CREEM

WHY THE RYDER NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT TODAY

Back in March, when we made the decision to publish the magazine without ad revenue, we thought the pandemic would be under control by September. Clearly, we were wrong about that. Today, with the end nowhere in sight, we are asking for your support to publish The Ryder into the spring. Read more

You can watch Creem right here, right now

Boy Howdy! The Story of Creem Magazine chronicles what some consider to be the greatest rock ‘n’ roll magazine ever made (with an iconic mascot designed by cartoonist, Robert Crumb). In this compelling film, Alice Cooper, Cameron Crowe, Michael Stipe, Chad Smith, Joan Jett, Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Kirk Hammett, and Wayne Kramer express their love and appreciation for Creem. Started in Detroit in 1969 by Barry Kramer, the magazine aimed to be the anti-Rolling Stone. Instead of covering artists in New York and Los Angeles, Creem was devoted to the sounds of the Midwest, particularly the booming scene in its hometown. They were the first to feature such bands as The MC5, The Stooges, and Parliament Funkadelic. But they weren’t just known for their work; the motley crew of a staff lived the rockstar lifestyle themselves, with their headquarters being a destination for debauchery. As their popularity rose, internal problems emerged between Kramer and notorious editor, Lester Bangs, causing chaos behind the scenes. Sadly, both Barry Kramer and Lester Bangs both died of drug overdoses in the early 80s. Director Scott Crawford uncovers the ups and downs of one of music’s biggest influencers in this entertaining rockumentary. The film’s title comes from the magazine’s catchphrase. When the cartoonist Robert Crumb wandered into the fledgling magazine’s offices in need of cash, he was offered $50 to draw the cover of issue No. 2. Crumb’s illustration included an anthropomorphized bottle of cream exclaiming “Boy Howdy!,” which became the magazine’s mascot and catchphrase.