Lipstick Traces: A Secret History Of

The band has managed to squeeze six albums out of that approach, which in itself tells you something. Back when they were just four unknowns in heavy eye shadow and feather boas with slogans scrawled on their clothes, they famously had the audacity (or was it marketing savvy?) to proclaim that they would make the greatest rock album ever and then split-- neither of which panned out, of course. Their debut, Generation Terrorists, walked a weird line between agit-punk, cock rock, romantic melodicism and glam, and was so obviously patterned after The Clash's London Calling that it was actually kind of cute. They did add a chapter to rock folklore, however, after releasing their best record (1994's tormented The Holy Bible), when lyricist Richey Edwards-- suffering from anorexia, alcoholism and a pattern of self-abuse that culminated in him carving "4REAL" in his arm with a razor blade during an interview with Steve Lamacq as a manner of addressing critics who doubted the band's conviction-- disappeared, never to be seen again.