Gary Ryan
@garyryanfreelance.bsky.social
Freelance journalist. Words for NME, The Telegraph, Big Issue, and more.
NME ‘Does Rock N Roll Kill Braincells?’ columnist - https://www.nme.com/tag/does-rock-n-roll-kill-braincells
Cuttings: whatarew0rdsworth.wordpress.com
garyryanfreelance@gmail.com
NME ‘Does Rock N Roll Kill Braincells?’ columnist - https://www.nme.com/tag/does-rock-n-roll-kill-braincells
Cuttings: whatarew0rdsworth.wordpress.com
garyryanfreelance@gmail.com
It was dubbed “Punk’d for paedophiles” and “Paedle's About”,, and now a new film examines the uneasy legacy of To Catch a Predator. In @telegraphnews.bsky.social , I’ve written about what happens when the lines between righteous anger and entertainment blur.
www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2025/11/0...
www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2025/11/0...
How paedophile show To Catch a Predator inspired a generation of vigilantes
A new film delves into the murky world of the paedophile-baiting phenomenon
www.telegraph.co.uk
November 11, 2025 at 9:20 AM
It was dubbed “Punk’d for paedophiles” and “Paedle's About”,, and now a new film examines the uneasy legacy of To Catch a Predator. In @telegraphnews.bsky.social , I’ve written about what happens when the lines between righteous anger and entertainment blur.
www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2025/11/0...
www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2025/11/0...
Collaborating with ghosts, gloryholes, and being mistaken for John Lydon…I quizzed Sammy Hagar for this week’s @nme.com trivia-challenge
www.nme.com/features/mus...
www.nme.com/features/mus...
Sammy Hagar: “I’m sad I didn’t get do a tour with Dave Lee Roth and Van Halen. Eddie wanted it to happen”
In Does Rock ‘N’ Roll Kill Braincells?!, we quiz an artist on their own career to see how much they can remember. This week: Sammy Hagar
www.nme.com
November 10, 2025 at 10:27 AM
Collaborating with ghosts, gloryholes, and being mistaken for John Lydon…I quizzed Sammy Hagar for this week’s @nme.com trivia-challenge
www.nme.com/features/mus...
www.nme.com/features/mus...
Quizzed 10cc’s Graham Gouldman for the latest edition of @nme.com ’s Does Rock N Roll Kill Braincells? trivia-challenge
www.nme.com/features/mus...
www.nme.com/features/mus...
10cc’s Graham Gouldman: “Doja Cat helped bring our music to a different audience”
In Does Rock ‘N’ Roll Kill Braincells?!, we quiz an artist on their own career to see how much they can remember. This week: 10cc's Graham Gouldman
www.nme.com
November 7, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Quizzed 10cc’s Graham Gouldman for the latest edition of @nme.com ’s Does Rock N Roll Kill Braincells? trivia-challenge
www.nme.com/features/mus...
www.nme.com/features/mus...
Reposted by Gary Ryan
hi all, the awaited day has come: I'm looking for freelance writers to pitch Inverse Gaming for end-of-year coverage! namely, I'm looking for someone to contribute our best of RPGs this year list ($350), and pitch us on some year-end lookback essays ($500+). please pitch me: shannon@inverse.com
October 29, 2025 at 8:31 PM
hi all, the awaited day has come: I'm looking for freelance writers to pitch Inverse Gaming for end-of-year coverage! namely, I'm looking for someone to contribute our best of RPGs this year list ($350), and pitch us on some year-end lookback essays ($500+). please pitch me: shannon@inverse.com
Reposted by Gary Ryan
For my Manchester Mill debut, I’ve investigated the grim social media trend of online vigilantes “patrolling” gay cruising areas in the city, and exposing the men there to ritual humiliation.
manchestermill.co.uk/cottagers-co...
manchestermill.co.uk/cottagers-co...
