Alan McGee
If anyone qualifies as being really hip, then that person would be Alan McGee. Born in Glasgow, McGee came of age in the U.K. punk scene of the late 70s. In 1983, with Dirk Green, McGee created the Living Room, a club that quickly became known for wild music and wild nights. Adding another partner, Joe Foster, McGee led the group to start a record label, in no small part to help promote bands playing at the Living Room. Soon, Creation Records was defining alternative rock with Felt, Jasmine Minks, Loft, Momus, Pastels, and McGee’s own group, Biff Bang Pow! Their recording of Jesus & Mary Chain’s "Upside Down" gave the label its first major pop hit. By the 1990’s, McGee had built Creation Records into one of the most significant independent labels, so much so that Sony Records bought a stake in the company. McGee kept finding the newest music in My Bloody Valentine, Ride, Slowdrive, and Servedriver, but Primal Scream and Oasis epitomized the success, and extremes, of Creation. After taking time away from music, including delving into politics for Tony Blair, McGee created a new label, Poptones, and started up the coolest web site of club photography (medicatedandsedated.com), all the while writing a blog on music for the Guardian newspaper online.
