Creation Records
Encyclopedia
Creation Records was a British independent record label
headed by Alan McGee
. Along with Dick Green and Joe Foster, McGee founded Creation in 1983. The label lasted until its demise in 1999. The name came from the 1960s band The Creation
, whom McGee greatly admired. McGee, Green and Foster were also in the band Biff Bang Pow!
, which was also the title of a The Creation song. The label was revived at one point in 2011 for the release of a compilation album, Upside Down, spanning songs from the label.
) and his running of the venue The Communication Club. Initially, McGee wished to provide an outlet for like minded musicians and an opportunity for young bands to see their work on vinyl; primarily the label was in opposition to the "manufactured" synth pop of the era that bore little resemblance to the work of his favourite acts including Public Image Limited and The Sex Pistols.
McGee started the label by putting out the "'73 in '83" single by The Legend! after taking out a £1,000 bank loan. Around the same time he started a club called The Living Room in Tottenham Court Road
, through which he met several people who would go on to record for Creation, including Peter Astor
and Lawrence Hayward
. Distributor Rough Trade soon began funding releases.
Creation was among the key labels in the mid-1980s Indie
movement, with early artists such as The Jesus and Mary Chain
and Primal Scream
. The Jesus and Mary Chain went to record for Warner Brothers in 1985, yet McGee remained as their manager. With the profits he had made from the band, he was able to release singles by label acts such as Primal Scream
, Felt
, and The Weather Prophets
.
McGee had enthusiasm and an uncanny ability to attract the weekly music media, and he was able to get a growing underground following. In their early days, he was able to project a notorious image of The Jesus And Mary Chain
, which had often courted violence and loutish behaviour.
), McGee regrouped Creation and immersed himself in the burgeoning dance and acid house scene starting in the late 1980s. Those scenes had influenced Creation mainstays such as Primal Scream and Ed Ball, as well as newer arrivals such as My Bloody Valentine.
While Creation Records' releases at this time tended to be critically acclaimed, they tended not to be major commercial hits. Creation had run up considerable debt that was only held off until he sold half the company to Sony Music
in 1992. There were reports of McGee's escalating drug use, as well as numerous and conflicting reports of the label being nearly bankrupted after funding the two-year long recording of My Bloody Valentine's 1991 Loveless
LP.
, whose Definitely Maybe
LP became a huge critical and commercial success. The band went on to epitomize the cultural Britpop movement of the mid-90s. The success of Oasis was unprecedented for an act on an independent label. Their second album, (What's the Story) Morning Glory?
became the biggest selling British album of the decade.
In the 1990s, Creation launched the subsidiary, Rev-Ola Records
, which was formed by Joe Foster. Rev-Ola is now a part of the Cherry Red
group.
The revitalised Labour Party
took note of McGee's accomplishments with Creation. They got McGee to spearhead a media campaign prior to the 1997 General Election in order to appeal to Britain's youth culture. He 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.
Omnibus
went on to make a documentary on McGee and Creation in 1998 for BBC One
. Creation Records was awarded 'Independent Label of the Year' every year between 1995 and 1998 by Music Week
, and McGee was awarded by the NME 'Godlike Genius' award in February 1995.
. The label saw a return to the staunchly independent roots of Creation, and had most notably launched the career of The Hives
in the UK.
In May 2007, McGee told The Independent newspaper that he was winding down Poptones for financial reasons.
Upside Down, a film on Creation Records premiered at the BFI
in London on 23 and 24 October 2010. It was released on DVD in the UK on 9 May 2011. Additionally, a soundtrack album featuring 34 tracks which covered the entire carrer of Creation Records was released. This album was released on Creation Records, who were revived for the release of the album only.
scene, including:
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
headed by Alan McGee
Alan McGee
Alan McGee has been a record label owner, musician, manager, and music blogger for The Guardian.McGee is best-known for co-forming and running the independent Creation Records label from 1983–1999, and then Poptones from 1999-2007...
. Along with Dick Green and Joe Foster, McGee founded Creation in 1983. The label lasted until its demise in 1999. The name came from the 1960s band The Creation
The Creation (band)
The Creation were an English rock band, formed in 1966. The most popular Creation song was "Painter Man", which made the Top 40 in the UK Singles Chart in late 1966, and reached #8 in the German chart in April 1967. It was later covered by Boney M in 1979, and reached the #10 position in the UK...
