 At Collins Morgan, we offer friendly, regulated and ethical advice for anyone living in Scotland. Over the last six years, we have helped thousands of Scottish residents become debt-free. Our organisation always have your best interests at heart and our advisors are trained to help you in any situation with a range of solutions always available. If you're struggling with debts, act now and call one of our friendly advisors on 0141 2184450. Number on! In today's guest, we've got Alan McGee. First of all, Alan, I just want to say thanks for coming on to show and taking the time to actually meet us. Thank you. You're a legend in the music industry. Oasis, Primo Scream. What massive names. It's good to have you on mate. How have things been? Yeah, good. Just really good. Sunday morning, 10 o'clock in the morning. Interesting time. And London, Harley Street. We're doing alright Alan. I always like to go back to the start with my guests. Obviously you've had a great career and you've done massive things but go back to the start where you grew up and how you get involved in the music industry? Well, I was born in Govan Hill. At five-year-old, I came up to Mount Florida. I went to Mount Florida primary and that was pretty good. It was actually alright. And then I ended up, I went to Kingsport secondary school. I was just dreadfully, you know, I hated school. Do you know what I mean? I didn't take to it and I suppose I got my problem with authority and everything. At that school, you know, I mean, it was just like, you know, I mean, not a huge deal but I just really disliked getting told what to do. And I left school with one level which was a arithmetic. I got a C, but I never tried. I never done anything. And then I ended up having a load of shit jobs. I worked in a building site. I made collars in a factory. Do you know what I mean? You know, I got three or four really crap jobs. And then I eventually, you know, I got a British rail job, you know, issueing bolts. Which was basically a job for nothing. But I used to get £75 a week. I was a kid, I was 16, 17. And I'd done that for a couple of years before I came to London. And that's when, because people see riglets in the glam life and it is a great life down in London, but it is fucking crazy. Well, it wasn't glamorous for me for a long, long time. I mean, I don't think it's ever really been that glamorous. But I came down to London when I was like 19. And I was homeless, essentially, you know, I would have been like, the reason there's so many homeless people, you and me are both involved in homeless stuff. But when I came down, I came off a train, literally five quid in my pocket, but I squatted for six months, James. Now, nobody's allowed to squat because they basically arrest you if you squat. But the whole homeless problem at the moment, there's about 300,000 people homeless. It would be eradicated if you could squat. Because that's where it was. The 70s and 80s, squatting culture. The clash came out of squatting culture, which was Joe Strummer was squatting. You know, and like me and Andrew Innes, that's the guy in the primals. We came out of squatting culture because we both squatted. Yeah, it's crazy because there's millions of empty flats everywhere. There's millions of empty units. A lot of people buy them as investments and don't live in them. Yeah. Don't even live here. They are emptying it. A big idea for anybody that's got properties, they're lying empty. Just don't let homeless people sleep in it. Especially the winter time, the numbers of the deaths on the street for homeless people is shocking. I remember this winter has been nothing, but the winter last year, I remember like, it was something like about minus 12 or something like that when I was in London. And it's like I saw somebody underneath the arches in the embankment and, you know, obviously they're no right. I mean, they're just a little blanket and you're just thinking, you know, you should be somewhere warmer, but you know, they're not in the zone to have a look after this. Yeah, it's heartbreaking. You know what I mean? When you first came down London, what was your plans then? When you had a fiver, what were your goals? I think I just wanted to be a pop star. It was basic shit, man. I mean, when I got into 22, I realised I wasn't very good at playing the bass. So I stopped and started running. You know, I started to own the little club, the living room. But the initial thing was when I got into music, which was about 10, I was into Bowie and Slade and T-Rex, Roxy, you know, all these bands. I was obsessed by Glamrock. And I started going to the Apollo when I was about 11. That's before your time, James. What age are you, James? Well, I tell you, I'm an Elijah Mage, but I'm 35. Right, well, you're too young for the Apollo. But we all went to the Apollo, me and Bobby, you know, Andrew, and we all went to it. And I saw the gigs there. It was like some amazing, amazing shows there. I saw the who at the classical band. The who are great. You're brilliant. Yeah, I saw everybody. And then, you know, I got in the love of music, got a bass, got into punk. You know, I had a lot of punk bands. I then ended up in a classical band for a while just before it came to London. H2O, who only had a big hit. And I moved to London with Andrew. And then we were just, we got there. And how we got the squat was there was a girl with pink hair in Clapham and we went, can you, you know, do you know anywhere you can stay? And she went, oh, can you stay at mine? You know, we were like, and she was just a punk girl that just let us into her squat. And that was really the big break for us, was actually getting somewhere we could sleep. Because then we thought, well, we're no going back. Didn't it mean? It's scary to think that if you never met that girl, you could potentially have been homeless and... To be fair, we would have found something, right? Yeah, survivors. That's the Glasgow mentality. But I mean, we got lucky really early. Like the first, within 10 days, we had a squat. Because you're best friends with Bobby Glespie. Yeah, I grew up with him. So we got school together, you and Bobby? Yeah, yeah. We went to King's Park School to meet each other. But supposedly, I was reading something the other day on some sort of internet forum that we had like the two most famous people to come out of King's Park. Which is funny, itself, because it's like, do you know what, we hate school. Absolutely detested school. You know what I mean? And I think that goes for anybody watching that. Just because your standard grades are your A-levels or whatever it is, you don't need to have the best to have a successful career. You don't need to be the smartest in the school to have the biggest and best career. I think, James, for my generation, that's 100% true. I don't know if the younger generation did. I think maybe you do. But I mean, for whatever, we didn't have a choice. We came out with one level. There was no expectancy on me or him. He was working in a printing factory and I started working in a caller factory, bringing a machine down and making callers. We were factory fodder, working class kids, when we were just factory fodder. But what we did both have is this love of rock and roll, love of punk. And when we got the chance, we both done it. And the great thing with Bob is he used to design my sleeves. And when I first started the label, so he'd design the sleeves and do the sleeves. Do you know what I mean? Do you think if you weren't as friends, do you think being each other's best friends helped both your careers strive? Yeah, big time. Because there was a lot of times that we'd just trusted each other. And because we grew up with each other, we were never going to fuck each other over. Do you know what I mean? So it was an intense friendship. The downside of that years later, you know what I mean? We hated each other's guts for five years. So it's kind of like an intense, we're kind of more like brothers