CREATION Records co-founder Alan McGee says he has “got the music bug again,” as he prepares to visit Helensburgh to talk about his legendary career in the industry.

The Tower Digital Arts Centre will host an evening of music, film and chat in April with the man responsible for spotting Oasis in Glasgow’s King Tut’s in 1993, signing them to his record label and propelling them to superstardom.

After launching his latest venture, Creation23, last year, he said he is focused on discovering new talent and is once again excited by the prospects.

He told the Advertiser: “There’s some great new bands around and good music is coming back. Music is spicy again.

“I’ve been in the industry since I was 16 when I started my own band.

“I started a nightclub at 22, co-founded Creation Records in 1983, I was managing bands by the age of 23 and 24 and then by the mid 90s I was managing the biggest band in the world.

“But when my daughter was eight, I thought to myself ‘I haven’t spent that much time with her’.

“We moved to Wales and when my daughter was about 13 she told me she didn’t want me taking her to school anymore, so that was me told.

“When we went to Wales I didn’t intend to come back. But I wrote a book, which Irvine Welsh is now making a film out of, and I just caught the bug again after that.

“Writing the book was a turning point.”

The 58-year-old, from East Kilbride, had previously said he had lost interest in the music industry for a while after selling Creation to Sony at the turn of the century, despite his huge success in managing bands such as Primal Scream, The Jesus and Mary Chain and The Libertines.

Asked what the one major difference was now, after getting back into the business, compared to twenty or thirty years ago, he replied simply: “In one word – computers.”

“That’s the biggest change,” he continued. “I embrace it and I like it but it’s totally different now.

“There’ll never be another Oasis. They were a juggernaut, a one-off. They were the Beatles moment for our generation.

“It’s a different climate now, like, the Arctic Monkeys are great, but they’re only half the size.

“Oasis were a phenomenon. It wasn’t anything to do with me, I just put the records out. But you can’t have that success again. Nobody is as big.”

Modern music’s ‘talent show generation’ may not inspire much hope for a return to the halcyon era of the punk, rock and indie scene decades ago, but Alan remains optimistic for the current industry.

He said: “I don’t watch it. I’m probably not the most qualified person to comment, I’ve no objection, but it just looks rubbish.

“The problem is, radio stations play it but the mainstream media is not embracing guitar music now.

“Scotland and Ireland is great for music at the moment. I love playing in Glasgow and I love the Barrowlands.

“Small venues like King Tut’s are 100 per cent still important.”

Sushil K Dade, event curator and music producer who previously played in Scottish band The Soup Dragons, said: “It’s such a thrill to have Alan visit my hometown of Helensburgh.

“Many of the records he released on Creation were the soundtrack to my youth and he has always had an ear for searching out great talent.”

Ahead of his Helensburgh date, Alan admitted he has a soft spot for the town.

He said: “I quite like Helensburgh, I’m looking forward to it. I’ve got pals there and it’ll be a good time.

“I’ve known Sushil forever.

“After I was booked up for Irvine, he asked if he could book me and I get asked all the time to do them. It should be a laugh.

“After the 90s I just please myself now and try and find great music.

“That’s all it’s ever been about for me. And to work with great people.

“My advice to up-and-comers would be rehearse, rehearse, rehearse! That’s it, until you can do it lying on your back with your eyes closed.”

Tickets for the intimate event on Sunday, April 7, which also features a DJ set from Glasvegas frontman James Allan, are available from helensburghboxoffice.com.