A 1990s Britpop icon has shed light on the trials and tribulations of being in a band, reflecting on the group’s heyday opening for Oasis.

This musician was joined by a bandmate on The Chris Moyles Show on Radio X on Monday to explain how times have changed for the indie collective since the wild times they enjoyed three decades ago.

Their group’s hits included If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next and The Mᴀsses Against The Classes, both of which made it to the top of the UK singles charts. 

Hailing from Blackwood in Wales, the band were an instrumental part of the Cool Cymru movement in the 90s and their albums Everything Must Go in 1996 and This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours two years later gained a cult following. 

Their lead singer and guitarist, now 55, was inspired by the likes of ELO and The Clash to join forces with his cousin and best friends and form a group.

The star has released two solo projects alongside his work with the band and has two children with the group’s former PR agent who he married in Italy in 2004. 

Can you guess who the indie icon is? 

James Dean Bradfield has shed light on the trials and tribulations of being in a band, reflecting on the group’s heyday opening for Oasis

This musician was joined by a bandmate on The Chris Moyles Show on Radio X on Monday to explain how times have changed for the indie collective since the wild times they enjoyed three decades ago

James revealed the reason why Oasis’s tour across the pond had to be cut short, after it kicked off with just one of the ever-feuding brothers performing 

It is none other than Manic Street Peachers star James Dean Bradfield.

In conversation with Chris, the frontman joined lyricist and guitarist Nicky Wire in reflecting on the struggles of a band in the modern age and crazy times spent travelling around with the Gallagher brothers as they opened for Oasis at some of their biggest 90s shows.

He said: ‘I think it’s a famous Orson Welles quote where he kind of said, “Some days acting is like driving a tricycle through a barrel full of molᴀsses.” Some days it’s just rubbish. It is. 

‘But you know that if you just hang in there, you know, keep in the game, stay in the game, you know, the good days will just come. It’s as simple as that, really. 

‘I’m not trying to be wise or, you know, I’m not trying to be David Carradine wandering through the desert with a bit of wisdom. But, kind of, if you just hang in there, it comes, you know?’

It was revealed that Nicky, who has normally stuck to guitar and backing vocals, will get the opportunity to lead the singing on the band’s new single ahead of their 15th studio album, тιтled Critical Thinking, which is due for release this year.

He said: ‘Yeah. I’ve sung before, but yeah, this is the first time it’s on a lead track.’

James, meanwhile, added: ‘We’ve learned that kind of having different vocalists on tracks actually just gives new life to the song.’ 

Their group’s hits included If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next and The Mᴀsses Against The Classes, both of which made it to the top of the UK singles charts

Hailing from Blackwood in Wales, the band were an instrumental part of the Cool Cymru movement in the 90s and James provided lead vocals

Their lead singer and guitarist, now 55, was inspired by the likes of ELO and The Clash to join forces with his cousin and best friends and form a group

‘Yeah, we’ve had Nina Perrson, Ian McCulloch, you know, and for Nick to actually be singing this single, just like, somebody goes, “Is that the Manics?” and then you realise it is.’

Manic Street Preachers guitarist and singer songwriter Richey Edwards famously disappeared on February 1, 1995. To this day his disappearance remains a mystery.

Things have changed over the band’s 40 years together and the duo reflected on the group’s halcyon days which saw them open for Oasis during a string of iconic tours in 1996, including at Knebworth, Maine Road and the US.

Nicky explained the Gallaghers’ immense popularity and revealed that the trip to the states was something of a high point for the Manic Street Preachers. 

‘We’ve supported them a lot, and it’s some of the best gigs I’ve ever seen,’ he said. ‘Like, Maine Road for instance, I thought Maine Road was going to fall apart.

‘I’ve never seen a stadium shake like that, it was nearly frightening. We toured with them America, when they sort of cancelled the two halfway through, which was brilliant. 

‘There was so much jeopardy and anxiety. And we were on; we were finished by half seven. We could just sit back every night. They were really excitingly on the edge.’

James revealed the reason why the tour across the pond had to be cut short, after it kicked off with just one of the ever-feuding brothers performing. 

Things have changed over the band’s 40 years together and the duo reflected on the group’s halcyon days which saw them open for Oasis during a string of iconic tours

The star has released two solo projects alongside his work with the group and has two children with the band’s PR agent who he married in Italy in 2004

James said: ‘I think it’s a famous Orson Welles quote where he kind of said, “Some days acting is like driving a tricycle through a barrel full of molᴀsses.” Some days it’s just rubbish’

Read More ’90s indie icon is unrecognisable as he looks back on touring with Oasis – Can YOU guess who it is?

He said: ‘Because Liam didn’t turn up because he was moving house! 

‘It wasn’t us falling apart for once!’

Nicky explained: ‘He said, “I didn’t have a house.” So, the first gigs, Noel sang. And it was a spectacular tour, you know? 

‘And it’s the one time things were going really well for us. Everything was go, was flying. We’d be finished by half seven every night. Good H๏τels.’