Celebrating 20 years of Manic Street Preachers critically acclaimed Seventh studio album “Lifeblood”; this 3CD anniversary bookset edition features 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.
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 ‘Steve McQueen’, Thomas Dolby ‘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 No. 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 No. 2 and the group finished the year with an arena tour!
Triple Compact Disc Pressing
Track list:
CD 1
1. 1985
2.The Love Of Richard Nixon
3. Empty Souls
4. A Song For Departure
5. I Live To Fall Asleep
6. To Repel Ghosts
7. Emily
8. Glasnost
9. Always/Never
10.Solitude Sometimes Is
11. Fragments
12. Cardiff Afterlife
CD 2
1. Askew Road - B SIDE
2. Everything Will Be - B SIDE
3. Everyone Knows/Nobody Cares - B SIDE
4. Voodoo Polaroids - B SIDE
5. Quarantine (In My Place Of) - B SIDE
6. All Alone Here - B SIDE
7. Dying Breeds - B SIDE
8. Litany - B SIDE
9. Failure Bound - B SIDE
10. No Jubilees - B SIDE
11. Antarctic - B SIDE
12. The Soulmates - B SIDE
13. 1985 - STEVEN WILSON'S EXTENDED EIGHTIES MIX
14. 1985 - GWENNO MIX
CD 3
1. 1985 - ALTERNATE VERSION
2. 1985 - DEMO
3. The Love Of Richard Nixon - DRUM MACHINE DEMO
4. The Love Of Richard Nixon - LIVE REHEARSAL DEMO
5. A Song For Departure - DEMO
6. I Live To Fall Asleep - CASETTE
7. To Repel Ghosts - DEMO
8. Emily - DEMO
9. Solitude Sometimes Is - DEMO
10. Fragments - DEMO
11. Cardiff Afterlife - CASETTE
12. Cardiff Afterlife - DEMO
13. Solitude Sometimes Is - TONY VISCONTI MIX
14. Emily - TONY VISCONTI MIX
15. Cardiff Afterlife - TONY VISCONTI MIX
16. Empty Souls- LIVE AT BBC MAIDA VALE
17. The Love Of Richard Nixon - LIVE AT BBC MAIDA VALE
18. I Live To Fall Asleep - LIVE AT BBC MAIDA VALE
19. A Song For Departure - LIVE AT BBC MAIDA VALE
20. Fragments - LIVE AT BBC MAIDA VALE