Making a speech at Big Sound yesterday, legendary music industry figure and founder of Creation Records Alan McGee told the huddled audience of industry professionals and insiders that he doesn’t even really like music, he only got into the music industry because he saw it “as a way of not being a taxi driver.”
Having discovered bands like The Jesus & Mary Chain, Primal Scream and Oasis, McGee has a long history of outspoken honesty, in the past having publicly called for Paul McCartney to retire as well as having declined to visit Buckingham Palace to dine with Prince Charles. In line with his reputation, he didn’t disappoint at Big Sound, going on later to disclose that he found the recent fire that destroyed the Sony/PIAS warehouse during the London riots funny.
“I read that the Sony PIAS Building burnt down. I’m probably the only person who thought that was funny.”
As always with McGee, one has to question whether he’s saying all this as a way to focus attention on him, or just genuinely speaking his mind (I’d like to think the latter), but either way you can’t help but admire him for still being able to send the music industry into a flutter with a mere collection of words, even in his semi-retirement.
