I have phases where my myriad interests take up more or less of my time. I had a couple of years where I was watching hardly any wrestling - now it's the major reason I use the internet. Music - specifically metal - has had similar times where I really care, and times where I maintain just a precursory interest.

I'm currently listening to a lot of new things, and relistening to a bunch of albums I didn't give enough time to over the past couple of years. I realised that I rarely discuss music here, but that I now wanted to a little, so I'm going to try to discuss new albums. Not everyone who reads this blog enjoys the music I do, but maybe occassionaly I can turn you on to something new.

Quite frankly, one reason I wanted to start doing this was because I've been walking around of late, listening to an album that I can't have on for more than a few minutes without thinking, "this is the best album I'll hear this year", and I really want to share it with as many others as possible. The band is called Cobalt, and the album is called "Gin".

A lot has been written in other reviews about the bands lead singer, who's day job is in the US army, serving in Baghdad. Whether his vocal performance on this album is because of his experiences or not concerns me very little. What does matter is that it is a remarkably intense contribution - listen to the him as he bellows, "burn me down, shoot me in the chest" at the end of "Arsonry" to get an idea. That's not to say it's one-dimensional; I liked his quieter bits as well.

The real appeal to me, however, is the music. They are black metal elements, but this is a truly progressive band in the blend of styles they expertly weave together. Take "Pregnant Insect", my favourite song on the album. There's the acoustic start launching into the huge punkish riff . There's tribal-sounding drums and there's Jarboe chanting, all built around the more stock hypnotic mid-paced section that typifies lots of progressive black metal bands. Other highlights include the more meditative "Dry Body" and the lenghty "Two Thumbed Fist". I also actively like the short instrumental pieces that link up the longer tracks, which can sometimes sound like filler or undeveloped ideas that didn't fit in elsewhere.

US black metal is pretty great these last few years, pushing forward a genre of music that can be very conservative . Last year there was Nachtmystium's "Assassins" and the previous year there was Wolves In the Throne Room's "Two Hunters". I think "Gin" may be better than them all.

I was a Michael Jackson fan in 1991 when he released Dangerous, but even as a seven-year old who listened to Bad and Thriller over and over again, a part of my brain always thought that it was rubbish. By the time HIStory was released, I had moved on, but my impression of the singles were that they were trite and musically weak, and that they compensated with expensive, bloated videos. I never listened to anything from Invincible.

I don't say this to be callous. I just want to make the point that at a time like this, there is a tendency to overhype the dead person's legacy and the implications for the world of the death. In reality, Michael Jackson was hardly a prolific artist, and his best work was behind him by over 20 years - the Michael Jackson of 2009 is not a loss to the music world. Furthermore, if you are one of the people who are openly mourning the demise of a musical genius, and can't actually tell me when the last time you listened one of his albums was, then you'll get little time from me.

I could also talk cynically about the supposed genius of the man - a great pop record is the result of many different people, and the guy on the cover is just one of them. It's probably unnecesary though, as the word 'genius' ceased to mean anything a long time ago. I think we can all agree that he was a talented vocalist and a charismatic performer. However, even this is not free of hyperbole - a message passing along the bottom of the news this morning from a woman in London declared him 'the last great showman', as if being an entertainer of millions was an ancient secret passed down to only a select few and now lost forever.

Jackson will be remembered as a tragic figure, partly because of the heights he thrust himself to and the unreasonable expectations of his dedicated legion of fans, and partly because of the relentless media obsession - the same media that will fill days with tributes to the parts of his life they haven't cared about since the mid-90s. If I could make one suggestion it would be that everyone shows a degree of balance and level-headedness. If he inspired you, then his death should make you sad. If you enjoyed his music, be thankful for that legacy. But don't jump around making grandiose proclamations about a man who has probably in the past decade been the punchline of numerous jokes you've laughed at and the topic of many appalled conversations you've had. It's very tedious.

My friend Rachel forwarded this to me.

For some amusement this Friday afternoon, why not have a little vote on today's Daily Mail poll 'Should the NHS allow gipsies to jump the queue?'. It's much more fun if you vote 'yes'. Then tell some other people about it. Currently, 91% of people have done the same. Publish that tomorrow morning, Dacre.

People power 1, mindless hatemongering 0.

I was all set to come and write about the honeymoon. Then I found out Mitsuharu Misawa was dead, and I don't feel like it anymore.

