A 1990s indie icon has taken a look back on his time touring with Oasis as the megagroup made famous appearances at Knebworth, Maine Road and across the US.

This musician was joined by a bandmate on The Chris Moyles Show on Radio X on Monday to lift the lid on Britpop’s wild halcyon days 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 lyricist and bᴀssist, now 56, was given his pseudonym for his tall and lanky frame and often shocked crowds by wearing a dress or a skirt to perform at gigs.

The star has released two solo projects alongside his work with the group and has two children with his childhood sweetheart. 

Can you guess who the Britpop icon is? 

Nicky Wire has taken a look back on his time touring with Oasis as the megagroup made famous appearances at Knebworth, Maine Road and across the US 

The musician lifted the lid on Britpop’s wild halcyon days three decades ago as he was joined by a bandmate on The Chris Moyles Show on Radio X on Monday

On touring with Oasis, he said: ‘We’ve supported them a lot, and it’s some of the best gigs I’ve ever seen’

It is none other than Manic Street Peachers star Nicky Wire.

In conversation with Chris, the lyricist and guitarist joined lead singer James Dean Bradfield in reflecting on travelling around with the Gallagher brothers as they opened for Oasis at some of their biggest 90s shows.

He said: ‘We’ve supported them a lot, and it’s some of the best gigs I’ve ever seen. 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.’

It proved something of a high point for the group as they ended up getting a front row seat for an iconic tour, albeit one that Liam Gallagher missed as he was moving house. 

Nicky added: ‘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.’

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

Oasis are making a long-awaited reunion this summer after 16 years but Nicky was not confident that Manic Street Preachers would be opening for them this time around. 

‘I think they want to get younger bands, so they went for Cast,’ he said. ‘We’re all good. I can’t wait to see Cast at those gigs as well. 

‘But like you said, when they played Maine Road, Maine Road was waiting to fall down at that point!’

Nicky, better known for his guitar work, will provide the lead vocals on a Manic Street Preachers track for the first time ahead of their 15th studio album, тιтled Critical Thinking, which is due for release this year.

Manic Street Preachers guitarist and singer song-writer Richey Edwards famosuly disappeared on February 1 1995. To this day his disappearance remains a mystery.

Things have changed over the band’s 40 years together, with Nicky admitting that they have had to adjust their methods. 

He added: ‘We’re lucky enough to have our own studio. So we have realised now that if we get that inspiration, we’re all within 15, 20 minutes, we just pile in either together or individually, and we just get on with it. 

‘You know, that’s a lucky position we’re in where we’ve worked hard for it. But yeah, the idea of going away for a studio for four weeks and just wasting thousands of pounds like we used to, it’s just not viable anymore. 

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

Nicky (pictured, centre), better known for his guitar work, will provide the lead vocals on a Manic Street Preachers track for the first time ahead of their 15th studio album

The star has released two solo projects alongside his work with the group and has two children with his childhood sweetheart

In conversation with Chris, the lyricist and guitarist joined lead singer James Dean Bradfield in reflecting on travelling around with the Gallagher brothers as they opened for Oasis

Read More The (changing) faces of Britpop! A look at the stars of the nineties now and then

James chimed in: ‘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?’