AR Kane: A Steak Knife In Your Ear
Mark Sinker, New Musical Express, 22 August 1987
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 youre right, those ARE strong ideas, but youre 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".
Total word count of piece: 889