Alan McGee Prepares To Take Ireland by Storm!

I was a glam rock and punk fan in my mid-to-late teens when Hot Press started. I was living in Glasgow and and I could buy Hot Press there and read about The Clash and bands like Sex Pistols, Jam, Generation X. I was aware of The Undertones big-time. I really got to know Mickey Bradley and the O'Neill Brothers. Later I got into That Petrol Emotion too.

The Oasis-Blur feud was a fun thing to be in the middle of, especially as it did Oasis so much good. It was such a big story, the lead item on the national news. It was crazy. It blew Oasis up to new heights. 'Roll With It' was such a huge hit: we sold half a million on the strength of that so-called fuckin' war.

No, I don't get tired of the constant link back to Oasis. They sold 55 million albums so if I'm famous for bringing that band to the world then so be it. I can handle it.

I wouldn't even try to get them back together again. I know what they're like. They've got deep-rooted issues with each other. It's like a divorce because of irreconcilable differences. I hope one day it gets resolved, but I wouldn't want to be given the job. It's really nobody's business what they do.

When you're involved in something as successful and demanding as running Creation Records you don't have time to be paying too much attention to what else is going on. Like, say, Amy Winehouse. I was drinking a lot when she was about, and Doherty was on smack. We were on Jonathan Ross with her and I think we frightened her.

Was I surprised by her death? Yeah, but not that surprised. You can't really abuse stuff the way The Pogues can abuse it. She was heavy into the fucking drinking. You know, girls are frail. They don't have the same physical constution that guys have for all that shit.

What keeps me going? I'm actually old, so I just concentrate on doing the next thing and then the next, rockin' on, finding bands, getting excited about new music, putting records out. I don't take myself too seriously,

Brexit? What a fuckin' mess. It'll definitely help Scottish independence. If there another referendum Scotland will vote to get out. As a Scotsman I'd be delighted. But Brexit won't do music any favours. It'll make it harder for bandns to tour Europe with all the red tape that I thought we'd got rid of.

*In conversation with Jackie Hayden

Alan McGee Irish tour dates:

An Evening with Alan McGee, with guests Cronin - October 19, Smiddy's, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath

The Chats with Alan McGee - December 7, Roisin Dubh, Co. Galway