and mates. Do you know what I mean? We're kind of like, he annoys me, I annoy him, but we love each other. But that's the sign of good friends as people. I think we're living a soft generation where people can't take a fucking joke. People can't take anything serious. And then before you know it, take the huff. I think if you don't speak to somebody for five years, but even at that stage of the proletary thought, I'm a proletarian, it's probably just stubbornness. Who's going to phone who first? How did you end up speaking to again it together after the five year? Well, it's a bit of a celebrity story, but I'll tell you, I was a, how did it start? It was a petty fucking argument, man. It was a big take, because I was getting into DJing Belfast. And it was just, it was one of these fucking stupid arguments. And like, we just, you know, idiots, both idiots. And ended up with any talk to each other for five years. And then I was up a mountain in Spain with Bob Gilder from Palsway. And he turns around to me, he goes, it's that fucking Gillespie over there. And I was like, like it is. And then I went on over with Bob. And then that was good mates again. That's good, isn't it? Yeah, yeah. He was fine when I saw him, but I just didn't see him for five years. And he's that thing now? Oh yeah. I mean, it's not the same to be absolutely honest, James. It's different than it was. But he's okay, you know what I mean? I mean, he's a married guy with kids and you know, I've got a family and all that stuff. So it's easy. But it used to be, we used to live in each other's pockets. It's not that anymore, but we're still good mates. We get old and people drift apart. But the best mates are the ones who you can phone after six months or a year and they'll be there. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. No, it's alright. It's a family. Yeah, no shy to admit you've had drug abuse and drug problems and stuff like that and substance abuse. When did that all start? When did you start getting into the drug scene? I suppose, you know, that was probably about 85, 86. I started dabbling with everything. And then in 87, I started getting really properly torn in. And then really, I was just, I was just a mess, really. Well, not a mess. I had a huge, a huge success commercially. Do you know what I mean? Because I had House of Love, Mable of the Valentine primals, you know, Mable of the Valentine rides. All these bands that I had in that zone, Teenage Fan Club, and they were all having like big, big records. Do you know what I mean? Screamadelica, Loveless, Bandwagon-esque. And then it got to the early 94. I mean, there was a lot of other stuff happened in that zone. I was like, I sold the company, half the company to Sony at a certain point. Oh, because I was going bankrupt. But I'd had all these huge albums. I had three huge albums out and it was two months, right? And they all were smashing it. Teenage Fan Club were breaking America. And I was still having financial problems, do you know what I mean? Because it was like we started with no money, no seed money. We just started with a thousand pound bank loan in 1984. So basically I sold 59% of it to Sony. And we rattled on a bit. It was a lot of pressure. And, you know, drugs played their part. And it got to the early 94. And I just thought, I'm going to get off this. You know, I mean, you know, and I went into rehab and I came out. And then I was literally the most sober man in Britpop for the next fucking few years. Every other fucking was off the map. I wasn't off my nerves. When you were on the drugs at the time, how could you run so many successful bands? Do you think that helped it for some weird reason? In a weird way at that point in my life. To take away the pressure and the worry and anxiety. Yeah, I did it at that point. Was it Coke? Was it Charlie? Coke, cane, booze, speed. Just use your suspects. Yeah, yeah, everything. But then in the 80s and 90s, it was kind of the thing to do. It was the drug scene was majorly kicking off there. So it must have felt normal. Getting on it with everybody. We on it with all the bands. Yeah, everybody. Yeah, yeah. I mean, I was the biggest party person at the label at that point. You know what I mean? It was just what it was. I mean, it was a zone of like, when I was in it and then I got out of it. And then it was quite difficult for people to get their head around the fact I'd changed. You know what I mean? It was difficult for people. I was young though, James. I was 33. That's a young time to get sober. I mean, what used to you get sober? 35. I get sober. It's a young look. If you get sober in your 30s, it's very young. I relapsed two or three times. Yeah, I relapsed. And after that, I relapsed in 2002, 2003 when I was managing the Libertines. And I relapsed with the booze for a couple of years. But I've been sober ever since. Do you know what I mean? I've been sober since 2004. I've been sober most of my adult life now. Congratulations. Do you think it helps the mindset there? 100% James. I got off the prescription medication in December and I've been doing that for about 20 years and I was at Valium and antidepressants. And it took me about a year to come off it, a year and a bit. But I'm so grateful that I could have come off it. Well done. I went to the headspace again. Well, this is definitely a new chapter of your life. Yeah, yeah, yeah. For everything you've came through. When you were on the drug scene, you signed away since when I was at 92? 93. Me, 93. I met the McKing Tuts while I was... One of the biggest bands in the world. Ever? Yeah, yeah, I agree. So how did that come about? It was a fluke, James. I was up the week before in Glasgow doing something because I was massively into the acid house thing and I think I was still kind of going to the sub club and all that sort of stuff in the early 90s. I think I'd been at the sub club the week before and I'd realised that this girl that I used to kick about with, it was in this band, Sister Lovers, Debbie Turner. I realised she was playing a first show at King Tuts. I was at the end of May. I think it was the bank holiday Sunday at that end, in the May 93. And I showed up and when I got there, it was sort of kicking off with these Madman Cunyans, about 12 of them and the security a little bit. I was getting really feisty and they were in this band and I'd never heard them. They'd come up totally on the make. I didn't know I was coming around because Debbie didn't know I was coming just to see if they could get on the bill. They jumped in the bus and this was a laces. And then I said to the promoter, which was DF, I think it was. And I said, let them play four songs because it was all my bands that were playing. And I went on up just to make sure that they didn't beat my band up. They had two little bands on and a laces played and they played four songs and then at that point I was like, fuck, I'm signing them. Do you know what I mean? And then at the end, Coiley, who was doing the laces sound, used to do the teenage fan club sound, their tour manager threw him off because he'd been doing coax right. So I went up to Coiley. Coiley loved me because I used to do coax with Coiley. And I said to Coiley, who's the leader of the band? Who's the manager? And he went, oh, it's a no-galliker. And I was like, all right, OK. And I did not let no-galliker know him but I got presented with no. And I just went, oh, do you want, can I sign you, do you know what I mean? And that was it. It was good. Because they were threatening to smash up the place. They didn't say it. They didn't say it. They was by inference, you know what I mean? But they've been quite hard for the security to deal with because we've got two security and 12 banks, you know what I mean? Because it was easier to let them play. Yeah. I was on YouTube. Who? YouTube. YouTube. Management, trying to sign them and double their salary. