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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 

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.

RECENT WORK

Crack Magazine •

Stone Techno 2023: Highlights from the German festival

Stone Techno is a festival like no other: where the industrial past converges with a forward-thinking, techno-fuelled present. Taking place in the mammoth Zollverein coal mine complex – a breathtaking UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Essen, Germany – the festival’s latest edition showcased an eclectic array of techno greats, emerging artists, and genre provocateurs. In a space where chimneys once bellowed smoke and darkened the sky above, festival organisers The Third Room succeed in preser
DJMag.com •

Vietnam's Equation festival: the cave rave celebrating East & South-East Asia's underground club communities

Deep inside a limestone cave, etched into the rugged mountains of northern Vietnam, this year’s Equation Festival is in full swing. An eclectic amalgamation of techno, electro, house and trance pulsates through the cavern; as the crowd sways to the hypnotic rhythm, their movements are accentuated by the strobing lights and projections placed onto the rocky walls.

Since 2017, Equation Festival has provided a unique and invaluable platform for talent across the region. Situated in Mai Châu, a se
Mixmag •

“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
Vice •

I Asked ChatGPT to Control My Life for 24 Hours

There’s a lot of talk around ChatGPT at the moment. From the fear of it being able to write full university degrees, to making anyone from lawyers to artists obsolete, this mysterious AI chatbot has seemed to spring into public consciousness out of thin air. But it’s actually been a long time coming, with many likening the new wave of tech from OpenAI to the invention of the internet – something that will change the way we live forever.

But I’m keen to take it one step further: What if, instead
DJMag.com •

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
Crack Magazine •

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,”
Dazed •

#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
Euronews.com •

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
SCREENSHOT •

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
Mixmag •

Play what you love: SABRINA is the new gen drum ‘n’ bass DJ dealing in old skool sounds

When were you introduced to drum ‘n’ bass?

What’s interesting is that when I discovered drum ‘n’ bass, I didn't even realise what it was. I moved [to London] from Bali and there’s literally no drum ‘n’ bass out there. When I moved here, I was taken to free parties and spent some time in raves, and realised I really liked the music. Someone told me it was drum ‘n’ bass and recommended me a playlist, some mixes, and which artists I should listen to. It went from there really.

Can you tell me mor
Woo (ITV) •

Pulling Plastic: why indoor bouldering is booming

In 2022 more people than ever are flooding to indoor climbing gyms. The bouldering business is booming, with over 400 walls across the UK. And it’s no surprise – bouldering is climbing in its most stripped-back and purest form, with no ropes and minimal barriers for entry.

The sport, which made its first Olympic debut in 2021, is providing a much-need community for old and young climbers alike. Is it the Free Solo effect, the film starring professional rock climber Alex Honnold, or the nail bit
the-face •

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

FASHION & BRANDED EDITORIAL

Woo (ITV) •

PMFW: Drake and Kendrick Lamar producer Boi-1da talks SS23 collabs and self-care

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
SCREENSHOT •

CALVIN KLEIN: ‘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
Woo (ITV) •

PMFW: Nahmias: kicking back with the guy behind skate-inspired QR-coded fits

"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
Woo (ITV) •

DOC MARTENS: Dr Martens’ creative director Darren McKoy on staying fresh and finding balance

“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

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

Awards

The Drum Awards: Editorial Team of The Year (Shortlist)

University of Leeds: Foundation Award


Qualifications

MA Multimedia Journalism – Newcastle University 

BSc Psychology (Music Psychology) – University of Leeds