People mentioned in the Manic Street Preahcers Songs

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  • BEVERLY ALLITT - Nottinghamshire nurse, suffered from Munchausens Syndrome (a desire to kill or injure to get attention), killed several babies and young infants in her care. ("Archives Of Pain" from the album "The Holy Bible")

  • IDI AMIN - Ugandan dictator, killed and ate many of his political opponents. Lives in exile in the south of France ("Archives Of Pain" from the album "The Holy Bible")

  • EMMA BALFOUR - model ("4st 7lbs" from the album "The Holy Bible")

  • PATRICK BATEMAN - character in Brett Easton Ellis's "American Psycho" ("Patrick Bateman". B-side to "La Tristessa Durera")

  • TRAVIS BICKLE - Anti-hero in the Martin Scorsese film "Taxi Driver". Played by Robert DeNiro. "Someday a real rain will come and wipe this scum off the streets." ("Patrick Bateman". B-side to "La Tristessa Durera")

  • BLANCHE - may well be Eugene Terre Blanche. Figurehead of right-wing Afrikaner Nationalism in South Africa. Currently residing in the 'where are they now?' file, following a poor showing in the South African elections. ("Archives Of Pain" from the album "The Holy Bible")

  • KEVIN CARTER - war photographer, who won a Pulitzer Prize for his photograph of a dying Rwandan child. The irony of fame coming from such a source drove him to suicide. ("Kevin Carter". From the album "Everything Must Go")

  • ADAM CLAYTON and NAOMI CAMPBELL - U2 bass player and super-model ("Dead Passive". B-side to "Design For Life")

  • DICE CLAY - Alter ego of comedian Andrew Clay. renowned for putting a lot of peoples backs up due to his near the knuckle brand of humour. Claimed to be ironic, but there were a hell of a lot of Americans taking him seriously. Once described his perfect woman as someone with "Two tits, a ho--, and a heartbeat.". ("Patrick Bateman". B-side to "La Tristessa Durera")

  • SAM COLT - Invented the revolver just before the Civil War. An old West saying goes "God created man and Cornell Colt made them equal" which was altered in the 70s to say "God created men and women and Cornell Colt made them equal". ("Ifwhiteamericatoldthetruthforonedayitsworldwouldfallapart" From the album "The Holy Bible")

  • JEFFERY DAHMER - American cannibal serial killer, responsible for the deaths of 17 young men in Milwaukee. He was himself murdered by an inmate of his maximum security prison. ("Archives Of Pain" From the album "The Holy Bible")

  • WILLEM De KOONING - abstract expressionist painter, who continued to paint, despite suffering from Alzheimer's Disease. ("Interiors (song for Willem de Kooning)" From the album "Everything Must Go")

  • LOUIS FARRAKHAN - American head of the Nation Of Islam. One of a triumvirate of 60s civil rights leaders, but unlike King and Malcolm X, he has survived this long. Murky gossip suggests this may not be a coincidence - X's daughter has been accused of trying to kill him, and revenge her father. All deeply sub judice of course. He remains a controversial figure - his preaching of black power has certainly verged on the anti-white, anti-Semitic and sexist, and he has angered the US Govt by visiting 'outlaw regimes' such as Libya and Iran. Led the Million Man March to Washington. ("Revol" from the album "The Holy Bible")

  • TIPPER GORE - wife of US Vice President Al Gore, created the Parents Music Resource Center in the 80s to advocate stickering albums with "obscene" lyrics. Depending on your point of view, this is either dangerous censorship, or vital to protect the minds of our children. ("Ifwhiteamericatoldthetruthforonedayitsworldwouldfallapart" From the album "The Holy Bible")

  • HUGH GRANT and ELIZABETH HURLEY - another troubled couple (what is it about supermodel marriages?). She's sticking with him, for now, mainly because she is only famous through him. ("Dead Passive". B-side to "Design For Life")

