Generation Terrorists
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| Generation Terrorists | ||||
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| Studio album by Manic Street Preachers | ||||
| Released | 10 February 1992 | |||
| Recorded | August–December 1991, Black Barn Studios, London | |||
| Genre | Alternative rock, hard rock, glam punk | |||
| Length | 73:11 (UK), 57:53 (USA) | |||
| Label | Columbia, 4710602 (CD) | |||
| Producer | Steve Brown | |||
| Manic Street Preachers chronology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
| Q | [citation needed] |
Generation Terrorists is the debut album by Manic Street Preachers, released on 10 February 1992, and produced by Steve Brown.
Contents |
[edit] Background
It was recorded by tracking (the band recorded each instrument separately rather than playing it as a live band and then adding the overdubs later) over a period of 23 weeks at Blackbarn Studios, near Guildford, England. Despite being credited in the album notes, lyricist Richey Edwards did not play on the album, instead vocalist James Dean Bradfield played all guitar parts on the album.
In the U.S., the track list was changed and some of the more political tracks were dropped. "Democracy Coma" was added to make up for this; it was later released as the B Side to Love's Sweet Exile/Repeat and also appeared on Lipstick Traces. In addition, four tracks on the U.S. release ("Slash 'n' Burn," "Nat West–Barclays–Midlands–Lloyds," "Little Baby Nothing," and "You Love Us") were remixed by Michael Brauer. These same four tracks also featured live drumming from American drummer Zachary Alford.[2]
Elsewhere, the album was released in its full, uncensored form.
All lyrics were written by Nicky Wire (real name Nicholas Jones) and Richey James Edwards. All music was written by James Dean Bradfield and Sean Moore (except "Damn Dog", which is a cover version of a song by the Sleez Sisters from the 1980 movie Times Square).
The album's lyrics are politicised like that of The Clash and Public Enemy.[citation needed] Wire and Edwards' love of poetry is also evident in their lyrics. The track "Repeat (Stars And Stripes)" is a remix of the band's own anti-monarchy tirade by Public Enemy production team The Bomb Squad of whom Bradfield and Edwards were big fans.
The cover was originally intended to be Andres Serrano's Pisschrist, a Jesus figure inside a tank of blood and urine, but Sony wanted to avoid any religious controversy; also, the royalty demanded for the piece was deemed excessive. Other ideas were the Bert Stern Marilyn Monroe photographs, a sandpaper sleeve that would scratch the album itself as well as anything else that it was shelved by (an old Situationist prank, this idea was used by Guy Debord for his first book Mémoires and by The Durutti Column for their first album The Return of the Durutti Column), as well as several other famous religious paintings.
The final front cover of the album was a picture of Edwards' left arm and chest. The arm had a tattoo of a rose with the words "USELESS GENERATION" underneath, which was changed to "GENERATION TERRORISTS". This was not without problems, as the original pressing had made Edwards' flesh to be bright pink as opposed to the intended mustard. The back featured a design similar to their earlier New Art Riot EP cover, an EC Flag, though this time it was crumpled and in flames. The working title of the album was Culture, Alienation, Boredom & Despair (a lyric from the song "Little Baby Nothing").
[edit] Track listing
All tracks written by Bradfield/Moore (music) and Edwards/Wire (lyrics), unless otherwise noted.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Slash 'n' Burn" | 3:59 |
| 2. | "Nat West–Barclays–Midlands–Lloyds" | 4:32 |
| 3. | "Born to End" | 3:55 |
| 4. | "Motorcycle Emptiness" | 6:08 |
| 5. | "You Love Us" | 4:18 |
| 6. | "Love's Sweet Exile" | 3:29 |
| 7. | "Little Baby Nothing" | 4:59 |
| 8. | "Repeat (Stars and Stripes)" | 4:09 |
| 9. | "Tennessee" | 3:06 |
| 10. | "Another Invented Disease" | 3:24 |
| 11. | "Stay Beautiful" | 3:10 |
| 12. | "So Dead" | 4:28 |
| 13. | "Repeat (UK)" | 3:09 |
| 14. | "Spectators of Suicide" | 4:40 |
| 15. | "Damn Dog" (Music by Jacob Brackman/Billy Mernit) | 1:52 |
| 16. | "Crucifix Kiss" | 3:39 |
| 17. | "Methadone Pretty" | 3:57 |
| 18. | "Condemned to Rock 'n' Roll" | 6:06 |
The song "Motown Junk" is track 19 on the Japanese version of the album.
[edit] US track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Slash 'n' Burn" | 3:59 |
| 2. | "Nat West–Barclays–Midlands–Lloyds" | 4:32 |
| 3. | "Love's Sweet Exile" | 3:29 |
| 4. | "Little Baby Nothing" | 4:59 |
| 5. | "Another Invented Disease" | 3:24 |
| 6. | "Stay Beautiful" | 3:10 |
| 7. | "Repeat (UK)" | 3:09 |
| 8. | "You Love Us" | 4:18 |
| 9. | "Democracy Coma" | 3:45 |
| 10. | "Crucifix Kiss" | 3:39 |
| 11. | "Motorcycle Emptiness" | 6:08 |
| 12. | "Tennessee" | 3:06 |
| 13. | "Repeat (Stars and Stripes)" | 4:09 |
| 14. | "Condemned to Rock 'n' Roll" | 6:06 |
[edit] Personnel
- Manic Street Preachers
- James Dean Bradfield – lead vocals, lead guitar
- Richey Edwards – rhythm guitar
- Sean Moore – drums, percussion, backing vocals
- Nicky Wire – bass guitar, piano on Little Baby Nothing
- Additional personnel
- Dave Eringa – piano, organ on "Nat West–Barclays–Midlands–Lloyds", "You Love Us", "Spectators of Suicide" and "Crucifix Kiss"
- Traci Lords – vocals on "Little Baby Nothing"
- Richard Cottle – keyboards on "Motorcycle Emptiness"
- May McKenna, Jackie Challenor, Lorenza Johnson – backing vocals on "Another Invented Disease"
[edit] Notes
- ^ Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Generation Terrorists". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/album/generation-terrorists-r58798. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
- ^ Bowie Zone
