Richey is dead

After thirteen years, and at the request of his family, Richey Edwards has been formally presumed dead.

Life becoming a landslide

The Manics and Steve Albini are currently busy in a studio making an album based around unrecorded Richey lyrics.

Part of me is excited at the idea of the Manics working with a producer who should be able to kick out a load of their flab, and using lyrics written by the smart one out the band. The other part of me - and it turns out to be the bit of me which shouts the loudest - is picturing James Dean Bradfield smashing the glass on the big red 'In emergency of running totally of out ideas' panic box on the studio wall.

Twelve years on

It's twelve years to the day since Richey Edwards disappeared.

It's five years to the day since his family could have chosen to have declared officially dead. They've elected not to, of course, keeping their options open and their hope alive.

It still all seems like a terrible waste.