, whom McGee greatly admired. McGee, Green and Foster were also in the band Biff Bang Pow!
Biff Bang Pow!
Biff Bang Pow! were an indie pop band from London, England, active between 1983 and 1991, centering around Creation Records boss Alan McGee.-History:...
, which was also the title of a The Creation song. The label was revived at one point in 2011 for the release of a compilation album, Upside Down, spanning songs from the label.
Early years
McGee formed Creation Records following the culmination of various projects including fanzine Communication Blur, his own rock outfit The Laughing Apple (with future Primal Scream guitarist and long time friend Andrew InnesAndrew Innes
Andrew Innes is a London-based musician. He is best known for being the rhythm guitarist in Scottish rock band Primal Scream.-Early years:...
) and his running of the venue The Communication Club. Initially, McGee wished to provide an outlet for like minded musicians and an opportunity for young bands to see their work on vinyl; primarily the label was in opposition to the "manufactured" synth pop of the era that bore little resemblance to the work of his favourite acts including Public Image Limited and The Sex Pistols.
McGee started the label by putting out the "'73 in '83" single by The Legend! after taking out a £1,000 bank loan. Around the same time he started a club called The Living Room in Tottenham Court Road
Tottenham Court Road
Tottenham Court Road is a major road in central London, United Kingdom, running from St Giles Circus north to Euston Road, near the border of the City of Westminster and the London Borough of Camden, a distance of about three-quarters of a mile...
, through which he met several people who would go on to record for Creation, including Peter Astor
Peter Astor
Pete Astor is a British songwriter, singer and multi-instrumentalist, best known for his work with The Loft, The Weather Prophets and Ellis Island Sound.- History :...
and Lawrence Hayward
Lawrence Hayward
Lawrence Hayward , known simply as Lawrence, his surname never used in credits or press, is best known as the singer, songwriter and guitarist of British indie band Felt.-Felt:...
. Distributor Rough Trade soon began funding releases.
Creation was among the key labels in the mid-1980s Indie
Indie (music)
In music, independent music, often shortened to indie music or "indie" is a term used to describe independence from major commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, and an autonomous, Do-It-Yourself approach to recording and publishing....
movement, with early artists such as The Jesus and Mary Chain
The Jesus and Mary Chain
The Jesus and Mary Chain are a Scottish alternative rock band formed in East Kilbride, Glasgow in 1983. The band revolves around the songwriting partnership of brothers Jim and William Reid...
and Primal Scream
Primal Scream
Primal Scream are a Scottish alternative rock band originally formed in 1982 in Glasgow by Bobby Gillespie and Jim Beattie and now based in London. The current lineup consists of Gillespie, Andrew Innes , Martin Duffy , and Darrin Mooney...
. The Jesus and Mary Chain went to record for Warner Brothers in 1985, yet McGee remained as their manager. With the profits he had made from the band, he was able to release singles by label acts such as Primal Scream
Primal Scream
Primal Scream are a Scottish alternative rock band originally formed in 1982 in Glasgow by Bobby Gillespie and Jim Beattie and now based in London. The current lineup consists of Gillespie, Andrew Innes , Martin Duffy , and Darrin Mooney...
, Felt
Felt (band)
Felt were a 1980s British alternative rock band led by Lawrence, whose surname was never listed in any credits or press; the band's name was inspired by Tom Verlaine's emphasis of the word "felt" in the Television song "Venus"...
, and The Weather Prophets
The Weather Prophets
The Weather Prophets were a British indie band formed in London in 1986 after the break-up of The Loft. After two studio albums, the band split up, with singer Peter Astor going on to a solo career.- History :...
.
McGee had enthusiasm and an uncanny ability to attract the weekly music media, and he was able to get a growing underground following. In their early days, he was able to project a notorious image of The Jesus And Mary Chain
The Jesus and Mary Chain
The Jesus and Mary Chain are a Scottish alternative rock band formed in East Kilbride, Glasgow in 1983. The band revolves around the songwriting partnership of brothers Jim and William Reid...
