K

The guitar was instantly familiar although it had two too many strings.

I picked it up and battled with it. It was as much of a piece of shit as the bass version was.

It was £160 and I laughed because back then if you got one for £20 they’d’ve seen you coming.

You had one.

Another neighbour had a Kay for a bit, which I bought.

Then I had one.

I used to use the wall cavity as a kind of amplifier, but only for certain notes.

Not all of them would resonate. I learned why, much later.

Nonchalantly (I thought) I threw it on the bed one day – quite gently really – and the neck hit the wall, and split in half.

So now I had half a Kay Bass.

The neighbour then swapped his microphone for an airgun,

so that was the end of that band.

I might buy a Kay if I see one for maybe £50 or something.

Playing – fighting - that six-stringed guitar really did feel like coming home.

Like if it was pissing it down all the way and there was no telly cos there’d been a power cut and all you could do was to – quite gently – rest the headstock against the cavity wall and inexpertly try and play Police Truck by the Dead Kennedys.