelorette

In a video interview at Big Day Out Festival (forgot the date, typical!) Nicky tells the interviewer James slept with Ginger and James reluctantly agrees. It's on youtube somewhere still I guess.

Bloody hell.... bet Posh Spice was out of his league, though. Gotta hand it to JDB

[mar]

Originally Posted by bachelorette

In a video interview at Big Day Out Festival (forgot the date, typical!) Nicky tells the interviewer James slept with Ginger and James reluctantly agrees. It's on youtube somewhere still I guess.

Nicky's bigmouth! didn't know this!

[Marty Wire]

Originally Posted by Librarian On Fire

Surreal. Meeting the Manics after following them for 22 years. Sorry some ramblings, but here we go. I took the afternoon off work to go see the band record their performance for X Factor. I was going to finish at midday, but nerves got the better of me and after changing into a MSP t-shirt I was in the car and on my way at 11.50. Henderson is on the other side of Auckland from where I work. Arriving at the venue I’m met by a padlocked gate and a fence with barb wire around it. No-one around. I can’t see any side entrance. Phoned the number of the person organising the moshpit and get told there is a side street entrance. Panic over. Find the entrance, park the car, get my gear and casually walk in. Of course this being NZ it is casual and I walk into the grounds without a security guard around. Smells like lunch time. I wander into the studio. Past the X Factor judges dressing rooms. No one bats an eyelid. But I’m not here to see Ruby Frost, although she is tiny and cute! Go back outside by the toilets and finally a security guard asks me nicely “Alright sunshine?” Reply to the Scotsman saying I’m here for the moshpit and hoping to see the Manics to get them to sign a few things. “They’re in there mate” he says. Pointing with his head. The campervan is beside me. I walk past. I see Sean. Sean sees me. I can also see James. The band are eating so I thought it best to let them have some lunch in peace. Nicky comes out. Comes back. Gives a smile. So I wait. 10 – 15 minutes pass. I hover around soaking up the weak winter sun, but never going too far away. I realise I don’t want to come over the stalker, nor do I want to miss them. The girl organising the moshpit comes over telling me where to go for the filming. So, now I really had better make a move. James pops out to find a loo. It’s now or never. I go over. Sean is sitting by the door. I say hi and ask him if I can get a few things signed. He does, takes the items into Nicky for his autograph then he comes back. We start chatting. Thank him for coming. I asked when do you go back home to England? He winks and corrects me “Wales”. And to think I consider myself a fan! An epic fail. He’s not too sure, but after Sydney. I ask him about the new albums. First one out in September. The second one maybe April 2014. He said it’s a “lot darker, if you can get any darker”. It does have a working title but he never revealed what it is. I remarked on how far away New Zealand is. He was nice and said that if we were coming to Australia we just had to come over. The porta –loo is behind me and I quip to Sean “The irony of the Manics of being near a toilet after Crappergate isn’t lost on me” Not the funniest line, but then Sean and I have a chat about Glastonbury. James comes back and Sean chases him up for an autograph on the Truth album cover and the Polorid book. James is charming and says “It’s a beautiful country”. I thank them both and make my way into the darken recording studio.


The call to arms didn’t really muster the troops. There’s me, Autumn Girl, and our mutual friend. The other 35 people in the ahem “moshpit”, just look like they want to be on TV. The band record “Tolerate” and nail it in three takes. Nicky gets given some silver fern stickers and sticks them on his bass guitar. Afterwards I met up with Autumn Girl and we walk back around to the band campervan for our friend to get his signings. Honestly there is just the four of us. Nicky comes out and greets us. An opportunity for photos and a handshake. I tell Nicky that I think Lifeblood is a fine album. I didn’t quite catch what he said, but joked saying something along the lines of …..? Didn’t quite catch it. I joked that he better take the silver fern stickers off when he gets back to Sydney. Thanked him again for 22 years of being there. The Scooby Gang got what they wanted and I wanted to leave the band alone now and let them enjoy their time in New Zealand.


I have to say how healthy and fine they all looked. James was clean shaven. Sean, a bit of stubble and Nicky still the beard. Nicky was in his cammo blazer. Sean in very nice navy and deep green blazer and James in the black military shirt. All three of them were just really, really nice. Oh and I spotted Sean with a great big heavy looking mobile phone and busy with it! Nicky had the camera. I never thought 22 years ago sitting in a cold lounge room at my parents old house listening to “Generation Terrorists” that I would ever met the band. On a cool, golden lit winter’s afternoon in an non descript warehouse I was the most contented person on the planet.

P.S I have some photos but the posting rules say I can't send attachments.

what a great meeting

[Smiling#Girl]

Originally Posted by bachelorette

In a video interview at Big Day Out Festival (forgot the date, typical!) Nicky tells the interviewer James slept with Ginger and James reluctantly agrees. It's on youtube somewhere still I guess.

I remember me watching this and thinking about what James could have said to Nicky after the interview.Btw I also thought that the guy who made that interview was a bit odd.

[bachelorette]

Originally Posted by Smiling#Girl

I remember me watching this and thinking about what James could have said to Nicky after the interview.Btw I also thought that the guy who made that interview was a bit odd.

"A bit odd" as in "dangerously insane"! He was nearly hysterical, shouting and all! Heatstroke maybe?? (Sorry for thread derail!)

[sofarsideways]

Originally Posted by Librarian On Fire

a “lot darker, if you can get any darker”.

I love how much Sean is talking about this new album. All the darkness bodes well. Although Nicky said they 'weren't going to go into too many dark corners' in a previous interview? MANIX SORT YOUR CROSSWIRES OUT (HURR)

Glad you had such a good time Librarian On Fire (and friends), it was lovely to read about