Well, the Manics have finally come out of Rockfield studio and officially announced the release date and details of their next album, Journal For Plague Lovers. They will be releasing the 13-track LP featuring Richey's unused lyrics on May 18, and it will apparently be available on CD, deluxe double CD, vinyl and download. In keeping with the effort to recall their masterpiece, The Holy Bible, Journal For Plague Lovers features cover art from Jenny Saville. Reading track names like Jackie Collins Existential Question Time, Me and Stephen Hawking, Pretension/Repulsion, and Virginia State Epileptic Colony has gotten me very excited, indeed. Although it still remains to be seen whether the music will do the words justice. Or even if the words live up to the memory. I can't wait to find out, though.
In honour of the album's release, the Manics are doing a small tour of the UK (at least considerably smaller than they did for Send Away The Tigers) as follows:
May
Mon 25th - Barrowlands, Glasgow
Tue 26th - Venue Cymru Arena, Llandudno
Thu 28th - Camden Roundhouse, London
Fri 29th - Camden Roundhouse, London
Sat 30th - Camden Roundhouse, London
June
Mon 1st - Civic Hall, Wolverhampton
Tue 2nd - Dome, Brighton
Thu 4th - Olympia, Dublin
Sat 6th - Ulster Hall, Belfast
Motown Junk (Johnny Boy Anniversary Mix) - Manic Street Preachers
Die in the Summertime (Demo) - Manic Street Preachers
