Formed in Blackwood, Gwent in 1988 by cousins James Dean Bradfield and Sean Moore, the duo soon added school friends Richey 'James' Edwards and Nicky Wire (real name Jones). The MANIC STREET PREACHERS would build a hardcore cult fan base in the UK but achieved almost superstar status in the Far East before this success transferred itself back to their homeland. They would, courtesy of Richy Edwards increasingly bizarre behaviour and Nicky Wire's penchant for wearing a dress onstage, foster acres of media newsprint.

The band was rooted in the 1986 outfit BETTY BLUE, a unit comprising James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire, Sean Moore and rhythm guitarist Flicker. This latter candidate opted out and in 1988, drawing in Swansea University student Richey Edwards, adopted the revised title of MANIC STREET PREACHERS. The budding group debuted with self financed single 'Suicide Alley' in 1989 and would eventually be signed by Columbia Records in 1991 after releasing further independent product including the much lauded 'New Art Riot' EP.

It would be one interview that propelled the band into the national conscience. Steve Lamaq of the New Musical Express questioned the band's authenticity to which James responded by carving the slogan "4 real" into his forearm in front of the horrified journalist and photographer. This self mutilation would mark the advent of further troubles to come. Seemingly at odds with their perceived leftist political leanings and self confessed retro-Punk ethos the MANIC STREET PREACHERS were subjects of a quite massive and sustained promotion campaign courtesy of their label. 'Stay Beautiful' would signal their first presence in the UK charts, capitalised on by a re-recorded version of 'You Love Us'. The Welsh quartet undertook a 1992 British tour supported by THE WILDHEARTS in the same year they unleashed the 'Generation Terrorists' album, which included the track 'Little Baby Nothing' featuring guest vocals from former US Porn queen Traci Lords. Hugely ambitious for a debut, 'Generation Terrorists' emerged in the UK as a lavish double album. US releases would come packaged as a more modest, trimmed down single disc release, slashing five tracks but adding 'Democracy Coma'.

Obviously at odds with their Columbia Records contract the band claimed 'Generation Terrorists' would be their one and only album. However, their non album re-recording of the 'M.A.S.H.' TV theme tune 'Suicide Is Painless', giving them their highest chart placing to date, indicated there was more to come. 1993's album 'Gold Against The Soul' bore the brunt of a media backlash but still sold in large quantities given momentum by significant hits 'From Despair To Where', 'Scream To A Sigh (La Tristesse Durera)' and 'Roses In The Hospital'. Typically the group's internal tribulation reaped a renewed round of press coverage, journalists homing in on James' struggles with alcohol and his admitted eating disorder. Indeed, James was supposedly sustaining himself on a strict diet of alcohol, 65 cigarettes a day and flaked chocolate. Much to fans consternation he appeared onstage in Thailand having cut his chest open with knives given to him by an ardent fan. The guitarist undertook a rehabilitation programme as the band soldiered on as a reluctant trio.

MANIC STREET PREACHERS totally anti-commercial 1994 album 'The Holy Bible' would prove a stark and uncompromising venting of lyrical venom from Richey James. He would even go so far as to address his anorexia with the song '4st 7lb'. The band performed at many festivals during 1994, including Glastonbury, Reading and Glasgow. Huge in the Far East, the band also completed a sell out tour of Japan and two sold out shows in Bangkok. They would also support SUEDE in Europe.

Richey Edwards went missing in February 1995, his abandoned car being found at the motorway service station beside the Severn Bridge, a notorious site for suicides. Despite alleged sightings from as far away as Mauritius and Goa the guitarist has not been seen since. A mystique quickly grew up around the disappearance with theorists pointing to a lack of a body and the fact that James took his passport with him as indicators he was still alive.

Vowing to continue the remaining trio opted to persevere, paradoxically achieving the overdue commercial rewards with the subsequent 'Everything Must Go' album. They had earlier re-debuted for live work as guests to THE STONE ROSES in December of 1995 and scored a major hit single with 'A Design For Life', this track just falling shy of the British no. 1 spot. 'Everything Must Go's mainstream appeal, it would still sport lyrics from James on no less than five tracks, would result in the album scoring multi-platinum status in the UK. The record was belatedly released in North America the following May. Supporting it the group tagged onto the OASIS tour but these dates crumbled and MANIC STREET PREACHERS returned home.

'This Is My Truth, Tell Me Yours' was delivered in August of 1998, buoyed by radio play for lead in single 'If You Tolerate This, Then Your Children Will Be Next', repeating previous success in Europe and the Far East. Having split away from their US label Epic the record was overlooked for a North American release until Virgin picked the opus up for issue in June of 1999. Richey Edwards was officially declared dead in February of 2002.

Following in the footsteps of past successful charity releases, the star-studded compilation '1 Love : NME Warchild Album', was issued during April 2003 in benefit of the Warchild charity which aids helpless children in wartorn locations. Containing modern adaptations of past UK number ones, 'Merry Xmas Everybody', originally a ROLLING STONES composition which proved a 1966 smash hit for CHRIS FARLOWE, underwent the MANIC STREET PREACHERS treatment.