A Design for Life

Composed by
Manic Street Preachers
Arranged by
Jock McKenzie
Price
£ 25.00 

A Design for Life is a single by Welsh band Manic Street Preachers from their fourth studio album, Everything Must Go (1996).

Welcome to Skool of Brass

  • For Conductors, Teachers and/or Students
  • Percussion Backing Tracks to accompany Superbrass Educational Material
  • Backing Tracks are Free to Download
  • We always use 4 bars of Introduction before each tune starts (unless otherwise stated)
  • Turn your Practice into a Performance and have fun !
  • 4 Trumpets
  • 1 Horn in F
  • 3 Trombones
  • 1 Euphonium (or Trombone)
  • 1 Tuba
  • 1 Drum Kit
  • All Alternative Brass Parts Included


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Description

A Design for Life was written by James Dean Bradfield, Sean Moore and Nicky Wire, and produced by Dave Eringa and Mike Hedges. Released on 15 April 1996 by Epic Records, the song debuted and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. The accompanying music video was directed by Pedro Romhanyi. The title was inspired by the debut Joy Division EP, An Ideal for Living. The opening line of the song, Libraries gave us power, was inspired by the legend Knowledge is Power engraved in stone above the top floor central window of the library in Pillgwenlly, Newport, 15 miles from the band's home town of Blackwood. The next line, then work came and made us free, refers to the German slogan Arbeit macht frei that featured above the gates of Nazi concentration camps and which had been used previously by the band in their song The Intense Humming of Evil on the album The Holy Bible. The song explores themes of class conflict and working class identity and solidarity, inspired by the band's strong socialist convictions. Speaking in 2017, Nicky Wire explained that he was sick to death with the patronisation of the working class. We’re not just Jeremy Kyle – we did build libraries. My dad was a miner. Its video exemplifies this theme further. Various slogans promoting compliance and domesticity clash with scenes of fox hunting, Royal Ascot, a polo match and the Last Night of the Proms representing what the band saw as class privilege. On 18 June 2009, the band were invited to officially open the new £15m Cardiff Central Library, unveiling a plaque inscribed with the words to the opening line of the song. At the event, Wire spoke about how his experience with libraries had partly inspired the song. The Cardiff Arms Park Male Voice Choir performed a version of the song, in front of the band, which Wire described as spine tingling. Wire later said in an interview with The Guardian that the occasion had been a great honour for the band: For us, it seemed like a chance to give something back to Wales. Seeing one of our lyrics – Libraries gave us power – inscribed on the opening plaque was in its own way as affecting as playing the Millennium Stadium.

“This is joyous stuff; an intelligent, coherent crossover disc, performed with phenomenal punch. Brilliantly recorded too – what’s the point of assembling a collective of virtuoso brass players if they can’t make your ears bleed ?”

Graham Rickson
www.theartsdesk.com

“Under the Spell of Spain defies any category other than: superb.”

Nicholas F. Mondello
Allaboutjazz.com

“Under the Spell of Spain is an extraordinary CD, in company with the finest large brass ensemble recordings ever made. This is a must buy CD!”

Don Lucas
Boston University writing in the International Trombone Association Journal

"Who but the best professionals could live up to this ?... Everything about this disc is to be recommended, the recording is crystal clear and the playing and arranging of the first water”

Dr. Paul Sarcich
www.mvdaily.com

“Stunning playing all round and a perfect 'snapshot' of the incredibly high standards of performance in brass playing in London today."

Peter Bassano
Head of Brass Royal College of Music (retired)

“The entire programme can be likened to a sumptuous feast, with each track having its own highly delectable and thoroughly satisfying flavour. The CD is surely compulsive listening for all brass and percussion enthusiasts.”

C Brian Buckley
Brass Band World

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