Colin Martyn

I live in the north-east of England and thought it might be fun to share knowledge, tips and stories with a wider community over a whole range of subjects. Having read some great hubs here over the past few months, it seemed the logical place to start.

In respect of hobbies and interests, probably my greatest passion is for the game of chess. It is a game that can quickly become an addiction. It can be a battle of wits, a clash of egos, a search for the truth, and many more things besides. It is one of a small number of games where luck plays little part - dedication, skill and determination usually win the day. 

Chess also has a rich and interesting history, stemming from its brilliant old masters and their changing fortunes, through to its more colorful characters and their humorous  anecdotes. Every chess player dreams of the day they can produce a faultless masterpiece of a game and I'm praying mine is still to come! Expect to see some hubs from me on chess.

Among my other interests are cinema, art, photography, football and music. To the amusement of my friends, my musical inspiration comes mainly from Scandinavia and the Netherlands these days. I despise the way that media moguls and television networks dictate the music we listen to in the UK and US. In my opinion, the music industry needs a large injection of freedom and artistic integrity. So if I write about music, it's likely to be served with a large helping of controversy.