London-based freelance features writer & journalist.
areas of interest: music, tech, society, investigations, youth & fringe subcultures
bylines: dazed, the face, huck, vice, mixmag, dj mag, crack, etc
Hey, I'm Jack.
I'm a freelance writer, editor and multimedia journalist from Northern England – now based in London. My work focuses heavily on youth culture, fringe subcultures and music – but I have experience covering a number of fields: from fashion to digital culture, technology to politics.
I've produced long-form features for online & print magazines distributed across Europe and North America. I've also written branded editorials for Dr Martens, Paris Men's Fashion Week and Calvin Klein.
LATEST COVER STORY
RECENT WORK
“DJs are surprised when they visit”: Why Newcastle’s DIY clubbing scene is thriving
In the east of central Newcastle, a stone's throw from the River Tyne, STEREO 45 is carving out its own space in the thriving, but overlooked, club scene of North East England. The sound of jungle, footwork and esoteric tunes spanning the 160 BPM realm bellows through the intimate DIY venue of Cobalt Studios. Similar to many cultural spaces in the area, the club was born out of an old warehouse where the ship-building industry once thrived; now music has taken its place. The night, taking place
Can Ibiza survive by building a sustainable future?
Ibiza is one of the world's best clubbing destinations: bringing in 2000 tourists to the Balearic Island per 100 residents since 2017 – making it the second-highest tourists to resident ratio in the world. However, when the party was put on pause in 2020 – fuelled by the closure of clubs and flight cancellations – its reliance on tourism was brought to light.
How is the cost-of-living crisis hitting UK nightlife?
“It’s terrifying... I wake up every day and hope that we find a way to keep going,” Kate Hodgkinson, co-founder of Cobalt Studios, an independent 220-capacity venue in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, tells DJ Mag. “We’re just trying to keep our heads above water. You just have to do what the shit mugs say: keep calm and carry on.”
Her views are echoed by club owners across the country. As the cost-of-living crisis bites, expenses across the board are skyrocketing. While the media has pointed its lens on t
Her views are echoed by club owners across the country. As the cost-of-living crisis bites, expenses across the board are skyrocketing. While the media has pointed its lens on t
Kappa Futur 2022: The Turin festival bounces back better than ever
Arriving at Kappa Futur Festival you’re hit by a surge of energy: a thick mist of dust kicked up by dancers, the bass which ricochets off nearby apartment blocks, and the intermittent chants from the crowd which could rival a football stadium. Anticipation is in the air for the festival, the 2022 edition of which has been three years in the making; its past chapters postponed by the pandemic which has hit this part of the world particularly badly. “I’ve been looking forward to this for so long,”
#SeshTok: How harm reduction creators are promoting drug safety
As politicians continue to fail to protect drug users, TikTok users are spreading life-saving
Love or loathe them, drugs are an undeniable part of youth culture: 15 per cent of all 18 to 24-year-olds in England and Wales report that they have dabbled with drugs. In spite of this, successive governments’ ‘war on drugs’ policies have created a society that stigmatises drug use and shut down vital conversations about harm reduction in the process. But, according to Drug Wise, this approach is like
Love or loathe them, drugs are an undeniable part of youth culture: 15 per cent of all 18 to 24-year-olds in England and Wales report that they have dabbled with drugs. In spite of this, successive governments’ ‘war on drugs’ policies have created a society that stigmatises drug use and shut down vital conversations about harm reduction in the process. But, according to Drug Wise, this approach is like
Inside the world's first living musical instrument
Mikeal Hwang is a man of many talents. He’s a biologist, an artist and a musician – but the music he creates is probably something you haven’t heard before.
Hwang makes music from living, breathing microorganisms – taking sounds from live yeast and transforming the samples into atmospheric, eerie ambient tracks.
“I had an issue with the institutional bureaucracy of science – the way scientific research had become more about capital and less about curiosity,” Hwang told Euronews Culture.
Known
Hwang makes music from living, breathing microorganisms – taking sounds from live yeast and transforming the samples into atmospheric, eerie ambient tracks.
“I had an issue with the institutional bureaucracy of science – the way scientific research had become more about capital and less about curiosity,” Hwang told Euronews Culture.
Known
Meet the man who has dedicated his life to baked beans
Some people quit smoking for their New Year’s resolution, others join the gym. YouTuber Nikocado Avocado, however, has the aim of hitting 400 pounds (just over 181 kilos). Chances are you’ve seen the famous mukbanger’s content recommended by the YouTube algorithm—known for his aggressive outbursts, his jarring persona and gluttony.
