I’m a journalist, author and commentator on visual culture, and this is my blog, a cultural portal presenting exclusive interviews, information and images.
I began my professional writing career in 1978, working on weekly news for trade publications and in 1983 won the Periodical Publishers’ Association award for campaigning journalism.
In 1990 I was appointed west coast bureau chief of Screen International, reporting on the film industry and based in Los Angeles.
Between 1993 and 1998 I was contributing editor at Music Week, reporting on and profiling executives and artists including Madonna’s manager Freddy de Mann and U2 manager Paul McGuinness as well as Bjork, David Bowie, Oasis and the Sex Pistols.
In 1993 I was recruited by Brian Eno and Anthea Norman-Taylor to their creative think-tank on behalf of the charity War Child, which resulted in events Little Pieces From Big Stars at Flowers East and Pagan FunWear at the Saatchi Gallery.
Between 1994 and 1999, I was contributing editor at Music Business International. During this time I travelled the world and contributed regularly to a wide variety of publications including the Daily Telegraph, Heat, Mojo and Radio Times (and conducted the first interview with the Spice Girls).
A foray into television resulted in a development deal for a trash culture magazine show called The Strip and in 1999 I directed Channel 4 documentary Las Vegas Grind.
In 2000 I delved into music management by signing Latino artist El Vez to Alan McGee’s Poptones label and also worked with Kevin Rowland in 2003 on a Dexys Midnight Runners tour and compilation.
BOOKS
In 2001 I published the first edition of The Look: Adventures In Pop & Rock Fashion, followed by the only history of the music press In Their Own Write (also 2001) and book collaborations with Goldie (2002), Ali & Robin Campbell of UB40 (2005) and Boy George (2005).
The second edition of The Look was launched in 2006 in Tokyo by Sir Paul Smith and resulted in talks on post-war style at the V&A, London College Of Fashion and Central Saint Martins, where I was made an associate lecturer.
The first edition of Reasons To Be Cheerful: The Life & Work Of Barney Bubbles came out in 2009 and was made MOJO Book Of The Year in 2010. Associated Barney Bubbles events have included lectures at Chelsea College Of Art, Manchester University, Suffolk University School Of Art & Humanities, Bath College Of Art & Design, University Of Brighton and others.
In 2011 I edited and created the format for the exhaustive Any Day Now: David Bowie The London Years.
My latest book, Mr Freedom – Tommy Roberts: British Design Hero, was published in 2012.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Between 2008 and 2010, my fashion label The Look Presents produced seven sell-out clothing collections in collaboration with Nigel Waymouth, Wonder Workshop and Antony Price for Topman in the UK, US and Japan.
Recently I have made several TV and radio appearances on Sky Arts, ARTE, Resonance and BBC Radio London and last year gave five lectures at design and fashion study days at the V&A. I also spoke at design conferences in Belgium and France.
CURATION
In 2010 the publication of the second edition of the Barney Bubbles book was accompanied by my first curated exhibition, Process, at London’s Chelsea Space, which was selected as a highlight of the London Design Festival by Creative Review and the New York Times.
In Jan-Feb 2012 I curated the exhibition Lloyd Johnson: The Modern Outfitter at Chelsea Space and in May-June 2012 the show The Past The Present & The Possible as part of the International Poster & Graphic Design Festival in Chaumont, France.
I sourced and contributed exhibits from my archive to Postmodernism (2011) and British Design (2012) at the V&A, Pop Music at Pallant House Gallery (2012) and Glam! The Performance Of Style at Tate Liverpool, which opens in February 2013.
MAPS/GUIDES
The King’s Road Music & Fashion Trail, my series of films for the Royal Borough Of Kensington & Chelsea’s culture section, is available for download.
In November 2012 my map THE LOOK Of London was published in collaboration with Herb Lester Associates .
Currently I am developing the following book projects:
The Face Book with Nick Logan – the story of the first, greatest and most influential style magazine THE FACE with contributions from a high-profile selection of fans, interviewees and contributors.
Remake/Re-Entry – a monograph of the eminent British artist Derek Boshier, whose work and life has encompassed fellow RCA students Pauline Boty, Peter Blake and David Hockney to album covers and stage-sets for David Bowie, a songbook for The Clash and an abiding political and social engagement.
430 King’s Road: Crucible Of Cool – a social history of the most important address in pop culture, with contributions including exclusive material from the late Malcolm McLaren.
You may contact me direct here.
