Higher Than The Sun is a book by me about four albums released late in 1991 - Screamadelica by Primal Scream, Foxbase Alpha by Saint Etienne, Bandwagonesque by Teenage Fanclub and Loveless by My Bloody Valentine, and how, long before they discovered Oasis, Creation Records took on the world and nearly won.
Back in the days before daytime radio would touch indie music with a bargepole, and when indie arists in turn were still similarly wary of the mainstream, these four albums, without a shred of compromise, came closer to commercial and critical mainstream acceptability than almost any of their peers had previously managed. Higher Than The Sun tells the story of the closely intertwined making of the four albums - one of which was completed with change left over from the recording budget, whilst another very nearly bankrupted Creation - and the sometimes unlikely shared influences and extra-curricular escapades of the four bands. There's also plenty about their friends, colleagues and rivals including Blur, Ride, The KLF, House Of Love, Adorable, Denim, The Jesus And Mary Chain, The Manic Street Preachers, Flowered Up and Fabulous. There are stories of wild parties in hijacked mansions, studios infested by poltergeists, and listening to French football matches late at night. Along the way they cross paths with Madonna, Kylie Minogue, Chris Morris and Almost Brian Cant. It's a story that starts with a compilation tape, and ends with a jaw-dropping act of career sucicide, and in between someone gets chased by a cow. And what's that? One of the albums wasn't on Creation? Well, that's covered as well...
You can get Higher Than The Sun in paperback here, or as an eBook here. There'll be lots more tying in with the book on here over the next couple of days - follow Higher Than The Sun on Facebook or Twitter to keep up to date!
