Alastair Jackson

Alastair Jackson is a photographer who grew up on the Isle of Skye in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. His upbringing informs a lot of his work, and inspires him to create images which reflect this. He has been exhibiting since 2016, and in 2019 his first book (a collaboration with writer Kenneth Steven) was published by St. Andrew Press. During November 2019 it was longlisted for the Highland Book Prize. The Judges said it was "A beautiful and evocative book that explores the land and seascapes of these islands, their vast skies and their resilient shifting beauty in all seasons and weathers" "Combining evocative words and beautiful black and white images is a winning combination" - Life and Work Magazine "Expertly and passionately told through Jackson's photography and Steven's poetry" - The Scots Magazine "A book to absorb slowly" - West Highland Free Press His newest book 'Dear Smash Hits, We're From Scotland - An Alternative History of Zines & DIY Culture (1975 - 2025 ) is published by Earth Island Books on 2nd August 2025 Most books about music related topics focus on the major metropolitan centres of New York or London. Alastair MacDonald Jackson not only shifts the focus to a small country in northern Europe – Scotland -but hones in the music makers from the very peripheries of the place. With a focus on the production of music zines, where he brings his own experience into play, the book also looks at the concurrent journeys of cassette labels, independent recordings and women’s involvement in the development of the Scottish independent music scene, concluding with the recent resurgence in all things DIY. Along the way, he takes the (single track) roads less travelled, exploring some of the musical back stories of the Scottish islands, with some surprising results. Did you know Sex Pistols designer Jamie Reid was living on the island of Lewis when he got the call from Malcolm McLaren? How about taking a journey to the island of Raasay where Joe Stummer’s grandmother was born, or finding out about the punk album recorded on Lewis and played by John Peel, or the record label based on the Isle of Eigg…….. Featuring new interviews with members of The Rezillos, The Pastels, Echo & The Bunnymen, The Slits, The Bluebells, Strawberry Switchblade, Shop Assistants, Bis, The Mission, BMX Bandits, Soup Dragons, Pictish Trail, Fizzbombs, the Vaselines, Rote Kapelle, Close Lobsters & Urusei Yatsura, as well as cassette label owners and zine editors of Bam Balam, Ripped & Torn, Slow Dazzle, Juniper Beri-Beri, The Next Big Thing, Honey At The Core, Heavy Flow, Paper Bullets and more……..