What if Nicky had disappeared instead of Richey?

[Europa Gluten Free]

This might be a bit of a weird topic but I don't think the question has been asked on here before.

Say in a parallel Manics universe it was Nicky who disappeared from the Embassy Hotel on 1st February 1995 and the band decided to continue what do you think would have happened?

Would they have gotten darker and become the ultimate cult band? Would they have made THB MK II? Would they have imploded? Would they have had any commercial success? Would Richey have married Kate Moss? Would Richey have taken up the bass? Would we have been saved from PFAYM?

[centralscrutiniser]

Originally Posted by Europa Gluten Free

This might be a bit of a weird topic but I don't think the question has been asked on here before.

Say in a parallel Manics universe it was Nicky who disappeared from the Embassy Hotel on 1st February 1995 and the band decided to continue what do you think would have happened?

Would they have gotten darker and become the ultimate cult band? Would they have made THB MK II? Would they have imploded? Would they have had any commercial success? Would Richey have married Kate Moss? Would Richey have taken up the bass? Would we have been saved from PFAYM?

Interesting question. Given that it's a very sensitive issue, personally I'd think in terms of Nicky deciding to leave, rather than disappearing under whatever circumstance. The Manics without him though - I think you're right, they'd have become an incredibly dark, very cultish band with a version of JFPL coming straight after THB, and then struggled to keep it going for very long. JDB then becomes a Paul Weller figure and Richey becomes a poet (well, he always was but you know what I mean). Sean becomes an F1 driver?

I assume they'd have got someone in to do bass live and James would handle studio stuff.

Happily, however, Mr Wire remains with us, and it's not a tragedy which it has been necessary to contemplate.

[Geranium Terrorists]

I think they would have collapsed under the problem James would have had with the 'Pantera meets Screamadelia' NIN-esque stuff that Richey was wanting. As they had said in interviews, creative differences would have sprung up for the first time between the band members, and with Nicky gone these differences would have been intensified. Or they might have just split up.

[Takk]

Probably have adapted. I think people make too much out of the Richey + the band distinction...

[UEF]

I probably never would've heard of them

In seriousness though, I don't think it would've gotten darker. The JFPL lyrics seemed to be on the road to recovery if anything. If THB was the sound of "Fuck you world, I don't need you" then JFPL is "Hey, come back, I wasn't serious..."

[Radiomanic]

Without sounding harsh, Richey was the ONLY member of the Manics who could've left the band without them imploding. The rest of them were together before he joined, the rest of them contributed more to the band than he did. Remember Richey didn't always play 'live' and hardly ever appeared on record, so had they lost Nicky could you have seen them replacing him with another bassplayer? Doubt it.

[Takk]

^ I think that underestimates Richey and overestimates Nicky in the early years though. I think Nicky grew into the place he has now, partly as a result of Richey leaving. I don't think it was always so clear cut. Maybe richey would have learnt more guitar.

[centralscrutiniser]

I suppose the other thing to consider was that (and my entire knowledge here comes from Everything, so I could be misinformed) Richey wasn't a here today, gone tomorrow case. He gradually withdrew in one form or another and they played without him, so there was some period of adjustment even if they didn't realise it was permanent.

I disagree that Richey was the only member who could have left and still seen the band continue. I think that it's feasible that James could be the Manics on his own (to the extent that people buying the records but aren't hardcore fans might not notice the tall bloke with the boa and the shorter chap with the drums have changed), although I don't suppose he'd have ever wanted to. Of course they'd be a vastly different band, but they already are a vastly different band...

[Flint]

Considering how integral Wire has become to the songwriting process within the past decade (often even offering the most interesting things the band released when they were going through their less imaginative periods) and how Richey had the musical talent of a carrot, I think we'd have lost out big-time.

[Dancing Kirby]

Well, for starters they're gonna have to kick Sean out of the band if they're serious about this big Led Zep rock record they've started talking about.

[( )]

Originally Posted by Radiomanic

Without sounding harsh, Richey was the ONLY member of the Manics who could've left the band without them imploding. The rest of them were together before he joined, the rest of them contributed more to the band than he did. Remember Richey didn't always play 'live' and hardly ever appeared on record, so had they lost Nicky could you have seen them replacing him with another bassplayer? Doubt it.

What are you on about? For one when Richey joined doesn't matter because they all grew up together anyway. They had only released one single without him.

This is a very strange idea for a thread, it is unlikely Nicky would have ever gone missing as he was married. If Nicky did go missing I think that Richey would not be around now anyway as (I have read) he was already badly effected by the death of Phillip Hall.

This thread is like some kind of sick What If comic.

[Nature's Discontent]

Originally Posted by ( )

This is a very strange idea for a thread, it is unlikely Nicky would have ever gone missing as he was married. If Nicky did go missing I think that Richey would not be around now anyway as (I have read) he was already badly effected by the death of Phillip Hall.

This thread is like some kind of sick What If comic.

This question has been asked before in a simpler form - "What if Richey had stayed?" - Without having to ask whether Nicky had gone missing instead. I don't think this kind of thing would have ever happened. Wire was far too confrontational, in the early days, for a start!

Theoretically speaking, and on a lighter note, would there have been a Cult of Nicky?

[Mr Richey]

Originally Posted by Nature's Discontent

Theoretically speaking, and on a lighter note, would there have been a Cult of Nicky?

Would?

[Suicide Aldi]

Well apart from contributing a couple of lyrics and playing bass ( although it could have been James ) it was almost like he wasnt there on the holy bible anyway.

[Dac X Lee]

What if Nicky had disappeared instead of Richey?

Richey playing the bass/guitar? Seriously?