Clubland Legends Miranda Cook and Dan Prince share their Homelands Festival tales…
Dan Prince @ Homelands
It was a funny spot for a festival. Situated close to a city, once a capital of England, but dreary as hell, placed in a big hollow of a field where the wind ran through you like Linford Christie up a loo roll, the event was organised by a bald chap who walked out of one of the biggest club’s in the north west, leaving by dropping an envelope on his partner’s desk letting him know he was doing the off in the middle of the night, bankrupted one of Scotland’s most richest club/hotel/bar business men after really fucking up a superclub in London he opened with him – but you know, when the weather was right, Homelands rocked. Amazing line up’s, great production…but that walk from the car park was a pain in the arse as were the smelly bogs. Memories? Sitting on a sofa outside some tent snogging two girls, well there are worse ways of spending a night I suppose looking back. So rocking up to the front, jumping around to The Streets, Beck, Mylo, The Babyshambles, Roots Manuva, Diggers, 2 Many DJs and Felix Da Housecat will remain in my memory forever. As will that sofa…
Miranda Cook @ Homelands
I don’t remember much about the first Homelands I went to, apart from the fact it was in Winchester and the Chemical Brothers were due on live. My Editor at Mixmag had given us all little bits of paper and bookie’s pencils to scribble down notes on the night (this was after we’d gone en-mass to the Big Love Festival and spent the whole night twatted in the VIP tent. (Paul Shurrey had written in to complain). I didn’t make many notes. Instead, I dropped a ridiculously strong pill ten minutes after arriving and went for a lay down on the grass in the VIP area – Dawn and Andy Manumission came over for a chat and I just nodded at what I thought were appropriate moments, as I couldn’t make head nor tail of what they were saying. Later, it got worse. I tried to walk into a flashing donught stall, thinking it was the entrance to a tent we’d not been in yet. Then, at 5am, I decided to make a break for it, and get to my car before thousands of other ravers descended. Only problem was, the whole car park field was covered with silver cars – and they all looked the same shape. I had to inspect each car’s nose badge just to tell them apart – oh dear! Just as well that when I did locate my car, I feel asleep for most of the day…
