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

"CREEM: America's Only Rock 'n' Roll Magazine" (2019 release; 75 min.) is a documentary about the (in)famous music magazine, founded and published by Barry Kramer in 1969. As the movie opens, we see grainy B&W footage of the CREEM gang in downtown Detroit, as they introduce themselves. We then step back and get a Detroit Rock Scene 101 primer, as we are reminded how many great rock artists emerged from Detroit (too many to name here). Kramer owned a record store/hang-out room on Cass Avenue that then started publishing CREEM with hardly anyone having any writing or rock credentials. Led by Editor-in-Chief Dave Marsch, they were a trailblazer in bringing the rock stars to the reading public. Comments REM's Micheal Stipe: "My life changed when I saw Patti Smith's picture in CREEM." At this point we are 10 min. into the film.

Couple of comments: this is the second documentary directed by Scott Crawford. More importantly, it is produced by JJ Kramer, the son of original founder Barry Kramer, and by Jaan Uhelszki, one of CREEM's original journalists (she also wrote the film's script). There is much to tell, and the movie moves at a frantic pace as we learn how CREEM functions in the early days (the magazine was named after the band Cream, whom Kramer adored). Dave Marsch and Kramer argued often. Then in the early 70s Lester Bangs joins CREEM and now even more internal tension ensues, while the magazine continues to grow. The film covers mostly the 1969-1981 era, and along with it, we get a ton of fun archive footage from the 70s. With so much materials to cover, it's a bit of a shame that the movie runs only 75 min. but it's a minor quibble.

"CREEM: America's Only Rock n'n Roll MAgazine" premiered at the 2019 SXSW festival to immediate acclaim, and was scheduled to be released in theaters this Spring. Then a little think called COVID-19 happened. Theaters are very slowly reopening, and "CREEM" opened out of the blue this weekend at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati (complying fully with all COVID-19 measures). I couldn't wait to see it. The Friday early evening screening where I saw this at was attended so-so (3 people including myself). The movie's DVD release is scheduled for next month. If you have any interest in rock music, I'd readily suggest you check this out, be it in the theater, on VOD or soon on DVD/Blu-ray, and draw your own conclusion.

Another important time capsule component. Absolutely necessary for future generations to use as they begin to understand the music of the 60's, 70's & 80's. Where and how the music made, and why it's greatness will never be matched.

Creem magazine was a goofy-hip, inside-jokesters publication aimed at teenage boys that was founded above a record store/head shop in 1969 Detroit by Barry Kramer (he named/misspelled the magazine Creem after the band Cream, just as Rolling Stone named their rival publication after The Rolling Stones). With R. Crumb artwork and the Boy Howdy logo (often used as a faux beer can), Creem was the anti-rock journal, an F-you to Rolling Stone. This 76mn documentary, peopled with mostly reprehensible personalities (such as senior editor Lester Bangs, who appeared to be both anti-Semitic and homophobic), gets surprisingly serious near the end as the principals leave us. Their legacy is of an important piece of rock 'n' roll history which faded into the sunset 20 years after it appeared. The film is slick, flashy, funny and empty--like Creem itself. Great for fans, and the covers and celebrity testimonials are fun. **1/2 from ****

"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.

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.