Tabs
Motorcycle Emptiness
Manic Street Preachers
ALL the lead parts on this one INCLUDING the full outro that no-one has done yet. Nothing
here's just copy n' pasted off anyone else, but the groundwork was other people's.
Tip for tabbers: make sure you know all of the song before you set your heart on tabbing it
as I have been stuck on the end of Iggy Pop's China Girl for ages. Will not therefore start
Bowie's Station til i'm good + ready. Look out for tab of the (better) Heveanly records version
of You Love Us from me at some point.
Right, the rhythm part's not really what i'm focusing on, not particularly noticable (though
it does add to the song's driving rhythm) but here are the chords I use:
E MajorE 
BB 
C# minorC#m 
A augmentedA E MajorE (during solo) 
G+G
e|-7---7---4---5---0----------------3-|
BB|-9---7---5---5---0----------------3-|
G+G|-9---8---6---6---1----------------4-|
D MajorD|-9---9---6---7---2----------------5-|
A augmentedA|-7---9---4---7---2----------------5-|
E MajorE|-----7-------5---0----------------3-|
strumming pattern is fairly obvious - same as bass most of the time, rhythm guitar pretty
much clean, not sure if it plays during the bridge. Here we go then; full generation terrorists version...
KEY:
b = bend whole step (unless otherwise mentioned)
r = release bend
h = hammer on
p = pull off
P.M.-- = palm mute this section
~ = vibrato
/ = slide
Play the lead on neck pickup, turn the tone to more bass on your guitar (my tele's only got one tone
knob, dunno about other guitars)
INTRO:
James'll usually add vibrato to the "signature" bends such as these, but I haven't put it in
to save space
E MajorE B(
D#D# for bass) C# minorC#m A augmentedA
P.M.-------------------
e|-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
BB|-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
G+G|-4b--r-2h4-2h4-4b--r-2h4-2h4-|-4b--r-2-2h4-4-4h6-6-6h8-8-8h9-9|
D MajorD|-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
A augmentedA|-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
E MajorE|-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
E MajorE B(D#D# for bass) C# minorC#m A augmentedA
P.M.-------------------
e|--------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
BB|--------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
G+G|-13-b-r-11h13-11h13-13-b-r-11h13-11h13|-13-b-r-2-2h4-4-4h6-6-6h8-8-8h9-9|
D MajorD|--------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A augmentedA|--------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E MajorE|--------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
(the 13 is ONLY a half step bend and there is a slight gap between plucking
the string and bending that deos not happen later on, probably as he's
finding how far he needs to bend on the first one; it sounds rubbish if
you bend too far on it. All bends at G+G|-13- are half step)
VERSE 1:
E MajorE B(D#D# for bass) C# minorC#m A augmentedA
e|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
BB|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
G+G|-9~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|-----------------------------|
D MajorD|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
A augmentedA|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
E MajorE|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
E MajorE B(D#D# for bass) C# minorC#m A augmentedA
P.M.-------------------
e|--------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
BB|--------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
G+G|-16b--r-14h16-14h16-16b--r-14h16-14h16|-16b--r-2-2h4-4-4h6-6-6h8-8-8h9-9|
D MajorD|--------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A augmentedA|--------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E MajorE|--------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E MajorE B(D#D# for bass) C# minorC#m A augmentedA
e|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
BB|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
G+G|-9~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|-----------------------------|
D MajorD|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
A augmentedA|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
E MajorE|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
E MajorE B(D#D# for bass) C# minorC#m A augmentedA
e|--------------------------------------|--------------------------|
BB|--------------------------------------|--------------------------|
G+G|-13b--r-11h13-11h13-13b--r-11h13-11h13|-13b--r-13/-2---h4----/6-/|
D MajorD|--------------------------------------|--------------------------|
A augmentedA|--------------------------------------|--------------------------|
E MajorE|--------------------------------------|--------------------------|
BRIDGE:
C# minorC#m E MajorE BB A augmentedA
e|-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
BB|-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
G+G|-9---------------------------|-14b--r13----13h14-14b--r--13h14|
D MajorD|-----------------------------|----------14--------------------|
A augmentedA|-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
E MajorE|-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
(don't make the slide to 9 too
noticeable here)
A augmentedA A augmentedA A augmentedA
e|-----------------------------|--------------|
