Originally published in Beat Instrumental, May 1972

“There is only one decent book that has ever been written on pop,” said Nik Cohn from beneath his wide-brimmed hat, “and that’s Awopbopaloobop Alopbamboom. After assuring me that he was absolutely serious he added: “Even that’s crap.” However, he obviously feels that it’s the best of a bad crop of literature on pop, otherwise he wouldn’t have written it.

Speaking of his flirtation with pop, he said: “I spent two or three years in it, wrote a book on it, and then got out. Really, who gives a fuck if Leon Russell is the newest dimension in rock experience? He’s a poor man’s Jerry Lee Lewis without the voice, without the talent, and without the piano.

Pure and Simple

“I’m a genuine rock ‘n’ roll lover—up until the last two years. In fact, I’m not the slightest interested in the last four years. I’m not interested in James Taylor, Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Melanie… or you name your own. Rock ‘n’ roll used to be no art at all and plenty of entertainment. Now it’s no art and no entertainment. The moment rock ‘n’ roll claimed to be something it wasn’t, it fell down.”

Cohn likes his rock ‘n’ roll pure and simple—for that reason, he’s partial to T. Rex. “The people who are making it now are either those who’ve been in the business for years or those who are rehashing old styles,” he said. He includes Marc Bolan in those who’ve been around for years. He’d also include the Who with whom he is currently working on a film script. “I think Pete Townshend is both intelligent and creative. I think he’s an ‘artist’ and I don’t see many other people in rock ‘n’ roll who are.”

Nik Cohn was born in Ireland but came over to England at 15. For a short period he lived in Newcastle and “tried to be a musician.” He played tenor sax but claims that he was very bad. Around this period he began writing—a pursuit that wasn’t totally out of character, considering that his father was an established historian and an author of books. After bumming around a while, he came down to London, and through what he describes as ‘pure luck,’ landed a job with the Observer. This was a notable period of employment in his life, as it’s the only job he’s held down for more than six weeks.

First Novel

During this time with the Observer he started work on his first novel, entitled Market. At the time, he was still only 18. “I was interested in markets,” he recalled. “It was a genuine idea. I was writing about Life in capital letters and Sex in capital letters. At the time I would have loved to have been a rock ‘n’ roll star, but I didn’t have the jawline. I suppose the idea behind being a writer was that it was romantic yet easy and could make a lot of money.”

After Market he wrote IAmStillthe GreatestSaysJohnnyAngelo, a fantasy novel about a pop superstar written in a tongue-in-cheek style. “It was my mood of the time,” he said. Next came Awopbop… the book which he felt would buy him his freedom and a house in the country. “The pop book is a fairly cynical book,” he admitted. I also knew that in the day of love and flowers, slagging the Beatles and praising Presley, would cause a mild sensation.”

Cohn, now 24, has come to take his writing very seriously. He doesn’t believe that there’s anyone under the age of 40 or 50 alive today whose writing is any good. He also feels that young people today have no appreciation of good writing, mainly because they are not well read enough to make any comparisons. Therefore anything can seem to be ‘good’ within its own context. “In a stoned age,” said Cohn, “everything has to be easy.”

He now believes that he has nothing in common with most people of his age. “I’ve no understanding of the pop culture any more. I’m not very interested in middle class culture, which rock ‘n’ roll has become. I’m much more interested in what’s going on in Blind Sam’s Blues Club than at the Rainbow. Being involved in the pop scene was a lot of fun. I mean, I got an incredible amount of joy out of it. Having lived in the age of Elvis Presley is one good reason for being alive. Second is the pleasure of shaking hands with P.J. Proby.”

According to Cohn, the importance of rock is emotional and not social. “Up until 1969, I’m sure everybody felt the revolution was going to happen and rock would play an important part, but not now. Rock has lost all its fire.”

Revolution

At one time, Nik visualised the forthcoming revolution when people would be storming the barricades while community singing a James Taylor number—but no longer. “James Taylor is no poet,” he laughed, “he’s a scumbag. Rock only pretends to be real poetry.” Even Marc Bolan comes in for the sharp wit of Cohn: “If you like corkscrew-haired midgets—he’s okay,” he said with obvious glee as he imagined how it would look in print. And then, for added effect: “Hermaphrodite hot pants Bolan!!”

Cohn reckons he must be the most hated man in rock ‘n’ roll. Why? “Because I misquoted people too often. The reason being that they’re so dumb they need to be misquoted to give them the appearance of having an iota of wit.” Nik would cap most of his statements by adding, ‘quipped Nik Cohn’ or ’said controversial novelist Cohn,’ as though half-mocking his own outspokenness.

“I’m camping it up a bit you know,” he told me in case I hadn’t noticed. “I mean, the bit about me shaking hands with Proby—and when I said that Awopbop… was the only decent book, I hope you’ll remember to add ‘and even that’s crap’ won’t you?”

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