Ian profile picture

Ian

The opposite of war isn't peace... it's creation

About Me

I'm a freelance music photographer and writer. I also make films, videos and documentaries too.
You can visit my photography website at www.rocktographer.co.uk . I run my own webzine, but have also worked for a variety of websites and publications. At the moment a lot of my work can be seen in the free Rverb mag - available from Sound Control and Fopp stores in the UK and online at reverbmag.co.uk . I also have a dayjob, working in a school.

I enjoy going out to gigs, watching films and having fun with my friends. I collect an obsence amount of DVDs and vinyl. I'm a big fan of Cameron Crowe - my fave of his films being Almost Famous - and also collect a ridiculous amount of memorabelia surrounding his work. I like creating as much as I like consuming, I make films, take photos, arrange/promote gigs, work on shows, program sound and light desks, make websites, create projections, etc. Granted, I am a geek. I like taking the most from every moment, I hate having nothing to do. I like doing stupid road trips. I've done insane round trips of 18,000+ miles to go watch one gig, or go watch my fave tv show being filmed. I like playing the guitar. I obsess over music, there's always something you haven't heard. I have a song for every occasion. I love London. I love opinions - they're never wrong. I love randomly quoting lines from film or good comedy. I like car boot sales. I think if I write anything else here, you might become bored :P
I LOVE finding bands on MySpace, so if you think I'll like what you do please contact me. HOWEVER, note, I get lots of requests, so it may take some time for me to visit your page and listen to your music. I'm not the type of person who has a thirst for a large number of friends, so I'll only add you back if I like what I hear. Simple as.Also - if you're interested in me taking some photos for you, or would like and article / review written, please send me a msg saying so! I'm not the best mind reader!!! :) Thanks.

My Interests

Music, Photography, Films, Film making, Gigs, Live Music, London, Computers, Images, Art, Guitars, Collecting, Vinyl, MY FRIENDS, fun, smiling, challenges, writing, travelling, thinking, life

I'd like to meet:

Anyone interesting.

Music:

*tries to keep this as short as possible* Battle, Art Brut, aerosmith, beatles, beach boys, oceansize, bloc party, the killers, subways, maximo park, joy division, elastica, sleeper, ...and you will know us by the trail of dead, soundgarden, the rakes, sigur ros, mogwai, redjetson, my vitriol, mystery jets, m83, test icicles, jimi hendrix, the rocks, the who, elton john, the raveonettes, the pipettes, arcade fire, elvis costello, the cure, underworld, mansun, fountains of wayne, goldfrapp, no doubt, michael jackson, prince, letters to cleo, jeff buckley, muse, nerd, pusa, the police, the jam, prodigy, queen, queen adreena, qotsa, stevie wonder, sheryl crow....... thats just a taster, this list could go on forever

Movies:

Almost Famous, Vanilla Sky, Pulp Fiction, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Kill Bill, Fight Club, Blow Up, Dazed and Confused, Brekkie at Tiffanys, Empire Records, Shaun Of The Dead, Finding Nemo, Wedding Singer, High Fidelity, Labyrinth, Ice Age, Battle Royale, Pi, Back To The Future, Requiem For A Dream, Billy Madison, Reality Bites, Amores Perros, 21 grams, Mallrats, Jerry Maguire, Singles, Elizabethtown, Crash (2005), The Jerk, Anger Management, 200 Cigarettes, Say Anything, Romeo & Juliet, School of Rock, Star Wars, Dig!, Clueless, School of Rock, musicals (all, mgm's to rocky horror to the producers).anything so stupid its enjoyable, anything that makes me laugh hard or think

Television:

Friends, Simpsons, Futurama, South Park, Blackadder, Later..., Spaced, Black Books, Dead Ringers, Prison Break, Top Gear, TOTP - rip, Scrubs, Twin Peaks

Books:

dont have the time to read much (lame excuse). I have a collection of screenplays (pulp fiction, almost famous, blackadder, etc), the obligatory nick hornby book, a chuck palahniuk book (not fight club) that is bookmarked waiting to be finished, friends season guides, and writings by lester bangs and pamela des barres, which i enjoyed.

Heroes:

Cameron Crowe, Steve Gullick, Neal Preston

My Blog

Sound Control goes into administration

This hit me in the middle of the week like a bolt out of the blue. Of course Sound Control going into administration means one thing only to me, the death of Reverb magazine - the store's in house pub...
Posted by Ian on Sat, 10 May 2008 01:18:00 PST

The perfect bank holiday weekend?

Had a fantastic long weekend. Yes, the sun was out in force, which is never a bad thing. But also...On Saturday I did my annual pilgrimage to Milton Keynes for another Collectormania. It wasn't too bu...
Posted by Ian on Wed, 07 May 2008 12:45:00 PST

Gremlins in the computer system

All those years of being an IT tech, I can now finally prove that there are always gremlins in the works... ...
Posted by Ian on Thu, 01 May 2008 08:03:00 PST

New websites...

Long time no entry.Things are still going on, which means I haven't done any new photo work of late. It's a tad depressing, but events being all encompassing I'd rather have some chill time to myself ...
Posted by Ian on Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:54:00 PST

2006 Photo Book Sale

I’m selling a bunch of photo books that I printed at the end of 2006. I got them made up as gifts for friends, family and those who supported me throughout that year’s work. I also used th...
Posted by Ian on Wed, 09 Apr 2008 07:51:00 PST

No more tests! A speed update

Finally... no more tests! Hospital tests to be precise. I’ve had lots of them these past four weeks and now they’re over.. at least for the time being. Good times.A few observations from t...
Posted by Ian on Wed, 02 Apr 2008 09:23:00 PST

miserable today - but with reason

There’s lots going on right now - none of it what I enjoy the most, writing and snapping. I’m doing a shitload of tests for my new cardiologist being done, which is depressing in itself, p...
Posted by Ian on Fri, 14 Mar 2008 05:38:00 PST

For sale on ebay

I'm having a clear out.. the result of which means I'm selling several bits and pieces on ebay. It's mainly DVDs I've acquired and no longer watch, but there's a few concert programmes on there too, a...
Posted by Ian on Sun, 24 Feb 2008 02:00:00 PST

Yesterday at the cinema...

...I went out to watch the new Sweeney Todd film. It was busy, but not as packed as I thought it would be.Half hour into the film a chap walks in and decides to sit next to me. I'm not one for stressi...
Posted by Ian on Sun, 20 Jan 2008 05:38:00 PST

My 2007 in photos

Before I do my annual 'year in photos'... minus explanations or gushing, a few lists... Fave albums of 2007: Kings Of Leon 'Because of the Times', Blonde Redhead '23', Raveonettes 'Lust, Lust, Lust', ...
Posted by Ian on Wed, 02 Jan 2008 07:44:00 PST