Alan McGee#Creation Management

McGee was born in Partick on 29 September 1960.Strong, Martin C. (2003) The Great Indie Discography, Canongate; {{ISBN|1-84195-335-0}}, pp. 409-10 He grew up in Glasgow and attended King's Park Secondary School, where he met future Primal Scream founder Bobby Gillespie. McGee left school at 16 with one O-grade. He and Gillespie were heavily into punk rock, and they joined a local punk band, the Drains, in 1978. The band's guitarist was Andrew Innes.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.theprimalscream.com/press/uncut-nov99.html|title=True Adventures of Primal Scream|access-date=27 December 2007|author=Michael Bonner|author-link=Michael Bonner|date=November 1999|magazine=Uncut|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080123182728/http://www.theprimalscream.com/press/uncut-nov99.html|archive-date=23 January 2008|url-status=dead}}

After the breakup of the Drains, McGee and Innes briefly joined the band H₂O, then moved to London{{Cite web|url=https://www.freshmandirect.com/iandonaldson|title=Songwriter - Ian Donaldson (H20)|website=Freshman Guitars}} and formed the band the Laughing Apple with Mark Jardim, a drummer from Croydon. In 1983, quitting his job at British Rail, he co-founded Creation Records (named after cult 1960s band the Creation).

McGee said that his intention with Creation "was to merge psychedelia with punk rock". He also formed the band Biff Bang Pow! (named after the Creation's song), which would continue until 1991, and began running a club night called "The Living Room" at The Adams Arms in Central London. He also began managing the then-unknown band the Jesus and Mary Chain, whose first single was issued on McGee's label in November 1984.{{cite book|last1=Harris|first1=John|title=The Last Party: Britpop, Blair and the Demise of British Rock|date=2003|publisher=Harper Perennial}}

Creation Records was one of the key labels in the mid-80s indie movement, with early releases featuring artists such as Primal Scream, the Jasmine Minks, and the Loft. When the Jesus and Mary Chain moved to Warner Brothers in 1985, Creation was able to use McGee's profits as their manager to release singles by acts including Primal Scream, Felt, and the Weather Prophets. While these records were not commercially successful, McGee's enthusiasm and ability to promote Creation releases in the weekly music media ensured a healthy following. Following an unsuccessful attempt to run an offshoot label for Warner Brothers, McGee regrouped Creation and immersed himself in the burgeoning dance and acid house scene, the legacy of which saw him release era-defining albums from Creation mainstays Primal Scream and new arrivals like My Bloody Valentine and Teenage Fanclub.

During this time Creation had run up considerable debts, which forced McGee to sell half of the label to Sony Music in 1992. McGee calls the Sony years as the beginning of the end of the real Creation Records, which was driven by Joe Foster, Tim Abbot, Dick Green and McGee himself, and not by Sony accountants and marketing managers. At the point it seemed Creation would collapse into receivership, the recently signed Manchester band Oasis began selling albums in huge quantities, and became one of the leading lights of the Britpop movement of the mid-1990s. The success of Oasis was unprecedented for an act on an independent label, and their second album, (What's the Story) Morning Glory?, became the biggest-selling British album of the decade.{{cite magazine|title=Top 20 Singles and Albums of the Nineties|periodical=Music Week|publisher=Miller Freeman|page=28|date=18 December 1999}}

This brought McGee substantial exposure, and his position was noted by the revitalized Labour Party, who considered him a figurehead of youth culture and courted his influence to spearhead a media campaign prior to the 1997 General Election. McGee was largely responsible for changing government legislation in relation to musicians being able to go on the New Deal, which gave musicians three years to develop and be funded by the government instead of having to take other jobs to survive. In 1998, Omnibus made a documentary about McGee and Creation for BBC One.

McGee was awarded by the NME 'Godlike Genius' award in February 1996 {{cite magazine|last=Anderson|first=Sarah|url=http://www.nme.com/photos/22-glorious-years-of-nme-s-godlike-genius-award-1417150|title=22 glorious years of NME's Godlike Genius Award|magazine=NME|date=19 January 2016|access-date=29 April 2017}} and Creation Records was awarded "independent label of the year" every year between 1995 and 1998 by Music Week. McGee returned to making music in 1997, collaborating with Ed Ball under the name the Chemical Pilot, releasing the album Journey to the Centre of the Mind in 1998.

While Oasis went on to sell nearly 54 million records by 2008, Creation continued issuing albums by other artists, none of which came near the success of the Manchester band. Rumours began to circulate of McGee's dissatisfaction with the direction Creation had gone. In late 1999 it was announced that Creation Records would cease operations. The final album released by the label was Primal Scream's 2000 release XTRMNTR, which went gold in the UK.