, which had often courted violence and loutish behaviour.
Mid-period
Following an unsuccessful attempt to run an offshoot label for Warner Brothers (Elevation RecordsElevation Records
Elevation was a record label set up as a joint venture between Creation Records and WEA in 1987. Frustrated with the limitations of independent distribution and financing, Alan McGee set up the label to get wider distribution and sales for some of the bands on Creation, with a view to generating...
), McGee regrouped Creation and immersed himself in the burgeoning dance and acid house scene starting in the late 1980s. Those scenes had influenced Creation mainstays such as Primal Scream and Ed Ball, as well as newer arrivals such as My Bloody Valentine.
While Creation Records' releases at this time tended to be critically acclaimed, they tended not to be major commercial hits. Creation had run up considerable debt that was only held off until he sold half the company to Sony Music
Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment ' is the second-largest global recorded music company of the "big four" record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation....
in 1992. There were reports of McGee's escalating drug use, as well as numerous and conflicting reports of the label being nearly bankrupted after funding the two-year long recording of My Bloody Valentine's 1991 Loveless
Loveless (album)
Loveless is the second studio album by alternative rock band My Bloody Valentine. Released on 4 November 1991, Loveless was recorded over a two-year period between 1989 and 1991 in nineteen recording studios...
LP.
Sony years
After selling to Sony, Creation had signed OasisOasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
, whose Definitely Maybe
Definitely Maybe
Definitely Maybe is the debut album by English rock band Oasis, released in August 1994. It was an immediate commercial and critical success in the UK, having followed on the heels of singles "Supersonic", "Shakermaker" and "Live Forever"....
LP became a huge critical and commercial success. The band went on to epitomize the cultural Britpop movement of the mid-90s. The success of Oasis was unprecedented for an act on an independent label. Their second album, (What's the Story) Morning Glory?
(What's the Story) Morning Glory?
Morning Glory? is the second studio album by the English rock band Oasis. It was released on 2 October 1995 through Creation Records. The album was Oasis' most enduring commercial success, charting at number one in the UK and number four in the U.S...
became the biggest selling British album of the decade.
In the 1990s, Creation launched the subsidiary, Rev-Ola Records
Rev-Ola Records
Rev-Ola Records is a UK record label formed in 1988 that specializes in reissues, as well as select new releases. The label is headed by Joe Foster, a former child actor and musician/producer...
, which was formed by Joe Foster. Rev-Ola is now a part of the Cherry Red
Cherry Red
Cherry Red is a London-based independent record label formed in 1978.-History:Cherry Red grew from the rock promotion company founded in 1971 to promote rock concerts at the Malvern Winter Gardens...
group.
The revitalised Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
took note of McGee's accomplishments with Creation. They got McGee to spearhead a media campaign prior to the 1997 General Election in order to appeal to Britain's youth culture. He 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.
Omnibus
Omnibus (TV series)
Omnibus was an arts-based BBC television documentary series, broadcast on BBC1 in the United Kingdom. It ran from 1967 until 2003, usually being transmitted on Sunday evenings....
went on to make a documentary on McGee and Creation in 1998 for BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
. Creation Records was awarded 'Independent Label of the Year' every year between 1995 and 1998 by Music Week
Music Week
Music Week is a trade paper for the UK record industry.Founded in 1959 as Record Retailer, it was relaunched on 18 March 1972 as Music Week . On 17 January 1981 the title was again changed, owing to the increasing importance of sell-through videos, to Music & Video Week...
, and McGee was awarded by the NME 'Godlike Genius' award in February 1995.
Dissolution
The dissolution of Creation Records in 1999 led to McGee forming PoptonesPoptones
Poptones is a record label launched by Alan McGee after the demise of Creation Records in 1999. Named after a Public Image Limited song, it is seen as something of a return to the staunchly independent roots of Creation...
. The label saw a return to the staunchly independent roots of Creation, and had most notably launched the career of The Hives
The Hives
The Hives are a Swedish garage rock band that first garnered attention in the early 2000s as a prominent group of the garage rock revival. Their mainstream success came with the release of the "greatest hits" album Your New Favourite Band, featuring their most well-known song "Hate to Say I Told...
in the UK.