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I was at a guy called Malcolm at the record company, the YouTube record company, tried to double or treble the advance Andy McDonald at CODIS, tried to sign them. But to be fair, Oasis would always like that. No-no-galliker in particular. Very loyal, do you know what I mean? Yeah, a massive band. Do you think if you never signed them, your career would be as it was? No, I would sign big bands. I'd done good up to that point. I'd done as well as anybody else was doing, if you know what I'm trying to say, up to that point. In the music business, that would have been, like, if you'd had Scream of Delica and Teenage Fan Club and blah, blah, blah. That would have been kind of cool. I'd have been doing as good as anybody else was doing, if you know what I'm trying to say. And then, by then, I mean, Oasis, I think, well, I was involved with, I think we sold almost 60 million records, do you know what I mean? And it's still going. I think it must be about 100 million records. That's unbelievable. There's a lot. A guy from Kings Park. It must make you proud. It must make you proud, but even though it's difficult because people who live that life, it doesn't seem as big. It might sound weird, but because you've lived it, it might not seem as big, Liam Gallic or Noel Gallic, but people look at the outside, it is fucking phenomenal. It is phenomenal. I don't really see it like the way you're saying it, but I hear you, because most people's reaction is like that, but I don't, because I suppose I've lived inside that bubble for a long time, do you know what I mean? I think the question that probably everybody wants to ask is, do you think they will ever get back together? It is the question they've, I asked the whole time. I don't think in it, not in the foreseeable future dreams, do you know what I mean? Maybe in years to come, maybe, but I mean, there's a lot of bad blood between them at the moment, you know what I mean? Do you think it would ever be as big? I think it would be big, do you know what I mean? That's not a, it's just, you know, trying to get to the end of the gig about killing each other. But if they did it, they'd still be good, I think, do you know what I mean? Because you've got the social media, you've got the online platform, they never had that in the 90s. No. And do you look at how many albums there's so worldwide? Well, I mean, they were like, they went viral before you could go viral, do you know what I mean? Literally, that just exploded, do you know what I mean? It took everybody by surprise. I mean, because I signed them May 93 and actually, I didn't get them signed to that October, it took me about five months to get them signed, but it's like, and then they did Nebworth August 96. So that was a really fast, they did Scotland, they did Loch Lomond, do you know what I mean? They love Scotland. What's that? They love Scotland. It was a really fast, it was a really, really fast, you know, ascension. Because when you look at the tour, they're both legends. Yeah, yeah. There's again, one of the biggest bands ever. Yeah, yeah. When you signed them, did you realise when you first watched them, did you think to yourself, they're going to be massive, they're going to be great? No, they're absolute opposite. I thought they're probably good for an album and they're good for an album. If I get out before the Stone Roses second album, I might nick some of that audience, but I never thought it was a career band. I was just putting it out. I thought it's a good band. It's quite Stone Roses, because it's seen four songs, bang it out and see what happens and it fucking exploded. Who was the worst one to deal with? Noel or Liam? This is the real truth. I never had really bad experience with the Galway girls at all. Liam was always nice and Noel was a gen. Do you know what I mean? There were more run-ins with them post than during that. Because that's when you were... When you signed them, were you still on the drugs at that point in 93? I was partied a few times with them. That must have lasted a good few months at a time. No, it was like... When I signed them in 93, I got sober February 94, but I had a few good nights with them. What do you think the way is best song is for yourself personally? Probably Slide Away. For the early stuff anyway. But I mean, I love lots of it. It's a good band. For all the bands that you've had, who would you say was your best album ever? A debut album? Well, debut is probably... Oasis definitely may be, but maybe the best album ever put out was Scream of Delica. Fragile Scream, yeah. Because Libertines and that are great as well. I didn't actually put that out, I just managed them. The management game is phenomenal, what you've achieved. Did you have that drive to be successful? I mean, I just wanted to... I just like music, I still do that. I still manage Happy Mondays and Cast in Las Vegas. I still manage a few bands. And I've got Creation going again, it's a seven inch label, James, called Creation23. I've got a load of little bands. I just do music because I want to do it, James. I'm like, I ended up doing it at 58. You're doing it because you want to do it. Ultimately, you know what I mean? Most of the people that I grew up with they've all quit now, do you know what I mean? Because I suppose they don't love it as much as me, I don't know. I mean, most of them have fucked up. You've got to have your passion for something that doesn't matter how much money you make or what you do, if you've not got that drive or that passion to keep achieving, to keep producing number one albums or to keep signing the biggest bands. I mean, it's a bit different. We're not really putting that many records out in recent times, but we're starting again with the little bands like Seven and Singles, it's going to be good to you. So what is the Seven? What is that you're doing? I just say, you know, when we run into like it was out on the Mondays in Australia when you contacted me and I'm signing the band that was out playing was in Australia, the Lululees. So I'm just like, I'm just having it. I literally, James, I'm having a good time at the moment. It's a good time in my life. Clean hands so far. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, I've been sober for a long time, but getting off the meds is big as well, man. Massive. Of course, and I always say that. I think pharmaceutical drugs kill more people than other drugs, so it can just be as bad. Just because a doctor prescribes it doesn't mean it's actually helping and understanding that some people use it to maybe help their nerves or sleep or whatever medication they're on. But for me personally, they feel good factoring naturally, being clean. No, no, it's big. We were talking before you came on, before we came on this and talking about the mental health thing. And that's like, I think, I think and, you know, a lot of the drug stuff going on in music is mental health issues. I mean, I'd say that I've been plagued by mental health issues probably my entire life, but I've broken them. I've broken it down just by numbing it with drugs, do you know what I mean? So it's like, you know, I think that's what I did. How did you come off at all? Did you go to rehab? Yeah, I went to rehab really close to here, actually. I went to the Charter Nightingale and just next to a padded station, you know, I went in there. Do you know what I mean? Sorry, I was just somebody walking by there. Yeah, yeah, right. But you're feeling great now. Yeah, I'm fucking, I mean, I'm, you know, it's weird coming off like even, because you don't really think about it. You just think it's meds, but coming off the prescription drugs, it's like you could feel yourself, you know, really booming and you're like, all right, this is what normality is. Energy. I haven't seen this base in my head for a long time. For a long time. Because it's trying to quiet the demons down. It's trying to quiet everything down in the mind where it's, what other are thinking about when you're