Boy Howdy, what a mess
December 2, 2007 8:12 AM Subscribe
You'd think news of a Creem Magazine retrospective book would be greeted with cries of glee. You'd be wrong. Occasional staff shutterbug Bob Matheu licensed rights to use the name of the beloved, iconoclastic Detroit rock zine years after it ceased to be relevant, but despite occasional "Creem is back" announcements, only produced a website.
But now a Creem book is on the stands, and surviving contributors like Dave Marsh, Sue Whitall, Jaan Uhelszki and publisher's widow Connie Kramer are none too pleased with the contents. Even less happy, the guys who invested most of the money needed to re-secure the rights. But a dust up at a book signing? Lester would approve. More discussion here.
But now a Creem book is on the stands, and surviving contributors like Dave Marsh, Sue Whitall, Jaan Uhelszki and publisher's widow Connie Kramer are none too pleased with the contents. Even less happy, the guys who invested most of the money needed to re-secure the rights. But a dust up at a book signing? Lester would approve. More discussion here.
This is a pretty sad turn. I was the graphics guy at the shop which started printing the revived Creem Tees in 2001. (My contact was actually one of the defendants listed in the suit.) It was real treat to get the R. Crumb art ready for screen printing. (The web site shows Courtney Love wearing one of the shirts we printed.)
Everyone who knew what Creem was back in the day, was excited that it was coming back. At that early stage, they were looking for investors.
Then 9/11 happened. No one was interested in making new investments. Something as risky as a print magazine must have been an impossible sell. But they seemed to keep plugging away at it.
I saw the book at Borders. As a print job it's a very high-end package. The content looked pretty thin though.
Thanks for the post. I didn't know things had gone so badly.
posted by McLir at 9:17 AM on December 2, 2007
Everyone who knew what Creem was back in the day, was excited that it was coming back. At that early stage, they were looking for investors.
Then 9/11 happened. No one was interested in making new investments. Something as risky as a print magazine must have been an impossible sell. But they seemed to keep plugging away at it.
I saw the book at Borders. As a print job it's a very high-end package. The content looked pretty thin though.
Thanks for the post. I didn't know things had gone so badly.
posted by McLir at 9:17 AM on December 2, 2007
I don't think jonmc would disagree with you that those are dumbass judgments, he's just saying Marsh struck him as a nice guy, which he probably is. Hell, I was disarmed on meeting the much-despised General Westmoreland to find that he struck me as a nice guy. A war criminal, sure, but a nice guy.
posted by languagehat at 11:12 AM on December 2, 2007
posted by languagehat at 11:12 AM on December 2, 2007
I felt the exact same anger and disappointment when the Jackie retrospective came out.
posted by gatchaman at 11:41 AM on December 2, 2007
posted by gatchaman at 11:41 AM on December 2, 2007
he describes Tom Verlaine of Television as a "[lacking] melodic ideas or any emotional sensibility"
Marsh often has highly questionable taste, but that comment is not far off, and it's what I love about Television.
posted by psmealey at 12:58 PM on December 2, 2007
Marsh often has highly questionable taste, but that comment is not far off, and it's what I love about Television.
posted by psmealey at 12:58 PM on December 2, 2007
JeffL- there's plenty of people who I admire who I also disagree with sometimes. Marsh's theroies are often on target and the guy can right. The fact that he's wrong about the Dictators just means he has to check into my Re-Education Camp along with millions of others. (and Lester loved the Dics, so between the two of them they have all the bases covered).
posted by jonmc at 1:17 PM on December 2, 2007
posted by jonmc at 1:17 PM on December 2, 2007
It was the magazine when I was in high school and college (early to late 70s). Rolling Stone was completely out of touch with us, Hit Parader was for kids, but Creem got it. Sad to see it come to this.
posted by Ber at 2:46 PM on December 2, 2007
posted by Ber at 2:46 PM on December 2, 2007
Creem got it
They sure did, Ber. However often I used to say, "This is the last time I'm buying this rag," I always grit my teeth and buy the next issue anyway. Simply because, as often they infuriated me, you had to admit, they "got it," and nobody else did. (Well, maybe NY Rocker for a time.)
Anyhow, who says you can't like both Dave Marsh and Lester Bangs? What you can't do, is like Dave Marsh, Lester Bangs and Robert Cristgau all at once. That makes your head explode.
posted by Faze at 5:21 PM on December 2, 2007
They sure did, Ber. However often I used to say, "This is the last time I'm buying this rag," I always grit my teeth and buy the next issue anyway. Simply because, as often they infuriated me, you had to admit, they "got it," and nobody else did. (Well, maybe NY Rocker for a time.)
Anyhow, who says you can't like both Dave Marsh and Lester Bangs? What you can't do, is like Dave Marsh, Lester Bangs and Robert Cristgau all at once. That makes your head explode.
posted by Faze at 5:21 PM on December 2, 2007
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I've met Marsh a few times ( Iset up a signing at the bookstore I was working in at the time) and he's actually a really nice guy. According to Let It Blurt, Marsh & Bangs were very different but actually pretty close. I like both of them a lot.
As far as the Creem book, the whole controversy is a drag. I just bought the book (half-price, working in a secondhand bookshop has it's priviliges) and it's terrific.
posted by jonmc at 9:12 AM on December 2, 2007