Manic Street Preachers are a Welsh rock band formed in Blackwood, Caerphilly, in 1986, originally by schoolmates at Oakdale Comprehensive School. The current trio comprises James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire and Sean Moore; former member Richey Edwards was part of the band from 1989 until his disappearance in 1995. Their music spans alternative rock, punk-influenced rock and later mainstream rock, with politically charged lyrics and a strong visual identity in their early years. Key releases include Generation Terrorists (1992), The Holy Bible (1994) and This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours (1998), their commercial peak in the UK. They are also known for intense live performances, especially in the early part of their career, when their shows combined confrontational staging with direct political commentary.