talking about the addictions. Yeah. It does. We take drugs to try and shut it up and hear whatever the fuck we're overthinking. I think with me it was definitely, definitely that, you know, when I was on Coke and booze and all that. And then it's been different times. I've definitely used it to nullify myself, do you know what I mean? Yeah, it's difficult, but you've done it. No, I know. I mean, the thing is the interesting thing, James, from your programme, because I know what you're trying to do, but you're going to reach people that aren't got addiction problems. I've been a drug addict. I've been a recovering drug addict. I've been an alcoholic and all these different things. And I've still had success, and if you put your mind to it, you can do whatever you need to do, but it's a lot. The only thing I'd say is a lot easier to do it sober. Yeah, definitely. I mean, it's a bit like today, meeting you today and getting here 20 to 10 ready for you. It's like, you know what I mean? The old me would have been like, show up some point. You know what I mean? I think it's definitely it's no better feeling than being clean and sober, but no necessarily because you're cleaning sober. Every day is a great day. We still have our moments. I still battle every fucking day whatever problem or addiction I have. I still think about gambling. I still think about the drug thing. Big Mark, who's gave us his place in Harley Street today, speaks about it when he tells his story, but we're laughing. We kind of get excited because we know how fucked up and crazy it was. And sometimes everything does quiet down, but again, it's to stay in the right path and do big things. Do you think now that if you send a band to a mad on the drugs, you would try and guide them more and try and... It's difficult. I mean, I had lover teens and they were like, off they're not. Do you know what I mean? And, you know, I don't think, I didn't get them sober, let me put it that way, you know what I mean? In some ways, I think, if a band are just absolutely mad like that, you're probably only frustrating yourself because you can see that if they did it sober, they'd be like, they'd be in a much better place in their heads. But people, the thing is, it's like, you know what, and I know it. I mean, if you're not ready to get off, then there's no point in anybody berating you too much about it because it's like, it comes you within, you know, if you're going to get sober. Definitely, you need to want to change yourself. And it's a bit like, you know, the thing is, it's just a better place to be and you're happier in your head, you know, if you can get off everything. But anybody that takes drugs are escaping, are hiding from normality. They don't like life, but yet, when they take drugs, they're all loud. I mean, if we're being honest with each other, they're scared of something generally. Do you know what I mean? They're hiding because they're scared. Yeah, totally agree. And all the biggest baddest men out there who sit at parties and they think it's great, it ain't great because... Well, they've done it. I mean, I've totally done it, but it's like, but ultimately you're scared of something. Normality? Yeah, definitely. What would you class as a good manager then, or a good record label? How would you... Because it doesn't seem to be a lot... A lot of people seem to fall out a lot more now. There's not... It doesn't seem to have a lot more loyalty in the industry. How would you say... I think just understand the group, try and facilitate what the group are trying to do. And you know, you can add on your own experience and you can... You know, if you understand the game, then you can make it wider for them. Do you know what I mean? Definitely, but for you, you run one of the biggest record labels in the United Kingdom. I was mad. I got a really good run of the green. I think a lot of it, though, with James, was I came along at the right time. Do you know what I mean? And I got... There was a few lucky breaks. Do you know what I mean? My best friend was Bobby Gillespie, who was like a fucking great music guy that had success with his band, trained me up to sign Oasis and deal with that, and had six, seven years by Oasis. I was like... When it was really intense in that 90s period. So I got lucky a couple of weeks. Yeah, but I believe you make your own luck because you've got to hold the dice. You miss 100% of the shots you don't take, and I know such a cheesy line has probably been seen and said everywhere, but if you never went to Kingtux, if you never spoke to these places, you've got to open the doors and you coming here the day opens more doors for me because fucks sake, I'll make you own that show. We've got to be in it to win it. Exactly. The fact is, in 1993, when I went into that place, I was probably the only person mad enough in the music business to be in Glasgow on a bank holiday Sunday night going to a show to see the fourth band on the bill, even though it was a fluke. So you do make your own luck to a certain extent. Do you think if you'd never signed Oasis that night, then somebody else would have took them? I think they would have got signed. Look, it was the perfect fit both ways. You know, they changed my life completely. I'm not denying that. But equally, we gave them the setting to be Oasis. If they'd went into a more corporate structure, I'm not sure it would have worked for them just as well. As much as they've changed your life, you've also changed theirs. I contributed. Yeah, definitely. Are you still in contact with the guys? A little bit. I mean, I'm great friends with Noel. We just haven't seen him for about a year. Saw my guerrillas gig when he was jumping up and I was with Sean Ryder, who I managed. I haven't seen Liam for a bit. I'm a DJ for him last year. But I never saw him at the gig. But we're actually all right, you know what I mean? So when I see them, I see them. Oh, that's stoke. I mean, you see them, you see them. That's good. Do you think you will ever find that band as big? Are you on the hunt for somebody? I'm always on the hunt for great new stuff. But I mean, I don't think it's not as... I don't think anybody could be as big as that anymore. It's like, that was a phenomenon that culture... It was post-acid house, or the club kids wanted, like, wanted a rock band and tunes. And it was just culture which decided that they wanted something at that point. And that was Oasis and it blew up. I don't think everything could come together again like that. Do you know what I mean? The Vine Timing. Was that, you know? The Vine Timing. Yeah, I mean, it was only for that long. It was only for two or three years, but it was massive at that point. What was this script with the drummer, the first album, the boy who gets sacked? What was that story? That was just, you know... I don't think... The way they were going with their music, you know, I think he'd have probably struggled to be the drummer. I think it was as basic as that, you know what I mean? Just wasn't scripted. Actually, to his credit, though, I actually really liked the drumming in the first album because it's so punk. But I don't think... When you got to the big songs in the second album, I don't think he'd have really been able to do it. But what I do, they feel sorry for them getting that far along the journey, up to some might say, and then no telling them he's out of the band, you know what I mean? It was cruel, you know what I mean? Of course, but sometimes to progress, and if you see a weakness or you see something... Yeah, just the way it is, it's like... It's a cruel twist of fate, you know what I mean? Especially with the success they had after that. Yeah. Because you're running... Glass Vegas, how are they getting on? It's good. It's like, you know, it's like James, you know... They need to do a gig for three or four years, do you know what I mean? And I found them initially, again, at King Tots. I need to get myself done at King Tots. It was