6 Music - Music News

The Manic Street Preachers launched their 10th studio album at a special gig in London last night.

The Welsh band performed a 16-song set to around 150 fans at the Hammersmith Working Men's Club.

Guitarist Nicky Wire describes the album, Postcards From A Young Man, as their last chance to reach a mass audience.

"We're 41 years old but we feel a massive energy to rage and rage, lets make this a tribute to the album itself, " he said.

"We wanted to throw the kitchen sink at it to make it humanly possible to pretend it was 96 and selling records and making guitar bands popular," he continued.

The record sees a collaboration with fellow welsh singer John Cale who recorded vocals on one of the songs.

"John Cale is the first Welsh musican that made us realise you could escape your surroundings and still be cool." 

Manic Street Preachers release their new album Postcards From A Young Man on September 27.