As your Blast reporter I will be keeping you up to date with the ins and outs of North Yorkshire’s flourishing arts scene. I will focus on all different kinds of music, film, writing and art. There will be interviews, reviews, features and anything more the Â鶹Éç can squeeze out of my creative juices. A little bit about myself... I’m a twenty year old student journalist at the University of Central Lancashire going into my dreaded final year. So far all has been good. The north-west is a buzzing metropolis of musical talent where for a while now I have been following as many bands as possible, interviewing, reviewing and keeping tabs on them for student and hospital radio. To be honest it doesn’t get much better than that. Interests I have had a passion for writing all my life and try to combine this with my love for music. In presenting a student show promoting the biggest club night of the week, I have been lucky enough to have had Milburn, We Are Scientists and The Envelopes amongst others in the studio. Festivals are further becoming an inherent hobby of mine, an expensive one at that. After going to T in the Park which despite the epic downfalls of rain, was amazing. I am now looking forward to checking out some of the areas more unknown, quirky festivities. I would mention I played the guitar for a few years too, but I was quite frankly hopeless. This became apparent when the ‘Saints Come Marching In’ proved a challenge. Away from music though, I am an avid football fan who follows his poor Scarborough team through thick and thin, well someone has to! Aspirations My overall aspirations in life are to be content with what I’m doing. Obviously the mega bucks would be nice and the villa with a swimming pool essential, but that’s what we’re all after. Music journalism would be a dream but to me being a journalist is such an interesting career choice where no day is the same (or so that’s what the experts say!).Ìý I would say my influences are from the weird and wonderful of the journalistic world. Simon Amstell is a music journalist who never shies away from the question in matter. Russell Brand is just crazy with his fast-paced interviewing technique. And to the saner world of journalists, Henry Winter is a superb sports reporter and Jeremy Clarkson’s satirical articles never fail to surprise. In short I’m a student who hates cooking, enjoys beer festivals, is addicted to cheese on toast and tea and bases his life on Men Behaving Badly and Father Ted. Blast It I hope Blast will further both my love for all things arty and improve the journalistic skills required for this competitive field of work. I’ll no doubt be keeping everyone informed with my weekly diary on what’s going on in the crazy world of the Â鶹Éç and North Yorkshire. Tadaa for now! Alex. | 