in 2006, James. And I was a... They were, like, third on the bill. And I'd been talking to his sister, his co-manager. And, you know, and I went, saw it, it was great. And then I kind of, like, I was, like, really down with them and everything. And then I went off to bring up my daughter in 2008 in Wales for five years. And they went on and thrundled through being in Glass Vegas. And then about a year and a half ago, we all got in contact with each other again properly. And I met them in Glasgow. And then, like, I've ended up going back into management with the sister, you know, so we managed Glass Vegas together. Do you think there's anybody coming through the ranks just now in the UK? There's some good bands, some good little bands. You know, I mean, you know, I've got a few... You know, I've got three or four really good ones. And there's some good bands, like in England, Idol, Shame, Ireland, Fontaine's, D.C. There's some good bands. Is there any bands that you've seen and you've thought they're just as good as Oasis, but never reached the heights, potentially? I mean, I should have... Yeah, there's loads of bands that go half the way there. But usually there's a personality default in the middle of that, do you know what I mean? Like, somebody's kind of, like, not quite right, you know? Just like anything in life, you know? Is there a lot of bands that they like to drink, they like to party and fight and... That's the kind of... Yeah. The scene for the punk rock stuff and the... Yeah. I mean, is that no tiring, is it? No, you go, fuck me, is that a zoo? There are bands that don't really so much like that anymore, James. It's more like, you know... If anything, they're all worried about their careers. It's like, give us some of these old-style bands that are a bit mental, because at least they're... You know, at least they're spicy, do you know what I mean? Do you know how that buys that, though? People buy that, the bands that don't give a fuck, the ones that just... I think so. You've got to have the tunes, though. Do you know what I mean? I mean, the Libertines got away with it, because they had the tunes. No matter how mental Peter was, or Carol was, you know, they had the tunes, do you know what I mean? Yeah. So which are plans for the future? Where do you see yourself? I'm just going to keep doing it, James. Do you know what I mean? You know, I'm going to... You know, I want to develop the label a little bit, you know, put out some more records. You know, I'm on the lookout for maybe another couple of bands to manage that are more established. I'm going to do this Q&A tour this year and next year. To be honest, I'm just kind of having a good time doing it, do you know what I mean? Yeah, it's good. I'm in London mainly to try and keep my son sober, do you know what I mean? So, you know, that's what I'm really up to, you know, I'm down here, you know? And I'm in London a lot more because of that, you know? Fingers crossed because, like I say, you're on a good path. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You're doing good things. You can think straight and... Yeah. Because it can be difficult, especially London. It's a hundred miles an hour. I try to say hello to people today and it's kind of as if you've just threw shit in their face. It's a kind of... I love it down here. Yeah, yeah. It is a buzz, but nobody smiles. They forget to live. They forget to take... They're too busy trying to get to their meeting. They're just... It's a... I love it, but look... I'm in Harleys Street interviewing Alan McGee. Do you know what I mean? I've came a long way and it's great, but... It's the first time I've been in Harleys Street and I've seen a shrink. LAUGHTER Did you see Mini? Back in the day. Mini psychologist. Yeah. There's one just... Literally it is just around the corner. One of the main guys in London is a guy called Keith Stoll. That I've seen a few times. And he's just down that Wigmore Lane. Literally down there. That's a beautiful street. Literally about 10 yards away from this front door is his street. I was laughing when I was going... I know that street. It is a cracking street, but this is the street for the biggest clinics in the world. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Or a plastic surgery, or a psychologist. Again, but there's a psychologist probably here 1500 quid an hour or whatever. No quite, but I know what you're saying. Yeah. They're up the arse out of it, don't they? Yeah, yeah, yeah. So for your plans and... I'm just going to keep going, James. I mean, I want you to come 75A, but if I can get away with it. If you've got a time limit on it. No, I've not. I mean, I swim every day, man. I'm really healthy at the moment. I swim every day, you know? I mean, I've kind of got my joy of life back here. How's your eating? Great, man. I was like a totally healthy way. I'm no coffee. Coffee's a big one, actually. Every day it's going, oh, I'll have a cup of coffee. Is that addiction? I think it gets your gut. And I think your gut's got an intelligence weird. It makes your whole body go like that. Get off the coffee. Your gut's connected to your brain. Your gut's the same material as your brain. That's why when you get... Yeah, yeah. So when you get a gut feeling, it's actually your second brain telling you. Yeah. So it's all connected. It's all made of the same material. But coffee gives you that anxious thing. And no meat. I'm off the meat. Green machines all the time. Vegetarian. Yeah, but pescetarian. Fish. I take that fish, yeah, yeah. And, yeah. And I'm on that apple cider vinegar. It's great, man. Fuck's sake, Alan. You've went full... You've went full hell kick, haven't you? I'm the same apple cider vinegar with hot water. I was vegan. Yeah, yeah. But I love chocolate. I love chocolate. Yeah. And I went vegetarian. I've dug up... Do you know who it was that told me about apple cider vinegar? It was Bez. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Because it's Bez. Abbey Mundy's. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He said to me because he was McGee, get on apple cider vinegar. And I was like, whatever, Bez. And then my Mrs actually said to me, you need to get on apple cider vinegar. Because I had colitis a couple years ago. And it changed my diet. And, you know, it got on apple cider vinegar. And it totally changed me. So it cleans out your gut. Yeah, yeah. It cleans out everything. It cleans out your remedies. And that's where I don't... That apple cider vinegar, I got off stomach meds and everything because of that. Yeah, yeah. It's powerful. Yeah, yeah. The whole stuff was a wee place. I got it in Glasgow called Roots and Fruits. And I got all that stuff in... But it's weird, doesn't it? Now that, you know, like the other, the rock and roll generation are now all... We're all into, you know, eating healthy and drinking. Drinking healthy, you know what I mean? Is Bez cleaning sober or is he...? I don't really call him cleaning sober. But he's actually... He's actually, you know, he has into a lot of different health stuff. You know what I mean? Yeah, yeah. We're in with these forever. And I think because they're internet, there's so much more research where you can actually look into things because we're just uneducated. