CREEM, legendary rock magazine, relaunches after 33 years

More than three decades since it was last printed, this iconic rock ‘n’ roll magazine has been born anew. 

CREEM, launched out of a derelict Detroit bank in 1969, made a name for itself as the underground editorial project that could before suspending production in 1989. Now, 33 years later, “America’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll Magazine” is back with a fresh print edition, as well as a newly available digital archive — and a bigger plan to become its own entertainment company.

The revival is the passion product of JJ Kramer, the son of the magazine’s founder, the late Barry Kramer. 

“When CREEM ceased publication in 1989, it left a massive void that has never been filled, though many have tried,” JJ told The Post. “That’s why CREEM’s return is so significant; its unapologetic and wickedly funny sensibilities have been sorely missed by fans and bands alike. As the news has started to spread, the response has been nothing short of tremendous.”

Subscriptions for CREEM 2.0 launched online June 1, with the first quarterly issue set to drop in the fall. The resurrected countercultural brand promises to bring its new readers content from “contributors ranging from established writers & photographers to up-and-coming new voices, and even random meme lords found online” in its resurrected, subscription-only print magazines, according to a press release. 

As for the digital archive of 228 issues and 69,000 photos, it features “definitive” writings by the likes of Lester Bangs, Cameron Crowe, Patti Smith, Greil Marcus, Dave Marsh, Robert Christgau and Jaan Uhelszki — all “available for the first time over 30 years.” The archive also still embraces the mag’s memorable mascot, “Boy Howdy!” — designed by underground artist Robert Crumb.

The archive is publicly accessible, with a 30-day free trial offer through August, after which time it’ll be free with print subscriptions.

And looking forward, there’s a broader plan in place to launch a media empire in the brand’s name, complete with concerts, podcasts and perhaps a TV show, the Detroit Free Press reported. 

The push to relaunch this year was significantly inspired by a 2020 documentary about the Detroit-born mag that, at its peak, had a circulation of over 250,000 — a number second in the nation’s music publications only to Rolling Stone, according to the release. 

“CREEM was the one place where I felt like I was part of something bigger than myself,” CREEM editor Jaan Uhelszki told Rolling Stone following news of the relaunch. “All of the early staffers serendipitously finding our way to a busted three-story old bank building in downtown Detroit, like we were characters in ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind,’ needing to come together to understand why we were sculpting our mashed potatoes into the dirigible on the cover of Led Zeppelin — being obsessed by a five-note musical sequence. Not even the same one.”