Me And Alan McGee

Alan McGee, former boss of Creation records, was in town for the showing of the Upside Down film. Part of the Belfast Film Festival, it tells the story of a dynamic record label (Oasis, Primal Scream, My Bloody Valentine, Teenage Fan Club, Jesus And Marty Chain) and the characters that made it. I first met Alan 25 years ago, and he has always measured to the challenge of living an interesting life.

Back in the day, you could tell what music he was listening to by the way he was dressed. It might be The Clash, The Velvets or Arthur Lee, but there was always a sartorial sign of where he was currently at. When you met him at a club like Bay 63, he sometimes lectured you, but most of the time it was enthused blasts, new discoveries and conceptual fizz. So I'm pleased that director Danny O' Connor has seen fit to make a film out of this stuff.

Upside Down is a narrative that I mostly lived through but it still amazes. The early years are possibly the best, as he assails the music industry with the richest ideas, unswerving front and a profound appreciation of underground culture. In time, he creates a different kind of mainstream and then has to exit the label when the finance guys are spoiling the ride. But the trajectory involves many classic records, some ferocious parties and a burning example of how far your wits and your audacity can take you.

I spent a short while with the guy before the screening and was reassured to see that he is still vivid and curious and contrary. He's a music man in the old-fashioned sense, a quality that's in there for the duration. Good enough for me and Alan McGee.