Manic Street Preachers - International Blue (Radio X session)

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RandallFlaggRandallFlagg Frets: 13929
edited April 2018 in Music
It's taken a while to grow on me but I now really like the latest Manic's single International Blue. I learned to play it last night (most of it anyway) and the guitar part is quite interesting, I like the melodic bits.

This Radio X session track is different from the single and album version and sounds good with nice use of flanger/chorus on the guitar. Maybe a BOSS BF-2, I know he's used them in the past?

It looks like JDB's 1990 Les Paul Custom and it's aged nicely. There's still a little bit of rock n roll left in the mainstream, just about.

https://youtu.be/sAK1XG35C7Y


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  • RandallFlaggRandallFlagg Frets: 13929
    Nicky Wire on the International Blue:

    “I think there’s a certain naive energy and widescreen melancholia on the song that is reflected through the whole album. It’s a good representation of the almost ‘Generation Terrorists’ energy that we’ve got. It’s a bit like a new ‘Motorcycle Emptiness’, but set in Nice rather than Japan.

    “There’s still a lot of 1970’s Bowie, ‘Station To Station’ kinda stuff, which has been a big influence. But it’s still obsessed with melody.”


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  • darthed1981darthed1981 Frets: 11673
    I LOVE the Manics, had the new album turn up on Vinyl last night, you get a free CD, which was nice.

    I'd never have taken up the guitar without JDB, I think one day I'll end up with a White Gibson LPC, I've got the Epiphone version at the minute. :)
    We have to be so very careful, what we believe in...
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  • MagicPigDetectiveMagicPigDetective Frets: 2992
    edited April 2018
    I like the song more after watching that. Never ceases to amaze me how well he can sing and play those parts at the same time. Looking forward to seeing them in a couple of weeks. 
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  • EmielEmiel Frets: 212
    I have nothing but tremendous respect for these guys. They have been going for 30 years now and they are still going strong and realising quality music. I thorougly enjoyed their last album Futurology, typically Manics and still very contemporary. After a few listens I am liking the new album! Nice clip by the way, like how they use the security camera’s.
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  • AlexCAlexC Frets: 2396
    One of my all time favourite bands since I first heard them back in 92/93. Got the new album yesterday - only listened to it once so far but it strikes me as a set of really strong songs. There’s rumours that this may be their last release, which would be a shame. Unlike many of their peers they haven’t grown redundant or are just standing still. 
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  • bingefellerbingefeller Frets: 5723
    The album is great.  I was listening to it yesterday and it's definitely one of the better albums I've heard this yet.  
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  • darthed1981darthed1981 Frets: 11673
    AlexC said:
    One of my all time favourite bands since I first heard them back in 92/93. Got the new album yesterday - only listened to it once so far but it strikes me as a set of really strong songs. There’s rumours that this may be their last release, which would be a shame. Unlike many of their peers they haven’t grown redundant or are just standing still. 
    I wouldn't worry - when "Postcards From a Young Man" came out it was all "our last attempt at mass communication" and this new one is the third since then.

    The Manics might leave it a few years, but this isn't their last album.
    We have to be so very careful, what we believe in...
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  • LuttiSLuttiS Frets: 2243
    International Blue is a good song, but not so keen on the rest of the album.. still it usually takes a few listens to appreciate. Last album i genuinely enjoyed by them was Journal for Plague Lovers. Since then the albums just haven't been as good (in my opinion..) Nicky is trying to be a really deep clever lyricist.. but he's just not.

    I think JDB is a severely underrated guitarist..  he hasn't really shown his full ability on albums for a long time. Not saying that's necessarily a bad thing, as manics these days are not such a guitar driven band and everything he does play fits perfectly. 

    Was chatting to him a few years ago talking about bands and things, he was into  Russian Circles at the time and other quite thrashy/widdly things.  I'd be quite interested to hear a solo project from him that is exactly what he *wants* to do, rather than fan/label/movie/Nicky dictated stuff. 
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  • darthed1981darthed1981 Frets: 11673
    When he did do a solo album it sounded a lot like the Manics!

    Id love to see him doing one indulging his soft spot for the heavier side of things.
    We have to be so very careful, what we believe in...
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  • stickyfiddlestickyfiddle Frets: 26753
    Honestly, I think the Manics have been in "one or 2 good songs on a dull record" mode for at least a decade now, but I still love them. 

