Richey Edwards facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richey Edwards
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Edwards in Japan, circa 1991
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| Born |
Richard James Edwards
22 December 1967 Blackwood, Wales
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| Disappeared | 1 February 1995 (aged 27) Cardiff, Wales |
| Status | Missing for 30 years, 5 months and 11 days; Declared dead in absentia 24 November 2008 |
| Nationality | Welsh |
| Other names | Richey James Richey Manic |
| Alma mater | Swansea University |
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| Associated acts | Manic Street Preachers |
Richard James Edwards (born 22 December 1967) was a Welsh musician. He was also known as Richey James or Richey Manic. He was the lyricist and rhythm guitarist for the alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers.
Richey was famous for his deep, political, and smart song lyrics. He was also known for being a mysterious and clever person. Many people admired his work, and he became a very important lyricist of his time. He helped lead a movement called Cool Cymru in Wales.
Edwards disappeared on 1 February 1995. Years later, on 24 November 2008, he was officially declared "presumed dead." The band's ninth album, Journal for Plague Lovers, released in 2009, used only lyrics that Richey had left behind. Even in 2005, the other members of Manic Street Preachers were still putting money from their music sales into an account for him.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Richard James Edwards was born and grew up in Blackwood, Wales. His parents were Graham and Sherry Edwards. He had a younger sister named Rachel, born in 1969, and they were very close.
Richey went to Oakdale Comprehensive School. From 1986 to 1989, he studied at the University of Wales, Swansea. He earned a good degree in political history. He met his future bandmates, Nicky Wire, Sean Moore, and James Dean Bradfield, at Oakdale Comprehensive School.
Richey's Role in the Band
Edwards first worked for Manic Street Preachers as a driver and roadie, helping with their equipment. In 1989, he became an official member of the band. He was seen as the band's main spokesperson.
Richey wasn't a very skilled musician. His biggest contributions to the band were his lyrics and the band's overall look. He often pretended to play guitar during early live shows. He only played on two songs in the studio. However, he was the main lyric writer, along with bassist Nicky Wire. Richey is believed to have written about 80% of the lyrics for their third album, The Holy Bible. He also received credit for lyrics on later albums after he disappeared.
Even though he didn't play much music, Richey helped shape the band's sound. The band members said he played a big part in deciding what their music should sound like.
Health and Last Performances
Richey Edwards openly talked about having severe depression. He also had trouble sleeping. Before their album The Holy Bible came out in 1994, he needed to go to a hospital for treatment. Because of this, he missed some of the album's promotion. The band had to perform as a trio at festivals like Reading Festival.
After leaving the hospital in September, Manic Street Preachers toured Europe. Richey's last live performance was in London on 21 December 1994. On 23 January 1995, he gave his final interview to a Japanese music magazine.
Richey's Disappearance
Richey Edwards disappeared on 1 February 1995. This was the same day he and James Dean Bradfield were supposed to fly to the United States for a tour. In the two weeks before he vanished, Richey took out a lot of money from his bank account.
On the morning of February 1, Edwards checked out of his hotel. He took his wallet, car keys, and passport. In the weeks that followed, some people thought they saw him in different places in Wales, like a passport office and a bus station. However, these sightings were not confirmed.
On 7 February, a taxi driver said he picked up Edwards from a hotel. The driver took him to several places, including Richey's hometown. The passenger paid the fare in cash.
On 14 February, Richey's car, a Vauxhall Cavalier, got a parking ticket at a service station. On 17 February, the car was reported as abandoned. Police found the car's battery was dead. There was also evidence that someone had been living in the car. Inside, they found photos Richey had taken of his family a few days earlier.
Since then, there have been other reports of people seeing Edwards in places like India and the Canary Islands. However, none of these sightings have been proven true by investigators.
His family waited many years before officially declaring him dead. On 23 November 2008, Richey Edwards was officially "presumed dead."
Richey's Love for Books
Richey Edwards loved music, but he also had a great passion for literature. He often chose quotes for the band's album covers. He would talk about writers and poets in interviews. This love for books has stayed a part of the band's music and lyrics.
Some of his favorite authors included Albert Camus, Philip Larkin, Yukio Mishima, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, and Arthur Rimbaud. Richey's lyrics were often very poetic. They also showed his knowledge of political history.
Books About Richey
Several books have been written about Richey Edwards and his disappearance.
- In 2009, Rob Jovanovic's book A Version of Reason: The Search for Richey Edwards of the Manic Street Preachers was published. It aimed to tell the true story using information from people who knew Richey.
- A novel by Ben Myers, called Richard: A Novel, came out in 2010. It tells a made-up story of Richey's life as he might have told it.
- In 2015, Guy Mankowski wrote a novel called How I Left The National Grid, which was inspired by Richey and his disappearance.
- In 2019, Sara Hawys Roberts and Leon Noakes published Withdrawn Traces: Searching for the Truth About Richey Manic. This book claimed to have new evidence that Richey planned his disappearance. Richey's sister, Rachel Edwards, approved the book and wrote its introduction.
Music and Writing Credits
- With Manic Street Preachers
- Generation Terrorists (1992)
- Gold Against the Soul (1993)
- The Holy Bible (1994)
- Everything Must Go (1996)
- Journal for Plague Lovers (2009)
See also
In Spanish: Richey James Edwards para niños
- Lists of people who disappeared
- 27 Club
