etc

Should I buy another painting by his wife? The book sequel is very good. I read it at Latitude when I woke up early and couldn't get back to sleep.

why has he stopped doing outsider food? :(

Best thing on the internet.

Just reread this thread from beginning to end.
 
Thoroughly reccommended, a beautiful love story.

Haha, I read the sequel on my day off yesterday (which is a slight concern as I was in sole charge for most of it and she doesn't nap much. I think I put her rocking horse on the balcony so that I could concentrate). It is quite excellent. My favourite bit was obviously mini Glenn Hoddle on a stick. I might say more if I ever get domestic internet again.

"Mother, what's for tea?" 
 
"Liver sausage sandwich and cheese".
 
That such mundane, now anachronistic, words, emerging from a malevolent psychedelic fuzz, can provide easily the most sinister musical moment of the year is testament to the fine late period form that Luke Haines is in. 
 
I admit I hadn't rushed to Rounder Records to pick up Mr Haines' concept album about 70's wrestling, if I'm honest I feared a load of rushed off self indulgent weak tea glam rock, such as spoiled the promising Off My Rocker long player. 
 
But I've been listening to it a lot this week (it's only half an hour long, Mr Haines is a parent himself and always considerate of the time poor). 
 
It's another tremendous record. Warm, funny, affectionate, terrifying, heartbreaking, scary and always evocative.
 
I have to confess though, I seem to have been enjoying Luke Haines all wrong. So many reviews, even positive ones, just seem restate the same few ideas: sardonic, misanthropic, miserable, sarcastic, "clever lyrics". It does such a disservice to what are often warm, affectionate and thematically (and sonically) complex but coherent records. His voice is increasingly charming and musically he is more and more confident and adept. For instance, the track Big Daddy Got a Casio VL-Tone is uncannily like a track Martha and I did on her little keyboard, before she was sick in it (I am not making this up, we're getting her a new one for Christmas).
 
It's not just a grumpy man being nostalgic. One for the poster, as they say.
 
So grapple fans, can't wait to hear what Thomas thinks.
 
Although as ever I'd love to hear hoppo's thoughts, though would he have been a bit teenage for wrestling in the 70's?
 
Oh, and finally, sorry, I thought Maddix was talking about Haines's book in the post above. Ha.

An excellent review of an excellent album. I did write something about it somewhere, possibly the 2011 music thread. You're right about how reviewers seem to get the wrong end of the stick. Listening to Haines on a few radio interviews etc, he seems like a friendly chap very at peace with the world.
 
This is a very affectionate record, and very funny. He's got a lovely turn of phrase. The stuff in 'Rock opera in the key of existential misery' is quotable all the way through. I'm not gong to quote any now though, because it would ruin the surprise.
 
Sonically, he has found a really good groove. As Rijnders says, it is not annoyingly ironic glam like off my rocker.
 
I think that Haines is well on his way to becoming a national treasure. I wish he'd do a tour or something. I quite liked the sound of his Edinburgh show which is going to do a 'run' in London apparently.
 
I have only listened to the album on Spotify - crap internet connection permitting - so don't own a physical copy. I was waiting to see whether he did some kind of nice special edition thing with all those paintings he's been putting on his blog.  He's quite a good painter actually.
 
I think Hoppo would like this. He will be able to identify that the keyboard noise on Big Daddy Had A Casio VL Tone is the same as the noise at the start of Fortress/Deer Park, from The Fall's Hex Induction Hour album.
 
I look forward to hearing Little Rijnders's musical efforts when she headlines Latitude Festival 2030. 
 
I've got a face only a mother could love. I asked her once, she said "all love's conditional, son".

this album is really good. i think it's one of the albums which i'm just going to listen to once in a while on spotify rather than play to death but who knows, i'll put it on my christmas list and see what happens.
 
spent most of freshers week listening to After Murder Park, Baader Meinhof and the upper classes 

flattered that i am to be ask an opinion twice, i think i have already explained that luke haines, like vienna, means nothing to me...
 
that said...it has to be said is there any more retched phrase in us language than 'rock opera'...apart from of course actual opera, basically posh towts musicals...still if some one is going to insist on making such a wrank edifice then i guess no finer subject could be found than 70's uk wrestling...
 and yae Mr Rijnders, i do have fond memories of such saturday afternoon funtime watching the grappling with my gran...of course my memories are earlier than Big Daddy, (though i have heard some maybe apocryphal stories about B-D & Haystacks acting as enforces for the Tibb street pet shop mafia...though may be liablas ) but ask me about Mick McManus, Adrian Street, and of course the legendary Kendo Nagasaki...
 
there is a great documentary about English pop artist Peter Blake trying to do a portrait of early 70's masked wrestler Kendo Nagasaki...the man in the mask...up on youtube in parts...of course the masked one would not take his mask off, not even for the guy who did Beatles band covers...
 
so yes sounds interesting... still, is called a rock opera, so maybe best to give a wide birth to...
 
but will try to give a listen to the tune with classic casio sound...