Cottagers Cove: how the Rochdale Canal tunnel became a content-mine for online vigilantes
A new online trend seeks to expose gay men having sex in public places around Manchester
manchestermill.co.uk
October 24, 2025 at 9:45 AM
For my Manchester Mill debut, I’ve investigated the grim social media trend of online vigilantes “patrolling” gay cruising areas in the city, and exposing the men there to ritual humiliation.
manchestermill.co.uk/cottagers-co...
manchestermill.co.uk/cottagers-co...
For my Manchester Mill debut, I’ve investigated the grim social media trend of online vigilantes “patrolling” gay cruising areas in the city, and exposing the men there to ritual humiliation.
manchestermill.co.uk/cottagers-co...
manchestermill.co.uk/cottagers-co...
Cottagers Cove: how the Rochdale Canal tunnel became a content-mine for online vigilantes
A new online trend seeks to expose gay men having sex in public places around Manchester
manchestermill.co.uk
October 24, 2025 at 9:45 AM
For my Manchester Mill debut, I’ve investigated the grim social media trend of online vigilantes “patrolling” gay cruising areas in the city, and exposing the men there to ritual humiliation.
manchestermill.co.uk/cottagers-co...
manchestermill.co.uk/cottagers-co...
Reposted by Gary Ryan
Pasolini’s 120 Days of Sodom is still the most shocking film of all time - The Telegraph
Once banned around the world, Pier Paolo Pasolini’s Salò is about to be shown at the Barbican
“Elegantly beautiful…but at the same time you can barely watch it” ~ John Waters
apple.news/AMTpYdOE1S4C...
Once banned around the world, Pier Paolo Pasolini’s Salò is about to be shown at the Barbican
“Elegantly beautiful…but at the same time you can barely watch it” ~ John Waters
apple.news/AMTpYdOE1S4C...
Pasolini’s 120 Days of Sodom is still the most shocking film of all time — The Telegraph
Once banned around the world, Pier Paolo Pasolini’s Salò is about to be shown at the Barbican
apple.news
October 17, 2025 at 12:46 AM
Pasolini’s 120 Days of Sodom is still the most shocking film of all time - The Telegraph
Once banned around the world, Pier Paolo Pasolini’s Salò is about to be shown at the Barbican
“Elegantly beautiful…but at the same time you can barely watch it” ~ John Waters
apple.news/AMTpYdOE1S4C...
Once banned around the world, Pier Paolo Pasolini’s Salò is about to be shown at the Barbican
“Elegantly beautiful…but at the same time you can barely watch it” ~ John Waters
apple.news/AMTpYdOE1S4C...
Reposted by Gary Ryan
Pasolini’s final film, Salò, earned a reputation as one of the most depraved and censored of all time – yet the director considered it a powerful anti-fascist tract. On its 50th anniversary, I spoke to its stars for @telegraphnews.bsky.social
www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2025/1...
www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2025/1...
Pasolini’s 120 Days of Sodom is still the most shocking film of all time
Once banned around the world, Pier Paolo Pasolini’s Salò is about to be shown at the Barbican
www.telegraph.co.uk
October 16, 2025 at 11:19 AM
Pasolini’s final film, Salò, earned a reputation as one of the most depraved and censored of all time – yet the director considered it a powerful anti-fascist tract. On its 50th anniversary, I spoke to its stars for @telegraphnews.bsky.social
www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2025/1...
www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2025/1...
Pasolini’s final film, Salò, earned a reputation as one of the most depraved and censored of all time – yet the director considered it a powerful anti-fascist tract. On its 50th anniversary, I spoke to its stars for @telegraphnews.bsky.social
www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2025/1...
www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2025/1...
Pasolini’s 120 Days of Sodom is still the most shocking film of all time
Once banned around the world, Pier Paolo Pasolini’s Salò is about to be shown at the Barbican
www.telegraph.co.uk
October 16, 2025 at 11:19 AM
Pasolini’s final film, Salò, earned a reputation as one of the most depraved and censored of all time – yet the director considered it a powerful anti-fascist tract. On its 50th anniversary, I spoke to its stars for @telegraphnews.bsky.social
www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2025/1...
www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2025/1...