It’s the fuel that’s propelled him to stardom. It’s his identity, his brand—from KFC to Burger King, you name it and over the five years of his YouTube career, he’s
It’s the fuel that’s propelled him to stardom. It’s his identity, his brand—from KFC to Burger King, you name it and over the five years of his YouTube career, he’s
SABRINA is the new gen drum 'n' bass DJ dealing in old skool sounds
With much of her mixes deep-rooted in the old skool drum ‘n’ bass style, Indonesian-born and London-based SABRINA admits a lot of the records she selects were made “before she was even born.” Taking inspiration from legends like Kemistry & Storm, her sound is a transportation back into the glory days of 90’s raving.
The zine documenting fox hunt sabotage in Northern England
Under the dull hue of mid-winter England, in the outskirts of Greater Manchester, a group of animal rights activists wait for a mass of dogs and red jackets to protrude against the bleak landscape. It’s a scene that is taking place across the country, as this year’s season of fox hunting – an archaic blood sport occurring across rural Britain – is in full swing. But this is no off-the-cuff protest – this is a skilled vigilante operation, perfected over decades of on-the-field action, designed to
Behind the Instagram account posting from inside a life-threatening refugee camp
‘A picture is worth a thousand words’. I know, it’s a cliché, but bear with me—photography is an incredibly powerful tool. It can expand our knowledge, our empathy for strangers and, ultimately, tell a story. This story will leave you at a loss for words: angry and yearning for change. Enter @Now_You_See_Me_Moria, an Instagram page, turned photography collective, turned into a global movement—telling the stories of refugees living in life-threatening conditions through the lens of the refugees t
Need words?
I'm always open for commissions – if you're an editor looking for someone who can produce clean copy to a tight deadline drop me an email.
Email: jhrjourno@gmail.com
FASHION & BRANDED EDITORIAL
Legendary Drake and Kendrick Lamar producer Boi-1da talks SS23 collabs and self-care - Woo
Boi-1da, the producer behind Drake and Rihanna’s Work as well as Kendrick Lamar’s The Blacker The Berry hails from Jamaica but moved from the sun-soaked beaches to chilly Toronto when he was just three years old. The influence of his homeland has stuck with him ever since, though. Raised on a recipe of dancehall, reggae, R&B and hip-hop, he’s gone on to produce Grammy-winning music. We caught up with Boi-1da after the debut Paris Men’NAHMIAS SS23 collection show — in collaboration with Bacardi’s
Calvin Klein’s ‘Murals of Pride’ celebrates defining moments in the queer and trans journey
Calvin Klein’s latest #ProudInMyCalvins campaign is a celebration of LGBTQIA+ journeys LGBTQIA+ representation is fundamental, especially during Pride Month, as it can have a powerful impact in terms of influencing ideas and attitudes towards the community. While putting queer and trans people at the forefront is one way of championing the many voices of the community, it is also crucial for those same voices to be celebrated—not only for who they are today, but for the journey they embarked upo
PMFW: Nahmias: kicking back with the guy behind skate-inspired QR-coded fits - Woo
"Fashion and music go hand in hand across the board: from the struggles of an emerging musician or designer — it's all the same process. They're the hardest industries to tap into and get involved in," says Doni Nahmias, designer and founder of high-end streetwear brand NAHMIAS. It's just 24 hours before he launches his collection at Paris Men's Fashion Week and the studio is bustling — full of designers and models, photographers and the media. “There are so many moving pieces,” he remarks over
Dr Martens’ creative director Darren McKoy on staying fresh and finding balance - Woo
“The brand is an unstoppable force, we’re in a really great place,” says Darren McKoy of the pop culture-defining Dr Martens. Of course, he’s right: from the punks of London, The Who, and Sex Pistols, to Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner, the iconic shaped boot and bright yellow stitching have defined generations after generations of fashion and subculture. McKoy – affectionately known as DMac – is the newly appointed Global Creative Director of Dr Martens. He took up the role back in March, having
ABOUT ...
Jack Ramage is a freelance journalist and features writer based in London, England. He graduated with distinction in MA Multimedia Journalism at Newcastle University.
He is a freelance contributor for DJ Mag, Mixmag, DAZED, CRACK and The Face. He is also a columnist for SCREENSHOT.
As of December 2022, he has started working shifts as a freelance digital news writer for DJ Mag.
During 2022, he worked shifts as a journalist at Euronews, covering technology and culture. He also worked freelance shifts for Woo, a gen-z wellbeing and culture platform backed by ITV.
In 2021 he worked as an editorial assistant and staff writer for SCREENSHOT, which was shortlisted as Editorial Team of the Year at The Drum Awards.
Awards
The Drum Awards: Editorial Team of The Year (Shortlist)
University of Leeds: Foundation Award
Qualifications
MA Multimedia Journalism – Newcastle University Journalism School
BSc Psychology (Music Psychology) – University of Leeds