The Troubled Life Of Manic Street Preachers’ Richey Edwards

May 24, 2010 at 10:09 am by Kristy Jett  

There are many stories of strange disappearances/deaths and suicides in Rock music history. It’s a category reserved for a lot of musicians who often write songs of torturous love and anguish for emotions that have nowhere else to go but out into the world as songs. Nick Drake, Ian Curtis, Matthew Jay, Jeff Buckley and Elliott Smith just to name a few. Then there is that of Richey Edwards of Manic Street Preachers. They are a band which I’m sure a lot of people may not have heard of, especially if you’re not a 90s Alternative geek. Manic Street Preachers was a Welsh band who broke out onto the Alternative music scene in the early 90s. They came out of the Cardiff music scene best known for acts like Super Furry Animals and more recently for crafting a harder edged sound from bands such as Bullet For My Valentine and Lostprophets. They formed in 1986 but did not release their first full length album until 1992. Wikipedia describes their debut album, Generation Terrorists as a “combination of androgynous glam punk imagery, outspoken invective and songs about culture, alienation, boredom and despair.”

Richey Edwards started out primarily as a roadie for the Manics, as they were often times referred to as. He was mainly a mouthpiece for the band, as well as more of the artistic sponsor. He moved into being a lyricist, showing little musical talent otherwise, even as he became the second guitarist for the band. He was the colorful character who moved the band in new artistic directions over the next few years. Critics questioned the bands punk rock ideals as time went on. In 1991, Edwards gave his own answer to people who questioned if the Manics were for real or not by carving “4 Real” into his arm with a razor blade. The wound required stitching, and started to paint a picture of Edwards as being troubled and not just trying to garner publicity for his band. The controversy that stunt courted gained the band a record deal with Sony.

Edwards was open about the depression he suffered from in interviews. He was notorious for self-harming. He was a cutter and also put cigarettes out on his skin. He was known for a serious drug and alcohol problem as well, spending time in and out of a mental hospital over his years with the band.

The release of their third album, The Holy Bible (1994) was a critical triumph. Edwards was heavily in the crosshairs of his depression, citing Sylvia Plath for a majority of the inspiration of the album. The album itself deftly maneuvered the alleyways of depression.

In February of 1995, Edwards disappeared without a word to friends or family as to where he might be. He went missing on the day that he was supposed to leave for the U.S. on a promotional tour. That was February 1, and on February 7, a taxi driver reportedly drove Edwards to the Severn service station. On Valentine’s Day his car was found at that same service station with a dead battery, police supposing it had been lived in. The station is near the Severn Bridge which was a destination spot for suicide jumpers. But many of Edwards’ close friends dismissed him as a jumper. Edwards himself has been quoted as saying, “In terms of the ‘S’ word, that does not enter my mind. And it never has done, in terms of an attempt. I am stronger than that. I might be a weak person, but I can take pain.”

He has taken on a bit of an Elvis type persona, being spotted anywhere and everywhere, and as far away as India. None of these sightings have proven to be fruitful.

The band has set aside royalties for Edwards should he ever return. His family was given the opportunity to declare him dead in 2002, but did not choose to follow through on that until 2008. Just last year, Manic Street Preachers released, Journal For Plague Lovers, an album made entirely from lyrics left behind by Edwards.

Richey Edwards has become a bit of a poster child for depressives and self-mutilators mainly because he was the first celebrity to bring the subject of cutting and self-harming into the open. Not for the chic of it, but with a sense of humor.

In the sense that you usually find people linking New Order and Joy Division in the same breath (Ian Curtis was the lead singer of Joy Division who committed suicide just before the band was set to travel to the U.S. for their first tour. The band went on to form New Order.), Manic Street Preachers will always be mentioned in the same breath as Richey Edwards.

His body has never been found.