Manics want more 'joy' in future albums
Manic Street Preachers want to bring more "joy" to their music after their "exhausting" current album.
The group have just finished a UK tour which saw them perform latest LP 'Journal For Plague Lovers' - featuring lyrics written by missing guitarist Richey Edwards - and admit they weren't prepared for how "intense" performing it would be.
Singer James Dean Bradfield said: "I didn't realise it was going to be as an intense an experience as it turned out to be. It was definitely more intense touring it than making the record, it brought out something in us, I don't know what, but I do feel exhausted by it, mentally more than physically, and I didn't expect that."
The band are now preparing to begin work on their 10th album and the 'Australia' singer pledged the record will be radically different.
He added: "I think we're going to try and create an experience that brings a bit more joy.
"I think we've always reacted against ourselves. When we made 'This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours' it was our biggest-selling record in the world and then we made a clattery experimental punk album in 'Know Your Enemy' and managed to downgrade all our sales."
The singer also spoke about Cerys Matthews' recent comments that she was to record with the group, saying they have no plans but he is open to a collaboration.
He said: "I'm always up for doing something with Cerys as I'm kind of jealous of the way she can sing a song. I can get to the high notes like she can but I can't get as much expression in my voice as she does."