  • MYRA HINDLEY and IAN BRADY - the so-called 'Moors murderers'. They tortured 5 or 6 young children to death, tape recorded their screams, and buried their bodies on moorland. They provide a test for the view that prison should provide rehabilitation, not punishment, since many feel their crimes were so ghastly that they should never be released, despite Hindley's studying in prison, and claims to have repented. ("Archives Of Pain" From the album "The Holy Bible")

  • HORTHY - Hungarian fascist leader ("Of Walking Abortion" from the album "The Holy Bible")

  • MICHAEL HUTCHENCE - Singer with INXS. Used to go out with HELENA CHRISTENSEN. Michael has since run off with Paula Yates. For now. ("Dead Passive". B-side to "Design For Life")

  • COLIN IRELAND - former soldier, killed 5 gay men in London. ("Archives Of Pain" from the album "The Holy Bible")

  • 'KAREN' - the Sky magazine agony aunt. ("4st 7lbs" From the album "The Holy Bible")

  • JEAN MARIE Le PEN - Head of French National Front, proposing repatriation of foreigners. Typically wins around 15% of the vote in French elections. ("Archives Of Pain" from the album "The Holy Bible")

  • ROY LYNK - Head of the Nottingham-based Union of Democratic Mineworkers. This was created during the 1984 miners strike, and led the return to work which prevailed at the end of the dispute. ("Gold Against The Soul" from the album of the same name)

  • KRISTIN McMENEMY - another model ("4st 7lbs" from the album "The Holy Bible")

  • R. P. McMURPHY - character in Ken Kesey's "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" ("R P McMurphy" B-side to "Little Baby Nothing")

  • NORMAN MAILER - US author, smart arsed cynic, writes some funny stuff. ("Faster" from the album "The Holy Bible")

  • MATTHEW MAYNARD - Glamorgan cricketer. Made his debut for England in 1991, but seemed outclassed against West Indies bowling. Later went on Mike Gatting's "rebel" tour to South Africa. Captain of Glamorgan (the only first class Welsh team) this season. ("Mr Carbohydrate" B-side to "Design For Life")

  • MILLER - This could be Arthur Miller the author of "death of a salesman", but I think it's probably Henry Miller. Henry Miller wrote several books that were banned on the grounds of obscenity. His books include "The Tropic of Cancer" , "The Tropic of Capricorn" and "Black Spring". ("Faster" from the album "The Holy Bible")

  • SLOBODON MILOSOVIC - Belgrade Serb leader in the current ex-Yugoslav civil war. Held by many to be a war criminal, and to be responsible for the breakup of Yugoslavia by pushing a greater Serbia policy. ("Archives Of Pain" from the album "The Holy Bible")

  • KATE MOSS - waiflike supermodel, blamed for encouraging young girls to believe an impossible body shape is 'natural' and thus encouraging them towards anorexia. Also appears in 'Dead Passive', with Johnny Depp, as in 'the ballad of Kate and Johnny' ("4st 7lbs" from the album "The Holy Bible")

  • DENNIS NEILSEN - Serial killer. He was born in Scotland, joined the army as a cook, led a twisted youth, moved to London. He strangled young men, cut them up (this is where his training as a cook came in handy) boiled them up, and flushed them down the toilet or threw them in the bin. He was caught when the neighbours complained of blocked pipes, so a plumber went down below the house and discovered (not only a sickening smell) but what looked like pieces of chicken. ("Archives Of Pain" from the album "The Holy Bible")

  • JUDGE PICKLES - controversial judge, now a tabloid columnist. His judgements have included telling rape victims that they "asked for it". ("Archives Of Pain" from the album "The Holy Bible")

  • SYLVIA PLATH - poet (author of the Ariel poems), who explored holocaust imagery, committed suicide. Was married to current Poet Laureate Ted Hughes. 'The Girl That Wanted to Be God' is the title of a Plath biography. ("Faster" from the album "The Holy Bible" and "The Girl That Wanted to Be God" from the album "Everything Must Go")

