Tony Mitchell (journalist)
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Tony Mitchell
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name = Tony Mitchell
| birth_place = Birmingham, England
| genre = Journalism, magazines, books, online publishing
| occupation = Writer, journalist, content editor, web publisher
| years_active = 1973–present
| website = The Fetishistas [http://www.thefeishistas.com]
| background = non_performing_personnel
}}
Tony Mitchell is a British writer, online publisher, content editor and journalist covering alternative lifestyle and fashion, with a background in music journalism and magazine and book editing.
Born in Birmingham but raised in Portsmouth, Mitchell attended the University of Southampton, attaining a BSc Eng in Aeronautics and Astronautics.{{Cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2003/sep/20/weekend7.weekend |title=The Guardian Q&A |last=Greenstreet |first=Roseanne |date=20 September 2003 |website=theguardian.com}} Mitchell moved to London in 1972 and started a graduate course as an editorial trainee at publisher Morgan-Grampian. He worked on various Morgan-Grampian trade and technical magazines, such as Building Design and Freight Transport, before transferring to Spotlight Publications, which published consumer music titles, to take up a staff position on the British rock music weekly magazine Sounds.{{Cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2003/sep/20/weekend7.weekend |title=Tony Mitchell bio, The Guardian |date=20 September 2003 |website=theguardian.com}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2003/sep/20/weekend7.weekend |title=Artists Info, The Guardian newspaper |website=theguardian.com}}
In the decades since leaving Sounds, Mitchell has worked in the areas of music and subculture journalism and publishing, becoming most known for his work on the fetish and alternative lifestyle scene, and founding the online website resource, The Fetishistas.
''Sounds''
Mitchell began working at Sounds in 1975 as supplements editor,{{Cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2003/sep/20/weekend7.weekend |title=Life & Style: Tony Mitchell, The Guardian Q&A |last=Greenstreet |first=Roseanne |website=theguardian.com}} occupying various positions, such as technical editor and assistant editor (technical), reviewing musical instruments, records,{{Cite web |url=https://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Sounds,_October_21,_1978 |title=Sounds Singles reviews |last=Costello |first=Elvis |date=21 October 1978 |website=elviscostello.info}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.zttaat.com/article.php?title=553 |title='Taken From The Max' Art Of Noise review |date=16 August 1986 |website=zttaat.com}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.manchesterhive.com/search?q1=%22tony+mitchell%22 |title=Art Terrorism |last=Clarke |first=Patrick |date=3 September 2024 |website=manchesterhive.com}} gigs, films, music videos, TV and comedy. During his time there, Mitchell rose to the position of deputy editor and reviewed and interviewed many of the paper's featured artists, including Joni Mitchell,{{Cite web |url=https://jonimitchell.com/library/view.cfm?id=355 |title='Joni's Enigmatic Innervisions': Tony Mitchell |last=Mitchell |first=Tony |date=9 January 2000 |website=jonimitchell.com}}{{Cite web |url=https://jonimitchell.com/library/print.cfm?id=355 |title='Joni's Enigmatic Innervisions': Tony Mitchell |last=Mitchell |first=Tony |date=24 December 1977 |website=jonimitchell.com}} Prince,{{Cite web |url=https://sites.google.com/site/prninterviews/home/sounds-6-june-1981 |title='Posin' Til Closin' - Prince interview |date=6 June 1981 |website=sites.google.com}} Annie Lennox, Debbie Harry, Grace Jones, Madonna Judas Priest, Sting and Tom Petty. He also compiled and edited a one-off Sounds publication called The Sounds Book of the Electric Guitar (Spotlight, 1987). He left Sounds in 1987 to help develop the Skin Two organisation's expansion into retail from its magazine publishing and nightclub-running base.
