Manic Street Preachers Announce 20th Anniversary Edition of “Lifeblood”
The reissue comes out on April 12th
Feb 06, 2024By Dom GourlayPhotography by Mitch IkedaWeb Exclusive
ManicStreet Preachers today announce the release of a 20th Anniversary Edition of their seventh studio album Lifeblood on 12th April 2024 for Sony Records. As with other Manics re-issues, the new releases feature many remastered tracks, b-sides, demos and outtakes, new liner notes by John Harris and unseen pictures by Mitch Ikeda. Available on CD, 3 CD bookset, double vinyl, double coloured vinyl, limited artwork prints and digital – two brand new remixes of the lead track “1985” by Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree) and sometime collaborator Gwenno appear on the CD and digital versions. As previously announced, the band will embark on a co-headlining tour with Suede in the summer (dates below).
Described by Nicky Wire as “our most estranged album of all,” the record came at a time when the band were reflecting on what they had become and what they could be. The band looked to the music they had liked when they were young for inspiration - New Order circa Low Life, Prefab Sprout’s Steve McQueen, Thomas Dolby’s The Flat Earth, early Simple Minds, and the kind of cerebral electronic pop that dominated the early-to-mid 1980s. Wire said at the time “The main lyrical themes are death and solitude and ghosts. Being haunted by history and being haunted by your own past.” James Dean Bradfield commented “I loved making Lifeblood, because it was interesting. I loved chasing these other versions of what we were trying to do.”
They started work in Cardiff before heading to New York to work with legendary producer Tony Visconti. Next stop was Ireland with Greg Haver, the producer who had worked on their previous two albums. Finishing touches were brought by Tom Elmhirst (Bowie/ Goldfrapp/Adele), the mix engineer who gave the songs a lustrous sheen and sparkle, which combined their backwards glances with a hint of futurism. Mojo Magazine described it at the time as “An album that nails its subtle-but-tenacious hooks with dignity and maturity”.
First single “The Love of Richard Nixon” entered the UK charts at number 2 but the band were unsure about it being the first music from the album. Nicky Wire explained “It sounds like nothing we’ve ever done. It doesn’t sound like us at all.” The next single “Empty Souls” also debuted at number 2 and the group finished the year with an arena tour.
Incidentally, three of the songs off Lifeblood were reintroduced to the band’s live set at various shows last year - “1985”, “A Song For Departure” and “To Repel Ghosts.”
The tracklistings for the 20th Anniversary Editions of Lifeblood are as follows :-
CD
Includes remastered audio of the original 12 album tracks, overseen by James Dean Bradfield, and two brand new remixes of ‘1985’ by Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree) and Gwenno alongside a redesigned digipak sleeve and including a 20 page booklet.
1985 Remastered Audio
The Love of Richard Nixon Remastered Audio
Empty Souls Remastered Audio
A Song for Departure Remastered Audio
I Live to Fall Asleep Remastered Audio
To Repel Ghosts Remastered Audio
Emily Remastered Audio
Glasnost Remastered Audio
Always/Never Remastered Audio
Solitude Somes Is Remastered Audio
Fragments Remastered Audio
Cardiff Afterlife Remastered Audio
1985 Steven Wilson’s Extended Eighties Mix
1985 Gwenno Mix
3CD Bookset:
Includes remastered audio of the original 12 album tracks, overseen by James Dean Bradfield on disc 1 while discs 2 & 3 comprise B-sides, Demos, Outtakes and two brand new remixes of ‘1985’ by Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree) and Gwenno. The 3CD bookset also includes brand new liner notes by John Harris and previously unseen photographs by Mitch Ikeda.
CD 1:
1985 Remastered Audio
The Love of Richard Nixon Remastered Audio
Empty Souls Remastered Audio
A Song for Departure Remastered Audio
I Live to Fall Asleep Remastered Audio
To Repel Ghosts Remastered Audio
Emily Remastered Audio
Glasnost Remastered Audio
Always/Never Remastered Audio
Solitude Somes Is Remastered Audio
Fragments Remastered Audio
Cardiff Afterlife Remastered Audio
CD 2:
Askew Road B-side
Everything Will Be B-side
Everyone Knows/Nobody Cares B-side
Voodoo Polaroids B-side
Quarantine (In My Place Of) B-side
All Alone Here B-side
Dying Breeds B-side
Litany B-side
Failure Bound B-side
No Jubilees B-side
Antarctic B-side
The Soulmates B-side
1985 Steven Wilson’s Extended Eighties Mix
1985 Gwenno Mim
CD 3:
1985 Alternative version
1985 Demo
The Love of Richard Nixon Drum machine demo
The Love of Richard Nixon Live rehearsal demo
A Song For Departure Demo
I Live To Fall Asleep Cassette
To Repel Ghosts Demo
Emily Demo
Solitude Sometimes Is Demo
Fragments Demo
Cardiff Afterlife Cassette
Cardiff Afterlife Demo
Solitude Sometimes Is Tony Visconti Mix
Emily Tony Visconti Mix
Cardiff Afterlife Tony Visconti Mix
Empty Souls Live At BBC Maida Vale
The Love Of Richard Nixon Live At BBC Maida Vale
I Live To Fall Asleep Live At BBC Maida Vale
A Song For Departure Live At BBC Maida Vale
Fragments Live At BBC Maida Vale
Double Vinyl:
Includes remastered audio of the original 12 album tracks, overseen by James Dean Bradfield, alongside a redesigned gatefold sleeve and 20 page booklet mirroring the original 2004 CD release.
Side A
1985 Remastered Audio
The Love of Richard Nixon Remastered Audio
Empty Souls Remastered Audio
Side B
A Song for Departure Remastered Audio
I Live to Fall Asleep Remastered Audio
To Repel Ghosts Remastered Audio
Side C
Emily Remastered Audio
Glasnost Remastered Audio
Always/Never Remastered Audio
Side D
Solitude Somes Is Remastered Audio
Fragments Remastered Audio
Cardiff Afterlife Remastered Audio
Double Blood Red Vinyl:
Includes remastered audio of the original 12 album tracks, overseen by James Dean Bradfield, pressed on double blood red coloured vinyl alongside a redesigned gatefold sleeve and 20 page booklet Mirroring the original 2004 CD release. (tracklisting same as plain vinyl)
Digital:
Includes remastered audio of the original 12 album tracks, overseen by James Dean Bradfield alongside B-sides, Demos, Outtakes and two brand new remixes of ‘1985’ by Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree) and Gwenno.
(tracklisting same as 3CD bookset).
The band are currently in the studio working on their fifteenth album, the follow-up to 2021’s The Ultra Vivid Lament which entered the UK charts at number 1 upon its release in September of that year.
Manic Street Preachers embark on a number of UK and Ireland tour dates with Suede this summer, calling in at the following :-
28th June Llangollen International Music Eisteddfod *
29th June Eden Sessions, St Austell** 2nd July Dublin - Dublin Trinity College **
5th July Cardiff - Cardiff Castle *
6th July Cardiff - Cardiff Castle *
10th July Edinburgh - Edinburgh Castle *
12th July Manchester - Castlefield Bowl *
13th July Leeds - Millenium Square **
18th July London - Alexandra Palace Park **
19th July Margate, Dreamland **
*Manic Street Preachers close the show**Suede close the show
Tickets are available for the shows HERE and HERE.
The 20th Anniversary Edition of Lifeblood is released on 12th April 2024 and can be pre-ordered HERE.
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