Manics’ Nicky Wire: ‘There hasn’t been a decent attempt at a Christmas single in 10 years’

Bassist says it's 'demoralising' because bands know they won't get Christmas Number 1 without TV tie-in

Manic Street Preachers bassist Nicky Wire says there’s a lack of bands releasing Christmas singles, and it’s happened because it’s pointless going up against tracks from John Lewis adverts.

Speaking in the new, Christmas double-issue of NME, which is on newsstands now and available digitally, Wire says that the last “decent attempt” at a proper Christmas single was The Darkness, whose ‘Christmas Time (Don’t Let The Bells End) was released in 2003 – watch it below.

Wire said: “I think the last really decent attempt was The Darkness. I think it’s demoralising because you know you’ve got no chance of it being a Christmas Number 1 now. It seems like, unless you get a John Lewis ad or something, it’s just pointless doing it. But it was such a part of culture growing up that it seems a sad thing that it’s disappeared.

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This year’s John Lewis advert is soundtracked by Tom Odell’s cover of John Lennon’s ‘Real Love’.

Wire also said that Manic Street Preachers attempted to record a Christmas single, but aborted it.

He said: “We did attempt our own, ‘The Ghosts Of Christmas’. We never released it in the end. It’s actually quite good: it’s got a sax solo, it’s very kind of Noddy Holder. And it’s quite funny as well, for me.”

NME PHOTOS: All the pictures from the first night of the ‘Holy Bible’ tourCompleting their current run of ‘The Holy Bible’ shows at London’s Roundhouse last night, Manic Street Preachers have announced details of four further ‘The Holy Bible’ shows to take place next year, including an outdoor show at the 10,000-capacity Cardiff Castle.

Manic Street Preachers play:

Edinburgh Usher Hall (May 30, 2015)
Wolverhampton Civic Hall (June 1)
Southampton Guildhall (2)
Cardiff Castle (5)

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