20 YEARS AGO: Manic Street Preachers - Black Holes For The Young

An excellent B side, released 20 years ago today on 30 November 1998. The unsettling, dramatic 'Black Holes For The Young' featured as an extra track on the Cd single of 'The Everlasting'. The Manic Street Preachers and pop glamourpuss Sophie Ellis-Bextor seem like an unlikely combination. Yet it works brilliantly here. “That was fun to do" said Sophie, "Quite a lot of Manic Street Preachers fans were annoyed I was on it but I was happy. They have very loyal, protective fans so they don’t really want to hear other people getting involved with their family. I understand and respect that. I’ve never performed it live, but it was my first ever guest vocal and it was a lovely compliment to be involved with a band like that.” The song was recorded while Bextor was the vocalist in late 90s indie band Theaudience.
With heavy use of organ, and a darkly contagious chorus, the song addresses class issues and urban/rural conflict, as well as the recurring Manics topic of the vacuousness of London culture. 'Black Holes For The Young' will be included with all the other 'This Is My Truth...' era B sides on the deluxe 20th anniversary edition of the album, released next month in December.