Creem: America's Only Rock 'n' Roll Magazine

The magazine has a fascinating back story captured well in this documentary. Very well done and a must see if you are a classic rock enthusiast.

For huge fans of classic and punk rock, like myself, there will be a lot to love. There are interviews with Joan Jett, Paul Stanley, Chad Smith, and so many more, and many of these artists talk specifically about how Creem affected their lives in certain ways. Chad Smith talking about riding his bike five miles to Creem's headquarters to be rewarded with seeing Alice Cooper walk out the front door was a great story. There are also insights into the films namesake; Boy Howdy was faux beer label designed by Robert Crumb (comics artist behind Fritz the Cat), which later went on to be implemented in many of the magazine's photoshoots. There are tons of little bits of information, gossip, and insults tossed around involving all sorts of characters from the 70s and 80s music scene, some of them juicer than others, and I expect that fans of the genre will just eat it up. Much of the editing was really well constructed, combining the interview footage with the archival footage and animated reenactments of some of the stories being told, but when it came to the actual interviews with rock stars or former writers, the technical aspects were all over the place. In at least five interviews, it sounded as if the LAV mics weren't turned on, so in post they were forced to use the camera audio and bump up the levels. There were also a lot of shots that looked as if the cameras were just set on autofocus, so sometimes the people would be in focus and then they would shift in their chairs and the cameras would struggle find focus again. Likewise, framing in some interviews looked like it was shot by a professional, and in other interviews it looked as if the tripod was bumped and never readjusted.

"CREEM" was Rock n' Roll in print. With its provocative images and irreverent text it was a rag founded by misfits who represented the music every belch of the way. "CREEM: America's Only Rock n' Roll Magazine" punches through like a good Punk track - short, fast and to the point. Starting off (where else?) in Motor City Detroit the mag immediately had a reputation for supporting well-known and obscure acts while at the same trashing them down in true Rawk style. Priceless footage of the mag's staff during their heyday and cool images bring an era back to life as the story unfolds. The camaraderie, fights, the sex, drugs and Rock n' Roll lifestyle and its heros and casualties are all here with interviews of the magazine's staff, writers, musicians and other notables revving up the mag's importance and legacy. The only flaw is the lack of comprehensiveness with this otherwise fun rockumentary, the empty feeling that something's missing and that the film could have been more fleshed out to give a fullness and justice to this interesting and unique tale. One of the better documentaries of recent times "CREEM: America's Only Rock n' Roll Magazine" is a celebration of the golden age of Rock and a rocking tribute to a historical and cultural artifact that entertained, tittilated and inspired a generation.

While Barry Kramer and Lester Bangs weren't available to be interviewed, viewers will see and hear everyone else that made Creem Magazine the rag to read about who was doing what (and to whom) in rock 'n' roll.

Like the magazine, the documentary is irreverent and passionate about its subject. While the director (Scott Crawford) grew up in the Washington, D.C. area, he understands the mid-western DIY ethos that enabled Creem Magazine (which was published in Detroit, not NYC, not LA) to go from nothing to something larger than life from the moment it began.

Actually, no Crawford doesn't just understand that DIY ethos. He owns it. He published his own 'zine on the DC hardcore scene when he just a kid and, with practically zero budget, directed the documentary, Salad Days.

But back to Creem and this documentary. The people who chose to work at the magazine (the writers, the editors, the publisher, the photographers, the assistants, the people who made sure it got to the printer) all had something to prove. And they sure didn't do it for the money. But these are the kind of people who have a story to tell. And they do it in this film. And so do people like Joan Jett, Wayne Kramer, Alice Cooper, Cameron Crowe and more.

Does it have a few imperfections? Sure. So did the magazine. Do these blemishes get in the way of enjoying the show? Maybe if you're the type that subscribes to Rolling Stone and thinks Jann Wenner's cool.

If you're a long-time fan of Creem Magazine, you'll not be disappointed. If you're new to the subject, you'll learn a lot and have fun at the same time. But why take my word for it? Watch the trailer. Or, better, watch the film.

This film really did a wonderful job portraying the rise and fall of a magazine empire. It also took the time to describe in detail the feel of the country, music scene and Detroit during the era. As a Michigan native, it really opened my eyes to the history of it all.