Skin Two
In 1983, when the Skin Two Club was founded by David Claridge and designer Daniel James, Mitchell was instrumental in supporting the launch, along with Beverley Glick.{{Cite web |url=https://beverleyglick.com/stories/living-a-story-versus-living-an-authentic-life/ |title='Living A Story' Sounds magazine |last=Glick |first=Beverley |date=27 April 2014 |website=beverleyglick.com}}
When Claridge left the club for a career in television in 1983, the Skin Two night was renamed Maitresse and Tim Woodward acquired the Skin Two name for a proposed fetish magazine. In partnership with photographer Grace Lau,{{Cite web |url=https://www.bishopsgate.org.uk/collections/skin-two-rubber-ball-archive |title=Skin Two Rubber Ball Archive, The Bishopsgate Institute |website=bishopsgate.org.uk}} Woodward published the first issue of Skin Two magazine in 1984 and Mitchell began contributing to it. In 1985 Mitchell assisted with Woodward's relaunch of Skin Two Club nights in partnership with EctoMorph latex designer Krystina Kitsis.{{Cite web |url=https://libidex.com/libidex-blog-the-start-of-the-skin-two-club-a-talk-hosted-by-tony-mitchell/ |title=The Start of the Skin Two Club |date=20 Jan 2023 |website=libidex.com}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-start-of-the-skin-two-club-a-talk-hosted-by-tony-mitchell-tickets-492079221197?fbclid=IwY2xjawIN1JxleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHbYd1azSlTjM7ukGsDnscE7UlvxHdouEkahnKjMX2bEb2MxJQ85FcBZWZQ_aem_RNB_SV-2QaeRSdNi1foOtw |title=The Start of The Skin Two Club, a talk hosted by Tony Mitchell |website=eventbrite.co.uk}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/events/bishopsgate-institute/the-start-of-the-skin-two-club-a-talk-hosted-by-tony-mitchell/705519424293880/?ref=110 |title=The Start of Skin Two Nightclub |last=Skyes |first=Ishmael |date=20 January 2023 |website=bishopsgate.org.uk}} After the Skin Two Showroom opened near Ladbroke Grove in 1987, Mitchell art-directed and designed the showroom's early print catalogues. In 1991 he worked on the development of the first Skin Two Rubber Ball (from an idea by colleague Michelle Olley), which launched in autumn 1991 at Hammersmith Palais.{{Cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2003/sep/20/weekend7.weekend |title=Q&A Tony Mitchell, The Guardian |date=20 September 2003 |website=theguardian.com}} He also edited and designed the Skin Two Rubber Ball book published as a souvenir of that first event.
In 1992, Mitchell art-directed and designed the ‘Skin Two Collection 3: Murray and Vern’ catalogue photographed by Peter Ashworth.
Mitchell continued to be involved in various Skin Two ventures alongside his primary role on the magazine, assuming the title of magazine editor in 1998{{Cite web |url=http://www.liztray.com/bio/bio.html |title=Liz Tray biography |last=Tray |first=Liz |date= 2020 |website=liztray.com}} until his departure in 2006. During this time at Skin Two, the magazine featured contributions from the era's best known fetish writers, photographers and designers, as well as fetish-influenced artists such as Tim Burton, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Marc Almond, Debbie Harry and Clive Barker.{{Cite web |url=https://coilhouse.net/2008/12/skin-two-the-long-goodbye/ |title=Skin Two: The Long Goodbye |last=Lev |first=Nadya |date=5 December 2008 |website=coilhouse.net}}
The Fetishistas
In 2007, after leaving Skin Two, Mitchell launched his own fetish website, The Fetishistas, as publisher, editor and writer, with a view, in Mitchell's own words, to create "a fetish website that would combine the best qualities of print and digital media in a single, free-to-view online product", with the website featuring categories on news, events, features, videos and reviews. The Fetishistas saw Mitchell's role as a commentator and authority on fetish and BDSM culture continuing to develop, leading to his serving on several awards panels including the prestigious German Fetish Awards at Berlin’s annual German Fetish Ball Weekend. In 2014, the Berlin awards jury voted for Mitchell to receive that year's European Fetish Awards Special Award.
Music
For the Skin Two relaunch fashion show at London's Embassy Club, Mitchell composed "The Skin Two Theme", recorded with the Sounds’ music paper's keyboards reviewer Julian Colbeck.
