We met with Roger Ely this week at his home in London. Roger studied at Leeds College of Art and was a contemporary of Dave Stephens. His tutors included John Darling and Jeff Nuttall, and Roger went on to become a key figure in the performance art scene as a writer, artist and programmer. In 1977, along with Neil Butler, Roger put on the first Brighton Festival of Contemporary Arts, featuring the likes of Shirley Cameron, Roland Miller, Throbbing Gristle, IOU and many, many others. Then, in 1979 he was one of the founders of Primary Source magazine which sadly ended after 8 issues but is still a great read if you have the opportunity. Roger has also toured as an artist, including with Dave Stephens and Ian Hinchliffe as Matchbox Purveyors.
