CREEM: America's Only Rock 'N' Roll Magazine

by Robert Matheu, Brian J. Bowe, Lester Bangs (Contributor)

Between 1969 and 1988, 'Creem' magazine stood at the forefront of youth counterculture with its brazen slogan 'America's only rock 'n' roll magazine'. This title presents a retrospective of the beautiful haze that was rock's golden age, from the end of the hippies through glam and punk, and into 80's heavy metal.

Genres: Music, Photography, History, Nonfiction, Journalism

272 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Frank Hoppe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love having this book around. I lost all my Creem magazines from when our washing machine flooded and soaked them all where they were stored. A black day, indeed. This is pure nostalgia.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Things you can buy with $14:

- A surprisingly short cab ride
- A dozen tamales
- This book (on Amazon, at least)

Things this book offers that a cab ride and tamales do not:

- "MC5: Welcome to Detroit," by Pam Brent, John Sinclair, and Dave Marsh

- Lester Bangs on Iggy and the Stooges

- Charles Bukowski on seeing the Rolling Stones live in 1975

- A big glossy R. Crumb cover on page 19

- An article entitled: "Screamin' Jay Hawkins: the 'I Put a Spell on You' Man Reveals Why Voodoo Didn't - & May Never Work"

...And a T. Rex article by Cameron Crowe, a story about the "McCartney death hoax" saga, and so many glossy, frequently grotesque photos.

After I opened the double-padded envelopes and removed this book, I wondered how I could have lived so long without hearing anything about Creem. The mag ceased operating in 1989 and had been published from an office in Downtown Birmingham, MI for the last few years of its life. I was, at one point not 10 years from then, an avid follower of all things popular culture. I lived in Creem's old area code. But I recall no hoary back issues for sale in the record stores of Royal Oak or on the shelves at King Books. None of these are very good excuses. I guess it's nice enough that it came to my attention now, a loud confirmation that major missing pieces can fall into place at very unexpected times.

[Johnrschulte · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought Creem magazine a few times when I was a kid (early '80s) abd I always thought that it was a sillier version of Hit Parader [e.g. corny dialogue ballons in the photos]. At one point in adulthood, I realized that all of the smarty-pants rock critics remembered Creem as intelligent, ground-breaking, revolutionary, better-than-god etc. For a while, I regretted that I never saw Creem in the 'good' years, just like I never saw the Grande Ballroom or young Elvis. When this book was first being printed, I understand that there was a big fight between the olde tyme Creem writers. Many of the old boys treated this book like it was a cartoon depiction of [pick your prophet]. The truth is that this is a nice collection of photos and articles from the '60s to the later '80s. From a cutesy Dave Marsh ode to The Who, up to a rowdy interview of the drunk Replacements. The book shatters my teenage impression of the rag, but it also undercuts those hipsters who only remember the greatest hits of Lester Bangs. Creem was awesome and revolutionary at times, but Creem was really silly too. that's fine by me.

[James Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Creem always rises to the top. This ain’t your daddy’s Hit Parader. It ain’t Lester’s Village Voice. It’s rock and roll the way it used to be, ugly, raunchy, gay, straight, lesbos and trans welcomed to the party. It’s disco with Blondie and the Clash. It’s where the Sex Pistols got their big break in America (if you don’t count rock scene and Don Kirshners Rock Concert. It’s the beginning of Virgin Records and Oldfield’s Hergest Ridge. If your under the age of 13 avoid at all costs. Otherwise jump right in, the milk is warm and sticky,

[Eric Cecil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great pictures. I like pictures.

[Shaund · Rating 5 out of 5]

Immensely entertaining snapshot of music history being captured in real time. Particularly enjoyed the grandiose proclamations and catty remarks aimed at contemporary rivals from the various interviews that read completely differently thirty or forty years after they were originally given.

[800GecsLover · Rating 3 out of 5]

so cute so awesome

[Bruce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah, when rock 'n' roll mattered, and smart people wrote about it. I've become that guy who sez "yep, but when I was a kid..." My apologies for all that, but this book is a great chronicle of a headier time. Ta hell wit' yer iPod, ya snot-nosed whippersnapper (only kidding, I'd marry my iPod if it were legal).

[Muffy Kroha]

Dad gummit! Just got this today and had to give it away as a gift- It looks great!!!!!!! About the same text to image ratio and layout as The Look- Which I loved reading for this reason as well as the content- I am going back to get another copy tomorrow!!!

[Carlton Duff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every thing that made the magazine great are here in this incredible book...Rock stars being taken down a notch or two, fine photography of backstage debauchery and front stage swagger, and plenty of Iggy Pop.

[Lisamarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is it just me or would this kind of thing be much improved by highlights from the letters section?

[captain america · Rating 2 out of 5]

reprints from various issues. good historical document but not a lot of revelations here. not enough lester bangs.

[Troy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rock'n'Roll writing at it's best and most irreverent from back when music on the radio didn't suck so horribly.

[Armand · Rating 4 out of 5]

For devout rock fans and fans of CREEM Magazine only. I can't see anybody else really getting excited about this book.