The Story of the Manic Street Preachers: Nailed To History

by Martin J. Power

Nailed To History traces the Manics from their late 80s origins and contains interviews with those close to the band, full album reviews and an up to date discography.

Genres: Music, Biography, Nonfiction

328 pages, Hardcover

First published September 6, 2010

Reviews

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

“But as Richey Edwards once said: “The future. That’s a big nasty word, isn’t it?”
Manic Street Preachers. Born to boredom. Nailed to history.”

[Felicity · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love MSP and I enjoy reading about them. This is a pretty good book. It seems to have a level of distance not there in Simon Price's biography (which is also good, but very personal and biased). It also ends with "Postcards from a Young Man" so it is pretty up to date. I would recommend this to any Manics Fan and I think it would be interesting even if you didn't like them much.

[Michael A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5. A lot of stuff about my favorite band I didn't really know. The author gives his own opinions on the band's work which is nice, but unfortunately he succumbs to the demonizing of Lifeblood and the exaltation of Send Away the Tigers, neither album deserving either response. I realize the book was written in 2010 but Know Your Enemy, Lifeblood, Send Away the Tigers, and Journal For Plague Lovers being relegated to maybe 80-90 pages is bizarre to put it lightly. As a history of the band from the 80s to their 1998 album This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours, it's top-notch. The quality and content dips from there, however. For example, omitting "alone" in their "big comeback single" "Your Love Alone Is Not Enough" every single time he references it he calls it "Your Love Is Not Enough" which is more than five times. Really nitpicky, no doubt, but the end of the book felt very rushed.

Still a recommended read for the big Manics fan. Probably too (quasi-)exhaustive for someone only casually interested in the band.

[Derek Baldwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad, and it helps that the text steers clear of the hagiography style that these kind of books are often guilty of. But as with so many books lately I kept wondering if anyone had actually proofed the copy, at all, at any point. Lots of stupid errors and repetition... was this originally a part work of some kind? "Reigned in" sticks in my mind.

The story ends fittingly at the time of Journal For Plague Lovers, the bands finest achievement by far. Inevitably the book focuses heavily on Richey Edwards's disappearance and what a shame that a broadly fair and clear eyed account is undermined totally by one shockingly tactless phrase towards the end: "..he abandoned his car near the Severn Bridge and strolled away for destinations thus far unknown." Strolled?! That's just unforgivable.

[Bobbi Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poorly written, but the life of Richey Edwards is fascinating.

[Gecko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard hitting but beautiful. Exactly what a book about this incredible band should be.

[Chiara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Non leggevo una biografia musicale dai tempi dei Muse (quindi si parla del 2009). Bella, accurata, fresca e non pietista sulla fine di Richard Edwards. Peccato che sia finita

[Clare Mullooly · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first dive into the story of the Manics, this book provided a well informed and colourful account of their beginnings up until 2010. Would love to find a Manics book that covers more extensively from 2007 to present day.

[Andrea Greene Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!! Along with A Version of Reason, definitely required reading for any fan.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

my favourite band
knew most of it already but still a good read