Here’s an interview I’ve just done with The Humourdor web site about how I got in to the whole media world, differences between radio and television, short filmmaking, the similarities between stand up and presenting and other topics besides. Some other interesting interviews up there too ranging from Robin Ince to Leigh Francis. You can read my interview here.

My love of film and music has been fairly well documented and when the two are combined in a good music documentary film, I’m seldom happier whilst sitting in the cinema or in the living room watching the popular dvd format. The first music documentary I ever bought, aside from bootleg vhs’s at record fairs in Edinburgh was the superb 25×5: The Continuing Adventures Of The Rolling Stones. For some reason, it has never been re-released on dvd, all the more surprising as it remains the definitive documentation of The Stones. The vhs which I still have has been viewed many, many times and loaned out to all and sundry giving it a slightly depleted sound and visual quality. Thankfully, there are clips from the film to view online such as the one here showing the band beginning to break America and becoming a worldwide phenomenon. In recent years some of the documentaries I have enjoyed most include the heartbreaking but ultimately uplifting The Devil And Daniel Johnston, the intriguing and slightly melancholic The Mayor Of Sunset Strip about the life of LA dj and pop impresario Rodney Bigenheimer and of course the twin tales of The Brian Jonestown Massacre and The Dandy Warhols in the truly exhilarating attack on the senses that is Dig!

It was with much excitement then that at the weekend I once again visited a dark cinema on a sunny day to see Upside Down: The Creation Records Story. Here is a deceased label that meant a lot to me growing up and indeed, still does now. It seems that in some circles at least, Creation is solely known as the label who signed Oasis. As someone who doesn’t share the notion that Oasis were the ultimate saviours of music I was hoping that the film would highlight some of the lesser known artists who were on the label. I’m glad to report that while there were some emissions of bands I like, such as The Pastels or Felt, there were enough bands featured to help get the balance of the film just right. There was quite rightly a lot on Primal Scream as Bobby Gillespie, along with Alan McGee, was integral to the label but I was also glad to see my friend Duglas T Stewart of The BMX Bandits appearing along side House Of Love, Teenage Fanclub, The Jesus And Mary Chain, Ride and Super Furry Animals to name just a few. The music made by these groups as well as the ethos of the label struck a real chord with myself and many others at an impressionable age and happily, those involved in making the film happen such as Steve Lamacq and Danny O’Connor got it spot on. It comes out on dvd on May 9, I only wish I could say the same about 25×5.