Interview - October 2000

Ian Dickson talks to Philjens about his critically acclaimed book 'Flash Bang Wallop!', which brings together for the first time, Ian's stunning visual record of the Punk era.

Phil: You've been photographing rock stars since 1972. What got you into this line of work?

Ian: Well, I'm a self-taught photographer. I didn't go to college to learn how to do it. I bought a camera one day and got hooked. I got sacked from my job for daydreaming about how to become a photographer! The next day I upgraded to a Nikon and became a professional.

For the first six months I photographed babies and kids around the new housing estates near where I lived. During that time I met other photographers, in Newcastle-upon-Tyne where I was living at the time, and I met a guy called Chris Steele-Perkins. He was the house photographer at the Tyneside Theatre Company. He then moved to London and recommended me for the job of house photographer. I did that for almost two years and during that time I met Bob Brown. He was the manager of the City Hall in Newcastle. He invited me to come along and take pictures at the hall whenever I wanted to. So I ended up photographing Rod Stewart and the Faces. That was my first ever rock concert.

Phil: How did you end up working for the music papers?

Ian: I came down to London during the summer recess in the theatre. I brought my portfolio down with me and trooped it around Fleet Street. The editor of a magazine called Disc said that I was in a really good spot because a lot of bands started their tours in Newcastle upon Tyne. Bolan, Bowie, Genesis, Status Quo, all started their tours in the northeast of England.

Phil: Who did you photograph in the early '70s, and were they mostly musicians that you personally had respect for?

Ian: A mixture of everything…whoever I was asked to do. It was the most pleasurable way of earning a living I could think of.

Phil: From this era (early 70's), is there any particular assignment that stands out?

Ian: Bowie I suppose, and Roxy Music. They were the hot stuff at the time. In fact, Roxy opened their tour in Newcastle. The tour manager said, "look we need some live shots. Send down what you get to the office in the King's Road." They offered me such a sum of money that by the time Roxy came back to finish their tour in Newcastle I'd decided to move to London! For one night's work they were offering me a month's salary. I thumbed a lift to London on Roxy's tour coach!

Then I did a lot of Roxy's tour stuff the following years; Alex Harvey... quite a few.

Phil: Did you find by this time you were getting bands approaching you direct?

Ian: Oh yeah. Mainly through record companies. In the '70's live photography was much sought after and I was particularly good at that.

Phil: In Nov. ''76 you were working for 'Sounds'. They gave you the task of going to photograph the Pistols at Notre Dame Hall on London. Was this your first direct exposure to punk and the Pistols, and if so what did you make of it all?

Ian: That was my first contact. I'd seen Patti Smith and the Stranglers, but they weren't really punk if you know what I mean? The Pistols were the real thing obviously. I was told to go down and photograph this band but in particular take lots of photographs of the audience as well. That's how I got so many pictures of ordinary people. I just snapped Sid Vicious talking to Vivienne Westwood, Sid talking to Catwoman, Billy Idol standing watching them. I hadn't a clue who these people were, and I'd had no meeting with punk prior to that. It was a matter of just being there and taking pictures and being lucky I suppose.

Phil: Did people find it intrusive, you taking pictures of them?

Ian: I had no problems at all. In fact at one point Johnny Rotten was staring at me (that's where I got that shot that he eventually used on his autobiography). He held that pose for about 10 seconds.

Phil: There is a great shot taken from behind the crowd where you've got a real mixture in the crowd, and you've got the Pistols in the background on stage.

Ian: The guy with a prison outfit on?

Phil: Yeah. It catches the strangeness of their crowd and the band.

You quickly became one of the busiest photographers of the punk scene. Was it a conscious decision of yours to capture this excitement, or was there a great demand from the participants to be photographed?

Ian: It was basically because I was working for the paper. And 'Sounds' in 76/77 championed the Punk cause. Almost overnight it dropped all the progressive rock and plastered punk all over its pages. 'Sounds' did a weekly photo story, which invariably I always did. It was great. I was in the right place at the right time. The rest as they say is history!

Phil: From the punk era, and in particular from the Pistols entourage, who was always the first in line to have their picture taken, and who wasn't exactly co-operative?

Ian: I can't remember one person who said, "don't take my picture." It was part of a job, kind of "if you want to take my picture mate, you go ahead. You're welcome". A lot of them didn't want to become rock and roll stars, they just wanted to be playing and having a good time. I never had any problems with the punk musicians. I had more problems with the superstars.

Phil: Which pictures from punk's first year (76-77) bring back the most vivid memories?

Ian: Obviously the Pistols stuff because of the atmosphere that they generate. Maybe The Jam stuff as well, because it reminds me of the high energy. I was 30/31 when all this happened, and these were kids 18/19 years of age, but I felt a great affinity for them because rock'n'roll transcends age barriers. They didn't look upon me as being a father figure.

Phil: Johnny of course used one of your pictures on the cover of his autobiography. That must have been gratifying?
Did you know it was going to be on the book?

Ian: No I didn't. I just got this sales report from my agency. Then the book arrived! It was a very astute use of the photograph, the way they got his eyes in position on the cover. I was told that he picked it, and I'd like to think he did.

Phil: From the class of '76-'78, who have you kept in touch with or worked with in more recent times?

Ian: Glen's a very good friend of mine, so is TV Smith and Gaye (Advert).

Phil: You did of course take pictures of Glen Matlock for his first solo album.

Ian: The Creation album? Yes.

Phil: Am I right in thinking that it's one of your pictures on the rear of Glen's 'Open Mind' album?

Ian: Glen used some of my live stuff (on 'Open Mind'). If it is, he owes me some money (laughing)! He's welcome to it. He's a great bloke!

Phil: There have been a number of photo-books from the era released over the years. In many ways, "Flash Bang Wallop!" is the collection the fans have been waiting for to complete the picture. Why wait until now to release it?

Ian: It's very nice of you to say so! I've had a lot of positive reaction about it. In many ways I'm against books of photographs. I like pictures on walls, in frames, so they're there in your consciousness, in your face all the time. That may sound a bit high-handed, but that's how I felt about it until a few years ago. It was Alan Parker who talked me into doing it. I don't regret it now. I'm very pleased with it, especially the way it's been produced.

Phil: Are you still amazed at the amount of interest in photographs of the punk era? Is this because it was such a visually striking time?

Ian: Without doubt. It's also in my opinion the last great statement of rebellion by a rock music generation. Everything since has been a pale imitation. Rock'n'roll died the day that punk died. For a few glorious months we thought, "this is going to change the world! Flower power didn't -the hippies didn't, maybe we can do it."

Phil: Finally, is there one picture that for you, sums up the era?

Ian: It's got to be the Johnny Rotten shot. He was the figurehead. And to be on the front cover of his own book, you can't get any higher than that!
I've seen brilliant pictures of the Pistols and he chose one of my pictures for his autobiography. I'm just going to practice my trumpet now!

Phil: Would you like to tell us about any recent, current, or forthcoming projects.

Ian: I'm still embroiled in this current one. Waiting for the fall-out from that. I'm busy trying to promote my website.
I've changed careers and I'm not taking photographs to the extent that I was; I'm selling photographs as an 'artist'. I don't want to take rock'n'roll pictures any more, because there isn't any more rock'n'roll to take pictures of!

Phil: Ian Dickson, thank you very much.