In May 2007, McGee told The Independent newspaper that he was winding down Poptones for financial reasons.
Upside Down, a film on Creation Records premiered at the BFI
British Film Institute
The British Film Institute is a charitable organisation established by Royal Charter to:-Cinemas:The BFI runs the BFI Southbank and IMAX theatre, both located on the south bank of the River Thames in London...
in London on 23 and 24 October 2010. It was released on DVD in the UK on 9 May 2011. Additionally, a soundtrack album featuring 34 tracks which covered the entire carrer of Creation Records was released. This album was released on Creation Records, who were revived for the release of the album only.
Roster
During its existence Creation's roster featured some of the leading lights of the British alternative rockAlternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
scene, including:
- OasisOasis (band)Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
- My Bloody Valentine
- The Jesus and Mary ChainThe Jesus and Mary ChainThe Jesus and Mary Chain are a Scottish alternative rock band formed in East Kilbride, Glasgow in 1983. The band revolves around the songwriting partnership of brothers Jim and William Reid...
- The PastelsThe PastelsThe Pastels are a group from Glasgow, Scotland, UK.Their early records for labels like Whaam!, Creation, Rough Trade, and Glass Records, had a raw and immediate sound, melodic and amateur, which seemed at odds with the time...
- Primal ScreamPrimal ScreamPrimal Scream are a Scottish alternative rock band originally formed in 1982 in Glasgow by Bobby Gillespie and Jim Beattie and now based in London. The current lineup consists of Gillespie, Andrew Innes , Martin Duffy , and Darrin Mooney...
- The LoftThe Loft (band)The Loft were a British indie band, whose debut single was one of the earliest releases on Creation Records.- History :Formed in 1980 as The Living Room by Peter Astor , Bill Prince , Andy Strickland and Dave Morgan , the band changed its name when they discovered a local music venue also called...
- Super Furry AnimalsSuper Furry AnimalsSuper Furry Animals are a Welsh rock band that lean towards psychedelic rock and electronic experimentation. Since their formation in Cardiff, Wales in 1993, the band has consisted of Gruff Rhys , Huw Bunford , Guto Pryce , Cian Ciaran and Dafydd Ieuan Super Furry Animals are a Welsh rock band...
- Teenage FanclubTeenage FanclubTeenage Fanclub are an alternative rock band from Bellshill, Scotland. The band is composed of Norman Blake , Raymond McGinley , Gerard Love and Francis MacDonald , with songwriting duties shared equally among Blake, McGinley and Love...
- Saint EtienneSaint Etienne (band)Saint Etienne are an English Pop group comprising Sarah Cracknell, Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs. They are named after the French football team AS Saint-Étienne.-History:Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs were childhood friends and former music journalists...
- The Boo RadleysThe Boo Radleys-Studio albums:-Compilation albums:-Extended plays:-Singles:-External links:* * * * * * by Laurent Orseau * *...
- Slaughter JoeSlaughter JoeSlaughter Joe aka Joe Foster is a musical artist, record producer, historian, and former child actor.Along with Alan McGee and Dick Green, he had formed Creation Records in 1983. He set up the Kaleidoscope Sound label in the mid 1980s, and Creation's subsidiary label Rev-Ola Records in the early...
- The Zarjaz
- The Jasmine MinksThe Jasmine MinksThe Jasmine Minks are a British indie band, whose early singles were amongst the first releases by Creation Records.-History:Formed in Aberdeen in 1983, the band were initially a quartet of Jim Shepherd , Adam Sanderson , Martin Keena, and Tom Reid...
- 3 Colours Red3 Colours Red3 Colours Red were a rock band from the United Kingdom. They achieved their biggest chart success at the end of the 1990s, along with other Britrock bands such as Ash and Feeder. The band was named by sticking a pin in a London listings magazine, Time Out...
- Ultra LivingUltra LivingUltra Living is the fraternal team of Takuma Nonaka and Tetsushi Nonaka. Their first album, Monochromatic Adventure, was released from Creation Records in 1998...
- RideRide (band)Ride were a British alternative rock band that formed in 1988 in Oxford, England, consisting of Andy Bell, Mark Gardener, Laurence "Loz" Colbert, and Steve Queralt. The band were initially part of the "shoegazing" scene. Following the break-up of the band in 1996, members moved on to various other...
