I read that this week the parents of Richey Edwards, the fourth member of the Manic Street Preachers who had mysteriously disappeared 13 years ago, legally announced their son 'presumed dead'.
Edwards' parents could have done this six years ago because a missing person's legal status can be changed after 7 years of his/her disappearance but, understandably, they waited and... hoped. Their legal spokesperson was quoted "it's not the same thing as accepting that he's dead".
The not knowing is the worst kind of torture a family and friends have to deal with. It's a black cloud dangling over your head that uncontrollably pervades your thoughts and never gives you closure.
Anyone who has experienced the disconsolate feeling of not knowing the whereabouts of a loved one will tell you it's perpetual agony.
No explanation, no suicide note, no dead body, no closure, ever.
One of the reasons I like the Manics, aside from their music, is how truly loyal they have been and how they stuck together when it could have destroyed them mentally and of course, professionally.
All this time the remaining Manic Street Preachers still consider Edwards part of the band and split the royalties 4 ways, putting Richey's money in the bank which his parents are in charge of. That way, if Richey ever does come back he can pick up where he left off.
After 13 years and seven albums later they have announced that their new album due out in 2009 will consist entirely of Richey Edwards' lyrics. They are quoted "...finally it feels like the right time to use them..."
Debriefing
- Flubberwinkle
- Athens, Greece
- Half of the day they call me "Athena" where I get paid to dabble with computers. The other half of the day I'm called "Mom", but I also have an online secret identity. I am bilingual, so what might look like Greek to you, probably is. I blog because it's cheaper than therapy and I like to make people laugh.