BB|-----------------------------|--------------|
G+G|-14b--r--13h14--14b--r~~~~~~~|--------------|
D MajorD|-----------------------------|--------------|
A augmentedA|-----------------------------|--------------|
E MajorE|-----------------------------|-----------12/|
^
(half a bar)
CHORUS:
E MajorE B(D#D# for bass) C# minorC#m A augmentedA
e|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
BB|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
G+G|-9---------------------------|-9---------------------------|
D MajorD|-9---------------------------|-9---------------------------|
A augmentedA|-7---------------------------|-7---------------------------|
E MajorE|-0------------------------12/|-0---------------------------|
E MajorE B(D#D# for bass) C# minorC#m A augmentedA
e|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
BB|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
G+G|-9---------------------------|-9---------------------------|
D MajorD|-9---------------------------|-9---------------------------|
A augmentedA|-7---------------------------|-7---------------------------|
E MajorE|-0------------------------12/|-0---------------------------|
E MajorE B(D#D# for bass) C# minorC#m A augmentedA
P.M.-------------------
e|-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
BB|-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
G+G|-4b--r-2h4-2h4-4b--r-2h4-2h4-|-4b--r-2-2h4-4-4h6-6-6h8-8-8h9-9|
D MajorD|-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
A augmentedA|-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
E MajorE|-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
VERSE 2 = VERSE 1 X1
BRIDGE 2:
C# minorC#m E MajorE BB A augmentedA
e|-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
BB|-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
G+G|-9---------------------------|-14b--r13----13h14-14b--r--13h14|
D MajorD|-----------------------------|----------14--------------------|
A augmentedA|-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
E MajorE|-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
(The 9 is noticeable this time)
A augmentedA A augmentedA A augmentedA
e|-----------------------------|--------------|
BB|-----------------------------|--------------|
G+G|-14b--r--13h14--14b--r~~~~~~~|--------------|
D MajorD|-----------------------------|--------------|
A augmentedA|-----------------------------|--------------|
E MajorE|-----------------------------|-----------12/|
^
(half a bar)
CHORUS 2:
E MajorE B(D#D# for bass) C# minorC#m A augmentedA
e|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
BB|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
G+G|-9---------------------------|-9---------------------------|
D MajorD|-9---------------------------|-9---------------------------|
A augmentedA|-7---------------------------|-7---------------------------|
E MajorE|-0------------------------12/|-0---------------------------|
E MajorE B(D#D# for bass) C# minorC#m A augmentedA
e|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
BB|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
G+G|-9---------------------------|-9---------------------------|
D MajorD|-9---------------------------|-9---------------------------|
A augmentedA|-7---------------------------|-7---------------------------|
E MajorE|-0------------------------12/|-0---------------------------|
BREAK:
I remember reading something different in a guitar magazine that
probably was more right, but i have forgotten it and I remember
their solo was rubbish anyway. 1 guitar only i reckon.
A augmentedA BB A augmentedA BB
P.M.-------------------------------------------------------------
e|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
BB|---------2---------------4------|---------2---------------4------|
G+G|-----2-----2---2-----4-----4---4|-----2-----2---2-----4-----4---4|
D MajorD|---2---2-----2-----4---4-----4--|---2---2-----2-----4---4-----4--|
A augmentedA|-0---------------2--------------|-0---------------2--------------|
E MajorE|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
C majorC D MajorD C majorC D MajorD
P.M.-------------------------------------------------------------
e|---------5---------------7------|---------5---------------7------|
BB|-----------5---5-----------7---7|-----------5---5-----------7---7|
G+G|-----5-------5-------7-------7--|-----5-------5-------7-------7--|
D MajorD|---5---5-----------7---7--------|---5---5-----------7---7--------|
A augmentedA|-3---------------5--------------|-3---------------5--------------|
E MajorE|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
A augmentedA BB A augmentedA BB
P.M.-------------------------------------------------------------
e|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
BB|---------2---------------4------|---------2---------------4------|
G+G|-----2-----2---2-----4-----4---4|-----2-----2---2-----4-----4---4|
D MajorD|---2---2-----2-----4---4-----4--|---2---2-----2-----4---4-----4--|
A augmentedA|-0---------------2--------------|-0---------------2--------------|
E MajorE|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
C majorC D MajorD C majorC D MajorD
P.M.-------------------------------------------------------------
e|---------5---------------7------|---------5---------------7------|