Quizzed The Wombats for this edition of @nme.com 's Does Rock N Roll Kill Braincells?. Director’s commentary: I contacted Lord Kenneth Clarke’s office to find out what he thought of the song ‘Kenneth Clarke’s Beard’, but alas, he declined to comment.
www.nme.com/features/mus...
www.nme.com/features/mus...
The Wombats: “Landfill indie? Indie sleaze? We’ve risen above any media tags”
In Does Rock ‘N’ Roll Kill Braincells?!, we quiz an artist on their own career to see how much they can remember. This week: The Wombats
www.nme.com
August 1, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Quizzed The Wombats for this edition of @nme.com 's Does Rock N Roll Kill Braincells?. Director’s commentary: I contacted Lord Kenneth Clarke’s office to find out what he thought of the song ‘Kenneth Clarke’s Beard’, but alas, he declined to comment.
www.nme.com/features/mus...
www.nme.com/features/mus...
Keeley Hawes as a hard-drinking “perimenopausal James Bond” who rampages around calling children “F*ckface” would be my pitch for anything (including a revamped Songs of Praise), so The Assassin was up my alley
www.nme.com/reviews/tv-r...
www.nme.com/reviews/tv-r...
‘The Assassin’ review: Keeley Hawes' "perimenopausal James Bond" thriller hits the target
License to kill? What about a license to do the school run?
www.nme.com
July 25, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Keeley Hawes as a hard-drinking “perimenopausal James Bond” who rampages around calling children “F*ckface” would be my pitch for anything (including a revamped Songs of Praise), so The Assassin was up my alley
www.nme.com/reviews/tv-r...
www.nme.com/reviews/tv-r...
Spoke to Eric Idle for @nme.com about the Beatles, turning down writing a musical for Bowie, and why he expects to be the first comedian to be deported from the US since Charlie Chaplin
www.nme.com/features/fil...
www.nme.com/features/fil...
Eric Idle on Bowie, Beatles and odds of a Monty Python reunion
The comedy legend tours the UK this September
www.nme.com
July 25, 2025 at 12:35 PM
Spoke to Eric Idle for @nme.com about the Beatles, turning down writing a musical for Bowie, and why he expects to be the first comedian to be deported from the US since Charlie Chaplin
www.nme.com/features/fil...
www.nme.com/features/fil...
Coming on like Leigh Bowery organising a children’s birthday party, the world of Gelli Haha is riotously fun. I interviewed her about her debut album ‘Switcheroo’ for
@nme.com
www.nme.com/features/mus...
@nme.com
www.nme.com/features/mus...
Gelli Haha paints the town red with cheeky, liberatory dance pop
The Gelliverse is a kaleidoscopic world soundtracked by Los Angeles artist Gelli Haha’s silly, soaring synth pop – read the NME interview
www.nme.com
July 3, 2025 at 8:52 AM
Coming on like Leigh Bowery organising a children’s birthday party, the world of Gelli Haha is riotously fun. I interviewed her about her debut album ‘Switcheroo’ for
@nme.com
www.nme.com/features/mus...
@nme.com
www.nme.com/features/mus...
Reposted by Gary Ryan
"The truth is, we were all absolutely knackered at the end of a 77-date tour and they didn’t want to go back to the UK and do it. My view was that was mad – and we should do it."
June 16, 2025 at 1:42 PM
"The truth is, we were all absolutely knackered at the end of a 77-date tour and they didn’t want to go back to the UK and do it. My view was that was mad – and we should do it."
