With idealist and idealistic rock songs Manic Street Preachers Welsh offered a welcome counterweight to the apolitical and complacent Britpop bands of the nineties. The first period of their career was marked by "larger than life" issues, as expressed in the classic road song Motorcycle Emptiness. The band members were often embroiled in bizarre scandals. After the mysterious disappearance of
… guitarist Richey Edwards, who until now has not been elucidated, the band decided to relaunch which brought them musically calmer waters. That gave the politics as usual single question If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next their first number one single in their home country.more