Manic Street Preachers: 'Radiohead demean music'

Manic Street Preachers, Channel 4 Stage, 20.05pm , V Festival, Weston Park, Staffordshire, August 18, 2007. Pic: Andy Willsher

Band slam the 'In Rainbows' approach

Manic Street Preachers have criticised Radiohead for allowing fans to choose how much to pay to download their latest album, ‘In Rainbows’, saying that it “demeans” music.

Bassist Nicky Wire went on to claim that all free downloads were ruining the music industry.

Wire told the Daily Star: “Fair play to Radiohead for doing something different. It’s certainly great for publicity but I think it kind of demeans music.

“Music used to be a market, now it’s all gone digital. It’s worrying and it seems to be the way of the world at the moment. Sales are doing well everywhere else. Cinema is doing well, video games are doing well but music isn’t. The free download phenomenon is ruining the industry.”

Drummer Sean Moore added that the band were considering working without a record label after their deal with Sony expires, after their next studio album.

“We made more money with live shows this year than in the last seven of releasing records,” he said. “We have one more album with Sony, and are coming to the end of our publishing and merchandising deals. We want to do records ourselves. Labels are scared to move forward, we’re not.”

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Comments (13)

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Smoocher

Dec 7, 2007

Does anyone care what the manics say about anything anymore?
I think their attempts at making records demean music.

subgenius

Dec 10, 2007

Wow Nicky Wire sounds old, and quite bitter really. why oh why did he have to say that, James should have a tighter lead on him in the future. We all know that Mr.Wire bursts out with daft and silly subjections from time to time ("We need to build a bypass over this shit hole"), lets just hope his take on Radiohead's frankly genius marketing is one of them.

jack205

Dec 10, 2007

Just because they can't afford to do anything like that becuase they're music is crap and don't have dedicated fans.

I love the bit where he says that digital music is ruining the market, yet the Manic's stuff is available to download through legal sites... Gah what an idiot.

Cinema isn't doing well, it's probably effected just as much as music where illegal downloads are concerned... I wish people would check stuff out before they go blagging to a shit 'news' paper.

nelfling

Dec 10, 2007

The Manics dont seem relevant anymore. Radiohead only become more vital to music with time. Nicky Wire probably wishes his band had half the integrity and credibility Radiohead have (oh...and talent).

binstig

Dec 10, 2007

I agree with Smoocher. Nicky Wire is an idiot who knows nothing about music. "Labels are scared to move forward, we're not." So thats why you're criticisng Radiohead for moving forward, right... Maybe if the Manics made better music or even just shut Nicky up then we could take them seriously again as the band who made one of the greatest albums ever made, The Holy Bible.

Paulo42

Jan 21, 2008

I'm sorry but I can't just let you talk about the wire in that way, if you tried to change nicky or any of the other manics then they wouldn't be the 'god like' band that they are today. Nicky speaks his mind, and you can't stop a person from doing that. The Manics have been through some tough times so shut up you heartless morons!

enemyofthenme

Jan 30, 2008

Like anyone who reads the NME has an opinion worth voicing

ilovejamesdeanbradfield

Feb 5, 2008

Oh My Fucking God Will EVERYONE SHUT THE FUCK UP! How DARE YOU Speak About Wire That Way!? Lets Just Face It, Wire Is Right!! You Also Comment About The Manics Being Shit And Having Un Dedicated Fans! That Is So Untrue! Lets Just Face It! Nicky Has Been Nominated For The Sexyest Male In The Nme Awards And The Ugly Cunt Of a Singer From Radiohead Never Will Be Classed As Sexy! Plus! Radiohead Must Of Listend To Wire, Explain All The 'In Rainbows' In Zavi And Hmv! People Were Only Paying 1p For It! They Gave The Fuck Up! And What Does That Show! The Manics Are Good To Their Fans, I Met James And He Spoke To Me For Five Minutes! So Fuck Every Radiohead Fan I Hope You All Die! And The Same With The Band! The Iraqis Should Bomb An Arena Gig With Thm In It! NO WAIT They Cant Play An Arena Because They Have Not Enough Fans! Ps. Also Remember That The Manics Did A Gig In Cuba And Charged 7p For The Cubans To Get In And They Are Voted Godlike Geniouses Explain That Motherfuckers!!

halo jones

Feb 11, 2008

Ho hum. Wire has said himself that he talks rubbish 50 percent of the time and this is one of those times. Seasoned Manics fans know just to ignore these kinds of rants and wait for the gems. This is nothing compared to his 'gypsies should be in camps' rant all those years ago. Wire's always had a large aspect of crotchety old conservative about him.

That said, it IS rather a shame to hear wire wittering about how much money he makes. Hint: talk about music, culture, politics, whatever. But not about how much money you make.

(Ilovejamesdeanbradfield's 'comment' was perhaps one of the most idiotic yet hilarious things I have ever read. I can't imagine how inordinately grateful i would have been had Bradfield (i'm not on first name terms with them like most Manics fans) dedicated 5 whole minutes of his life to humouring me. I would probably explode with pride)

simonparry

Feb 24, 2008

anyone who claims manics don't have dedicated fans have never stood outside someplace waiting to see a gig. me and my mate thought we'd go dressed up in someway and backed out last minute cos we thought we'd look like tits and by not dressing up we were the odd looking ones. although nicky does talk shit most the time (like now for instance) i'd ignore it more for the source it comes from......daily star..... can you believe any of the shit they write?

emigre

Mar 4, 2008

i think nicky is completely justified in what he says.
it is pathetic the way that people download and copy music, if they where true fans they would buy it themselves.
i agree with what he says about radiohead demeaning music,
hes not being old and cynical merely being realistic.
its true, the more people illegaly download, or download music to whatever price they feel like, bands will be unable to afford to record albums and be a band without having another job as well

Ermine

Mar 6, 2008

I rarely have agreed with Wire on such subjects. He seems to be completely ignorant in any comment regarding technology. I don't think free downloads have any bearing on the scene as a whole. The decline predates Radiohead's gimmick.

Also piracy has hit the gaming and movie industry. Especially the former. Although it is a hell of a lot more practical to obtain music.

I believe I've bought more music since being able to download and explore artists who do not have frequent airplay. If I like an album or band I will invest with hard cash.

The music industry is simply not operating from a creative perspective at the moment and puts all its effort into quick return and 'me too' music. It has failed to promote the interesting acts and encourage true talent. I like a lot of other people have largely given up the ghost with new music. I am sure there must be something out there I like or which is fresh, but I'm not hearing it.

Will000

Jul 9, 2008

I think whoever says that the Manics are not relevant when commenting on this is contradicting themselves, if they weren't relevant you wouldn't care! so why get so angry?