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Manic Street Preachers interview (2005)

Nicky Wire

We chatted to Nicky after the Manic Street Preachers' appearance at the Tsunami Relief Cardiff concert in January 2005. Here's what he had to say...

Last updated: 26 August 2009

How was it for you?

Well it brought back a few memories from the millennium gig! Though it was better organised than ours. We tried to take inspiration from Queen and just do greatest hits, and try to rock as hard as we could. It's a brilliant cause and a pretty solemn day, but we just went out and tried to be ourselves and entertain as much as we could.

What difference do you think you've made by being part of it?

Nothing. It's all the people who came here. They're the people who made it: everyone who queued up and bought a ticket, or stayed on the phone for two hours. That's much harder than turning up and playing your instrument. It's all about them tonight, and it's all about purely and utterly saving some lives. If the money saves 10 lives or a thousand lives it's been worth it.

It's pretty unusual for you to be on a bill with Aled Jones and Charlotte Church, isn't it?

It's pretty unusual, yeah! But it's all the better for it, I guess. It's a pretty diverse audience out there, so it kind of makes sense that it's horses for courses for everyone.

And what have you made of the organisation, that managed to put it together in such a short time?

It seems fine. I just turned up: I watched the cricket all day; watched Simon Jones take three wickets, which put me in a good mood, and then turned up. Everything seems fine. It takes us two years to plan a world tour!

What's it been like backstage?

Like I said I've been watching the cricket, so I only turned up at six o'clock. But Embrace, Badly Drawn Boy, they seemed pretty good.

What are you doing for the rest of today?

There's not a lot left now. Watch a bit more, then get back home and watch a bit more!

Are you appearing at the finale?

I'm not sure actually. It's kind of not my scene, to be brutally frank. Shake, Rattle & Roll, I'm not sure.

You covered Rock 'N' Roll Music though...

Yeah, but kind of did it like The Sex Pistols did Submission or something. But you can't expect me to learn a song in two minutes! I know it's rudimentary, but I can't jam with Eric Clapton. He's too good.

Interview: Joe Goodden


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