Chugg On McGee: ‘He Didn't Need To Come’
News posted Saturday, September 10 2011 at 02:00 PM.
Related: BIGSOUND, Michael Chugg.
Promoter Michael Chugg has openly questioned the decision to bring out Creation Records founder Alan McGee (pictured) for last week’s BIGSOUND conference.
McGee caused a media stir for a provocative keynote address that claimed the PIAS warehouse fire was a “result” and – shock horror – that he didn’t really listen to music anymore. The PIAS claim, in particular, resonated around the world, with the likes of NME and Pitchfork picking it up via themusic.com.au.
But during a panel discussion with journalists on the final day of the three-day industry talkfest, Chugg questioned the value of having McGee at BIGSOUND, and openly wondered why he made the trip.
"Alan McGee came to hang out with his Pommy comedian mate … He didn't need to come,” Chugg told the crowd, following a question from Brisbane journalist Lars Brandle. "If you're not happy doing what you're doing, why bother?"
Chugg said McGee made no valuable contribution to the conference (“he didn’t come out to give”), contrasting his appearance to David Enthoven and Tim Clark of UK management company ie:music (Robbie Williams, Ladyhawke), who he thought did a great job. "If you're going to use it as a junket to come out here, fuck off."
The entertaining hour-long panel featured anecdotes from Chugg’s career, including his description of a young Steve Kilbey as "spoilt arsehole”, despite the pair being on good terms these days. (Kilbey recently roasted Chugg – The Church’s former manager – during an off-the-cuff address at their ARIA Hall of Fame induction last year.)
More BIGSOUND coverage to come.
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Dude's also a lousy DJ.
What'd he play Ash?
''Chug On, McGee'' sounds like a bawdy 1970's british comedy
Chugg, come on McGhee
i would LOVE to watch Chug On McGee!
this guy never liked music. he signed Primal Scream because they looked cool and it apparently didn't matter that they hadn't written a song yet. that label was just an excuse for a couple of closet losers to get in with the in crowd.
no surprises here
dude should have died from a cocaine overdose in 1994. then he might still garner some respect
I remember hearing a Beyonce tune and a load of other nonsense.
Glasvegas?
Yup.
He used to DJ at Poptones club when I loved in London a decade or so ago. Fucker would put on Oasis 'Rock & Roll Star', Sex Pistols 'Anarchy in the UK' and John Lennon's 'Instant Karma', punching the air and looking out at the crowd as if he'd just written them all himself.
messandnoise needs more chugg.
What was the point in getting him out other than he used to be relevant? He can't have been expected to go down well, surely?
a brilliant typo.
Swinging!
Argh!
Chuggo
Haha
onya chuggy.
the whole manner of the man in the last couple of years, right down to that self-supplied publicity shot, must have suggested 'wanquer' to someone, surely?
your a wanker. mcgee is a genius. id like to see you sign the bands he has to YOUR label.
no, was.
25 years ago, he spotted some great talents of the era.
but like so many of his ilk, he seems to think himself bigger than the music and the artists he was involved with. all he really could give to the bigsound audience was a history lesson on an industry, artform, and business model that is now completely changed.
and thanks, your kneejerk knobbery is exactly the reason many people just don't post here anymore. thanks for for your input.
he wears some interesting hats these days
Actually, in defense of Alan McGee:
He's had success in the last ten years too. He was responsible for discovering The Hives.
He risked a lot of money signing most of the best British bands of the 80s/90s.
He's actually a bloody nice guy in person. Very approachable and quick to buy everyone a drink.
So I like the guy.
zombo said 1 day ago:
i would LOVE to watch Chug On McGee!
this guy never liked music. he signed Primal Scream because they looked cool and it apparently didn't matter that they hadn't written a song yet. that label was just an excuse for a couple of closet losers to get in with the in crowd.
Not defending McGee but this isn't true at all. He loved music and Primal Scream were signed because Bobby and Alan were best mates at the time. McGee has said he wasn't too impressed with their 1st two Albums and was waiting for them to 'Hit'. McGee loves the 3rd Record, Screamadelica.
this is bollocks btw
middle dude in the laughing apple photo reminds me of samuel johnson
I also fail to see why they booked Alan, knowing what most know about the guy, and were disappointed he acted like he always does. I'd've been more pissed if he'd talked sense and was nice to everyone.
Exactly right JP.
Last year's keynote was Michael Azzerad, who has never really been ''relevant'' at all.
They just want someone with some tales to open it up.
Get McGee in and you'll get something contentious. That's what they got.
Not really sure where all the vitriol against him comes from. He might not be all that relevant now but a) he's the first person to admit that and did stress it whenever asked a ''current'' question and b) at least he has been responsible for some genuinely great stuff, unlike pretty much anyone else at the festival.
I don't understand Chugg's gripe.
if he's gonna use the ''you're only as good as your last game'' argument - what culturally significant milestone has Chugg delivered to music as a whole since the 80s? ...this makes McGee more current imho. Chugg sounds like just another well-fed industry dude looking for a headline.
if McGee walks away from music 'cos he feels he has nothing left to offer, isn't that just being honest?..instead of hanging around well past your use by date.
Chugg Chugg Chugg Chugg Chugg Chugg Chugg Chugg Chugg Chugg
Sound Relief?
Chugg's an idiot...Big Sound got exactly what they needed, which was a keynote speaker that brought the conference a profile. What's this 'he didn't have to come' bullshit? He was invited to speak, he spoke, he made some good points and said a lot of things that a lot of people think. Chugg did a lot less for the conference than McGee did.
sound relief will not be remembered in 100 years
i kinda agree with columbo.
well ok - i guess I stand corrected :)
no offense to the festival & those who benefited etc but it's sort of a Bob Geldof move. it was guaranteed to succeed & he used tried & establshed artisats to raise much-needed cash.
I was talking about whether he'd taken any risks & signed/toured any interesting bands lately. his touring company seems to cater to cashed-up baby boomers to go & see, say, Bryan Ferry play at a fucking winery somewhere.
I'm not anti-Chugg - and I'm not a mad McGee fan either. I just don't dig Chugg's dickheaded attack a dude like McGee.
In pretty serious agreement with columbo...his company has done very little for unestablished artists for a long time. The closest thing they've done is tour the Secret Sisters who were pretty much just Elvis Costello's baby anyway...their principle interest is the Bryan Ferry's Columbo mentioned and latching onto profitable festival sideshows (Hold Steady, Bob Dylan, etc).
Chugg is a knobwrench with a taste for Asian teenage girls.
hi Alan
And Alan McGee has good reason to come and talk to an industry conference that is concerned with an ''international'' industry, no matter how limp and lame that industry is right now. Exactly what has Michael Chugg ever done? It's not like he invented Sunbury or Australian Blues Rock? Stupid cunt.
cool hat, bro.
Alan McGee also manages The Libertines... that'd be good for heroin and crack stories
Meanwhile, Chuggie can tell stories about Chris Martin drinking a nice warm cup of tea.