Manic Street Preachers stars to reflect on band’s rise at Hay Festival

Manic Street Preachers stars James Dean Bradfield and Nicky Wire will reflect on the iconic Welsh band’s rise from the south Wales valleys to stardom during a special event at Hay Festival next week.

In conservation with Keith Cameron, author of 168 Songs of Hatred & Failure: A History of Manic Street Preachers, the event will also include music performed by the lead singer.

Charting their unique story, the book follows James Dean Bradfield and Sean Moore as they “orchestrate the daring intellectual broadsides” by Richey Edwards and Nicky Wire in the late 80s.

Though their story was marked by tragedy with Edwards’ disappearance, the single A Design For Life and the resulting album Everything Must Go saw the band triumph.

Keith Cameron draws on a range of new interviews and material to finally tell the full story of what Wire called “the fabulous disaster” of Manic Street Preachers.

At the one-off Hay Festival event, Bradfield and Wire will discuss their rise to fame in the south Wales mining communities, as well as the loss of their bandmate, and the “remarkable rebirth” that came after.

James Dean Bradfield and Nicky Wire in conversation with Keith Cameron will be held on the Global Stage on Thursday 21 May at 8.45pm. Tickets are available here.

Though there is no at-event book signing, pre-signed copies of 168 Songs of Hatred & Failure: A History of Manic Street Preachers will be available in the Festival Bookshop.

Hay Festival runs its 39th spring edition in Hay-on-Wye, Wales, with more than 500 events over 11 days, 21 – 31 May 2026.

Launching the best new fiction and non-fiction books, while sharing insights around global issues, the programme sees more than 700 artists, policymakers, pioneers and innovators take part from around the world.

A series of new initiatives and fresh programming strands feature across the programme:

• My Life in Books events see celebrities open their personal libraries
• Heard at Hay Festival panels spark thought-provoking debates
• America 250 conversations reflect on the changing face of a nation
• The Pleasure List campaign celebrates the joys of reading
• New genre days spotlight bestselling fiction
• Barrel of Laughs sessions spotlight funny people with new books
• Book to Screen events showcase adaptations in the MUBI Cinema
• Debut Discoveries series spotlights new writing talent
• The Platform elevates new creatives
• Matters of Taste demos take food from page to stage
• Creative Industry Insights sessions engage budding young creatives
• South to North Conversations explore international perspectives

Alongside the best new fiction and non-fiction, our changing world is drawn into focus with commentary from leading politicians, economists, historians and scientists, while journalists and commentators will reflect on the UK’s recent local elections.

Nights at the Festival are given over to great music, comedy and entertainment with a renewed focus on innovative, immersive event experiences, while a host of free pop-up activities and performances will delight audiences between sessions.

Free to enter, the Festival’s Dairy Meadows site in the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park will also offer a range of spaces for audiences to explore and enjoy between events, including the Bookshop, BBC Marquee, Wild Garden, Make & Take Hub a host of exhibitors and market stalls, cafés, and the Family Garden.

The full Hay Festival 2026 programme is available online, with tickets on sale now.