Watch: Manics’ blistering version of Sweet Child O’ Mine

Manic Street Preachers have covered Guns ‘n’ Roses’ classic rock anthem ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’ as part of a new covers collection.

The Manics’ raucous take on the song is one of a series of cover versions the band have issued on a new covers collection ‘Sleep Next To Plastic’.

Fretboard tormentor, chord wizard and all round guitar hero James Dean Bradifield gives Slash a run for his money on the live version of the ’80s rock classic recorded at Cardiff Castle in 2019.

Introducing the song from the stage in the historic surrounds of the castle, James Dean Bradfield announces:

“We’ve got a gift wrapped present for every one of you.

“Sometimes the criticism of us is too much content, too much subtext, too much this, too much that, miserable bastards.

“Not always.”

One of the most distinctive intros in rock history then rings out much to the joy of the crowd who roar their approval.

The track as featured on the covers collection…

Watch the song played live at Cardiff Castle…

‘Sleep Next To Plastic’, is a 37-track collection that consists of lost recordings, B-sides and album tracks. Fifteen of the cuts were previously unavailable through official streaming platforms – including the band’s recent spin on Madonna’s ‘Borderline’.

The Manics first aired their rendition of the pop icon’s 1983 song during a performance at the BBC 6 Music Festival at Clwb Ifor Bach in Cardiff in March. James Dean Bradfield and co later revealed that they’d recorded the rendition because they “enjoyed playing it live so much”.

‘Borderline’ was tracked by the band at their Door To The River studio especially for the new playlist, which also includes versions of Rihanna‘s ‘Umbrella’, and ‘In Between Days’ by The Cure (Live at the BBC).

“Cover versions have always offered us a chance to pay direct, public tribute to records we grew up obsessing over, be that C86 bands or artists as diverse as Madonna, John Cale and Paul Robeson,” the Manics said in a statement.

“Collectively, these covers are a heartfelt musical tribute to our formative influences.”

Last November, the Welsh group shared a playlist of duets they’d recorded between 1992 and 2021.

Manic Street Preachers released their most recent studio album, ‘The Ultra Vivid Lament’, last September.

Meanwhile, it’s been revealed that frontman James Dean Bradfield has contributed to The Proclaimers’ forthcoming “political” record, ‘Dentures Out’, released on September 16 via Cooking Vinyl.