Alan McGee has spoken to ClashMusic about his involvement in the forthcoming Creation documentary ‘Upside Down’.
Founded in an era of synth pop and increasingly abstract indie, Creation always stood out. In love with classic 60s groups, the band blended a defined sound and image with an overriding ambition.
Reaching the very top of the music industry, the label finally petered out in 1999 after being swallowed up by Sony. Now the new documentary ‘Upside Down’ aims to capture the spirit and ethos of the turbulent imprint.
Directed by Danny O’Connor the new film includes interviews with all the main players, including Alan McGee himself. Speaking to ClashMusic, the label boss claimed that he trusted the young director from the off.
“I liked him because he was honest, because he wasn’t a bullshitter” the maverick industry figure explained. “If he tried to join the Groucho Club they’d probably ban him and I like everything about that vibe.”
Continuing, Alan McGee describes the depth of details that has gone into the forthcoming documentary. “All the difficult people, including me (laughs) are in it, it’s pretty amazing” the Creation boss says.
“It’s the story of me and Bobby in London, him being a rock star and me being a label guy and succeeding via a band called The Jesus & Mary Chain, them coming down and finally finalising our dreams through a band called Oasis.”
“I dedicate the film to Bobby Gillespie because without him I would never have found the Jesus & Mary Chain or Teenage Fanclub” he said. “I actually couldn’t have done it without that guy.”
Best known for his role of the scene maker and organiser behind Creation, Alan McGee also recorded a number of singles with his group Biff Bang Pow. Speaking to ClashMusic, McGee dismissed his efforts.
“People took that a bit too seriously. We made these records for like £500 a shot. For me it was about accepting that I wasn’t a rock star” he insisted.
“If I was trying to be a rock star I would have been spending £50,000 and making videos. Instead I made them for £500 and they were selling between 5 and 10 thousand copies. It was actually profitable business”.
Click HERE to read the entire article!