BB|-----------5---5-----------7---7|-----------5---5-----------7---7|
G+G|-----5-------5-------7-------7--|-----5-------5-------7-------7--|
D MajorD|---5---5-----------7---7--------|---5---5-----------7---7--------|
A augmentedA|-3---------------5--------------|-3---------------5--------------|
E MajorE|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
A augmentedA BB A augmentedA BB
P.M.-------------------------------------------------------------
e|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
BB|---------2---------------4------|---------2---------------4------|
G+G|-----2-----2---2-----4-----4---4|-----2-----2---2-----4-----4---4|
D MajorD|---2---2-----2-----4---4-----4--|---2---2-----2-----4---4-----4--|
A augmentedA|-0---------------2--------------|-0---------------2--------------|
E MajorE|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
C majorC D MajorD C majorC D MajorD
P.M.----------------------------------------------
e|---------5---------------7------|---------5-------5--------------|
BB|-----------5---5-----------7---7|-----------5---5-7--------------|
G+G|-----5-------5-------7-------7--|-----5-------5---7--------------|
D MajorD|---5---5-----------7---7--------|---5---5---------7--------------|
A augmentedA|-3---------------5--------------|-3---------------5--------------|
E MajorE|--------------------------------|-----------------------------12/|
CHORUS 3:
E MajorE B(D#D# for bass) C# minorC#m A augmentedA
e|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
BB|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
G+G|-9---------------------------|-9---------------------------|
D MajorD|-9---------------------------|-9---------------------------|
A augmentedA|-7---------------------------|-7---------------------------|
E MajorE|-0------------------------12/|-0---------------------------|
E MajorE B(D#D# for bass) C# minorC#m A augmentedA
e|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
BB|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
G+G|-9---------------------------|-9---------------------------|
D MajorD|-9---------------------------|-9---------------------------|
A augmentedA|-7---------------------------|-7---------------------------|
E MajorE|-0------------------------12/|-0---------------------------|
SOLO:
E MajorE G+G A augmentedA E MajorE
e|-----------------------------|-------------------------------|
BB|-12br----------12-15b----r-14|-14br-12-p9-12-p9--------12----|
G+G|------13----13---------------|------------------11-11b----r--|
D MajorD|---------14------------------|-------------------------------|
A augmentedA|-----------------------------|-------------------------------|
E MajorE|-----------------------------|-------------------------------|
E MajorE G+G A augmentedA A augmentedA
e|----------------------15-----12|-12h15p12---12h15p12---12h15p12---12h15p12----------------|
BB|-12br----------12-15b----15r---|---------15---------12---------12---------15-15b----------|
G+G|------13----13-----------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
D MajorD|---------14--------------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|-------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
E MajorE|-------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
^
(re-pick the 15 while still bent then release)
VERSE 3:
(No rhythm playing)
E MajorE B(D#D# for bass) C# minorC#m A augmentedA
e|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
BB|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
G+G|-8brp6h8brp6h8-brp6h8brp6h8--|-----------------------------|
D MajorD|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
A augmentedA|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
E MajorE|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
^
(a HALF STEP bend only, pretty slow, written close together to save space,
I suggest you only hit the string for the first 8 + let it get quieter
each time)
(Rhythm playing)
E MajorE B(D#D# for bass) C# minorC#m A augmentedA
P.M.-------------------
e|--------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
BB|--------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
G+G|-13b--r-11h13-11h13-13b--r-11h13-11h13|-13b--r-2-2h4-4-4h6-6-6h8-8-8h9-9|
D MajorD|--------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A augmentedA|--------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E MajorE|--------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
(No rhythm playing)
E MajorE B(D#D# for bass) C# minorC#m A augmentedA
e|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
BB|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
G+G|-8brp6h8brp6h8-brp6h8brp6h8--|-----------------------------|
D MajorD|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
A augmentedA|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
E MajorE|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
BRIDGE 3:
C# minorC#m E MajorE BB A augmentedA
e|-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
BB|-9---------------------------|--------------------------------|
G+G|-11b------9h11p9~~~~~~~~~~~~~|-14b--r13----13h14-14b--r--13h14|
D MajorD|-----------------------------|----------14--------------------|
A augmentedA|-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
E MajorE|-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
