Today, I have bought:

Luke Haines “The Oliver Twist Manifesto”. My friend Paul, who introduced me to Mr Haines work used to have a .sig file that read “Luke Haines is a genuis and you will all buy his records if it kills me.” He was right. Luke Haines is a genuis. Go and buy his records, or I’ll kill Paul.

Cocteau Twins “Four-Calendar Cafe”. Cocteau Twins. What more need be said? Hymns from an alien religion. Beautiful, and weird as all hell.

Red House Painters “Red House Painters”. First one of their albums I’ve bought. I’ve got one track of theirs, on a 4AD sampler CD, and I really liked it, so I thought I’d give them a go. More when I’ve had a chance to listen and absorb it.

Lastly, and most excitingly:

A ticket to go and see Diamanda Galas at the Royal Festival Hall in a few weeks. Hurrah, I say! Hurrah! Mad shrieking women playing the piano and terrorising the audience. Tori Amos is nice, but Diamanda comes with knives and anger. I’m so looking forward to this. Can you tell?