Leaving Not A Footprint (Manic Street Preachers in general)

Member Name: Jon V

Product:	Manic Street Preachers in general
Date:	11/01/02 (42 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Poet, Lyricist, wore his heart on his sleeve

Disadvantages: Suffered for his art

Like them or loathe them, the Manics were one of the most powerful and notorious bands of the '90s. But since February 1st 1995 there has always been something missing.

I got into the Manics when I bought "A Design For Life". People at my College always talked about them and I had heard a lot about them so I bought the single. I thought it was a great song and ended up shelling out for the album. Does everyone remember Everything Must Go? It was one of those albums that comes around which everyone seems to have: the album that's always in halls of residence. I became attached to the band, but was intrigued by the fourth member they didn't seem keen to talk about.

For all the creativity of his I have seen, I believe that Richey Edwards was one of the best creative minds of our generation. I don't mean this to take anything away from other artists who are fine within their respective fields, but he was someone who was writing from a perspective that many adolescents and students could identify with.

So many of his thoughts betrayed the shy, unassuming person he seemed to be, but damn did they seem to ring so true to me. The first line of "From Despair To Where": "I write this alone on my bed, I poisoned every room in the house". Growing up, feeling lonely and out of place, I felt such an affinity with this at the time.

If you have listened to The Holy Bible, Richey seemed to become more unhappy and his lyrics appeared to turn into dark rants. But even then he could make a point with such power he makes Fran Healy look insignificant. To me his lyrics/poetry were the method of attack for someone who underestimated his own worth.

Who sang the song "He hit me and it felt like a kiss?" The opposite of this could some up Richey in some of his more vitriolic diatribes.

He was such a passionate person who used his very
existence as the platform for his views. Politicians use a term in office to declare their policies and best interests: Richey used his life.

I was shocked to learn that if he isn't found by February 1st (seven years after he disappeared without a trace) he could be declared officially dead. However his parents have made it clear that they will not allow this to happen, so long as they cling on to the hope that he may appear again someday.

Doesn't it seem odd that so many of our heroes are no longer with us? Perhaps that's what makes so many of us appreciate them more. I wonder if John Lennon or Kurt Cobain would be revered in such high standing if they were still alive?

I hope you've finally found peace wherever you are Richey. You were truly the spokesman of the Quiet Generation

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