Manic Street Preachers today announce the release of a 20th anniversary edition of their seventh studio album 'Lifeblood' on April 12, 2024 for Sony Records. As with other Manics reissues, the new releases include many remastered tracks, B-sides, demos and outtakes, new liner notes by John Harris, and previously unreleased footage by Mitch Ikeda.
Available on CD, 3-CD booklet, double vinyl, double color vinyl, limited artwork and digital: Two new remixes of title track '1985' by Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree) and sometime collaborator Welsh artist Gwenno, appear on the CD and digital versions. As previously announced, the band will begin a co-headlining tour with Suede in the summer (dates below).
Described by Nicky Wire as “our most distanced album of all”, The album came at a time when the band was reflecting on what they had become and what they could be. The band looked for inspiration in the music they liked when they were young: New Order around 'Low Life', Prefab Sprout's 'Steve McQueen', Thomas Dolby's 'The Flat Earth', early Simple Minds and cerebral type of electronic pop. which dominated the early to mid-1980s. Wire then said: “The main lyrical themes are death, loneliness and ghosts. Being haunted by history and by your own past.” James Dean Bradfield commented: “I loved doing Lifeblood because it was interesting. “I loved pursuing these other versions of what we were trying to do.”
They began working in Cardiff before heading to New York with legendary producer Tony Visconti. The next stop was Ireland with Greg Haver, the producer who had worked on their previous two albums. The finishing touches were given by Tom Elmhirst (Bowie/Goldfrapp/Adele), the mixing engineer who gave the songs a lustrous sheen and shine, combining their backward looks with a touch of futurism. Mojo magazine described him at the time as “An album that nails its subtle but tenacious hooks with dignity and maturity.”
The first single, 'The Love of Richard Nixon', entered the UK charts at number 2, but the band were unsure whether it would be the first music from the album. Nicky Wire explained: “It's like nothing we've ever done. “He's nothing like us.” The next single, 'Empty Souls', also debuted at No. 2 and the group finished the year with a stadium tour.
Manics are currently working on their fifteenth studio album, the follow-up to 'The Ultra Vivid Lament', which entered the UK charts at No. 1 upon its release in September 2021. They last performed in the UK last summer when they garnered critically acclaimed performances at the Isle of Wight and Glastonbury festivals.
Tickets are now on sale through www.gigsandtours.com and www.ticketmaster.co.uk.
Manic Street Preachers // Lifeblood // April 12, 2024
UK and Ireland tour dates
June 28 | Llangollen International Music Eisteddfod *
June 29 | Eden Sessions, St Austell**
July 2 | Dublin – Trinity College Dublin **
July 5 | Cardiff – Cardiff Castle *
July 6 | Cardiff – Cardiff Castle *
July 10 | Edinburgh – Edinburgh Castle *
July 12 | Manchester – Castlefield Bowl *
July 13 | Leeds – Millennium Square **
July 18 | London – Alexandra Palace Park **
July 19 | Margate, land of dreams **
*Manic Street Preachers close the show
**Chamois closes the parade
MANIC STREET PREACHERS – LIFEBLOOD – TRACK LISTINGS
CD
Includes remastered audio of the album's original 12 tracks, overseen by James Dean Bradfield, and two new remixes of '1985' by Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree) and Gwenno along with a redesigned digipak sleeve and 20-page booklet.
1985 Remastered Audio
The Love of Richard Nixon Audio Remastered
Empty Souls Remastered Audio
A song for the game Remastered audio
I live to fall asleep Remastered audio
To Repel Ghosts Remastered Audio
Emily Remastered Audio
Glasnost Remastered Audio
Audio always/never remastered
Solitude Somes has remastered audio
Remastered Audio Fragments
Cardiff Afterlife Remastered Audio
1985 Steven Wilson Eighties Extended Mix
1985 Gwenno Mix
3CD book:
Includes remastered audio of the album's 12 original tracks, overseen by James Dean Bradfield on disc 1, while discs 2 and 3 include B-sides, demos, outtakes and two new remixes of '1985' by Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree ) and Gwenno. . The 3CD book set also includes new liner notes by John Harris and never-before-seen photographs by Mitch Ikeda.
CD 1:
1985 Remastered Audio
The Love of Richard Nixon Audio Remastered
Empty Souls Remastered Audio
A song for the game Remastered audio
I live to fall asleep Remastered audio
To Repel Ghosts Remastered Audio
Emily Remastered Audio
Glasnost Remastered Audio
Audio always/never remastered
Solitude Somes has remastered audio
Remastered Audio Fragments
Cardiff Afterlife Remastered Audio
CD 2:
Askew Road B Side
Everything will be side B
Everybody knows/Nobody cares Side B
Voodoo Polaroids side B
Quarantine (In My Place) Side B
All alone here Side B
Dying breeds side B
Litany side B
Side B of failure
No jubilees side B
Antarctic B-side
The B side of soulmates
1985 Steven Wilson Eighties Extended Mix
1985 Gwenno Mim
CD 3:
1985 alternative version
1985 demonstration
The Love of Richard Nixon Drum Machine Demo
Live rehearsal demo of The Love of Richard Nixon
Demonstration of a song for the game
I live to fall asleep cassette
To repel ghosts Demonstration
Emily's Demonstration
Loneliness is sometimes a demonstration
Fragment Demo
Cardiff Afterlife Cassette
Cardiff Afterlife Demonstration
Loneliness is sometimes a mix of Tony Visconti
Emily Tony Visconti Mix
Tony Visconti's mix from Cardiff's afterlife
Empty Souls live at BBC Maida Vale
The Love of Richard Nixon live on BBC Maida Vale
I live to fall asleep live on BBC Maida Vale
A song for the live match at BBC Maida Vale
Clips live at BBC Maida Vale
Double Vinyl:
Includes remastered audio of the album's original 12 tracks, overseen by James Dean Bradfield, along with a redesigned gatefold cover and 20-page booklet reflecting the original 2004 CD release.
side by side
1985 Remastered Audio
The Love of Richard Nixon Audio Remastered
Empty Souls Remastered Audio
B side
A song for the game Remastered audio
I live to fall asleep Remastered audio
To Repel Ghosts Remastered Audio
Side C
Emily Remastered Audio
Glasnost Remastered Audio
Audio always/never remastered
D Side
Solitude Somes has remastered audio
Remastered Audio Fragments
Cardiff Afterlife Remastered Audio
Double Blood Red Vinyl:
Includes remastered audio of the album's 12 original tracks, overseen by James Dean Bradfield, pressed on blood-red double vinyl along with a redesigned gatefold sleeve and a 20-page booklet reflecting the original 2004 CD release. (list of songs the same as on simple vinyl)
Digital:
Includes remastered audio of the album's 12 original tracks, overseen by James Dean Bradfield along with B-sides, demos, outtakes and two new remixes of '1985' by Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree) and Gwenno.
(track list same as 3CD book set)
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