Bibliography
=Music publications=
- Sounds music weekly (1975-1987){{Cite web |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Sounds/80s/85/Sounds-1985-12-21+28-S-OCR.pdf#search=%22tony%20mitchell%22 |title=Sounds Magazine |date=21 December 1985 |website=worldradiohistory.com}}
- The Sounds Book of the Electric Guitar - Spotlight Publications (1980)
- Music Business magazine – monthly columnist (1982-1991 approx)
- Play Rock Keyboards – contributor - Salamander (1987)
- A Century of Music (Ch 10) – Yamaha (1988)
- Keyboards magazine No 8 (France) – Ryuichi Sakamato interview (Mar 1988)
- Jocks magazine No37 – cover story: Cat Woman (Nov 1989)
- Guitarist magazine No1 (France) – cover story: Jimi Hendrix (Mar 1989)
- How to Make a Hit Record (1989){{Cite web |url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56034587-how-to-make-a-hit-record |title=How to Make a Hit Record |date=25 September 1990 |website=goodreads.com}}
- Controversy - Official Prince fan magazine (1990)
- Frankfurt Daily ’90 Music Fair mag – design & editorial (1990)
- Frankfurt Daily ’91 Music Fair mag – editor in chief (1991)
- APRS Daily News ’91 trade show magazine – project manager/designer (1991)
=Fetish & Erotica Publications=
- Skin Two magazine - Tim Woodward Publishing (1984-2006){{Cite web |url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/95265658-skin-two-magazine-fetish-no-58 |title=Skin Two Magazine (Fetish) |date=3 February 2025 |website=goodreads.com}}
- Skin Two Retro 1: The First Six Issues – book design - TW Publishing (1991){{Cite web |url=https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/192290.Tony_Mitchell |title=Books by Tony Mitchell |date=3 February 2025 |website=goodreads.com}}
- Skin Two Rubber Ball Book – book design - Tim Woodward Publishing (1992)
- Skin Two Collection 3: Murray & Vern – art direction & design – TWP (1993)
- Fetish: Masterpieces of Erotic Fantasy Photography - Carlton Books (1999){{Cite web |url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28352034-fetish |title=Fetish: Masterpieces of Erotic Fantasy Photography |date=3 February 2025 |website=goodreads.com}}
- The Female Nude – Carlton Books (1999){{Cite web |url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/964319.Female_Nude |title=Female Nude |date=3 February 2025 |website=goodreads.com}}
- Sex Take a Walk on the Wild Side – Carlton Books (2002){{Cite web |url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/978586.Sex |title=Sex: Take a Walk on the Wild Side |date=3 February 2025 |website=goodreads.com}}
- God's Girls by Christine Kessler – foreword – Goliath Books (2006)
- Desire magazine – features (2006 – 2008)
- Domination Directory International (DDI) mag – features (2006 – 2010)
- TheFetishistas.com – online fetish magazine - publisher (2007 – present)
- Aesthetic Sexuality: A Literary History of Sadomasochism {{Cite web |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=uccTAgAAQBAJ&printsec=copyright#v=onepage&q&f=false |title=Aesthetic_Sexuality |last=Byrne |first=Romana |date=28 November 2013 |website=books.google.co.uk}} {{Cite web |url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?redir_esc=y&id=uccTAgAAQBAJ&q=tony+mitchell#v=snippet&q=tony%20mitchell&f=false |title=Aesthetic_Sexuality |last=Byrne |first=Romana |date=28 November 2013 |website=books.google.co.uk}}
- Marquis magazine (Germany) – Fetish Gossip column – (2011-2017)
Discography
- Soft Cell: The Singles - sleeve notes (1986) {{Cite web |url=https://www.discogs.com/master/2712-Soft-Cell-The-Singles |title=Soft Cell credits: Tony Mitchell |last=Tony |first=Mitchell |date=3 February 2025 |website=discogs.com}} {{Cite web |url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/1671763-Tony-Mitchell-5 |title=Tony Mitchell Discography |last=Tony |first=Mitchell |date=3 February 2025 |website=discogs.com}}
- Be Bop Deluxe: Singles A's & B's - sleeve notes (1981) {{Cite web |url=https://www.discogs.com/master/388987-Be-Bop-Deluxe-With-Bill-Nelson-The-Be-Bop-Deluxe-Singles-As-Bs |title=Be Bop Deluxe credits: Tony Mitchell |last=Tony |first=Mitchell |date=3 February 2025 |website=discogs.com}}
- Barry Andrews: Town And Country EP – guest guitar (1979)
- The Sounds: Leave It Out John (1981) {{Cite web |url=https://www.discogs.com/master/1826209-The-Sounds-Leave-It-Out-John-DIY-Hits-Album |title=The Sounds credits: Tony Mitchell |last=Tony |first=Mitchell |date=3 February 2025 |website=discogs.com}}
Events
- The Xpo, Barbican fetish expo – media partner (2007-2008)
- 'The Start of The Skin Two Club' – Talk - Bishopsgate Institute (2023){{Cite web |url=https://www.bishopsgate.org.uk/collections/skin-two-rubber-ball-archive |title=The Start of Skin Two Rubber Ball, The Bishopsgate Institute |website=bishopsgate.org.uk}}
- German Fetish Ball Weekend, Berlin – media partner (2007 – 2022){{Cite web |url=https://www.sinteque.com/german-fetish-ball-weekend-2018-interview-for-the-fetishistas/ |title=German Fetish Ball Weekend 2018 |date=2018 |website=sinteque.com}}
- Dominatrix Weekend, Amsterdam – media partner (2010 - 2017)
- London Fetish Film Festival – media partner (2019, 2020, 2023)
External links
- [https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2003/sep/20/weekend7.weekend Tony Mitchell Q&A with The Guardian]
- [https://thefetishistas.com/about-us/ The Fetishistas website]
- [https://www.skintwo.com/ Skin Two official website]
References
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Category:British music journalists
Category:British magazine publishers (people)
Category:British magazine people
Category:English magazine editors
Category:People from Birmingham, West Midlands