A augmentedA A augmentedA A augmentedA
e|-----------------------------|-12-----------|
BB|-----------------------------|----12--------|
G+G|-14b--r--13h14--14b----------|-------r------|
D MajorD|-----------------------------|--------------|
A augmentedA|-----------------------------|--------------|
E MajorE|-----------------------------|-----------12/|
^
(half a bar)
FINAL CHORUS + OUTRO
E MajorE B(D#D# for bass) C# minorC#m A augmentedA
e|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
BB|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
G+G|-9---------------------------|-9---------------------------|
D MajorD|-9---------------------------|-9---------------------------|
A augmentedA|-7---------------------------|-7---------------------------|
E MajorE|-0------------------------12/|-0---------------------------|
E MajorE B(D#D# for bass) C# minorC#m A augmentedA
e|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
BB|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
G+G|-9---------------------------|-9-------------------------13|
D MajorD|-9---------------------------|-9---------------------------|
A augmentedA|-7---------------------------|-7---------------------------|
E MajorE|-0------------------------12/|-0---------------------------|
E MajorE B(D#D# for bass)
e|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
BB|------12------12------12-------12-------12---------12------12------12-------12-------12---|
G+G|-13h14---13h14---13h14---13h14----13h14-------13h14---13h14---13h14---13h14----13h14------|
D MajorD|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E MajorE|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
C# minorC#m A augmentedA
e|-----16---------------------16---------------|
BB|---------------------------------------------|
G+G|-18b----18p16---16-h18--18b----18p16---16-h18|
D MajorD|-------------18---------------------18-------|
A augmentedA|---------------------------------------------|
E MajorE|---------------------------------------------|
E MajorE B(D#D# for bass) C# minorC#m A augmentedA
e|----------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
BB|----------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
G+G|-11b-rp9---9---------9--11b-rp9---9---------9-|-11b-rp9---9---------9--11b-rp9---9---------9-|
D MajorD|--------11---11-9h11-----------11---11-9h11---|--------11---11-9h11-----------11---11-9h11---|
A augmentedA|----------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
E MajorE|----------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
(At this point the singing stops on a phrase from a Patrick Jones poem, but partly 'borrowed' I
think by Patrick from Manics fave Camus' 'The Fall')
E MajorE B(D#D# for bass) C# minorC#m A augmentedA
e|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------|
BB|------12p10-----12p10-----12p10-----12p10-----12p10-----12p10---------------|-----------------------------|
G+G|-13p11-----13p11-----13p11-----13p11-----13p11-----13p11-----13p11-13-13b--r|-13b--r-11h13-11h13-13b--r-13|
D MajorD|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------|
A augmentedA|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------|
E MajorE|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------|
E MajorE B(D#D# for bass) C# minorC#m A augmentedA
e|---------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------|
BB|----------------------------------12--12--12-14b-r14-12h14p12--|-14b--r-12h14-12h14-14b--r---|
G+G|-----9--9--9-11b-r11-9h11p9--11h13--13--13-------------------13|-----------------------------|
D MajorD|-9h11-11-11----------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------|
A augmentedA|---------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------|
E MajorE|---------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------|
{---------}
This bit's pretty quick
E MajorE B(D#D# for bass) C# minorC#m A augmentedA
e|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
BB|-9----------------9---------------|-9----------------9---------------|
G+G|-11b-r-9--------9-11b-r-9--------9|-11b-r-9--------9-11b-r-9--------9|
D MajorD|---------11-9h11----------11-9h11-|---------11-9h11----------11-9h11-|
A augmentedA|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
E MajorE|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
E MajorE B(D#D# for bass) C# minorC#m A augmentedA
P.M.-------------------
e|--------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
BB|-14-----------------14----------------|-14------------------------------|
G+G|-16b--r-14h16-14h16-16b--r-14h16-14h16|-16b--r-2-2h4-4-4h6-6-6h8-8-8h9-9|
D MajorD|--------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A augmentedA|--------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E MajorE|--------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
(might not be BB|-14-, could be BB|-17-, but it is something in addition to
the G+G|-16b-)
E MajorE
e|-----------------------------|
BB|-----------------------------|
G+G|-9---------------------------|
D MajorD|-9---------------------------|
A augmentedA|-7---------------------------|
E MajorE|-0---------------------------|
I believe epic is the word.
Other versions of Motorcycle Emptiness
Alternative guitar chords and tabs for Motorcycle emptiness (Ver. 2) by Manic Street Preachers
