When it comes to rock journalists, they don’t come much more legendary than Nick Kent.

And it was clear by the Great Escape delegates queued up to hear him speak that he is still held in great renown, which did raise the question why Brighton Festival moved this talk into the smaller Pavilion Theatre.

Still an amazingly slight figure at 58, the bereted writer happily discussed his new autobiography of the 1970s Apathy For The Devil, and described his ability to look for trouble as what drove him in those days.

Among the legends under discussion with host Gary Mulholland were Iggy Pop, who apparently should be avoided whenever he dyes his hair blond, Keith Richards and memories of the late Malcolm McLaren, who Kent described as “an interesting bunch of guys”.

He also talked candidly about his first true adult relationship with The Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde, causing a few sharp intakes of breath among female audience members when he admitted he hadn’t been able to handle her ambition.

The disappointment was palpable among the audience when it turned out that, because the main interview had overrun, there would be little time for a Q and A – perhaps underlining what a fascinating character he is.