Monthly business blog about language, tech, comms etc. Also, why you should read The AI Con. And why I've registered my book as Human Authored. pennykiley.com/2026/04/03/b...

As a Christian, I find this obscene. Those churches that have prostituted themselves to Trump should take more seriously their "What Would Jesus Do?" bracelets. Because the answers do not include "lie, cheat, bully, stoke racial hatred, bomb people "to the stone age" or "grab women by the pussy"".

Today's Nice Thing.

Yup. "Enshittification" isn't just about tech, it's about EVERYTHING. Modern life is rubbish.

Books I read in March. If you only read one of them, please read 'The AI Con'.

This sums up why writers don't want Gen AI. Yes, I LIKE writing.

Remember to be wary, as today is the only day of the year that incorrect or misleading information is posted on the internet.

Correct.

Today's Nice Thing

FACTCHECK: GB News / Spectator owner Paul Marshall got criticised by Christian leaders for his channel's attacks on climate action, so he made a rare public intervention But in his letter to the Guardian (pic) he makes 25 false, misleading or confused claims (!) Receipts etc in next post 1/2

Authors - are you due money from Anthropic AI? Deadline is TODAY. Check if your books are listed:

Just got an email starting "We're pleased to recognize you as an influential journalist or content creator and welcome you to our Media Professionals network." I am neither of those things. Nor in the market to get spammed by PRs, or at all happy that I have to "opt out" from their database. Grrr.

The article includes this quote from a professor of IT: "When does something become an AI-generated book, rather than just using AI like I use a spellchecker, to fix my grammar or maybe spark ideas?” he asked." It's a fine line alright, like what's the difference between Switzerland and Neptune.

"The Gang Of Four’s hysteria is doubly effective because they look so ordinary." I think @gangoffour.bsky.social were one of my most-seen bands in the punk/post-punk era. My 1981 Melody Maker review is in my latest Substack. pennykiley.substack.com/p/gang-of-fo...

I just thought it had crashed because they sent out their "Your statement is ready to view" emails yesterday. (I love those emails!)

On this day 27th March 1963 Beeching announced that the railway network was to be cut by a quarter & named over 2,000 stations destined for closure Artist: WC Watson

Oh great. Now I’ve got to get real woodland animals to jump up and down on trampolines. finance.yahoo.com/sectors/tech...

@wildtwin.bsky.social's Latchkey coming later this year from @sacredparasite.bsky.social. So. Very. Eager.

What a fab book cover.

On 23 April we will publish Peter Guralnick’s acclaimed Elvis trilogy in paperback: the classics Last Train to Memphis (1994) and Careless Love (1999), and the recent masterpiece The Colonel and the King. Nobody writes about Elvis like Guralnick does store.whiterabbitbooks.co.uk/search?q=pet...

I enjoyed doing this Q&A for @outsideleft.bsky.social and I love this magazine-style image I stole from their Instagram. That's me on the stage at Eric's waiting for the Cramps in 1980.

Please will food writers stop saying "bold flavours". Ta.

Today's Nice Thing

Books! Books! Books! - From the ever growing OL book mountain, a Penny Kiley memoir and other great titles to get into in March 2026. We should do this more often - outsideleft.com/main.php?sto...

A memorable evening at Gulp Fiction as @pennykiley.bsky.social reclaimed the true story of the early 80s Liverpool Punk scene from academics and ‘people who weren’t there’, and roomful of women over 50, remembering their DIY rebel outfits and weekly dash for the NME, responded 'Fuck yeh'

Happy birthday to Pete Wylie, one of the stars of my book (the other one's Liverpool).

"A conversation that drifts beautifully between storytelling, memory and the strange magic of writing about sound." That's me talking to @mickordmedia.bsky.social and @ianprowse.bsky.social for their podcast Misadventures in Music. urbanistamagazine.uk/misadventure...

The band were good, but as Jim Bob said last night "I can see one sign saying Merch and fifty signs saying Academy". I hate these corporate venues.