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We're used to the pieces in sausage where hundreds of tomato sauce and big bottles of... I'm trying to go pieces in sausage. I should spend more time in Glasgow. Because I've no got what I'm doing here. No, no. But it's just that nobody says pieces in sausage. Because I went, oh, I talked to the road. Steph, what was that place we went across the road? Pret? Steph, rolling... We were rolling sausage on the grass. We were getting crispier rolls and some modern rolls. They're beautiful. It's just... I think there's more research now. I think people are just uneducated about what they're eating or what they're drinking. Even drugs. When you're taking drugs, you don't know what the fuck you're putting up your nose. No, it's terrible. I mean, I now think about my time going... I mean, like, you know, especially in America. What was I doing? You know what I mean? We take a lot of drugs in America. Yeah, everywhere. You know what I mean? Take crazy. That's it. But that was a lifestyle, that kind of glitzy lifestyle. And a lot of people who look from the outside think, I want that life. No realising there's more people with mental health issues that are famous than anybody in the world. I think you're right. I think you're right. Because... And in any way, people, you know... You can now tell when people are having issues. Do you know what I mean? It's like, you know, because people are calling it what it is, do you know what I mean? Yeah. When people are having meltdowns, it's like, it's not because they're a diva. Because they're on the right. Do you know what I mean? Yeah, because fame is an illusion. It doesn't exist. It's a useless currency. Yeah, people say, oh, he's looking for fame doesn't mean fuck all. But I think when people are on a pedestal and people are craving their attention, once people don't crave their attention as much, they start thinking their life is inadequate. They don't think it's important. And that's when they're dabbling on drinking or drugs to fuel. Important again because you look at girls like, Amy Winehouse, what a talent. Yeah, yeah, crazy. What an absolute great talent. Yeah. You'll see a lot of... I've had some of my pals like, you know, Robert Young's throw up in Primal Screen, died at 49. I mean, loads of people that have just went, you know what I mean? You know, the biggest party guy and our whole thing, our whole, you know, our whole scene coming through to London and everything like that. And, you know, ended up dying. You know what I mean? Has anybody ever tried to come out and speak out about the band kind of scene and the, like, because it was social acceptable, they got a hotel, smashed them up. But you know what, Jesus, it's bigger than that. It's like, I remember the first time you get, you're a little guy in a band or a manager in a band. When I was managing the Mary Chain, when I was 23, we blew up. And I was the manager and you'd go into, like, Nottingham Rock City and you'd open the fridge and there'd be 50 beers. And you're 23 and it's all for free. Are they free? Do you pay for them? Do you know what I mean? And, like, the culture is. Take what you want. You've travelled the world. Where's the best place? You've been to. Where's the best place that you love and the best people that have, you've had a good band and the fans are great. And... I don't know, mate. It's like, I mean, I just visited Australia last week. That was great. I sold out Happy Mondays to in Australia. That was great. Maybe Japan, man. I love Japan. I'm going there in about three weeks time to DJ. So what do you do? What kind of stuff do you DJ? I don't know if I'm... I just whenever, whatever really, for that thing, it'll be kind of dancing. Much more like an old acid house set. Acid house kind of set for the 90s. But it's like late 80s. But, you know, I mean, it depends who's booking. If it's a load of fucking Britpop kids, I'll play... You know what I'll play? I'll play Oasis, the Love of Teens, The Beatles. You know what I mean? How is your style of music changed as you've got all the review? How does it progress? Because I'm still turned on by the same music. Still turned on by Glam and Punk. That's what I'm into. Do you think there's anybody coming through the ranks? Again, I know I've asked the question in the UK, but worldwide, is there anybody that sticks out for you? Yeah, that's good new bands. It's like, you just, you can never, you just got to keep away because you can never tell who's going to be great. I remember when I first heard Nirvana and I was like, you know, I mean, you know, and they were fully formed. I was like, how did I know hear this before? Yeah, it's crazy, isn't it? Yeah. The way we think and everybody's different. It's... That's a great time for music, James. The 90s was just, it's so many great bands, you know, the obvious ones are Nirvana and Oasis, but it's like, there's so many great bands for the 90s, you know what I mean? Oh, I, 80s was great. Who would you say was the big, take away Oasis, who would you say was the biggest band of all time? Well, they don't know the biggest band of all time, but they're big. Yeah, yeah. For me, the Beatles probably, ultimately. Yeah. Do you know what I mean? Queen and that were amazing. Amazing, yeah, yeah. I liked them. Yeah, the Beatles, I think they're still number one bestseller worldwide. Yeah, because it's like, it's a never-ending sort of thing. You know what I mean? You know, it's like, they're reversing a copyright after 50 years. I think they've had to change the laws to make it 75 years because the Beatles are still popular. Did Michael Jackson have the rights to their songs? I see. He had to publish in rights. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, because that must have been worth 100 or something. 100 or something. I met Michael Jackson, did you? Yeah, I did meet him, yeah. I met him twice. The first time was in 1992. It was before the paedophile shot. And because he kept, I think it was, he was outed as a paedophile initially, but in 1994. He was signed to Sony with creation. And they said, oh, come to Japan to meet everybody. And I flew to Japan. I had a week in Japan. At the end of it, Michael Jackson had been doing eight nights at the Tokyo Dome. Right? And, and, and I was, Bobby was into, I think Bobby was playing a show. And Bobby wanted to go and I didn't want to go. And they went, they went, Gillespie's not coming, but we'll have McGee because he thought I was more sane. He was foolishly, right? We're there wrong. And then, and then we, we went through all this security and we get taken in. And then we put in this room of people wanting to meet Michael Jackson. I was the only person in the room that didn't want to meet Michael Jackson. And Sony were picking five people to meet Michael Jackson. And I went, Alan McGee, create on records. And I went through, I mean, he's really tall, Michael Jackson. And it was like a photo opportunity. And they never sent me the photo. And you had to announce yourself to Michael Jackson. And when I get nervous, I get really Scottish, right? And I went, Alan McGee, create on record. And I'm like, Michael Jackson, look at you fucking freak. And I got, I met him that time. And then, just for a photo. And then the next time I met him was about 96. And I was getting on Concord. And there was a guy, a really high-up British, British Airbies kind of guy, went, are you with Michael? And this was something early, early January 97, I think it was. And we were like, yeah, we're just taking the piss, me and my pal. And we went on up the back. And it was, this is when I kind of knew he was a pedophile though. There was, there was Michael Jackson. I thought, there was four security, two security, two or three security. I think a manager guy, I think, or a tour manager guy, Michael Jackson, and about a 14 or 15-year-old guy dressed as Michael Jackson on Concord. And I was like, that's fucking weird. Do you know what I mean? Because who travels with one of their fans dressed up as them? And you had to go at that point, that's not right. Do you know what I mean? That's not right. I think he's, there's never any smoke without fire. Yeah, that's not right. Do you know what I mean? I've always sort of known he's not right. Well, in the back of your mind, but then you look at guys like Jimmy Savill, who, they've just got a question, just looking at them, we've got a question, but they were loved and it's hard because he's never had a conviction of Michael Jackson and he's known here to fight his case. So it's difficult, but I do... It's interesting, nor the stuff, it's just kind of... Yeah, it's always tough