By Jim Rowland
Originally published in 2020, ‘Looking For A Kiss’, Richard Cabut’s dark tale of drug and sex-fuelled twisted times in the post-punk early ’80s has already gained a fearsome reputation and numerous plaudits. Now it’s re-issued in expanded form with new text, photos and artwork to enhance the narrative plus some additional non-fiction pieces to tie the whole thing together.
Set in early 80’s Camden Town, ‘Looking For A Kiss’ is centred around two punks, would-be writer Robert and Johnny Rotten-obsessed Marlene, as they take an acid trip by Camden’s murky canal. The tale delves deep into the minds of both characters, not just in their acid-fuelled present, but explores their past and also at times looks into their imagined futures, covering the period from dropping the acid in the evening to the blank comedown the following morning.
Often sexually explicit, it explores the love/hate relationship between the two, as well as their place as punks clinging on to their faith as times change in the post-punk era of the early 80’s. Although set in that time period, this isn’t purely a nostalgic post-punk history lesson, as it touches on elements of basic human emotion that can be relevant in any time, today very much included. Brilliantly written with clever detail, it draws the reader in to the personalities of the two characters and paints a very bleak, at times disturbing, picture. One of the musical references in the early stages of the book is Joy Division, and indeed if there were a soundtrack to large parts of this book, Joy Division would be apt.
One of the things that piqued my interest in this book was indeed the post-punk setting, and this book would be of particular interest to anyone with an interest in punk as a subculture and its evolution. The tale itself delves into this as it explores the characters’ feelings as dedicated punks after the initial punk explosion had faded, wondering whether those values were still relevant. The additional postscripts and appendices added by the author to this new edition add particular value to that subject, and were of particular interest to me as a fan of punk music, its evolution and its social effects.
Richard Cabut himself wrote fanzines, was an NME journalist in the ’80s under the name of Richard North, and played in post-punk band Brigandage. There could well be an element of the author in the character of Robert. Appendix one in the book is an infamous article he wrote for the NME in 1983 entitled ‘positive punk’, addressing the movement centred around post-punk bands like Southern Death Cult, Theatre Of Hate, Specimen and Sex Gang Children, re-juvenating and re-evaluating the ideals of the original wave of punk in terms of individuality, creativity and rebellion. That movement would eventually morph into goth in many ways.
Don’t expect this book to be a feel-good bundle of romantic joy, but if you like a good tale in a very dark place, and want a fascinating insight into the post-punk world, ‘Looking For A Kiss’ is highly recommended, and most worthy of the plaudits it has received.
- ‘Looking For A Kiss’ is out now.
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