Imagine and Hey Jude.

To celebrate today's news that Pete Frame is still very much alive, here's a Rock Family Trees documentary inspired by his wonderful work. The New Merseybeat features Echo & The Bunnymen, The Teardrop Explodes, Wah!, Big in Japan, Dead or Alive, Frankie Goes To Hollywood etc youtu.be/jIhogeam58k

Hello. I finally have a website! Includes potted writing “biog” and a mini-archive of my TV reviews & features. I’m always looking for fun/interesting TV reviewing and comedy work, so do get in touch!

Just been to see National Theatre "Live" version of Hamlet. It's my favourite play. Managed to sit it out til the interval then went home. Read the reviews, wasn't expecting a lot but I didn't expect to be actually bored.

…the sleeve’s listing of almost every town’s local DJ in 1976. Includes recognisable names like Russ Winstanley and Bob Jones, but also many more who’ve slipped into obscurity. Shout out to Irene Colley and Sally Ormsby, who were among the (far too few) female DJs back then

Government report on AI and copyright is out. Scanning... 176. In light of the strong views from the consultation, the gaps in evidence and the rapidly evolving AI sector and international context, a broad copyright exception with opt-out is no longer the government’s preferred way forward...

We're channeling our punk energy to prepare for tomorrow's Oxford launch of 'Atypical girl' by former rock music journalist and local author @pennykiley.bsky.social Tomorrow eve (19th) at Gulp Fiction indie book shop in the Covered Market. Tickets here 👇 fixr.co/event/penny-...

Latest podcast is with Alistair Braidwood of ‘Scots Whay Hae!’ I'm not Scottish, but my publisher is. Anyway, we had a nice chat. www.scotswhayhae.com/post/atypica...

A discussion of punk with three "experts" (academics) who are all men. Funny, cos one of the other pieces in the mag talks about punk "creating spaces for voices that were ignored or marginalised". Also, punk wasn't primarily about politics. Thatcherism started in 1979 and punk was over by then.

Just been reading the Big Issue's "punk" edition. Got a few issues. Yes, it's a clever cover but no-one had mohicans in 1976.

US: "Oops I broke the world. Any countries wanna be in a war with me? It'll just cost you a bunch of lives and equipment." World: "No. Fuck off."

Greater Manchester Combined Authority launches new GM Freelancer Network📢 Join a paid advisory group that will bring together creative freelancers from across GM to ensure real lived experience shapes policy, investment & support for creative careers. 📅 28 March, 5pm 🔗 https://ow.ly/IZ7E50YsXmh

This looks good.

#Oxford friends, please come to my book launch on Thursday. 7pm, 19th March, Gulp Fiction Books in Oxford Covered Market. fixr.co/event/penny-...

as a music listener you will be rewarded tenfold spending $15-$20 to see a local act at a local venue. make live music a regular thing, not one more unreasonable facet of our profiteering corporate hellscape

Jeff made a short film as part of his Haunted Paper exhibition last year. Memory shifting over time. Jeff, very kindly, asked me to do the music for the film. I believe there's a longer version of the film kicking around. x youtu.be/pClw-Q-m3Ak

#2026reads #6 Atypical Girl by @pennykiley.bsky.social Highly recommended memoir from former Melody Maker freelancer which covers the Eric's scene from a very personal viewpoint. Warm and funny in places but equally sad and poignant.

Not wanting to take away from her achievements, but what a gorgeous frock.

Watching the news and I can't help wondering, will vinyl LPs suddenly get thin again? Yes, I remember the 1970s.

"This mobile app leverages third party solutions to provide a coherent and personalized user experience." Once, you just had to print out your gig tickets.

“Speed skaters will be sat down for 10 minutes.” It's March 1980. Siouxsie and the Banshees were supposed to be playing Eric’s in Liverpool, but it was closed down. They ended up playing a roller disco in Manchester. Melody Maker review in my latest Substack. pennykiley.substack.com/p/siouxsie-a...