Critical Thoughts on Music Critics

If you were a teenager in 1980s London, you had a world of music on your doorstep. The triple detonations of rock ‘n’ roll, the ’60s boom, and punk had seeded the city with dozens of small venues, from crumbling dancehalls like the Hammersmith Palais to basement clubs and the backrooms of Victorian pubs. For little more than the price of a pint or a packet of fags, you could hear just about any style of music you wanted to hear. Age restrictions were printed on the tickets, but not once was I asked for my age.