Higher Than The Sun

by Tim Worthington

Higher Than The Sun is the story of four albums released by Creation Records late in 1991. It’s a story that starts with a compilation tape, and ends with a jaw-dropping act of career suicide. In between, someone gets chased by a cow.

It’s a story of wild studio experimentation, demolished genre boundaries, audacious licensing deals and photos of French footballers. It’s a story that involves such fondly-remembered and long-forgotten names as House Of Love, Ride, Denim, Flowered Up, Fabulous and Adorable. And takes in Brian Cant, Madonna, Kylie Minogue, and someone playing guitar inside a tent.

It’s the story of Screamadelica by Primal Scream, Foxbase Alpha by Saint Etienne, Bandwagonesque by Teenage Fanclub, and Loveless by My Bloody Valentine. And how, long before Britpop, Creation Records took on the world and very nearly won...

Get it here: http://www.lulu.com/shop/tim-worthing...

Genres: Music

122 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2014

About the author

Writer and occasional broadcaster. Somewhere between Jennifer Eccles and King Midas In Reverse.

"The Dominic Sandbrook of things that don't matter" according to one reader.

Lots more to read at http://timworthington.blogspot.co.uk/

Reviews

[Ben Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite the obvious, I was a fan of Tim's writing long before I became his friend (and would rate "Fun At One", his history of comedy at Radio 1 as one of my all-time favourite books) but its always particularly special when he writes about music as it always comes from a place of passion and genuine interest. I'm very fond of most of the bands covered here, especially Teenage Fanclub and My Bloody Valentine, but being a few years younger than Tim meant whilst I can still enjoy the music, I missed the real scene and brief excitement around those bands, all of whom could've become worldwide megastars. By the time I got to Creation Records a few years later they still had some fantastic bands such as Super Furry Animals, Velvet Crush and Sugar but post-Oasis rot had already set in with the now-flush label lazily signing any old fucker with a guitar and a picture of Billy Preston on their lunchbox. This book gives a taste of those exciting, long-fringed days when a small record company in London had the most exciting line up in the World. Put down that lumberjack shirt and come have a dance. Don't fight it...

[Tanya Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having lived through the period covered by this book, but with my taste in Britpop being rather superficial, it was fascinating to read an account from the point of view of someone far deeper entrenched in the scene. If you've got any interest in '90s music whatsoever, this is an excellent place to start, and if you lived through the period as a teenager or twentysomething, then you're bound to relive some precious memories.

[James Gent · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really excellent history of indie music's transition period from the late 80s to the early 90s through the prism of four iconic albums of that period - Loveless, Screamadelica, Bandwagonesque and Foxbase Alpha - came to be, and the footprints they left in pop culture. Really evoked the period for me, and taught me a lot that I didn't know as well as bringing back fond memories of the Evening Session, Select, etc.

[Derek Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ostensibly the tale of four great albums released in one of the greatest years for albums in my music buying life, 1991. A year indie music was on the cusp the C86 bands were breaking through, evolving and in some cases changing, the second summer of love was fast becoming a distant memory, the Madchester scene was on the verge of falling apart in a drug induced haze, floppy fringes and effects pedals were leading the way on the much (unjustly) maligned shoegaze scene and Nirvana were about to lead the American grunge invasion that would indirectly lead to Britpop and the excesses of the mid nineties.

Into this what was to become a seminal record label launched four very distinct albums which would each resonate though the years and have a huge influence - Bandwagonesque, Screamadelica, Loveless and Foxbase Alpha. For young Tim Worthington it was to be quite a Christmas receiving all four of these.

The book looks at the development of the albums, the bands, the label and how indie music got to there. It's a personal tale written by someone who loves the music and understands it. So don't expect reams of interviews with the key players. Instead revel in some long lost memories and dig the albums out and play them - though like Tim I suspect anyone who owns them does this regularly anyway. (Perhaps even more remarkably all the bands are still working and still producing great music, albeit rather more rarely in the case of m.b.v.)

(It could have been the biggest Christmas stocking ever for young Tim when you look at some of the other albums around which would prove equally influential and stand the test of time - 30 Something, Nevermind, Blue Lines, Frequencies, Orbital, Strange Free World, not to mention the debut from Damon Albarn and co)

[Jordan Phizacklea-Cullen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A labour of love documenting a pivotal period in British indie cracking the mainstream. It's clearly written for fans by a fan and as such the source material can feel a bit second-hand (a few more direct quotes would be helpful) but still a very enjoyable read full of enthusiasm and the benefit of being there for the contemporaneous context.