9 Times Manic Street Preachers Proved They Were The Most Exciting Band On The Planet
3. They Were 4REAL
Four days after Manic Street Preachers signed with Columbia Records, they played a show at Norwich Arts Centre. In attendance was then-NME journalist Steve Lamacq, and after the gig had finished, he conducted an interview with guitarist and unofficial creative director Richey Edwards. Their discussion became an impassioned argument, with Lamacq stating his belief that the band had a cartoonish image, and rather than forging their own identity, were just trying to ape their favourite bands. He concluded his critique with: "some people might regard you as just not for real".
As they continued talking, Richey causally took out a razor blade and started carving the phrase 4REAL into his arm. Lamacq was so stunned, he didn't try to stop him. One of the things that was so strange and frightening about it was that he was so calm. "You didn't even feel like he was making a point. He could almost have been writing it in biro", he later said.
The wound would require 18 stitches, and the next day Richey felt the need to call and apologise to Lamacq. He was asked if, in the cold light of day he felt foolish for his actions. "I just feel like the rest of this country", he replied, "banging my head against the f***ing wall".