there, but again, there isn't any smoke without fire, but for me, I think he was young himself and apparently he was castrated. They basically took his balls away, so they could keep his, this is just a story that I can about, so they could keep his voice so young. Is that right? So he never really had such a touchy subject that it's so mixed, but again, that industry is rife with it and yeah, it's sad to think that because he's, he was the biggest, he was the biggest artist out there all. He was the biggest entertainer. All I know James is I actually met him a couple of times, the second time I met him, he was a 15-year-old, 14-year-old boy. How was it when you met him? Was it weird then? We didn't see the scene, we just kind of looked at him and we looked at him. Do you know what I mean, we're just thinking, you know, me and my pal, Ed Ball, we're just like, a fucking weird guy, man. I mean, it would fly about with a 14-15-year-old person. Yeah, that's the fact. Maybe a guy that was into that would, but we were like, that's too weird. But it's a bit blatant and it's a bit out there. Well, he was in there, I think it was in the sun, like, I think it was in the mirror of the sun. The date, like Michael Jackson, they didn't even say he was a young boy. It was just like, it was going through the, through the airport that he threw, I think we landed you on. It's a touch, you're subjected, it's hard to think, but again, it's there's fucking things that people are, are kind of mad in that industry, that people do go kind of nuts. Yeah. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. Was there anybody, you've met, you've met a lot of illustrators in your time. Yeah. Was there anybody with a starstruck way or want, really want to meet? Yeah. One time I was in the dressing room, the only time ever really that have been starstruck, if you want to call it that. I didn't know what to say. I was in, I was supporting Neil Young. And Neil Young came in the dressing room for about 10 seconds and walked out. And I was like, I don't know what time I was in Glasgow. I was at the, what's that wee posh gaffe? Is it one, what's that hotel up in the West End? Oh, One Devonshire Gardens. One Devonshire Gardens I was staying there, right? And James Brown had been playing the SEC the night before and I walked into the room and it was an empty, empty room. A posh version of this room and sitting there was James Brown up in the chair. And I was like, and I thought, and I just walked out. Because I didn't know what to say. What do you say to James Brown? I was like, I don't know. I was like, I've been there's a couple of times I've worked. I'm not doing this, do you know what I mean? He's not that. But usually I'm okay. Usually I'm just like, how you doing? The American, why is the American star so big over there? Like your James Browns, your Marvin Gaye, the back me day, the stardom that they had was, I don't know. Because America's so big as well. I suppose once you get to that level, you don't fall down, so it's a bit, do you know what I mean? They're up there. But your Stevie Wonders, they're massive, massive guests. Was there anybody from the UK that went to America and never cracked it that you thought should have cracked it? I mean, there's loads of people should have cracked America. I mean, Oasis should have cracked America. They done okay, but I mean they should have got absolutely massive in America. You know, loads of bands. Most British bands should have cracked it. It's always weird British bands crack America, do you know what I mean? Yeah, is it because David Gray or something? They're not like, why is that? They're not like the personalities or the music. I think what it is, I mean the old school America, I'm not sure anymore if it's like this, but the British bands were too, they were too outspoken really, generally speaking, for America. They don't really want anybody with their own opinion do you know what I mean? The Americans don't really act like that. They don't really do that. Yeah, but I mean, it's, I mean, you go to see Bruce Springsteen and, you know, in New Jersey and there's like, it's in an arena. It's doing five nights in an arena in New Jersey and there's not one black person there. Do you know what I mean? It's a weird country. Do you know what I mean? It's all everybody's like white and a bit 40 year old. Do you know what I mean? Yeah, it's so big. It's fucking massive. So you're loving life to know you're doing well. I'm in a good place. I'm in a good place. I mean, I mean, I could be doing better, but I mean, I'll say that. How come? I know, I was just like doing things. Do you like to keep busy? Yeah. Is that to keep the mind at bay? No, I think it's just I'm addicted to doing shit. Did you have a goal set or anything or plan? No. What you were going to do? I just get on with it and done it. I was thinking of this recently when I was a kid before I got a break in the music business, maybe 22 because I got excited to happen with 23 because I managed the Mary chain. We blew up and then I was in, like, California playing 4,000 people managing the band. I was like, mad. But I suppose by 21-22 I used to think it'll be my year next year. Do you know what I mean? I suppose it was a wee bit like that. And then when it happened you just get into it. Only fools and horses this time next year about love you now. Yeah, but I think I was about like that when I was a kid. Do you know what I mean? But you've done it. Yeah. You've fucking done it. Yeah, you've done it. You've done it for King's part to Harleys Street. Is there any bands you would have loved to have got that you think I could have took them even further than? But I mean, I don't know if I could have taken them further, who knows. But I'd love to have got my stone roses one of my favorite bands. Do you know what I mean? But yeah, I mean, I love the punk bands. I was just a bit young for it. Do you know what I mean? Really, you know what I mean? I was like, the time I got there they were kind of on the descent. But I mean, I love a lot of that punk stuff. I love, you know, I just love all the main bands. They're very well-liked but that must help an industry though. What's that? They're very well-liked they're very well-respected. So if you're trying to open doors for people then people will give you that. Yeah, I mean, I don't know, right? With people, you know, I mean, you know, luckily I've not pissed too many people. There's a few people out there, James, it's not that hard to fight. That's no time. I'm actually related to most of them. Because your management skills though, they must be they must be second to none even though you might not think it. You must have something to have created all those bands, you must have created hundreds and millions of albums sold. I know when you shut the fuck up. Yeah, I mean, a lot of people don't know when to shut the fuck up. I don't. You give me something here all day. Half it's that. Half it's just shut up at the right point. And listen. Yeah, do you know what I mean? Have you got a lot of family back in Glasgow? Yeah, I've got a few. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I've got sisters and everything, yeah, they're good. What my sister's is and watches you. Yeah. I love that. Because I messaged you and you were actually going to messaged me. Yeah, I was. The Paul Ferris one, the Joe Steele one. I watched Kyle for the View one. I think I watched another one. And I thought, I should contact James. I nearly done it before I went to Australia. Then I was at Sydney Harbour walking around in a day off at Sydney Harbour and it was like, Alan, I've run a podcast and I came back immediately. I mean, I know. And I was like, that's Steph, Harley McGee's watching your podcast. I never come down to London and here we are. It's unbelievable. I've got questions. All right, mate. For the fans, we've got three questions. We've got one from Sean Brice. Your best, I think I've actually stole the guy's fucking question. The best debut album from any band you signed? Probably Oasis. Definitely maybe. Let me just think. No, it's got to be that one as a debut. Yeah. I think it's the best album anyway. Great album. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Do you still listen to that stuff? Yeah, I mean, you know, occasionally. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Does it bring back a lot of emotions when you hear it? No, only good ones. Do you know what I mean? You know, I was like happy time, ultimately, you know what I mean? Wait a minute. Wonderwall, when they were writing that, do you see me listening to that for the first time? Well, I heard it. I heard it. The very first time I ever heard that, James, was, was, you know, before it was just getting mixed. They'd recorded it with Owen Morris and I got it and it was like, oh, this is amazing. Do you know what I mean? Yes, it's going to blow up. Blow up. You know, I mean, because it was really commercial and we're going to have it away, you know. But I didn't hear it before that. That's crazy. We've got another question from Graham Bell. Was there a band you could have signed, but never, only for them to become massive under another label? Well, you like this, James. It's like, it's like, I was watching Chelsea, Crystal Palace, with my pal, Russell Warby and he goes to me. It's about 1998 and he goes to me, you know, Dave could all really like you. And I went, I like him. And he went, he goes, he goes, he'd love to bring the food fighters off EMI and onto creation. And I secretly thought they're not cool enough. Right. So I went, I'm not interested. And I should have done it. Do you know what I mean? Because I was so obsessed in the 90s with being fucking cool. And it's like, I should have just went, because it was, it was, it was kind of not that difficult to think they might become fucking massive. And they did. And they did. So I should have signed them. Well, I regret some things, didn't I? We've got another question from Rhys Mullin. What do you think of the music industry today, particularly rock and indie in its future? How do you see it? I think musically, the rock and indie things going through a slight resurgence now. You know, I think it's starting to reestablish itself. It'll probably the next few years, a few bands will break out of that. But I think the music industry has changed so much. It's a digital music business now. Do you know what I mean? Look at this show here now. You get two cameras, one guy doing it. It's just, it's, it compacts the word for the music industry now. Yeah. But you've got, there's more opportunities, though, for people and there's more opportunities and more platforms to get yourself, to get your music. You know, you don't necessarily need to have a manager now. A lot of people are doing their stuff online where they're getting millions and millions of hits, which is crazy. Do you know how to work the social media kind of stuff? I'm not brilliant at it, but I mean, I mean, I'm probably, I'm probably better than it than I think. I mean, I probably do know what I'm doing, but I don't think I do. Do you get a lot of, a lot of racist questions all the time? No, I just get a lot of mad people going, listen to this music. How are you? Do you get embarrassed or do you get kind of, because my show's getting off, it's, no, it's as big as I want to be, but I know how, when people stop ministry and I get embarrassed, and I see things like, your show's down great and I go, but that's just, that's just a kind of thing about people like ourselves that have been through drug addiction and all that stuff that were no good at taking, you're doing good. And like, because I don't, I don't take compliments particularly well, do you know what I mean? Because I've probably deep down, don't have a huge self-esteem. So when somebody goes, you're, you're going, you've done whatever, nobody really, you know, most people don't really like it. Because when you're on your drugs and you're signing these bands, like sometimes I don't deserve it, sometimes what I'm doing through homelessness or suicide, I was amazed at the show. I was actually more, I didn't think it, I don't deserve it. I was more thinking, how did that happen? Do you know what I mean? Really? So I was like, fuck I got that right. Because you don't really think you're going to do it. You go along doing it and you do the right things, but you know it's a crap shit. Was it a world wind? Yeah, I mean the whole, but I mean since I've come to London, it's been a world wind, it's been an unpopular state in your show, but I do love London, do you know what I mean? Yeah, I love London. It's great. It's just the people, it's not like grasshopper people. It's a bit expensive at the moment. I don't think it's getting cheaper than it seems. It is. We drove down here and it's, but again, this is a hustle and a grind. You've been there, you've done it, you've got to tell the tale. When you were saying that to me, James, you were saying, it's a, it's a hustle. In a way, I block it out. I think it's, I think it's the 11th of April. Because people, obviously when I said you were coming on a show, everybody's jumped on the bandwagon asking their questions and they're buzzing for it, but you're doing a lot of Q&As now in the UK, is that correct? Well, how that came about, James, was I did one at the British Music Explosion last year in Liverpool, I think it put up in line and from that, I got offered Helensbrough and, you know, I got offered in the UK, I got offered Helensbrough and Irvin, which I do a couple of weeks time, and I put them up the posters, up the one sale, sort of thing, and then suddenly a guy went, oh, I'll be your agent, all right, see what you can do, and then he's booked 33 shows, so suddenly I've got a tour, do you know what I mean? You enjoying that? Yeah, it's good, you know what I mean? I like being busy, to be absolutely honest, you know what I mean? I like doing stuff. I love it. Yeah, yeah. And for coming on the show today, I hope it was a good one. I'm grateful, mate, I am truly grateful for telling your story, Alan. Yeah, cheers. I really appreciate it, you're doing great, you're so good at it, and all the best for the future. Thank you. No doubt we'll be seeing much more of each other, so thanks a lot, mate. I just want to give a shout out to my main sponsor, Collins Morgan. My boy Chris has just had a baby son, he misses him and he misses, so congratulations and also, sponsored this show with select blinds, we'll have an advert at the end of this also, check it out and hope you enjoy the show. But Alan, again, thank you, mate. It's been a pleasure. Be a good one. Please make sure you subscribe to my YouTube channel and also click the notifications button so you are notified for when my next video goes on my channel. You can also catch me on Twitter at James English Zero or Instagram at James English Two or Facebook at James English Eleven. You can also download these podcasts on Podbean or iTunes. I just want to say thank you to my sponsors, Fire Suppression Scotland and select blinds for also sponsoring this episode. For all your fire safety requirements, fire alarms, fire extinguishers, fire risk assessment, fire doors and also CCTV, fire suppression, have your safety as their main priority. For inquiries, you can contact them on 01698 200 562 or email on infoatfiresuppressionscotland.org At select blinds, if you want to find something unique, then select blinds as a place for you. They take pride in their ability to manufacture blinds to order, using a range of materials and fabrics. They can take your needs, specifications and instructions to use them to create blinds of any colour or style. If you are looking for something that you have seen in a catalogue, then they keep of popular blinds and stock, each of which can be modified and sized to fit your windows perfectly. 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