- SwervedriverSwervedriverSwervedriver are an English alternative rock band from Oxford. The band went on hiatus in 1998 before reforming in 2008 for a world tour, which included a performance at the high-profile Coachella Festival...
- SlowdiveSlowdiveSlowdive were an English shoegaze band that formed in 1989. The band formed in Reading, Berkshire and primarily consisted of Nick Chaplin , Rachel Goswell , Neil Halstead , and Christian Savill...
- BMX BanditsBMX Bandits (band)BMX Bandits are a Scottish 1960s-influenced guitar pop band who have been making music from 1986 to the present day. They have shared members with other Bellshill bands Teenage Fanclub and The Soup Dragons....
- The MembranesThe MembranesThe Membranes were a post-punk band formed in Blackpool, Lancashire in 1977, the initial line-up being John Robb , Mark Tilton , Martin Critchley and Martin Kelly . Critchley soon left, with Robb and Tilton taking on vocals, and Kelly moving to keyboards, with "Coofy Sid" taking over on drums...
- The House of LoveThe House of LoveThe House of Love is an English alternative rock band. Formed in 1986, the band rose to prominence in the UK as a leading indie rock band in 1988 and split up in 1993, eventually reforming a decade later in 2003. The band is best known for its detailed psychedelic guitar sound and for the...
- The Lilac TimeThe Lilac TimeThe Lilac Time is a British alternative rock band that was originally formed in Herefordshire, England by Stephen Duffy, his brother Nick Duffy and their friend Michael Weston in 1986. The band's name was taken from a line in the Nick Drake song "River Man."...
- The Weather ProphetsThe Weather ProphetsThe Weather Prophets were a British indie band formed in London in 1986 after the break-up of The Loft. After two studio albums, the band split up, with singer Peter Astor going on to a solo career.- History :...
- AdorableAdorable (band)Adorable were a British alternative rock band. They formed in Coventry in 1991, and consisted of band members Piotr Fijalkowski , Robert Dillam , Stephen 'Wil' Williams and Kevin Gritton -History:...
- FlukeFluke (band)Fluke are an English electronic music group formed in the late 1980s by Mike Bryant, Jon Fugler and Mike Tournier with Julian Nugent as the band's manager...
- FeltFelt (band)Felt were a 1980s British alternative rock band led by Lawrence, whose surname was never listed in any credits or press; the band's name was inspired by Tom Verlaine's emphasis of the word "felt" in the Television song "Venus"...
- The TelescopesThe TelescopesThe Telescopes were formed in 1987 by Stephen Lawrie and could best be described as a noise/space rock band - the Jesus and Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine and Spacemen 3 being influences and contemporaries.-History:...
- 18 Wheeler18 Wheeler (band)18 Wheeler were a Scottish rock band active in the early 1990s, consisting of Sean Jackson , David Keenan , Alan Hake , and Neil Halliday...
- The Jazz Butcher
- MomusMomus (artist)Nick Currie , more popularly known under the artist name Momus , is a songwriter, blogger and former journalist for Wired...
- MoonshakeMoonshakeMoonshake was a UK-based experimental rock/post-rock band existing between 1991 and 1997. The only consistent member was singer/sampler player/occasional guitarist David Callahan, who initially co-led the project with Margaret Fiedler...
- SilverfishSilverfish (band)Silverfish were a UK-based indie rock band, which formed in the late 1980s, and first performed in Camden in 1988. The band split up in 1993....
- Teenage FilmstarsTeenage FilmstarsTeenage Filmstars are an English, post punk, independent, psychedelic 1980s-90s band, formed in 1979 by Edward Ball, Daniel Treacy and Joseph Foster...
- Heavy StereoHeavy StereoHeavy Stereo was a British rock band, who were active in the early to mid 1990s. There were known for having had a 1970s glam rock styled sound, and for their album, Deja Voodoo...
- SheerSheerSheer may refer to:*Sheer fabric, a semi-transparent and flimsy fabric*Sheer , a measure of longitudinal deck curvature in naval architecture*Sheer curation, a lightweight approach to digital curation*Sheer Islands, Nunavut, Canada...