Reposted by Gary Ryan
"Le fait que 'Relax' ait empêché 'Radio Ga Ga' de Queen d'être n° 1 a dû être comme un coup de couteau dans le cœur pour le pauvre Freddie Mercury, car personne n'avait entendu parler de nous la semaine précédente" @garyryanfreelance.bsky.social
Holly Johnson: "‘Relax’ keeping ‘Radio Ga Ga’ off Number One must have been like a knife through Freddie Mercury’s heart”
In Does Rock ‘N’ Roll Kill Braincells?!, we quiz an artist on their own career to see how much they can remember. This week: Holly Johnson
www.nme.com
June 18, 2025 at 1:06 PM
"Le fait que 'Relax' ait empêché 'Radio Ga Ga' de Queen d'être n° 1 a dû être comme un coup de couteau dans le cœur pour le pauvre Freddie Mercury, car personne n'avait entendu parler de nous la semaine précédente" @garyryanfreelance.bsky.social
“When I asked Boy George if he had a brush, he called me a comb-osexual” Quizzed total gent (and riot) Holly Johnson for this week’s @nme.com Does Rock N Roll Kill Braincells? trivia challenge
www.nme.com/features/mus...
www.nme.com/features/mus...
Holly Johnson: "‘Relax’ keeping ‘Radio Ga Ga’ off Number One must have been like a knife through Freddie Mercury’s heart”
In Does Rock ‘N’ Roll Kill Braincells?!, we quiz an artist on their own career to see how much they can remember. This week: Holly Johnson
www.nme.com
June 17, 2025 at 1:43 PM
“When I asked Boy George if he had a brush, he called me a comb-osexual” Quizzed total gent (and riot) Holly Johnson for this week’s @nme.com Does Rock N Roll Kill Braincells? trivia challenge
www.nme.com/features/mus...
www.nme.com/features/mus...
Reposted by Gary Ryan
Enjoyed chatting with Twin Peaks co-creator Mark Frost for @nme.com about working with David Lynch, whether the series may continue, and the time that Queen Elizabeth II rushed out of a private audience with Paul McCartney to discover who killed Laura Palmer
www.nme.com/features/tv-...
www.nme.com/features/tv-...
Inside David Lynch's plans for 'Twin Peaks' to return: "We had a recipe forming"
Co-creator Mark Frost on the chances of more episodes
www.nme.com
June 12, 2025 at 9:08 AM
Enjoyed chatting with Twin Peaks co-creator Mark Frost for @nme.com about working with David Lynch, whether the series may continue, and the time that Queen Elizabeth II rushed out of a private audience with Paul McCartney to discover who killed Laura Palmer
www.nme.com/features/tv-...
www.nme.com/features/tv-...
For this week’s @nme.com Does Rock N Roll Kill Braincells? brain-teaser, I quizzed Femi Kuti
www.nme.com/features/mus...
www.nme.com/features/mus...
Femi Kuti: “Everything I put out, I have to be able to defend it with my life”
In Does Rock ‘N’ Roll Kill Braincells?!, we quiz an artist on their own career to see how much they can remember. This week: Femi Kuti
www.nme.com
June 4, 2025 at 10:05 AM
For this week’s @nme.com Does Rock N Roll Kill Braincells? brain-teaser, I quizzed Femi Kuti
www.nme.com/features/mus...
www.nme.com/features/mus...
Wondering who #Eurovision viewers will hear doing the commentary tonight? For @telegraphnews.bsky.social, I spoke to “The other Graham Nortons” (including those broadcasting from war bunkers and ones who inspired Will Ferrell) about their most memorable moments
www.telegraph.co.uk/music/news/e...
www.telegraph.co.uk/music/news/e...
‘The BBC threatened to censor us’: The Eurovision commentators more controversial than Graham Norton
From inappropriate jokes to bombs and diplomatic wrangles – Europe’s leading commentators spill behind-the-scenes Eurovision gossip
www.telegraph.co.uk
May 17, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Wondering who #Eurovision viewers will hear doing the commentary tonight? For @telegraphnews.bsky.social, I spoke to “The other Graham Nortons” (including those broadcasting from war bunkers and ones who inspired Will Ferrell) about their most memorable moments
www.telegraph.co.uk/music/news/e...
www.telegraph.co.uk/music/news/e...
Quizzed Louise for this week’s @nme.com Does Rock N Roll Kill Braincells? trivia-challenge (covering being ripped off by Peppa Pig, turning down a role in Friends, and standing up for LGBTQ+ rights)
www.nme.com/features/mus...
www.nme.com/features/mus...
