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Manic Street Preachers' Nicky Wire compares Take That to Neil Young

''Patience' greatest comeback single in history' says bassist

Manic Street Preachers' Nicky Wire has compared Take That to Neil Young.

The bassist told the Guardian he thought their 2006 single 'Patience' was the "greatest" comeback song ever – and that it did not gain the recognition it deserved.

"It's the greatest comeback single in history," he declared. "If Neil Young had written it, people would be calling it a masterpiece."

Wire added: "It's got such a dark lyric: 'My heart is numb, has no feeling/So while I'm still healing/Just try and have a little patience'. There's also a maturity about it that suits the boys all grown-up.

"Gary Barlow is a genius, I won't have anyone argue against him. When [Arctic Monkeys frontman] Alex Turner slagged off Take That [at an awards ceremony in 2006] I nearly lost it. James [Dean Bradfield, his band-mate] was grabbing me by the arm, saying, 'Don't lose it, Nicky.'

"You get so many alternative bands banging on about how to make perfect pop, and this kicks all their arses."

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Comments (8)

Add a comment

nickh90

Aug 18, 2009

manics are lethal, wires a bellend though.

gavdann

Aug 18, 2009

Oh shut up Nicky. Just shut up. Patience is bleeding awful.

JMBrilley

Aug 18, 2009

nicky wire is completely correct, i myself were never a fan of take that while robbie was in it, but ever since beautiful world they have been amazing, beautiful world could be the greatest comeback album of all time. im glad mr wire can appreciate good music

jorges

Aug 18, 2009

Dear God, I hate this band. Wish all of them would have gone missingâ€¦

jeffn

Aug 19, 2009

He is absolutely right - Gary Barlow writes fantastic pop songs. Want you back for good is a stone cold classic - whatever the many crimes of Take That - there is no fault in Barlow's song writing.

Willy Plonka

Aug 20, 2009

I agree with Wire, Barlow is a superb writer. I dont particularly like his stuff, but there is no denying, the man writes and plays excellent pop songs.There are plenty of lightweight groups in this country that have squandered the adulation that have been bestowed on them by the NME and hard working fans alike, most if not all, would love to have 5% of the song writing skills of Barlow. And as for the comments about the 'Whole band going missing' how Crass and insensitive to Richey Edwards family and friends, that miss one of this countries great lyricists....you should be ashamed.Wire, Bradfield and Moore, stepped up to the table when Edwards went missing, and to my mind, have done an immense job, of producing albums and singles, lyrics and music, that is second to none, by any British band.Good luck to them. Thanks to them, Ive read more books, and seen more films, than any fucking English teacher could have inspired me.

woofbear

Aug 20, 2009

RRRRRRRIIIIGGHHT NICKY! There's a lot of people posing and telling to like "arty-farty" bands when there's nothing better of a pop song well crafted...give me T.T. and I leave you all the Grizzly Bear/Animal Collective/Crap-Americana stuff...

Rachie90

Oct 12, 2009

Whether you like Take That or not you can't fault Barlow as a lyricist! jorges is an ignorant moron who should think about what they say before they inflict their drivel upon us!