Nick Kent played guitar with the Sex Pistols, shared drugs with Keith Richards and delved behind the masks of countless rock idols.

But until Saturday, he had never done a reading of his own work.

Kent was one of the journalists who changed how people wrote about rock music.

He used the influence of writers such as Lester Bangs and Hunter S Thompson to examine the passions behind music and lived the rock and roll life with the musicians responsible.

That passion for music was still present as he spoke, despite the fact Kent now wears a floppy hat to hide his grey hairs.

The 90-minute talk and interview with Guardian music critic Alexis Petridis touched on legends such as Iggy Pop, David Bowie and Captain Beefheart, as well as Kent's own career and his thoughts about the music scene today.

As he answered questions from the audience, he attacked the wannabe svengali Malcom McLaren but largely enthused about the "complex" people he had interviewed in a 35-year career with the bright-eyed adoration of a rock music lover.