The dissolution of Creation Records led to McGee forming Poptones in 2000. The label is named after a song by Public Image Limited. During this period McGee also ran an international club night, Death Disco, under which name he also DJs occasionally. Death Disco had branches in Glasgow, London, New York City, Budapest and Los Angeles, and featured appearances from artists such as the Libertines, the Killers, BRMC, Kaiser Chiefs, Glasvegas, Razorlight, the Hives, Kasabian, the Darkness, Neils Children, and the Foxes. McGee had no further involvement with Death Disco after 2009.

In May 2007, McGee told The Independent newspaper that he was winding down Poptones for financial reasons.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/alan-mcgee-why-im-giving-up-my-label-448270.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517145011/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/alan-mcgee-why-im-giving-up-my-label-448270.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 May 2008|title=Alan McGee: Why I'm giving up my label|work=The Independent|access-date=8 April 2015}}

File:Mcgee moss fallon.jpg, and BP Fallon DJing at Death Disco NY in 2004]]

On 12 September 2008, McGee retired from band music management and being involved with record companies after 25 years.{{Cite news|last=Michaels|first=Sean|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/oct/30/alan-mcgee-retirement-oasis|title=Alan McGee announces his retirement|date=30 October 2008|work=The Guardian|access-date=20 March 2020|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}} The decision was due to his wanting to concentrate on raising his child. After he sold Creation Records to Sony, he continued to publish songs by label acts such as Oasis, Primal Scream, My Bloody Valentine, Swervedriver, Teenage Fanclub, Eugene Kelly of the Vaselines, under Creation Songs.{{citation needed|date=February 2018}}

In 2007, McGee was made a Companion of the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, in recognition of the work that he has carried out with students. In November 2008, he was a visiting fellow on the popular music degree course at the University of Gloucestershire. In interviews with the Glasgow's Daily Record in September 2010 and the UK's The Independent in October 2010, McGee stated he had lost interest in music and was more interested in the esoteric and occult teachings of Aleister Crowley and Peter J. Carroll,{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/cultural-life-alan-mcgee-creation-records-founder-2112941.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101026085524/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/cultural-life-alan-mcgee-creation-records-founder-2112941.html |archive-date=2010-10-26 |url-access=limited |url-status=live|location=London, UK|work=The Independent|first=Lewis|last=Bazley|title=Cultural Life: Alan McGee, Creation Records founder|date=22 October 2010}} particularly Carroll's book Liber Null.{{cite web|url=http://ultraculture.org/blog/2014/11/13/8-celebrities-practice-chaos-magick|title=Here's 8 Celebrities Who Practice Chaos Magick|website=Ultraculture.org|date=13 November 2014|access-date=29 April 2017}}

In October 2012, McGee stated that he was going help curate the Japanese rock festival Tokyo Rocks in 2013 and through working with Tokyo Rocks had become interested in starting up an as yet unnamed record label in 2013.{{cite web|title=Alan McGee announces plans for a new record label in 2013|url=http://dangerousminds.net/comments/alan_mcgee_announces_plans_for_a_new_record_label_in_2013|website=Dangerous Minds|date=9 October 2012|access-date=1 August 2016}} In May 2013, McGee announced the new label as a joint venture with Cherry Red Records called 359 Music. He stated he saw it as launch pad for new artists.{{cite news|last1=Martin|first1=Dan|title=Creation Records' Alan McGee to launch new label - 359 Music|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/may/08/creation-alan-mcgee-359-music|access-date=1 August 2016|newspaper=The Guardian|date=8 May 2013}}{{cite magazine|url=http://www.musicweek.com/news/read/alan-mcgee-launches-359-music-with-cherry-red/054616|url-status=dead|title=Alan McGee launches new label, 359 Music, with Cherry Red|author=Ingham, Tim|date=7 May 2013|access-date=22 July 2013|magazine=Music Week|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130711122817/http://www.musicweek.com/news/read/alan-mcgee-launches-359-music-with-cherry-red/054616|archive-date=11 July 2013}} In the ensuing month he reviewed 2500 submissions for signing,{{cite web|url=http://dangerousminds.net/comments/alan_mcgee_on_his_labels_new_signings_the_rolling_stones|title=Alan McGee on his label's new signings, the Rolling Stones tour and if Oasis are about to reform|publisher=Dangerous Minds|author=Gallagher, Paul|date=15 July 2013|access-date=21 July 2013}} eventually signing 20 artists.{{cite news|title=Alan McGee announces 20 acts to sign with his new label 359 Music|url=http://dangerousminds.net/comments/exclusive_alan_mcgee_announces_20_acts_to_sign_with_his_new_label_359_music|access-date=1 August 2016|publisher=Dangerous Minds|date=24 June 2013}}

