Hipsquare is my side-project about new photography for music media but will also cover vinyl collecting along with the music I like to listen to and see live.
This post is a bit of background about me and my vinyl and music-related journey to date, rather than photography, so feel free to jump straight to the Hipsquare: Music Media Photography page where you can find first images and links to mixtapes curated from my limited-edition vinyl collection.
Vinyl
Most folk seem to be influenced in their music and or music collecting by their parents. Mine, being from a slightly older wartime generation, were ‘radio people’ or going to dances with live music (fair enough) so I didn’t really have a stock of choice 1960’s vinyl to build on. Although somehow my Dad acquired Please Please Me, the debut album by some perky Liverpudlians, on reel-to-reel tape, in 1963 which stands at arms length from his big-band swing compilations. Probably concluded all this modern stuff wasn’t for him.
Selection of my green vinyl, used for Hipsquare Playlist #2
My own dive into vinyl started (natch) in my teens. Looking back, I wish I’d been more into collecting from bands like Joy Division, Talking Heads, Gang of Four, The Cure and The B52’s whose music I liked and do more so now, but never really bought vinyl as I wasn’t that cool. Or as dedicated to ‘a look’ as you needed to be for punk, indie or new romantics come to that. Missed opportunities. Or saved graces.
I was ‘The Police guy’ at school. A band who I took to in late 1979 and proceeded to buy my first vinyl (Rubber Ducky by Ernie and Bert off of Sesame Street aside) - the FOMO of the collector starting to form at this time, so whilst not at the level of ultra-nerd, of international pressing variants and cover misprints, I have pretty much everything they released in all the various wax colours. I was an early(ish) member of Outlandos (The Police Fan Club), saw them live quite a few times and even took up bass (bit of Sting hero worship, not going to lie). All things for a separate blog post(s) in due course. Bet you can’t wait.
Otherwise, I bought vinyl bits and bobs, 7” and 12” reasonably regularly (cause that’s how you listened to your music back in the day, kids) eventually getting a Sony stack system which I still use with B&W speakers. Besides bursts of intense fandom collecting everything (The Police, Belinda Carlisle (cause, you know, ‘the music’) and more recently Yard Act (yes of course I need 10 versions of one album - they openly and shamelessly flogged (literally) this already brilliant debut to No2 and I was happy to let them take my money and run)), I only really bought what I heard and liked. Still do. And if that’s a very limited, collectible, funky coloured variant then all the better. Sorry, wallet.
The arrival of the CD heralded the end of the vinyl format buying for me, for all the usual reasons of practicality, until probably COVID lock-down, life-stage and the general resurgence of vinyl as both a listening option and a collectible format. The CD years were not that exciting content-wise truth be told, probably as previous life-stage things drew me away from music.
So as the circle of life thrusts me towards my ‘second youth’ or ‘getting old disgracefully’, I’m really getting back into my music which, whilst still a broadish church, centres around listening, seeking and collecting limited edition debut albums from new indie/post-punk/electronic/shoegaze/alternative artists. With, it seems, a leaning towards strong female vocals but that’s not intentional. I just prefer a higher register for vocals and girls just have a stronger intent really IMO.
I’m so pleased I can say I am definitely a Radio 6 Music person and not a Radio 2 (I like it cause I’ve heard it before) person. Thank the aural Gods.
I use Spotify but only as an extension of physical content that I’ve already paid proper money for, or a bit of investigation when looking to buy, so I can live with that. To that end, part of the Hipsquare project is creating album-length Spotify playlists drawn from across from my coloured and collectible vinyl collection (Mellow Marble, Punky Pink etc.) which I’ll be sharing links to on social - you may even find something new you like! Each playlist will come with a blog post and my photography of the vinyl and the covers etc.
I’m also a big fan of Dinked Editions and Blood Records for their work in developing and producing hyper-limited collectible vinyl. Again I only buy what I really like which is just as well pocket-money wise as they’re all lovely pieces of artwork.
Otherwise, I tend to collect primarily from artists directly, labels, Bandcamp and independant record stores such as Resident, Reflex, Assai and locally, Slide, if postage not required.
