Alan McGee and The Story of Creation Records

by Paolo Hewitt

Alan McGee’s legendary Creation record label brought us Oasis, Primal Scream, Jesus and Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine, House of Love, Teenage Fanclub and many of the other most exciting and innovative bands of the eighties and nineties. But it also eventually brought McGee to a breakdown so complete that it took him two years to recover.

Alan McGee started Creation in 1983 with a loan of £1,000. McGee considered himself a loser when it came to school, girls and good looks, but he had two things on his side: punk attitude and an uncanny ability to detect musical genius. Within two years, McGee had launched The Jesus and Mary Chain, sold hundreds of thousands of records and created an indie empire that was a byword for headstrong independence.

By 1992, McGee was a millionaire, living an unrestrained hedonistic lifestyle. In 1993 he discovered Oasis, and within a year of partying with the band he entered rehab following a near-death experience in Los Angeles.

Paolo Hewitt, the bestselling biographer of Oasis, received full co-operation from Alan McGee and all the key Creation personnel for this candid, often funny, sometimes shocking oral history. It captures in vivid colour one of the richest chapters in British rock history. Creation and its roster are going to live forever.

Genres: Music, Biography

213 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Paolo Hewitt was born on July 11, 1958 in Redhill, Surrey, England.

Paolo Hewitt is a former NME journalist and author of over 20 books, including, with Mark Baxter, The Fashion of Football (Mainstream), Oasis... There and Then (1996), Outside Bet (2012) and Casuals: The Story of the Legendary Terrace Fashion (2011)

Reviews

[Wayne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've definitely read much better music based biogs. This is affectively an extended interview - but never seems to touch on one specific subject for more than a few lines. Maybe the author should have collected the interviews and edited them into prose rather than quoting it verbatim.
It was a lot of "Primal Scream are the best" and all I was hoping for were some good anecdotes that never really showed up.

[Bob Schnell · Rating 3 out of 5]

A history of Creation Records as told in interviews with the main players, but not the artists. Plenty of drug-fueled shenanigans with Alan McGee leading the way. I'm not sure how they managed to be responsible for releasing so much great music in the 1990's, but I'm glad they did.

[Marti · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would have shelved this under "Gonzo" had it had more of linear structure. It was entertaining but hard to follow who was who at times because it was all interviews with various people who told their side of the story, which felt disjointed and repetitive at times. However, it is still a worthwhile oral history of the label.

It's the by now familiar music business tale, and one a lot of fans can relate to. A) Music in the eighties was largely "dreck." B) The average Creation consumer was of a demographic that was acutely aware that they missed the sixties aka greatest decade of all time. C) A group of like-minded people disliked the current scene so much they decide to recreate the sixties and invent something new in the process.

Creatively, Creation were probably more successful than most indie labels in that they were directly responsible for Jesus & Mary Chain, Primal Scream, My Bloody Valentine, Teenage Fanclub, Boo Radleys (who do not get much ink in this book), and of course, Oasis. Ironically, Oasis' arrival at the label signalled the beginning of the end as far as founder, Alan McGee's involvment went. He pretty much ignored Oasis and left them for Sony to deal with, choosing instead to focus on Kevin Rowland, whom he called "a genius." [Who? I thought.]. Of course, once I looked him up I realized that he was the mastermind behind Dexy's Midnight Runners. Obviously they are percieved differently on the other side of the pond.

A lot of time is spent on McGee's manic breakdown which was exacercabed by his consumption of more drugs than most people have had hot dinners. Some day someone will write the definitive history of the label. This is a tiny start, but not it. However, you could make a good ninety-minute movie based on just this.

[Sean Riagain · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful human being,thank you for the music Alan

If you’re interested in the music industry, grew up in 90s with britpop and love music cos music is life then you’ll love this. Some great stories,funny,insightful and I like the interview format they use to tell the story. Alan Mc Gee is a genius and I really appreciate what he did because of what everyone got out of it. Amazing music,great times. Peace!

[Paul Dudson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent read

I struggled at first with this book, being in an interview format it felt like it should be an article in a magazine. However, it didn't take long to get into the flow of it and found it to be a really open and interesting read into the life of Alan and Creation. The Oasis section felt a bit light but that could be because they were not as involved in Alan's life as much as the Primals.

[Teeny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know wtf Alan McGee is, but this is pretty interesting if you're into 80s-90s Brit Pop.

[Morag · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really can't get on with the format of this book. A long series of interviews...............

[Jim Dunedin · Rating 1 out of 5]

So disappointing. An interesting protagonist and a talented writer. In combination they disappear into a vortex of a few interviews put together as narrative and a lot of narcissistic whining. The Creation and McGee story is great and far better told elsewhere. It’s bad enough reading the tedious drug and alcohol hell stories of genuine rock stars never mind the record company executive. The only reason Creation is interesting is because of the bands and the tunes. Tell us more about them, not McGees hang ups. Pleased he cleaned up and found life 2.0 but less can be more and insights and reflection are more valuable than endless retelling of depraved stories of excess. Oh and do not start me on the misogyny, apart from the sainted sister and a couple of other exceptions the book is a shocker for one long put down of women as part of a booze, drugs and shagging triple. So yes Writer, the other guys book was and remains better.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice and easy to read if you've got an essay on the label although it doesn't go into as much as detail as The Creation Records Story: My Magpie Eyes Are Hungry for the Prize.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

First person accounts of the happenings at the Creation offices. I like this more than the other book about Creation. More interesting perspectives from McGee. Ah, you crazy Situationists.

[Adrian Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Read. Paolo was there from the beginning and captures perfectly the madness, mayhem and genius that is Alan McGee