By Katie Turner
Music Journalist and former Chester University student, John Longbottom, voyaged from London to Chester to provide Chester’s inspiring journalists a taste of what can be achieved through hard work and persistency.
John starts us off with a trip down memory lane as he reminisced over his studies at university, stating: “I didn’t necessarily know I was going to be a music journalist,” but it was his admiration for both music and his degree that landed him there. Passion is a fuel for writers and John’s certainly doesn’t run short as he tells us about his first work experience in the industry: “It was for a local interior design magazine, which I knew absolutely nothing about – but I thought, hey I’m sure I can pick this up.” His optimism towards his work didn’t develop over time; it was with him from the beginning. The safety and student culture of Chester are attributes that John recalls fondly when sharing his university experience with us. It’s heartwarming knowing this smaller Roman city still sits significantly with him.
Once that cap and gown came off, John wasted no time with his career ventures, despite “not knowing what I want to do”. The diverse and regal capital of England was calling his name, so Longbottom packed his bags and set off in hopes of creating a name for himself. He highlights the importance of building a “network of like-minded people,” not only in university but within all stages of your career as it has not only benefited him socially but also occupationally. After arriving in London opportunities didn’t just land on John’s lap, Longbottom recalling how he “was firing off emails every day,” even willing to provide unpaid work for a variety of magazines just to get his foot in the door. John’s subconscious timer was running out and the door to his future felt like it was closing… that was until his persistency finally paid off. In the centre of London during the UK’s famously terrible weather – “looking like a drowned rat!” – John resiliently went door to door, giving his career in London one last shot and by the end of the day he had two internships lined up.
The infamous British punk-rock magazine Kerrang! is where John’s career really took off. “I started getting freelance work for Kerrang!,” he recalls, “and saw an opportunity with their website”. His creative flair and media knowledge allowed him to construct a social and digital presence for Kerrang!, demonstrating his journalistic abilities and ultimately making Kerrang! what it is today. As he built up his reputation with the magazine, John admits he was constantly thinking, “at some point someone’s going to figure out that I’m just working out how to do this as I go along.” Despite his career going nothing but smoothly, as he himself reports he was just like us… learning. Saying “yes” to everything is a motto that Longbottom seems to abide by – “if you don’t someone else will,” he says – a very eye-opening statement towards any opportunities that may arise. Another priceless example of his sheer positivity and optimistic attitude towards his career follows: “A good idea and a bit of enthusiasm goes a long way.”
Kerrang! stole Longbottom’s heart. As he says, “I genuinely use the things I learnt at Kerrang! literally every single day.” The opportunities didn’t just stop at London – John was given the dream task for rock music enthusiasts when he flew from Heathrow to LAX to interview the King of Darkness himself, Ozzy Osbourne. Stepping onto the marbled floors of the Osbourne Beverly Hills mansion was a “pinch-me” moment for John, wondering “have I bitten off more than I can chew here?” What a journey from desperately handing out business cards to interviewing one of the world’s most renowned rockstars!
Now in 2025 after meeting and interviewing an abundance of impactful artists such as Chester Bennington and Dave Grohl and social campaigning for monumental movies such as Star Wars and Cars, John Longbottom’s career is nowhere near finished as he currently is partnered with one of the world’s most successful companies, Lego.
Starting out as a first year Journalism student thinking of a future career within this field is anxiety-inducing and always leaves the question of ‘what will I do?’ But if I were to take one thing away from John’s story is that Journalism is the future… and the answer is always yes.