    JDB is an awesome guitar player and just as good a singer.

    And now I want an LP Custom again...
    The Assumptions - UAE party band for all your rock & soul desires
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  • LuttiSLuttiS Frets: 2243
    When he did do a solo album it sounded a lot like the Manics!

    Id love to see him doing one indulging his soft spot for the heavier side of things.
    yep.. it would potentially be awesome. 

    Honestly, I think the Manics have been in "one or 2 good songs on a dull record" mode for at least a decade now, but I still love them. 

    JDB is an awesome guitar player and just as good a singer. 



    and the good songs have only been good compared to the rest of the album... They've also gone down the overproduced route.. some of the demo's & b-sides on the last set of albums have actually been really good.
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  • MagicPigDetectiveMagicPigDetective Frets: 2992
    edited May 2018
    International Blue was their first song at Llandudno last night and it sounded glorious live. Then straight into Motorcycle Emptiness, second song. It's such a pleasure watching JBD tearing it up on the white custom LP. Great gig.
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  • builttospillbuilttospill Frets: 456
    It's taken a while to grow on me but I now really like the latest Manic's single International Blue. I learned to play it last night (most of it anyway) and the guitar part is quite interesting, I like the melodic bits.

    This Radio X session track is different from the single and album version and sounds good with nice use of flanger/chorus on the guitar. Maybe a BOSS BF-2, I know he's used them in the past?

    It looks like JDB's 1990 Les Paul Custom and it's aged nicely. There's still a little bit of rock n roll left in the mainstream, just about.

    https://youtu.be/sAK1XG35C7Y
     Still have a bit of a soft spot for the manics, it's a really good song. Great use of tape echo delay in this track from 02:35, apart from amps does anyone know what JDB uses pedal wise?
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  • LuttiSLuttiS Frets: 2243
    @MagicPigDetective - i was there too, thought it was great gig and a great setlist.. but but but.. did you find that there was a certain.. umphh missing? There was no rawness in it...  and the keyboards were just overpowering. 
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  • LuttiS said:
    @MagicPigDetective - i was there too, thought it was great gig and a great setlist.. but but but.. did you find that there was a certain.. umphh missing? There was no rawness in it...  and the keyboards were just overpowering. 


    Where were you standing? I was right in the middle. It sounded good to me, you could hear JDB's guitar clearly. But perhaps oomphness is sacrificed for clarity - and to protect our aging ear drums? I wear ear plugs at loud gigs - last night they were not needed. I'm not convinced they needed two additional guitarists.

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  • LuttiSLuttiS Frets: 2243
    I was right in the middle too...  I've seen them quite a few times over the years (wife is a crazy fan) and it seems that there has been more and more keyboards over all of the songs.. 
    Clarity wise, couldn't fault it, great sound.. just not so much the sound they usually have. 

    Still an enjoyable evening. And yeah.. three guitarists not needed.. :)
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  • RandallFlaggRandallFlagg Frets: 13929
    LuttiS said:
    @MagicPigDetective - i was there too, thought it was great gig and a great setlist.. but but but.. did you find that there was a certain.. umphh missing? There was no rawness in it...  and the keyboards were just overpowering. 

    What's JDB using for amps on this tour? The Radio X clip doesn't sound like a loud valve amp to me.


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  • LuttiS said:
    @MagicPigDetective - i was there too, thought it was great gig and a great setlist.. but but but.. did you find that there was a certain.. umphh missing? There was no rawness in it...  and the keyboards were just overpowering. 

    What's JDB using for amps on this tour? The Radio X clip doesn't sound like a loud valve amp to me.

    No idea, couldn't see from the floor, or whether he was using pedals. He had a nice vibe type effect going on when playing a sunburst strat. The Guild T Bird was a surprise.

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  • Another great performance of International Blue on Jools Holland with I assume the touring rig. JDB had a Mesa Boogie Combo on top of a Marshall cab. 
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  • RandallFlaggRandallFlagg Frets: 13929
    Another great performance of International Blue on Jools Holland with I assume the touring rig. JDB had a Mesa Boogie Combo on top of a Marshall cab. 
    Just checked that out, 2 extra guitarists in the band? JDB looks old enough to be one of them's Dad! Looks like a Mesa Lonestar to me.


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