McGee announced in May 2014 he had restarted Creation Management with Simon Fletcher and signed the Jesus and Mary Chain as his first clients. The roster subsequently expanded to include Wilko Johnson, Happy Mondays, Black Grape, Cast, Glasvegas, the Bluetones, and Shaun William Ryder solo projects.{{citation needed|date=April 2024}}

In August 2018, Alan McGee announced the launch of a new 7-inch label named Creation23, also with Fletcher.{{Cite web|url=https://www.expressandstar.com/entertainment/music/2020/02/02/wolverhampton-literature-festival-alan-mcgee-shines-in-brutally-honest-chat-review/|title=Wolverhampton Literature Festival: Alan McGee shines in brutally honest chat - review|last=Parkes|first=Thomas|website=Expressandstar.com|date=2 February 2020 |language=en|access-date=4 February 2020}} The label's first release was from North Essex group Rubber Jaw.{{cite web |last1=Slingerland |first1=Calum |title=Creation Records' Alan McGee Launches New Label |url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/creation_records_alan_mcgee_launches_new_label |publisher=Exclaim! Media |access-date=3 August 2018}}

In 2020 McGee set up the Creation Day festival, in collaboration with the City of Wolverhampton Council. The festival was originally due to be held at West Park, Wolverhampton on 29–30 May 2021,{{Cite web|url=https://creationdayfestival.com/welcome-to-creation-day/|title=Announcing a brand new festival for 2021: Creation Day - Utilita Creation Day Festival|website=Creationdayfestival.com}}{{Cite web | url=https://www.onlyanorthernone.co.uk/news/alan-mcgee-unveils-new-festival-celebrating-legacy-of-creation-records | title=Alan McGee Unveils New Festival Celebrating Legacy of Creation Records |website=Onlyanorthernone.co.uk| date=19 October 2020 }} with Happy Mondays, Editors, and Echo and the Bunnymen as headliners, but was delayed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The festival, now branded as the Utilita Creation Day festival, is now due to take place on 28–29 May 2022, featuring IDLES and Happy Mondays as headliners, as well as Glasvegas, Sleeper, Ash, and several acts signed to Creation23.{{Cite web|url=https://creationdayfestival.com/amazing-line-up-and-new-sponsor-unveiled-for-citys-utilita-creation-day-festival/|title=Amazing line-up and new sponsor unveiled for city's Utilita Creation Day Festival - Utilita Creation Day Festival|website=Creationdayfestival.com}}

In January 2000 he likened the Labour Party to Big Brother in George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four, and accused Tony Blair of being a "control freak". He had previously been one of Labour's biggest financial donors, having donated £100,000 to the party.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/613151.stm|title=Labour pop guru turns on Blair|date=21 January 2000|access-date=29 April 2011|work=BBC News}}

One of McGee's last acts as the head of Creation Records was to use £20,000 of the company's money to fund Malcolm McLaren's campaign to run for Mayor of London.{{cite web | url= https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2010/apr/09/malcolm-mclaren | title= How I got Malcolm McLaren to stand for mayor of London | work=The Guardian | first=Alan | last=McGee | date=9 April 2010 | access-date=20 April 2024}}

In late 2009, McGee withdrew his support for the Labour Party, and wrote an article for The Sun on 1 October 2009 in which he praised Conservative leader David Cameron, saying that "at least David Cameron looks like a leader."{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/music-news/7105094/Alan-McGee-says-musicians-such-as-Sir-Paul-McCartney-should-retire-at-40.html|title=Alan McGee says musicians such as Sir Paul McCartney should retire at 40|author=Tim Walker|date=2 February 2018|website=Telegraph.co.uk}}

In the 2010 general election, McGee stated that he had voted for Liberal Democrat Roger Williams.{{cite news|date=21 September 2010|access-date=11 July 2017|first=Tim|last=Jonze|title=Alan McGee: 'If there's one thing Creation Records wasn't, it was boring'|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/sep/21/alan-mcgee-creation-records|newspaper=The Guardian}}

From 2006 to 2010, Alan McGee wrote for The Guardian's weekly music blog.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/profile/alanmcgee|title=Alan McGee |work=The Guardian |access-date=21 August 2014}} As of September 2011, McGee blogs for The Huffington Post UK.{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/alan |title=Alan McGee |work=The Huffington Post|access-date=21 August 2014}}

