Music critic and publicist Simon Reynolds gave ChatGPT an assignment - to write an essay in the style of music critic Simon Reynolds that expresses skeptical views about A.I. taking over the role of the music critic. It was done in seconds, Reynolds writes impressed. "The argument itself struck me as averagely intelligent, making entry-level points about how A.I.-generated prose is necessarily deficient in empathy and nuance, and how it would lack the unique and personal perspective of a human critic". The style, or the "voice" of the A.I. was "earnest, plodding, attuned to bland generalities rather than arresting specifics, and irritatingly fair-minded. Not promising attributes for a critic!"

"The best punk movies are stories that tap into the spirit of the time through imagined characters and invented situations. A biopic can’t help treating its protagonists as exceptional figures—stars commanding the stage of History—in a way that undercuts the iconoclastic, 'no more heroes' spirit of punk" - the Simon Reynolds writes introducing his best punk movies list, which goes from "the first punk movie" 'Jubilee' to 'We Are the Best!' by Lukas Moodysson.

"A fascinating look at a fascinating article" - Music Journalism Insider writes in an announcement of the latest edition of their Notes On Process segment. MJI's Todd L Burns talked to music writer Simon Reynolds about his 1992 Melody Maker article 'Gathering of the Tribes' about a free party that drew tens of thousands of ravers to the English countryside. MJI shared Reynolds' final draft and the article that came out in the UK music weekly. A great read!

“In the wake of criminalisation, our nighttime and festival industries had become a massive success... It was still rave, at the end of the day. The spirit was still alive and kicking in the people who chose to get fucked up and go dancing together at every possible opportunity” - author and rave veteran Matthew Smith writes in his new photo-book of ​’00s clubs. Music journalist Simon Reynolds goes beyond the obvious: "In the public but intimate setting of the rave, private fantasies that can’t be expressed within the strictures of routine existence are enacted... We see people both losing themselves and finding themselves, building a collective dreamworld under the cover of night”. The Face invites us to step inside 'Full On, No-Stop-All Over'.

In an amazing turn of concepts, audio archivist Luke Owen has released a compilation of not the music, but the commercials played between the songs on pirate radios. The great Simon Reynolds says "these pirate adverts are joyous mementoes of enterprising fun, young people grabbing good times at the outer edge of the law". 'London Pirate Radio Adverts 1984-1993' Vol 1 is available digitally at a name-your-price rate and for £7.50 as a limited-edition cassette tape.

Journalist and publicist has two points in his article: streaming is killing the idea of a mainstream, and second - even the astronomically famous have had to resort to ruses to commandeer public attention. On the bright side - "in this flourishing post-geographical world of 'local' cultures not tied to location, small is bountiful and […]