Nailed to History: The Story of Manic Street Preachers

by Martin J. Power

In the last two decades, Manic Street Preachers have established themselves as one the UK's enduring, intelligent and credible rocks groups, but that quest for greatness has seen the band follow a difficult, sometimes torturous path, with one of their number - the gifted yet troubled Richley Edwards - abandon that that quest altogether for destinations still unknown.

Nailed To History traces the slow yet inexorable climb of the South Wales band from their late 1980s origins as glam punk inspired, though critically derided 'Generation Terrorists' to their current position as respected art rock intellectuals - a fact underlined by 2009's award-winning A Journal For Plague Lovers.

It also examines the life and complex personality of Edwards, whose highly politicised, morally disquieting wordplay defined much of the manics' early appeal - his personal demons writ large across 1994's 'dark masterwork', The Holy Bible. Edwards' evermore extreme behaviour culminated in his sad, strange disappearance in February, 1995 and forced the colleagues he left behind to re-examine thier motives before making a triumphal return with 1996's best-selling Everything Must Go.

A story of honour and enduring friendship, marked with tales of 'culture, alienation, boredom' and occasional dispaire, Nailed To History also includes full album reviews and an up-to-date discongraphy.

Genres: Music, Biography, Nonfiction

354 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 6, 2010

Reviews

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

“But as Richey Edwards once said: “The future. That’s a big nasty word, isn’t it?”
Manic Street Preachers. Born to boredom. Nailed to history.”

[Felicity · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love MSP and I enjoy reading about them. This is a pretty good book. It seems to have a level of distance not there in Simon Price's biography (which is also good, but very personal and biased). It also ends with "Postcards from a Young Man" so it is pretty up to date. I would recommend this to any Manics Fan and I think it would be interesting even if you didn't like them much.

[Michael A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5. A lot of stuff about my favorite band I didn't really know. The author gives his own opinions on the band's work which is nice, but unfortunately he succumbs to the demonizing of Lifeblood and the exaltation of Send Away the Tigers, neither album deserving either response. I realize the book was written in 2010 but Know Your Enemy, Lifeblood, Send Away the Tigers, and Journal For Plague Lovers being relegated to maybe 80-90 pages is bizarre to put it lightly. As a history of the band from the 80s to their 1998 album This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours, it's top-notch. The quality and content dips from there, however. For example, omitting "alone" in their "big comeback single" "Your Love Alone Is Not Enough" every single time he references it he calls it "Your Love Is Not Enough" which is more than five times. Really nitpicky, no doubt, but the end of the book felt very rushed.

Still a recommended read for the big Manics fan. Probably too (quasi-)exhaustive for someone only casually interested in the band.

[Derek Baldwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad, and it helps that the text steers clear of the hagiography style that these kind of books are often guilty of. But as with so many books lately I kept wondering if anyone had actually proofed the copy, at all, at any point. Lots of stupid errors and repetition... was this originally a part work of some kind? "Reigned in" sticks in my mind.

The story ends fittingly at the time of Journal For Plague Lovers, the bands finest achievement by far. Inevitably the book focuses heavily on Richey Edwards's disappearance and what a shame that a broadly fair and clear eyed account is undermined totally by one shockingly tactless phrase towards the end: "..he abandoned his car near the Severn Bridge and strolled away for destinations thus far unknown." Strolled?! That's just unforgivable.

[Bobbi Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poorly written, but the life of Richey Edwards is fascinating.

[Gecko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard hitting but beautiful. Exactly what a book about this incredible band should be.

[Chiara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Non leggevo una biografia musicale dai tempi dei Muse (quindi si parla del 2009). Bella, accurata, fresca e non pietista sulla fine di Richard Edwards. Peccato che sia finita

[Clare Mullooly · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first dive into the story of the Manics, this book provided a well informed and colourful account of their beginnings up until 2010. Would love to find a Manics book that covers more extensively from 2007 to present day.

[Andrea Greene Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!! Along with A Version of Reason, definitely required reading for any fan.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

my favourite band
knew most of it already but still a good read