Born in 1945, Ian was raised in Clydebank, a Scots shipbuilding town on Glasgow's western border. In 1963, as the Beatles were breaking into the big time, his father moved the family to Newcastle upon Tyne where he'd been offered a better job. Ian took a design course at Newcastle College of Art and Industrial Design before embarking on a career as a graphic designer.
A few years later, he bought a second-hand camera and caught the photography buzz. Within months, he started earning a living with a camera by photographing babies and Junior Marching Bands (big in the north-east) before landing a job as in-house photographer to the Tyneside Theatre Company at the University Theatre in Newcastle.
This led to a chance meeting in early 1972 with Bob Brown (who managed the City Hall, then the noth-east's major rock venue) and an open invitation to photograph the many acts who appeared at the Hall.
Discovering how much fun and money there was in rock 'n roll, Ian hitched a lift to London on Roxy Music's tour bus in early 1973 and set about establishing himself. He joined forces with the writer Andrew Tyler at the NME for a couple of years before a short-lived stint with National Rockstar eventually led to an appointment with Sounds, just in time for the punk explosion (chronicled in his book "Flash Bang Wallop!" / Abstract Publishing 2000).
During the dismal 1980's, he did less work in rock, pursuing other interests before resurging with the launch of Vox magazine and the advent of Brit-pop. In 1999, he moved to the south coast of England with his wife Shoko and bought a PC to take advantage of the digital age. He now concentrates on marketing his archive through galleries and the internet.
In 1974 Rod Stewart once said to him, "A million quid for your accent!"
David Bowie performing as Ziggy Stardust at Newcastle City Hall in January 1973.
The Jam, featuring Paul Weller, taken backstage before they performed at Reading's Top Rank in June 1977
Bob Marley and the Wailers walking to their sound check before their performance in Birmingham on 19th July 1975
Newcastle City Hall, 1973, Ian Dickson eludes security to take this photograph of David Bowie performing as the legendary Ziggy Stardust
David Bowie performing at Newcastle City Hall, UK on the Ziggy Stardust Tour in June 1973
Radiohead shot for a MOJO cover story in their Oxford Studios in April of 2001
Freddie Mercury in the spotlight whilst playing the grand piano in Southampton in May, 1977.
Kate Bush captured in 1993 during the filming for short film 'The Line, The Cross & The Curve'.
Jimmy Page playing his legendary bowed guitar solo during 'Dazed & Confused' whilst onstage with Led Zeppelin in Belfast in March 1971
David Bowie was a leading figure in popular music for over five decades & regarded by critics & musicians as a true innovator.
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band formed in 1975. Without them popular culture in the last 30+ years would be very different.
Referred to as rock music's 'Prince of Darkness', Nick Cave's music is characterised by emotional intensity & a wide variety of influences.
Oasis were an English rock music band formed in Manchester in 1991, to date the band have sold over 70 million records worldwide.
Here are the very latest prints we have added to our collection. We hope you love them as much as we do.
Album covers can define a band almost as much as the music itself. Now you can put this great art on your wall as well as your turntable
Our contact sheet collection is a rare opportunity to look back at the hidden moments surrounding some of rocks most iconic images.
When it comes to rock photography Michael Putland has done it all, having shot the biggest name in rock & pop from Abba to Zappa.
