After twelve albums and nearly three decades, Manic Street Preachers are still a vital force with plenty to say. Their latest release Futurology still retains that feeling, and as he becomes something of an elder statesman amongst his political rocker contemporaries, Nicky Wire isn't going to hold his tongue.
While he gives credit to some celebrities, namely Russell Brand, Wire still sees an inherent greying of the entertainment landscape, one where a political opinion is hushed to avoid the risk of offending anyone.
"Even though he's (Brand) random and fucking nonsensical, I still admire him for doing it," Wire says in the current Hot Press. "For putting his body on the line and taking criticism. Cos it's fucking hard. You live in this whitewash culture where there's - it's not a word obviously - 'blandisation'. You just get people saying how great everything is and thanking their team of songwriters, sync merchants, team of... everything. Can't you just go on and say something yourself? Everything is just one long test card for how to behave properly."
Also on the agenda in the wide-ranging interview? Wire's take on Morrissey, John Major, their own Europe-influenced new album and the fact he marvels at how he can still jump four feet in the air onstage at 45.
Read the full interview in the new issue of Hot Press (Ed Sheeran cover), out now!