I've had this strange relationship with the Tindersticks across time whereby I am utterly besotted with them for a while, before moving on and barely noticing they exist for a year or two. I can't think of another band that I do this to - every time I fall for them it's in a big way and at some point I should really do a mix tape, personal to me, explaining just why I think they are so terrific.
Anyway - one of those moments fell in 2006 when I was dating the (future) Mrs M. The promoters behind the ATP Festival were running a series of shows called 'Don't Look Back" which featured various bands performing notable albums from their catalogue. The Tindersticks, dormant at the time, were reuniting to perform their second LP. I bought tickets the second they went on sale. We went for a meal beforehand and I got panicky that we were going to miss the start of the show, so we got there ridiculously early, and the support act was somebody (I don't remember who) playing 7" singles on state on a tiny record player. Mrs M remembers it as the evening where she missed out on dessert. I remember it as the night where we went to see the Tindersticks. I think it's ok for it to be both.
They recently released a compilation called "Past Imperfect" - there are a lot of tracks from their later years that I'm not too famillar with but it's a wonderful LP, and its reminding me of that gig at the Barbican, and of the times when I've seen them before, and listened to them before, and it's a wonderful thing.