  • POL POT - Cambodian genocidal dictator, leader of the Khmer Rouge guerillas. He declared 'Year Zero', meaning that all previous culture, farming techniques and opinions were worthless. This lead to the deaths of millions of his countrymen, through starvation and executions. He is currently in hiding with his Khymer Rouge guerillas, after the Vietnamese army invaded and deposed him. It has been alleged that British funds, British mercenaries and British weapons have supported him. ("Revol" from the album "The Holy Bible" and "Natwest, Barclays, Midlands, Lloyds" from the album "Generation Terrorists")

  • RASCHER - a green triangle in the camps but got a job in the S.S. I'm not sure but I think he was in Buchenwald. Green triangles were common german criminals interned in the camps but they were as Primo Levi said in "moments of reprieve" Murderers in the narrowest sense of the word ("The Intense Humming Of Evil" from the album "the Holy Bible")

  • LUKE RHINEHART - Author of the book "Diceman" about a psychiatrist, Luke, who begins to live his life by the throw of a die. He'd have six options ranging from pleasant to highly unpleasant and he forced himself to carry through the whim of the die. As you can probably guess this leads to all kinds of trouble, especially when he starts getting other people into it. ("Patrick Bateman". B-side to "La Tristessa Durera")

  • VALERIE SOLANOS - founded the 'SCUM' - Society for Cutting-Up Men - and was jailed for 3 years for an attempt on Andy Warhol's life. She felt he did not appreciate her 'genius' as a playwright. A new film 'I shot Andy Warhol' describes these events.

  • PETER SUTCLIFFE - This is the (in)famous Yorkshire ripper. He killed about 10 (or was it 14) women in Bradford/Keighley/Leeds area. His motivation... well according to him "god told him to do it". He killed mainly prostitutes by thwacking them on the back of the head with a hammer. If you want a clear picture of him read "Voices from an evil god". It is very interesting and just shows how evil he actualy is. 'poem for jacqueline hill' (anon), or even 'ballad of the yorkshire ripper' (Blake Morrison) give insights /angles which perhaps this list hasn't yet provided. ("Archives Of Pain" from the album "The Holy Bible")

  • FATHER JOSEPH TISO - Slovakian wartime leader, who collaborated with Hitler to save his country from outright invasion. He was executed in 1947 by the Americans, but is becoming an increasingly popular figure, other than with the Jewish community, in the newly independent Slovakia.. ("Of Walking Abortion" from the album "The Holy Bible")

  • TWIGGY - UK model in the 1960's responsible for the female androgynous look (like Kate Moss now), and the person who bears a lot of blame for female anorexia. ("4st 7lbs" from the album "The Holy Bible"

  • YOSHINORI UEDA - may be a Japanese serial killer (also featuring in the Rolling Stones song 'Too Much Blood'). He pleaded insanity, and was released soon afterwards to write a book about his 'exploits'. ("Archives Of Pain" from the album "The Holy Bible")

  • ABRAHAM ZAPRUDER - Dallas hairdresser, who filmed the 1963 assassination of JFK on his cine camera. This is the famous piece of film, used repeatedly throughout Oliver Stone's 'JFK', and magnet for conspiracy nuts. It apparently suggests that there were several gunmen, possibly firing from the grassy knoll. However, Oliver Stone also suggests naked Indians danced on stage with Jim Morrison, so make up your own mind. ("Ifwhiteamericatoldthetruthforonedayitsworldwouldfallapart" From the album "The Holy Bible")

  • VLADIMIR ZHIRINOFSKY - leader of the Russian (ironically named) Liberal Democrat Party. Despite having a Jewish grandfather, he is anti-Semitic, and preaches a return to aggressive foreign policies, and a greater Russia. This populist platform has won him up to 20% in elections. ("Archives Of Pain" from the album "The Holy Bible")