Meet FBFO
Joe Emery, Founder & Editor
ITV during the 1980s ignited my love affair with Bond. I was hooked from the ridiculously early age of 3.
I must've worn out my VHS recordings of ITV's Bond film showings to within an inch of their lives. I once did a 'Show and Told' on some of my collectibles at junior school. My teacher pulled my mum in for a meeting to reprimand her for allowing me to watch James Bond. She said the films were "sexist". My mum disagreed and fought my corner. I'm glad she did.
I even have a dog called Sanchez, who has a penchant for loyalty, which means more to him than money, hombre. I've lived, breathed, and dreamt of Bond for as long as I can remember, and creating For Bond Fans Only has been a dream come true. It's grown beyond my wildest expectations, and I've made extraordinary friends.
This is dedicated to our friends Stacey March, Nick Cox, Alex Moir, Wolfgang Johann Thürauf, and Seán Ó Leannain (real name: John Lennon!), whom the FBFO community sadly lost. They are never forgotten and always in our hearts.
I'm a content writer by trade, and you can find me on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
Jonny Salt, VIP Manager
I'm a teacher, musician, actor, and Bond fan from Burton upon Trent. My Bond fandom started as a child after playing the legendary Goldeneye N64, and I've been an avid collector of 007 memorabilia ever since.
I'm a regular at Comic Cons and other Bond events, where I enjoy meeting fellow fans worldwide. I'm delighted to be VIP Manager for FBFO, where I butter up James Bond actors, actresses, and crew to attend our special For Bond Fans Only events.
Ben Atkinson, Filmmaker
I vividly remember the day — my first experience of a James Bond film.
Moonraker was on the telly one Christmas during the '90s. I had only tuned halfway through, but having just seen a man fight a huge steel-teethed assassin on a cable car high above Rio, I was hooked.
My mother burst into the front room with snacks and a copy of the Radio Times. Shooing me away, she switched channels to watch the new Wallace and Gromit animation, The Wrong Trousers.
Don't get me wrong—it's a fine animation, but nothing compared to what I had just seen. Besides, I wanted to see what happened to this Bond guy who had just narrowly escaped death. After pestering her to switch it back over, she finally admitted defeat and put me in her bedroom so I could watch the rest of 007's space adventure.
As a child whose head was always in the clouds (and still is as an adult), James Bond instantly connected with me and sparked an imagination in me I didn't know I had.
As a filmmaker (again inspired by Bond, and yes, I am waiting for Babs's phone call to direct the next one), I snapped up the opportunity to film For Bond Fans Only.
Kirsty Atkinson, Photographer
I'm For Bond Fans Only's Photographer because my husband (Ben, For Bond Fans Only's Filmmaker) is a Bond nut.
When I'm not photographing FBFO events and interviews, I am a photographer around Warwickshire, Worcestershire, and Oxfordshire. I won Photographer of the Year at the Muddy Stilettos Awards and Wedding Photographer of the Year at the Lux Wedding Awards.
I am always looking for and learning new, innovative methods. If you would like me to take your photos, please get in touch. If you have any photoshoot ideas, I'll happily capture them for you. If not, just relax and smile, and I'll do the rest.
You can take a look at my work here.
Micheal Mason, Quartermaster
I fell in love with Bond during the summer of '77, thanks to seeing The Spy Who Loved Me at the cinema in Bradford with my dad.
My second memory of Bond is a trip to the cinema two summers later to watch Moonraker. When Bond was in the helicopter with Corinne Dufour over Drax's estate, an old bloke came in — late — and sat down and started muttering:
"Phwoar, she's a bit of alright, phwoar".
Maybe he timed his entry perfectly to see Corinne Cléry in a low-cut top.
Then we got this magical thing called a VHS player — an early JVC model — and I could watch Bond whenever I wanted. I designed and created the For Bond Fans Only website, hence my role as 'Q'.
Dave Spence, Digital Artist
My introduction to Bond was Live and Let Die at the cinema when I was 7. It scared the living daylights out of me, but I was hooked and wanted more Moore. I was disappointed with the miner hit Gold on my next cinema trip. So, my dad took me to a 007 double-bill, Thunderball and You Only Live Twice, introducing me to Sean Connery's catalog.
I remember asking for a James Bond costume for Christmas. It being the '70s, there was no such thing on the high street. My mother improvised, and I was the only kid carrying a briefcase stuffed with gadgets. I crawled around the park in a dinner suit and bow tie, leaping off the climbing frame as if it were on fire!
The FBFO Facebook page has been a wonderful place to interact with like-minded obsessives. Rather than dress like a Bond fan, I'm a fan who likes to dress like Bond. My fianceé and I love visiting exotic locations, where I get to scuba dive by day and, by night, wear a grown-up version of my tux.
I'm a Manchester-based creative director and published author. My debut novel, Gate-Crashers, is available worldwide and contains several nods to our hero.
Ian Laskey ("iLaskey"), Digital Artist and Musician
Bond films have always been in my life; at least, that's how it seems. I cannot remember early enough into my mid-70s childhood to recall the first Bond film I saw on television, but they were always there. The cinematic adventures of 007 were ingrained in my DNA.
They were fun, fantastical, and aspirational to a young boy growing up on the south coast of England. As I grew into my teens, my tastes matured, and I discovered the more nuanced Bond of Fleming's novels and the continuation works of John Gardner and Kingsley Amis.
007 has been pivotal in my wider love of cinema, which has led to my pursuit of artistic endeavors over the years. I consider it a significant influence on my art, writing, and music.
Discovering For Bond Fans Only on Facebook has been a great joy. I've made many great friendships through FBFO, which inspired me to produce my first serious "fan art" for Bond, which garnered a nice reaction from the members.
I've produced monthly topical banner artwork for FBFO and designed the FBFO logo (now emblazoned on T-shirts to buy!).
Chris Smith, Graphic Designer
Bond films have been around for as long as I can remember. My first was Moonraker at the cinema when I was 13 years old. I remember growing up when Star Wars shook the world, and Bond followed suit by entering outer space.
Although since the slapstick of Roger's era, I'm glad that Daniel Craig has brought back some of the realness and 007's disregard for anything other than getting the job done. Replacing him will be challenging, but my money is on an unknown. I mean, who the hell was Sean Connery before Bond?
I'm a graphic designer by trade and the owner of Foundation Creative.
