AR Kane: A Steak Knife In Your Ear

2005 note: NME had become a prisoner of its late 70s success legitimising punk: terrified of being caught in the lee of whatever the "next punk" would choose to demolish, it overspent itself lumpishly justifying everything, via sub-cultural pedigree and back-of-a-matchbox sociology. IPC sibling rival Melody Maker had missed the boat punk-wise: by comparison was free, and flying. God knows what exactly I was responding to: this piece was a coded postcard from behind enemy lines, to say, "Yes you’re right, those ARE strong ideas, but you’re not getting the most out of them; they will turn and trap you..." Let us not pretend I convinced anyone. Note for archeologists: lists of stuff that matters (to you), injected into your writing without explanation – Last Exit, Black Rock – are the secret marks of devotees of the hermetic cult of P. Morley. Lamest hack tic: claiming that A. R. Kane – that anyone – poses a "unique threat".