UPSIDE DOWN: THE CREATION RECORDS STORY SCREENED IN CINEMAS ACROSS THE REGION
Over a quarter of a century since it began, and a decade after it folded, Upside Down takes a fascinating look at Creation Records, one of the UK’s most influential and colourful independent record labels. Creation Records began in 1983 by Alan McGee, launching the careers of The Jesus and Mary Chain, Primal Scream, Oasis, Ride and Super Furry Animals, to name but a few. A decade before the it catapulted Oasis into superstardom, Creation Records was the ultra-cool independent label, known mainly to avid readers of the music press or listeners of non-mainstream radio shows such as John Peel’s. In its early days, the label’s sound and look saluted the late ‘60s, fusing it with the energy of punk rock. In the mid-80s, Creation’s original roster included The Jasmine Minks, The Loft, Felt, Primal Scream, Phil Wilson, Biff Bang Pow and many more. This first wave of Creation artists never even got a sniff at the charts, including Primal Scream, whose first single was released a good 6 years before their iconic Screamadelica album, which eventually made their name known to the outside world. Creation began life at a time when “indie” still meant “outsider”; a word that was used to describe a non-commercial music released on independent labels. After signing a deal with a major label in the ‘90s, Creation was then in a position to put money behind its bands, and so came commercial success, the most obvious example being Oasis. Primal Scream are currently touring their classic Screamadelica album, one of the jewels in the Creation catalogue, therefore a documentary about the label couldn’t have come at a better time.
More than a run-of-the-mill music documentary, Upside Down: The Creation Records Story is the definitive and fully authorised account, which tells a vivid story of the rock ‘n’ roll dream and its accompanying nightmares.
Upside Down: The Creation Records Story is showing at Exeter Picturehouse on Tuesday May 3rd and Thursday May 5th at 9pm. Tickets from www.picturehouses.co.uk On May 4 it heads up to the Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff where there will be a post film Q&A with former Creation Records boss Alan McGee. Glasvegas are also in Cardiff that night so promoter, SWN, has arranged a special ticket deal to enable you to see Upside Down and Glasvegas for a special price of £15. If you just want to see the film then tickets are £7.50. More info at www.chapter.org
