The ‘lost’ Richey Edwards interview on the 30th anniversary of his disappearance

Today marks the 30th anniversary of the disappearance of Manic Street Preachers’ Richey Edwards.

It’s a mystery that continues to confound all these years later.

During the week of the release of the Manics’ debut album Generation Terrorists in 1992, Nation.Cymru’s David Owens interviewed Richey – and now you can hear the results again three decades on.

During the extraordinary face-to-face chat – conducted three years before his disappearance on February 1, 1995 – he launched a staunch defence of his ideas and beliefs.

Thinking of @manics Richey Edwards on the 30th anniversary of his disappearance. I interviewed Richey twice – in 1990 and 1992. I’ve never met anyone so eloquent or articulate, nor someone so startlingly honest and so deeply thoughtful. Below is the pic from that first meeting pic.twitter.com/9CAGk4OMW5

— David Owens (@asoundreaction) February 1, 2025

The enigmatic musician was already well known for being outspoken, but he was also intelligent, eloquent and articulate, a deeply thoughtful literate thinker.

In the searingly candid interview, which had been lost for years before it was found and digitised, Richey held court on the Welsh language, national identity, world politics, family, relationships, the Manic Street Preachers’ vitriolic press outpourings and much more.

It’s very much a snap shot in time but an honest portrayal of a rock star who undoubtedly made his mark and left us wanting more.

You can listen to the four part interview below. (Use headphones for best results)