When I was 16 I hated the Manics. They stopped George Michael's "Outside" going to #1 with some old political twaddle and filled my teenage pop blood with rage. Then when I went to university, student radio opened my ears to all music beyond pure pop. And just as most people began to think they'd jumped the shark,
Know Your Enemy and the likes of "So Why So Sad" and "Ocean Spray" got me leaping about proclaiming their brilliance.So who would have thought a few years later I'd be reviewing their latest album
for the Beeb. I feel a bit uneasy about that review as I don't really know their heritage that well, but
Send Away The Tigers really is a great album. If you're yet to hear it then try out the grand "Autumn Song" as a taster.
To consumate my new found love,
gaypop and I headed up to the barren land of Kentish Town to see MSP play the first of three London dates.
The Forum is a pretty nice, large venue, much preferable to the likes of Brixton Academy, and suited the band perfectly. Despite no Nina and a hell of a lot of songs I didn't know, this certainly chucks itself up my best gigs ever list. Amazing things included (bare in mind I was a Manics gig virgin):
- The hilarious height difference between Nicky Wire and James Dean Bradfield.
- Nicky's gigantic scissor jumps
- Watching Simon Price going mental to "Stay Beautiful"
- "You Stole The Sun From My Heart"
- James singing Nina's bits in YLAINE in a girly manner.
- and many more I forgot to write down...
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