One Of The Team Behind Glastonbury
Hi Crispin, welcome to the global DMC world…
Well, Glastonbury started way back in 1970, the day after Jimi Hendrix died. Marc Bolan starred BACK then, the ticket price was one pound and included free milk from Michael Evivis’s farm. Artists such as David Bowie, New Order, Lenny Kravitz, Shirley Bassey, Amy Winehouse, The Who, White Stripes, The Chemical Brothers, Kaiser Chiefs, Chas N’ Dave, Royksopp, Oasis, Moby, Paul McCartney, James Brown, the Scissor Sisters, Al Green, Fatboy Slim, REM – this is just a short list of amazing artists who have appeared over the years.
You have been at the most important world wide festival for ten years now – what have been your most memorable live sets over the years that you have witnessed…and have been Michael and his daughter Emily’s proudest artists they have seen rock Glastonbury…?
“I’ve worked at Glastonbury for more than ten years, but I’ve been coming as a punter on and off since the 1980s. So one of the first memorable moments was in about 1982 on a balmy summer’s afternoon, sitting on the grass overlooking the second version of the Pyramid stage, with it’s iconic CND symbol on top, and hearing Van Morrison’s soulful mellifluous voice wafting up the hill. Then for a sheer totally engrossing spectacle – it’d be hard to beat the Chemical Brothers on the Other Stage. Their light show and beats hitting the crowd enough to make your heart pound in tune, two guys on stage on the stage, all you could see were two shadows against a mass of colour and zany back projections and a mountain of equipment. But what a sound. And then the more recent festivals that stick in the memory, last year’s set by Leonard Cohen was so moving it brought tears to my – and everyone’s eyes.”
What is your favourite stage/site at Glastonbury? Where is the most beautiful place…?
“I guess the Stone Circle field has to be the most magical. In fact its real name is King’s Meadow, also known as the Sacred Space. No vehicles are allowed in this field whilst the festival is on, there’s a circle of stones in the middle which was created by a guy based on a particular star constellation, although most people think it’s a miniature Stonehenge, and from there you have this magnificent panorama of a beautiful Somerset valley, with mostly fields and cows in the spring and then the whole Glastonbury city lit up at night when the festival’s happening. Sometimes it can be a bit drummed out but if you pick your time, it’s a wonderful place to contemplate what’s right and wrong with the world.”
2009 – a new swinging our way – The Free University of Glastonbury – what’s the story there?
“We always try to ring the changes, and this is one of this year’s variations. Starting off with Michael Eavis, it’ll be various authors talking about their writing and ideas, but not too heavy, a chance for people to take a break from the music and hear about some ideas they don’t find time for in the hurly burly outside. And of course like all the other entertainment at Glastonbury – it’s free!”.
Obvious question…how did you think the Jay Z booking last year went down with the Glastonbury faithful?
“If you were there in the crowd that night you could feel the excitement. Jay Z knows how to engage an audience and he did it to perfection, from the Oasis/Wonderwall opening through to 99 Problems. After all the controversy we felt totally vindicated by the choice. You don’t hear anybody now say that Jay-Z was a bum selection.”
Is there one artist you have never managed to book that you REALLY want to get on stage?
“There’s always discussion about the Rolling Stones, but they don’t play many festival gigs and they may not accept the much lower fees which Glastonbury pays – so that we provide this massive range of entertainment, and not blow it all on one star. Kylie was due a few years ago, but then she got Cancer and it didn’t happen. Personally I’d love to see Stevie Wonder, a voice which seduced me in my youth and hopefully would still be powerful.”
A massive line up this year – Blur, Bruce Springsteen, The Prodigy, Franz Ferdinand, The Ting Tings, Jarvis Cocker, Tom Jones, Lily Allen, Kasabian, The Streets, Calvin Harris, Tom Middleton, Josh Wink, MJ Cole, Mr Scruff, Guilty Pleasures in the house, Pete Doherty, Spinal Tap, Dirty Vegas – the list is endless – even Madness are in there! What is the team most excited about hearing /your crowd going to be so loopy about?
“I guess most people want to see whether the Boss lives up to the expectations, but the omens are pretty good. Then some people are curious to see how Lady GaGa will go down – and what she will wear. And I reckon the Specials will get a good crowd, as well as Blur, since they’ve both reformed for this summer. What’s interesting is that although the line-up is described as “established” and “elderly”, a lot of 20-30-year-olds I’ve come across can’t wait to see Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young.”
Who has had the biggest / strangest rider back stage at Glastonbury?
“Apparently Lenny Kravitz wanted an Aloe Vera plant in his dressing room.”
What makes Glastonbury so special?
“Glastonbury is obviously a very much family run event, Father and Daughter putting on the biggest and finest Festival ever – sadly after the death of Michael’s wife Jean. The charity contribution is immense, Oxfam and Greenpeace for instance have brought 1400 stewards, bar staff work for free in return for free entrance. How do you feel about working for an organisation that are looking after people, giving something back to our world, providing happiness to many instead of some of the big other festivals who are just in it for the money? It’s a really nice organisation to work for, partly because it’s more informal than many work situations, but also because the ethos of the festival has always been to support radical campaigns, not to make a big profit for shareholders, and to give up to £2 million to good causes.”
How do you deal with the ticket tout/jumping fence situation?
“The fence we had made in 2001 – after too many people gatecrashed and the local council said it wasn’t safe to run it like that – has stood the test of time, so we don’t get gatecrashers. Anybody who can’t afford a ticket can usually get a job somewhere in the set-up, so we’re still as inclusive as we can be. And we’ve countered ticket touts by making everybody register with their personal details and a photo – this means that tickets are not transferable, which is what gives touts their opportunity for making money.”
Over the years, you have been plagued by some awful weather, the photos in the national press – such as 2005 and 2007 with clubbers dancing/swimming in mud will go down in history in the music world folklore. What do you think are the main reasons people just adore your event and just keep coming back?
“Glastonbury has an atmosphere, which has been created over more than 30 years, and though it’s hard to define I think it’s about a shared experience. The fact that it goes on for up to five days and that people who come treat it like their big annual outing, right down to all the crazy outfits they wear. It’s also one of the few big festivals where you can camp and enjoy the entertainment in the same area, so the camping activity – camp fire fun and games – can be as important as going out. The crowd is also very mellow, so even people who would normally not be very considerate will do those sort of things at Glastonbury. So when the atmosphere’s so good, the weather becomes a secondary issue…”
What is the weirdest thing you have ever had to clear up post-event?
“Our lost property office is incredibly efficient, so in 2008 they managed to return over 700 bits of personal belongings to their owners. This included 29 passports and 40 driving licences. Items brought to the office in previous festivals have included prosthetic legs, a piano, wetsuits, a barrister’s wig and a substantial sum of cash handed in by a naked man.”
Some brilliant artists have made references to Glastonbury in their tunes – Nizlopi and Scouting For Girls, Cosmic Rough Riders, Amy Macdonald also Robbie Williams, in his song – ‘The 90s’referencing Glastonbury with ‘Everybody’s worried what the fuck’s wrong with Robbie? He’s not answering his phone, he’s not talking to me, I saw him on the telly at Glastonbury’ – which artist over the ten years you have been at do you really have had the most magical moment on stage?”
“I guess one of them has to be Pulp, who first played in 1995, and I think probably, to their surprise, this helped launch them into a really big name. With songs like Sorted for E’s and Wizz – they were in tune with the Glastonbury vibe. It was the moment they’d been waiting for. And Jarvis Cocker is back again this year. Can’t wait.