McGee's autobiography Creation Stories was scheduled to be published in Europe on 7 November 2013, by Pan MacMillan.{{cite web|url=http://louderthanwar.com/ltw-talk-to-alan-mcgee-on-his-new-label-359-groupsartists-forthcoming-bio-plus-exciting-new-liverpool-club-night-announced/|title=Louder Than War Interview: Alan McGee|author=Stanley, Carl|date=19 July 2013|access-date=21 July 2013|publisher=Louder Than War}} McGee's autobiography was optioned by Burning Wheel Productions and has been adapted into a film screenplay by Irvine Welsh and Dean Cavanagh, due to be introduced at the next Cannes Film Festival.{{cite news|last1=Keegan|first1=Simon|title=Irvine Welsh to write Alan McGee movie telling story of Oasis and Creation Records|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/irvine-welsh-write-alan-mcgee-7906468|access-date=1 August 2016|newspaper=Daily Mirror|date=5 May 2016}}

Upside Down, a film about Creation Records, premiered at the BFI in London on 23 and 24 October 2010.{{Cite web |url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/lff/node/821 |title=Upside Down: The Creation Records Story | 54th BFI London Film Festival |date=13 September 2010 |website= |access-date=16 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100913125856/http://www.bfi.org.uk/lff/node/821 |archive-date=13 September 2010 |url-status=dead}} It was scheduled for worldwide release in May 2011.{{cite news|last1=Topping|first1=Alexandra|title=Film to immortalise lords of Creation Records|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/jan/08/film-creation-records-upside-down|access-date=31 July 2016|work=The Guardian|date=8 January 2010}}

In February 2012, McGee announced in the Huffington Post that he had started a new film company with writer and director Dean Cavanagh, who still works with Irvine Welsh, called Escalier 39. The film Kubricks was scheduled to be shot in 2012 on the grounds of McGee's house in Wales.{{cite web|last=Wilks|first=Jon |author-link=Jon Wilks |title=Alan McGee on Kubricks: Interview|url=http://www.theautojubilator.com/alan-mcgee-kubricks|work=The Autojubilator |access-date=4 February 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019074101/http://www.theautojubilator.com/alan-mcgee-kubricks|archive-date=19 October 2013}} In the film McGee plays himself. He appears in Svengali, which premiered at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in June 2013. According to The Hollywood Reporter, McGee "enjoys a surprising amount of screen-time and, in what is perhaps a deliberate in-joke, is never seen without his Trilby hat".{{cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/svengali-edinburgh-review-573652|title=Svengali: Edinburgh Review|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=22 June 2013|access-date=8 April 2015|author=Young, Neil}}

McGee features extensively in the documentary film Teenage Superstars, which focuses on the Glasgow independent music scene during the early years of Creation Records.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gigwise.com/news/110041/teenage-superstars-sequel-to-big-gold-dream-edinburgh-film-festival|title=Teenage Superstars doc to receive its premiere at Edinburgh Film Festival|website=Gigwise.com|access-date=8 June 2018}}

Creation Stories is a 2021 biographical film about McGee and Creation, directed by Nick Moran.{{cite web|first1=Amber|last1=Wilkinson|access-date=2021-02-27|title='Creation Stories': Glasgow Review|url=https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/creation-stories-glasgow-review/5157072.article|website=Screendaily.com}}{{cite web|access-date=2021-02-27|title=Creation Records' Alan McGee: 'A film producer taking me to a crack house? Never! I found them myself!'|url=https://inews.co.uk/culture/creation-records-alan-mcgee-irvine-welsh-danny-boyle-britpop-ewen-bremner-883289|date=22 February 2021|website=Inews.co.uk}}{{cite news|first1=Will|last1=Hodgkinson|access-date=2021-02-27|title=Creation Stories review — an authentic capturing of a chaotic world|url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/creation-stories-review-an-authentic-capturing-of-a-chaotic-world-t3zwwg70c|issn=0140-0460|newspaper=The Times}} The film was adapted from McGee's autobiography by Welsh and Cavanagh.{{cite news|first1=Tim|last1=Robey|access-date=2021-02-27|title=Creation Stories, review: cocaine, rock stars and a 'simpering' Tony Blair|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/creation-stories-review-cocaine-rock-stars-simpering-tony-blair/|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=25 February 2021|issn=0307-1235}}{{cite news|access-date=2021-02-27|title=Creation Stories: Playing Liam and Noel Gallagher 'is a gift as an actor'|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-55730195|newspaper=BBC News|date=24 February 2021}}{{cite web|access-date=2021-02-27|title=First look teaser at Ewen Bremner's Alan McGee biopic is here|url=https://www.nme.com/news/film/alan-mcgee-biopic-creation-stories-first-teaser-ewen-bremner-2764590|date=29 September 2020|website=NME}}