Misawa was the president of NOAH, Japan's second largest promotion. He was still active in the ring, and while older, still pushing his body in the style he helped popularise in the 1990s - hard hitting, realistic, dramatic and exciting. He died of a cardiac arrest following a standard back bump in a tag match in Hiroshima today.

He was All Japan's top guy - or ace - during those years, and produced many of the decades, and history's, greatest matches. There was never an ace like Misawa. His style was a blend of heavyweight striking, bumping and in-ring storytelling, combined with a heavy influences of junior heavyweights: the high spots, the aerial moves, the incredible pace.

With Misawa at the top, All Japan main events and quality professional wrestling were near synonymous - the increase in intensity and impact that started at the end of the 1980s, combined with the traditional rooting in in-ring story-telling and drama, was carried much further by Misawa and his peers. While I always favoured company number two Toshiaki Kawada for in-ring performance, Misawa was by far more influential and much more of a driving force of this revolution. Their match on June 3rd 1994 is simply the greatest, most perfect singles match ever wrestled in Japan, if not globally.

In recent years, the years of physical abuse clearly taking a toll, his role has shifted towards a tired veteran - still fighting, still great, but constrained by a body that isn't what it was. His final GHC title run, culminating with the loss to Takeshi Morishima last year was typified by this, and he found him almost as compelling to watch then as I did during his physical peak. You always hope that these icons of pro wrestling can finish with dignity, and see out their (hopefully many) days in comfort. That his end came in the ring, at the age of 46, obviously fails to meet that criteria, although there is something tragically inevitable that a man who pushed his body for twenty five years would finally be overcome by it.

I hope NOAH survives this, and although this little corner of the internet isn't going to be seen by those it is intended for, I extend my condolences to his family and friends, to the NOAH roster and to its fans.

Mitsuharu Misawa, 1962-2009.

I can't get back to regular blogging until I write about the wedding and everything. Enough stalling. My problem is I really don't know what to say to you (the gentle reader) that you probably haven't already said to both Cath and myself. So we'll see how this goes.

Obviously, we had a brilliant day. In all the ways that matter, we thought it went perfectly.

Some details you wouldn't know. The night before we were seperated, although much to Andy's chagrin we spoke several times. Cath likes tradition, but likes me more. I've never cared about tradition. I had a fun night with Murray, Scott and Adam -food, drink (Coke) and a lot of pool. I didn't really sleep much. I struggled to eat a bacon sandwich the following morning, predominantly out of nervous excitement rather than any fear. If you saw me before the ceremony I hopefully looked as calm as I felt, any nerves having departed by the time I started getting ready. Having seen the wedding photos, it's weird seeing me smiling and chatting and generally dicking about downstairs while upstairs Cath's room is much more serious as all the preparations are going on.

We had this plan for the ceremony that failed. Cath knew she would be nervous being watched by a room full of people, and she had decided that she would just focus on me. All the way down the aisle I could tell she had a fixed expression on her face, which made me think for a second something was wrong (she told me after that before she entered the room, she felt really lightheaded and wobbly). I had no preconceptions about what she would look like, and needless to say, she blew me away.

The ceremony is a blur - I don't think we stumbled over our words, and my general impression was that it was lovely. Afterwards, I can't remember ever being yelled at some much - a lot of people had a lot of need for my time. It's exhausting, but at the same time, I am aware I may never be (joint) centre of attention like that again. We were pleased with the food, although dinner did drag on a little. The one part that was worrying me was the speeches (or at the very least mine) but I was pleased with it, and everyone has been really nice afterwards (so thankyou). It was great getting the Imps to perform for all our families and friends, almost all of whom had never seen me do improv before (after four years). It wasn't strictly speaking a good set, but it was an entertaining one, and seemed to be a hit.

And then there was a fun evening of dancing and trying to catch up with far too many people - so for everyone I said "I'll be back in five minutes" (and who might still be waiting), I apologise. Several family members have commented that they liked how full the dancefloor was throughout - I blame (and thank) Imps.

Married life, thus far, has brought very few changes. Maybe the biggest one is that I now need a new clap - my old one keeps hurting my finger as it bangs into the ring. No-one warned me about that. The official photos are available to view online (if I haven't already sent you the info). Go to our photographers website (www.robwhealphotography.com), go to the client area. Then, email me for the password and login details. There are some fantastic shots of many of you, so you should definitely look at them.

I will talk about Cuba next time.