REWIND: Manic Street Preachers - 'Kevin Carter'

It's hard for me to believe that 1996 happened 20 years ago. Every day until the end of this year, RW/FF will be looking back two decades to remember all of the amazing music that was released that year. If you weren't around or were too young to remember the mid 90s, consider this a lesson of enlightenment. If you (like me) were lucky enough to experience it all first time around, then these posts make a fine nostalgic blast from the blast.

The Top 10 in the UK singles chart from 20 years ago this week (October 6 - 12, 1996) is probably one of the most impressive I've ever seen, despite the presence of Celine Dion at number 4 and Dina Carroll at number 10. See the full chart rundown HERE. In at number 9 that week (although it should've been higher) was the infectious intensity of 'Kevin Carter', the first Manic Street Preachers track to feature drummer Sean Moore having a go at the trumpet. The song was written by the band's lyricist Richey Edwards, who by that point had been missing since 1995. 'Kevin Carter' was named after and inspired by the Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist who took his own life in 1994.

It's hard to believe that their masterpiece 'Everything Must Go' is now over twenty years old. Recently re-released as a deluxe edition featuring extra tracks, live material and more, the band's fourth studio album was released on 20 May 1996 and was their first following the disappearance of lyricist and rhythm guitarist Richey Edwards. Released at the height of Britpop in the mid-1990s, the LP took the band to a higher level of mainstream success, reaching number 2 in the UK albums chart. It also won the Manics a couple of Brit Awards and shifted over two million copies.

Although a lot of fans regard 1994's 'The Holy Bible' as their finest work, I'd say that 'Everything Must Go' is equally as brilliant, if not more. And the 1998 follow-up 'This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours' has also grown on me over the years to the point where I'd rank it alongside the two aforementioned LPs. Three albums that showcased an astonishing band at their creative peak. Recently the Manics have been playing the album in full to celebrate it's 20th anniversary. God Is In The TV have published a great review of the album's reissue which can be found HERE.