Genius - Luke Haines.

Last year one of the very best books about the music industry came out. "Bad Vibes - Britpop And My Part In Its Downfall" by Luke Haines was the most brutally honest insights into what it is like to be lauded by the music press as the next big thing and then be cut of at the knees by the very same press when the next big thing comes along.

What makes this book so fascinating is that Haines has not edited his reminiscences about the period to show himself in a good light. Haines seriously believed he was a genius and that The Auteurs (Haines' first project) would take the world by storm. Indeed their first album did take the world by storm (at least critically) and Haines genius seemed to be cemented.

It did not go quite to plan, although Haines continued to write outstanding songs for The Auteurs it ended in tears. 'Bad Vibes' charts this downfall frankly with Haines writing as he was at the time (basically a bit of a twat).

Further projects as Baader Meinhof (an edgy and brilliant concept album about the German terrorist gang) and the wonderful Black Box Recorder followed. BBR got back together for some gigs last year and I can confirm they were outstanding, so it seems Haines still has it.


Here is Haines as Baader Meinhof doing Meet Me at the Airport




As Blackbox Recorder doing The Art of Driving




And where it all started as The Auteurs doing Lenny Valentino