Overall, and it’s a bit of an overused cliche I know, but I really do love the extra visual and physical aspect to the music I love to listen to and the whole tactile package-opening, handling, reading, storage, access and playing process. And the collectable stuff usually has extra interest too, from unique covers, creative wax mixes, signed artwork and added extras - in my collection the Dinked from Gemma Cullingford has a packet of seeds, the Raw edition of Working Men’s Club debut album, a flag and O.M Days Moon Edition by Raf Rundell, some ashes from a Moon Ritual ceremonial fire. I shit you not. But these are all tangible artefacts (I love a tangible artefact) and they’re fun to acquire and explore and keep. And great music, obvs.
And last but not least there is sometimes absolutely blinding photography and artwork used on covers, inners etc. which like most artwork is generally better enjoyed large. Sorry, CD’s/cassettes/digital
Live Music / Photography
Early gig activity for me was a little like my vinyl collecting. Not as uber-cool as I’d like and a bit fan-related but I saw a few memorable concerts.
One of the best was The Police at Gateshead Stadium in 1982. This was IMO the pinnacle of their musical prowess before it all went down the pan in 1983. Their achievement across 5 albums in 5 years, from a bootstrapped van tour of the NE USA seaboard in late 1978, introducing the audience to each other on one occasion, to headlining Shea Stadium in 1983 to 70,000, as the biggest band in the world, without ever being a support act, hasn’t really been eclipsed.
Me and a few others, The Police, Gateshead International Stadium 31st July 1982. Image: Watal Asanuma from book A Visual Documentary By Miles, 1984.
Whilst they headlined Gateshead, their main support was an up-and-coming 2-album Irish band called U2. There were a few fans who’d made their way down the front for this bit and who were impressed by my singing along as I knew the songs having bought those two albums. I’d bought them after having seen them as a 1-album band in a dusty field near to my school in Bedfordshire the summer before at the ‘Greenbelt Festival’ - they only did a few tracks and I believe borrowed instruments, but made quite an impression. They did OK after that I think. And Bono’s lad is stirring up quite the storm at the moment with his band Inhaler. What goes around, comes around etc.
I’m getting back to more gigs now. The smaller and more intimate the better. Again, missed out on Esquires in Bedford (my hometown) in the early days but it’s a brilliant venue and one of those rare “I saw them there before they blew up” places. Stoked to have caught Yard Act, Dry Cleaning, She Drew The Gun, Sorry, Pastel, Regressive Left, Lottery Winners, Sprints and English Teacher over the last few years. And Estrons who I loved (clear (signed), green and orange/black split vinyl versions if you’re asking) but who took a different path and broke up the following week…! And Gaz Coombes and Orlando Bloom doing excellent solo, stripped-back, performances
I’ve created quite a bit of live performance photography, mainly through 10+ years of documenting IF: Milton Keynes International Festival. The trouble with photographing properly is that it takes 100% visual and creative head concentration, to the detriment of other senses and feelings, so it’s difficult to really enjoy the music or comedy or whatever. Take heed folk with their phones constantly out at gigs! Therefore besides the odd brief phone pic/vid for memory’s sake, I don’t tend to photograph at gigs I go to for the music now.
One I did photograph though was the mercurial Gary Numan on his Savage tour. I’d got chatting with his Tour Manager and member of the excellent band Nightmare Air, Dave Dupuis, at an intimate warm-up rehearsal (15 people) for the Savage tour - and he knew Olly Betts, drummer with the brilliant The Duke Spirit, who I knew from a family connection (Six Degrees of Separation and all that) and he kindly agreed to sort a photo pass for me (I’d bought a ticket anyway). I’ll do a post and gallery at some point…
What is Hipsquare Music Photo?
I have one or two photos (!). Some of which I believe would make great square, cover artwork and I want to engage with and work with musicians putting out new material at any stage of their journey in ways that builds in a value exchange but has little or no cost to the artist, if just starting out, when funds are tight.
So I’m building Galleries that are ‘media-ready’ and invite musical artists to collaborate on projects. Whether this a single image for a new release, or the basis for a full new project with a range of photography (see main website for my style and visual voice) I’m game for a chat.
Follow on social for new images and updates, music and vinyl collecting chat, performance photography and playlists curated from my collectable vinyl collection and the like!
Shaun Armstrong
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