«Nailed to History: The Story of Manic Street Preachers» by Martin Power

In the last two decades, Manic Street Preachers have established themselves as one the UK's enduring, intelligent and credible rocks groups, but that quest for greatness has seen the band follow a difficult, sometimes torturous path, with one of their number - the gifted yet troubled Richley Edwards - abandon that that quest altogether for destinations still unknown.

Nailed To History traces the slow yet inexorable climb of the South Wales band from their late 1980s origins as glam punk inspired, though critically derided 'Generation Terrorists' to their current position as respected art rock intellectuals - a fact underlined by 2009's award-winning A Journal For Plague Lovers.

It also examines the life and complex personality of Edwards, whose highly politicised, morally disquieting wordplay defined much of the manics' early appeal - his personal demons writ large across 1994's 'dark masterwork', The Holy Bible. Edwards' evermore extreme behaviour culminated in his sad, strange disappearance in February, 1995 and forced the colleagues he left behind to re-examine thier motives before making a triumphal return with 1996's best-selling Everything Must Go.

A story of honour and enduring friendship, marked with tales of 'culture, alienation, boredom' and occasional dispaire, Nailed To History also includes full album reviews and an up-to-date discongraphy.