McGee's mid-1990s drug intake was such that he eventually suffered a breakdown. He has said he has no idea of the amounts of drugs he was using at this point, but that he cannot remember anything of the year 1993 other than the signing of Oasis. He added that Oasis were 'cool' about his cleaning up, but that his sober state made his relationship with Primal Scream difficult.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.timeout.jp/en/tokyo/feature/3850/Alan-McGee-The-interview|title=Alan McGee: The Interview|access-date=8 July 2011|last=Wilks|first=Jon|author-link=Jon Wilks |date=22 June 2011|magazine=Time Out Tokyo|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110625044233/http://www.timeout.jp/en/tokyo/feature/3850/Alan-McGee-The-interview |archive-date=25 June 2011}}

McGee has been married twice. His first marriage was unsuccessful but produced a son named Daniel. Due to McGee's former long-term drug habit, he had been estranged from his first wife and had not seen his son since he was a baby. Dan was adopted by his ex-wife's new husband in 1994 and his name was changed to Daniel Devine. In 2005, McGee told The Independent that his son, whom he had not seen since he was a baby, had contacted him and they had reunited,Jury, Louise. [https://web.archive.org/web/20090323141251/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/alan-mcgee-i-dont-look-anger-505736.html Alan McGee: "I don't look anger"], The Independent, 6 September 2005 though they were later reported to be estranged again.Howard, Ali. [http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/music-features/alan-mcgee-counts-the-personal-cost-of-crea'ion-1.1097047 Alan McGee counts the personal cost of Creation] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150616105914/http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/music-features/alan-mcgee-counts-the-personal-cost-of-crea'ion-1.1097047 |date=16 June 2015 }}, The Herald, 19 April 2011.{{cite web|author=Carl Stanley|quote=Dan got adopted at 5 by my ex wife's husband and his name was changed to Daniel Devine. I then met him when he was 16 – he texted me in Mexico so we met up. We didn't get on unfortunately after we met but I wish him all the best for the future.|access-date=23 August 2011|title=Interview: Alan McGee Returns To Live4ever To Discuss Meeting His Estranged Son & Noel Gallagher's Solo Career|date=7 July 2011|url=http://www.live4ever.uk.com/2011/07/interview-alan-mcgee-returns-to-live4ever-to-discuss-meeting-his-estranged-son-noel-gallaghers-solo-career}}

Since 1998, McGee has been married to Kate Holmes, of the band Client and formerly of Frazier Chorus and Technique, who now runs the fashion label Client London. They have been together since 1994, and have one child.{{cite news |title=Music Svengali turns Talgarth chapel into concert venue |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-mid-wales-27442297 |access-date=17 June 2019 |work=BBC News |date=16 May 2014}}

McGee is a supporter of Rangers.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/observer/osm/story/0,,328520,00.html|title=My team|access-date=9 March 2017|last=Campbell|first=Denis|date=4 June 2000|work=The Guardian }}

• "Ha Ha Hee Hee" 7-inch (1981), Autonomy
• "Participate!" 7-inch (1981), Autonomy
• "Precious Feeling" 7-inch (1982), Essential
• "Wouldn't You" 7-inch flexi-disc (1983), Creation - included with The Legend!'s "'73 in '83" single

see Biff Bang Pow! discography

• "Astral Dominoes" 12-inch/CD-single (1998), Eruption
• "Move a Little Closer" 12-inch single (1998), Eruption
• Journey to the Centre of the Mind album (1998), Eruption

{{Reflist}}

• {{Cite book|author-link=David Cavanagh|first=David|last=Cavanagh|title=The Creation Records Story: My Magpie Eyes Are Hungry for the Prize|publisher=Virgin Books|year=2000|isbn=978-1852277758}}
• {{Cite book|author-link=Paolo Hewitt|first=Paolo|last=Hewitt|title=Alan McGee and the Story of Creation Records: The Ecstasy Romance Cannot Last|publisher=Mainstream Publishing|year=2000|isbn=978-1840183504}}
• {{Cite book|author-link=Alan McGee|first=Alan|last=McGee|title=Creation Stories: Riots, Raves and Running a Label|publisher=Sidgwick & Jackson|year=2013|isbn=978-0283071775}}

• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hT9bumvQvN8 Cameo appearance in drama series Svengali]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20130608033457/http://359music.co.uk/ 359music.co.uk]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:McGee, Alan}}

Category:1960 births

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century Scottish businesspeople

Category:British music industry executives

Category:Creation Records

Category:HuffPost writers and columnists

Category:Labour Party (UK) donors

Category:People educated at Kings Park Secondary School

Category:Scottish music managers