empire quickly collapsed during the reign of his youngest son John. Many of the changes Henry introduced during his long rule, however, had long-term consequences. Henry's legal changes are generally considered to have laid the basis for the English Common Law, while his intervention in Brittany, Wales and Scotland shaped the development of their societies and governmental systems.

Historical interpretations of Henry's reign have changed considerably over time. In the 18th century, scholars argued that Henry was a driving force in the creation of a genuinely English monarchy and, ultimately, a unified Britain. During the Victorian expansion of the British Empire, historians were keenly interested in the formation of Henry's own empire, but they also expressed concern over his private life and treatment of Becket. Late-20th-century historians have combinedFirst, as frontman of hardcore punk band Hüsker Dü , he helped characterise the 80s U.S. underground rock scene in a way that only Sonic Youth and the Minutemen can really claim to have matched. Following their break up and a brief solo stint, his next band Sugar found commercial success with some of the best power pop records of the early 90s, focusing on issues of the heart as much as society in unashamedly melodious fashion. In 1996, he returned to focus on a solo career that this year saw him put out his 12th record under his own name of ever-maturing and tuneful but resolutely abrasive indie rock.

Simple as that, or so I thought. On record at least, the move from one of these stages of