If you want to know the truth IKON is largely built on arrogance - Not the sort of bullshit based on the aesthetics of presentation, celebrity status, the paying of "dues" and the attendant materialistic goals of the Metropolitan Media. Nor is IKON based on some kind of inverted snobbery of "the North will rise again" type.

No.

IKON is based, simply, on "doing it". Day in, day out. Very un-heroic, boring even. Very difficult though, to keep the stamina, especially when it seems that critically nothing changes;

N.M.E. 25/9/82
".... the power and dynamics of the music are accompanied by poor editing and shaky, hand-held camera work."

N.M.E. 10/9/88
".... the band wobble around as much as the camera."

Fuelled by Punk, although old enough to know otherwise, pre-IKON there was an 8mm, home-movie camera and friend who managed a local band - who became a bit successful. It was the start of a video label, based then, as now on co-productions and collaborations.

Essentially non-broadcast, IKON was the first mobile video cinema - "The Video Circus" - Northampton, Berlin, Pickmere Country Club, Osaka, Blackpool (police raid permitting), Toronto and others too numerous to mention - and is the first (and only) independent producer, distributor and retailer of the noisy, ugly, raw, careless, rare, offensive, beautiful, timeless.... blow our own trumpet why don't we!

It's just that if IKON hadn't who would? Who would? Who would take the time, care and consideration to promote such a range of exotica?

READ THE RELEASE SHEET NOW!

Sneak-previewed at the Venice Film Festival or the Riverside Studios, London; Pirated in Milan, Amsterdam and Barcelona; Critically acclaimed in New York; Video that doesn't rely on exotic locations (no offence Darwen, Glasgow, Bury or Hale). dry ice, Hollywood re-hash, bare breasts or football transfer-fee budgets.

IKON is the best kept secret of Altrincham (where?), U.K. and can be found getting them in at a bar new you.

Tim Chambers (Interest Declared)

IKON distributes: Ron Johnson, Doublevision, Cut Deep, Dubious, Ink/Red Flame, Factory ad of course IKON.

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Eighties-era official unofficial IKON biography by Tim Chambers on IKON logo stationery. View the full biography.

With thanks to Brian Nicholson and Tim Chambers.

Labels: history, Ikon, Tim_Chambers

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