As Richey Edwards family has recently declared him dead following 13,5 years of his falling off the Earth, his legacy is today being recognised in The Guardian.

Despite Edwards being as good a guitar-player as Sid Vicious was at the bass guitar, his lyrics severely heightened sensations as far as Manic Street Preachers are concerned. I cannot think of many modern lyricists that move me in the same fashion as he did. From "Motown Junk", the Manics' first single:

I laughed when Lennon got shot.

Today, this statement wouldn't get many raised eyebrows, but considering that Edwards wrote the lyric less than 10 years after Lennon's death, it's like seeing John Lydon adorning a swastika on his jacket; quite the farthest from My Chemical Romance you will ever get.

Do not listen to a word I say Just listen to what I can keep silent The only way to gain approval Is by exploiting the very thing that cheapens me ((From "This Is Yesterday", off "The Holy Bible".))

Indeed, Edwards' lyrics are at times astounding, at times breathtaking and at their worst, cheap propaganda and cheesiness, but as a whole, very few writers have conjured lyrics that can politically, angrily and painfully compare with his.

The Manics of today are working. Solely using lyrics written by Edwards, the album is being produced by the extraordinary Steve Albini, which should be inspirational and frightening; here's what the Manics have to say about it ((Culled from their blog.)):

We have been in the studio with Mr Steve Albini recording live ““ to tape ““ analogue ““ no digital hiss ““ no Pro Tools ““ no safety nets. Quite scary, daunting but invigorating. All the songs we are recording are lyrics left to us by Richey. Finally it feels like the right time to use them (especially after the last 18 months being so amazing with Send Away The Tigers). Musically, in many ways it feels like a follow up to the Holy Bible but there is also an acoustic side ““ tender, romantic, nihilism, “Small Black Flowers That Grow In The Sky“ esque. It's a record that celebrates the genius of his words, full of love, anger, intelligence and respect. We have to make this great. Wish us luck.

We hope to release the record next April or May. The working titles are “Journal for Plague Lovers“ or “I Know I Believe In Nothing But It Is My Nothing“.

I like the second working title for the album, even though it's a line from "Faster". I really, really wish for an album like "The Holy Bible" ((Which actually is the last of their albums that I discovered; I've been listening actively to their material since "Gold Against The Soul", but somehow THB slipped through the net.)) which I consider to be their greatest achievement; it was recorded for a few bob in a studio where most professional musicians record demos, not albums, but somehow I feel as if the entire experience honed their work and made them hungrier than they were on GATS.

Looking good for the future.