In a bit of a strange move, Manic Street Preachers bassist Nicky Wire says he urged his band-mates to scrap the group's upcoming Journal for Plague Lovers, explaining that the album could harm the Manics' commercial potential.
In a recent interview with the Guardian, Wire said he found it difficult to come to terms with releasing the new Steve Albini-produced record, which, as previously reported, features lyrics written by former and now "presumed dead" Manics member Richey Edwards. Wire's plan was, he explained, to publicize the fact that the band had recorded a "great album," but then not actually release it.
"I said, 'Let's just fucking dig a hole and bury it and make it even more of an art statement, say we've made this great album, but it's just too much to give away,'" Wire explained.
However, with Journal for Plague Lovers due out May 18 in the UK, Wire obviously failed to get his way. "[Manics member] James [Dean Bradfield] was like, "After I've done all that work? Fuck off!"" he continued.
Wire went on to say the group are already seeing signs of a commercial backlash, mostly due to the record's cover art, which features a painting of a child's blood-spattered face done by Jenny Saville (who did the Manics' last album with Edwards, Holy Bible).
"This album could seriously damage us in a commercial sense," Wire said. "Already, supermarkets won't accept the album cover, which I am really startled at. You can have the Pussycat Dolls poledancing but you can't... So already I'm thinking, 'Oh fucking hell, are we putting them off already?'"
As of yet, Journal for Plague Lovers doesn't have a North American release date.
In a recent interview with the Guardian, Wire said he found it difficult to come to terms with releasing the new Steve Albini-produced record, which, as previously reported, features lyrics written by former and now "presumed dead" Manics member Richey Edwards. Wire's plan was, he explained, to publicize the fact that the band had recorded a "great album," but then not actually release it.
"I said, 'Let's just fucking dig a hole and bury it and make it even more of an art statement, say we've made this great album, but it's just too much to give away,'" Wire explained.
However, with Journal for Plague Lovers due out May 18 in the UK, Wire obviously failed to get his way. "[Manics member] James [Dean Bradfield] was like, "After I've done all that work? Fuck off!"" he continued.
Wire went on to say the group are already seeing signs of a commercial backlash, mostly due to the record's cover art, which features a painting of a child's blood-spattered face done by Jenny Saville (who did the Manics' last album with Edwards, Holy Bible).
"This album could seriously damage us in a commercial sense," Wire said. "Already, supermarkets won't accept the album cover, which I am really startled at. You can have the Pussycat Dolls poledancing but you can't... So already I'm thinking, 'Oh fucking hell, are we putting them off already?'"
As of yet, Journal for Plague Lovers doesn't have a North American release date.
