Ian Dickson: Biography
Ian 'Dicko' Dickson worked in the record industry for 20 years after graduating in 1985 from Nottingham University. On completion of his degree he moved to London with his girlfriend Mel.
Dicko started writing reviews and features for British pop magazines Melody Maker and Record Mirror. In 1989 he joined Sony Music UK as a press officer and was given responsibility for Def Jam, Public Enemy, LL Cool J and (wait for it) Bros! (Yikes! What a mix.)
In 1990 Dicko moved to the marketing department and was promoted to label manager working with artists Ozzy Osbourne, Living Colour, Celine Dion, Gloria Estefan, Rage Against The Machine and Pearl Jam. In 1993 Dicko was promoted again to Director of International for Sony UK to oversee global strategies for Jamiroquai, Des'ree, Reef and Manic Street Preachers.
Dicko joined BMG in 1998 as Vice President of International of the UK group of companies (RCA, Arista, Deconstruction, Northwestside) and enjoyed amazing success with Natalie Imbruglia, Five, Westlife, The Eurythmics and M People.
He was promoted to General Manager RCA UK. In 2001 Dicko and his family were offered the opportunity to move to Sydney as General Manager of Marketing for BMG Australia working with artists John Farnham, Avril Lavigne, Pink, Alicia Keys, The Foo Fighters, Guy Sebastian, Shannon Noll and Courtney Act. Dicko considers this move one of the smartest decisions of his life.
In 2003 Dicko was thrilled to add television personality to his CV as the 'bastard judge' on Australian Idol. With Dicko's prime time TV debut came a barrage of other media and corporate speaking engagements. Eighteen years on and he's still with Mel and they have two beautiful daughters Esme (11) and Edie (10) and a Burmilla cat called Gussie (1). They all love Australia and feel very proud to call it home. Dicko is crazy about soccer, but still insists on calling it 'football'. He plays for Kissing Point Over 35s team. He recently turned 40 but believes he has two more years of acting 17 and wearing 'youth clothing' before he faces the inevitable and grows up.
- In February 2007, Ian revealed on Four Corners that he was a recovering alcoholic who used to drink at least three bottles of wine a night - topped up with beer and spirits. The interview is now screened to substance abuse patients in private rehab clinics.(edit)
- Ian is good friends with Australian Idol #1 runner-up, Shannon Noll. They both have matching tattoos of the Southern Cross.(edit)
- Ian graduated from Nottingham University with a degree in politics in 1985.(edit)
- Ian changed his surname from Perrygrove to Dickson during the 1980s when he began working in the music industry because he thought Dickson sounded better.(edit)
- Ian met his wife, Melinda Bell, at a nightclub in Bristol in 1984. They have two daughters together. The eldest, Esma was born in 1991, followed by Edie, who was born in 1992.(edit)
- Ian owns his own TV production company which is named ‘Water Cooler’.(edit)
- In April 2006, Dicko appeared as a judge on the Song For The Socceroos.(edit)
- In 2005, Dicko hosted the morning show on both Sydney (Vega 95.3) & Melbourne (Vega 91.5) radio stations(edit)
- Ian has been in the recording industry for 20 years, working with artists such as Ozzy Osbourne, Pearl Jam, Avril Lavigne, Alicia Keys and Pink.(edit)
- Ian was the General Manager of Marketing for BMG in Sydney, Australia.(edit)
- In September 2006, Ian and Paulini Curuenavuli were listed as #47 in TV Week's 'Top 50 most memorable moments on Australian television' list, for the scene on Australian Idol when he made comments on Paulini's dress and her weight.(edit)
- Ian: (to Australian Idol contestant, Paulini Curuenavuli, which caused a media furore) You should choose more appropriate clothing or shed some pounds.(edit)
- Dicko: I wouldn't mind having a pop at [Maria] Sharapova. I think she'd be a right grunter in the sack. And I'm a dud root, so I need all the help I can get.(edit)
- Dicko: My fortunes changed when I moved to Australia. I had a great life back in the UK, earned a great living, had a great family and a great home life. I moved to Australia and everything got turned up to 11. About the hair, it looks 100 times better now. I saw Doug Mulray on StarStruck last night and I remember when I was playing football people used to say, "Mulray! Pass the ball, Mulray!" Just to sledge me, they used to call me Doug Mulray. Doug's a great bloke. If I had half of his wit, I'd be very happy.(edit)
- Dicko: (on Dicko being a person or a character) I like to think I'm a person. Dicko wasn't a nickname or a character that I made up to go onto the show. What Idol did was show me how much one person with a voice and a network can resonate with the public. I guess it's hard not to play with that or even recognise it, but for me it's an acceptance of a personal failing if I start saying that Dicko's a character. I have to deal with what I said on the show, how people relate to it and if I try to deal with it as this third party, then we get into a really weird space.(edit)
- Dicko: I'll be 100 per cent honest with you. My biggest challenge is alcohol. I'm drinking way too much. I've realised why famous people check themselves in and out of rehab all the time. Because if you're in the public eye with everyone staring, the only way I've found to dampen the fear is to down three drinks really quickly.(edit)
- Dicko: (during auditions for Australian Idol) If the Bee Gees heard you sing that, you would finish the other brothers off.(edit)
- Dicko: (on his comments to Paulini Curuenavuli on Australian Idol making the Top 50 most memorable moments on Australian television) I'm sure a lot of people thought it, and I thought I was being diplomatic! But everyone knows you probably shouldn't say that to a young lady. I'm really honoured it made the list, but the big question is: have I learnt my lesson? Probably not.(edit)
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