Ian Dickson
Ian is best known for his photographs of the punk/new wave bands in the UK in the mid to late seventies, but his archives of live material include Bob Marley, David Bowie and many many more
"I was living in the North-East of England when, for no particular reason, I bought my first camera, a Russian Zenith B. I was intoxicated with the smell of its synthetic leather and machine oil and got totally hooked on taking pictures. I went to see “Blow Up" three nights in a row and thought I'd have some of that lifestyle, if only I knew how. I had to find out pretty quickly as I got fired from my job for daydreaming (about how to become David Bailey) and almost by pure luck I ended up as house photographer to the Tyneside Theatre Company in Newcastle about three months after that impulsive buy.
A further three months down the line, I struck lucky again and became a regular fixture at Newcastle City Hall ( then the northeast's major rock venue) thanks to the Hall's manager, Bob Brown, my Guardian Angel. He had been pestering me to come and photograph some of the acts appearing there and I eventually agreed in the summer of 1972. I lost my rock photography virginity to Rod Stewart and The Faces. Pretty soon, I had an impressive portfolio and moved to London (on Roxy Music's tour bus) in early 1973. I spent a few years as a stringer for the NME before joining Sounds in 1975, in good time for what was to come the following year. When I look back, I realise that mylife has really been one long happy accident. Earlier, I mentioned Bob Brown being my Guardian Angel and I'd like to explain what I meant by that. I managed to discover the 35mm camera all by myself but he showed me where to point it. Thanks, Bob."