Louise: “I can’t see Eternal ever getting back together – our baseline beliefs are different”
In Does Rock ‘N’ Roll Kill Braincells?!, we quiz an artist on their own career to see how much they can remember. This week: Louise
www.nme.com
April 28, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Quizzed Louise for this week’s @nme.com Does Rock N Roll Kill Braincells? trivia-challenge (covering being ripped off by Peppa Pig, turning down a role in Friends, and standing up for LGBTQ+ rights)
www.nme.com/features/mus...
www.nme.com/features/mus...
I sneeze and Pulitzer-winning articles come out…For the 20th anniversary of Dig!, I interviewed some of the players for @nme.com
www.nme.com/features/fil...
www.nme.com/features/fil...
“'Dig!' could never be made again”: why the drug-fuelled rock doc is the last of its kind
As their legendary film is remixed anew for cinemas, members of The Brian Jonestown Massacre and Dandy Warhols reflect on 'Dig!'
www.nme.com
March 24, 2025 at 6:25 PM
I sneeze and Pulitzer-winning articles come out…For the 20th anniversary of Dig!, I interviewed some of the players for @nme.com
www.nme.com/features/fil...
www.nme.com/features/fil...
Quizzed Rizzle Kicks for this week’s @nme.com Braincells trivia challenge (includes Frank Ocean breaking up fights involving them at the BRITs, covering Cliff Richard with Una Stubbs, and a Who Do You Think You Are?-style family connection with Kula Shaker)
www.nme.com/features/mus...
www.nme.com/features/mus...
Rizzle Kicks: "I went over to Noel Gallagher at Glastonbury and told him to stop dissing Little Mix"
In Does Rock ‘N’ Roll Kill Braincells?!, we quiz an artist on their own career to see how much they can remember. This week: Rizzle Kicks
www.nme.com
March 21, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Quizzed Rizzle Kicks for this week’s @nme.com Braincells trivia challenge (includes Frank Ocean breaking up fights involving them at the BRITs, covering Cliff Richard with Una Stubbs, and a Who Do You Think You Are?-style family connection with Kula Shaker)
www.nme.com/features/mus...
www.nme.com/features/mus...
This was a lot of fun! Enjoyed interviewing comedy legend Bruce Vilanch about his most notorious clunkers (including The Star Wars Holiday Special, Snow White dancing with Rob Lowe at the 1989 Oscars, and Paul Lynde’s Halloween Special) for @telegraphnews.bsky.social
telegraph.co.uk/tv/0/bruce-v...
telegraph.co.uk/tv/0/bruce-v...
March 3, 2025 at 10:30 AM
This was a lot of fun! Enjoyed interviewing comedy legend Bruce Vilanch about his most notorious clunkers (including The Star Wars Holiday Special, Snow White dancing with Rob Lowe at the 1989 Oscars, and Paul Lynde’s Halloween Special) for @telegraphnews.bsky.social
telegraph.co.uk/tv/0/bruce-v...
telegraph.co.uk/tv/0/bruce-v...
Heeeeeeeerrrre’s Johnny! Enjoyed quizzing Johnny Rotten for this week’s @nme.com Does Rock 'N' Roll Kill Braincells? feature (covering turning down Daft Punk, horrifying Kate Bush, and why he’d make a good Joker)
www.nme.com/features/mus...
www.nme.com/features/mus...
John Lydon: "Daft Punk wanted to work with me a while back, but I didn’t feel the vibe"
In Does Rock ‘N’ Roll Kill Braincells?!, NME quizzes an artist on their own career to see how much they can remember. This week: Sex Pistols' John Lydon
www.nme.com
February 21, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Heeeeeeeerrrre’s Johnny! Enjoyed quizzing Johnny Rotten for this week’s @nme.com Does Rock 'N' Roll Kill Braincells? feature (covering turning down Daft Punk, horrifying Kate Bush, and why he’d make a good Joker)
www.nme.com/features/mus...
www.nme.com/features/mus...