MANIC STREET PREACHERS are to premiere their new album ‘KNOW YOUR ENEMY’, at a groundbreaking gig in CUBA on February 17, NME.COM can exclusively announce.
The band are to debut what will be their sixth album at the 5,000 capacity Karl Marx Theatre in the island’s capital Havana because they want to make their return “a lot more interesting and stimulating” after feeling jaded with the whole process of releasing records.
Speaking exclusively to NME.COM from his home in Wales, bassist Nicky Wire explained: “I’m rejuvenated in terms of songwriting, it’s just the other stuff that goes with it…that’s the big realisation we’ve had. This is how it’s going to be next year, it’s going to be about us. It’s just something very exciting.”
He added: “It could be a disaster! There might not be a PA or whatever, but it’s just the idea that it’s a bit of an adventure. So many bands these days just come back in the usual way, and that’s one thing that we’re just not gonna do this time. There’s gonna be lots of stuff like that through the whole year that we’re gonna do.”
It’s thought the Manics will be the first Western rock band in history to play the communist Caribbean state of Cuba and they are charging locals just 25 cents entrance to the event.
For a full interview with Wire, including his feelings on the “totally different” ‘Know Your Enemy’, and the band’s decision to play in Cuba, see the Christmas double issue of NME, out in London today (December 18) and tomorrow nationwide (19).
There will also be full interview with Wire in NME in the New Year.