Proudly printed in the Theatre and Circus Fields of Glastonbury Festival NOW THAT THE PARTY’S STARTED GO WITH THE FLO! Twenty years after Pulp stood in for The Stone Roses (and John Squire’s The life & soul of the farm broken collarbone) as Pyramid Stage headliners, Jarvis Cocker gives As the gates open, we chat to Michael Eavis Florence + The Machine a few words of advice Underground Piano Bar. “They Chris Salmon arrived straight from the ferry were headlining the Pyramid Stage own Glastonbury – maybe they would prevent from me from being from Ireland. They’re absolutely Dear Florence, that night and we caught some of wouldn’t hear everything properly, able to take the stage. I decided I t’s like the tide coming in fantastic people and they put on The folks at the Glastonbury Free their performance. It was windy, maybe they’d be distracted, maybe needed to sit down to minimise with all those bubbles on such a wonderful show, so I wanted Press thought that maybe I could the sound kept coming and going, they might be (gasp!) slightly the chance of injuring myself. the front of the sealine,” to welcome them. It’s the incredible give you some useful tips on how people were talking, but somehow intoxicated, maybe some of them The only chairs available in the saysI Michael Eavis, leaning on his enthusiasm of people like them to step into the shoes of a headline it didn’t matter because… would think we WERE The Stone backstage enclosure were those trusty red Land Rover, watching who build this show that makes the band that have had to cancel their white plastic garden furniture- the crowds flood through the gates whole thing work. There’s nothing performance due to broken bones. type things, which are unstable on Wednesday morning: some else like it anywhere in the world.” I told them I don’t reckon you need “I was nervous about performing at the best of times. Do yourself actually running, despite being So will Michael actually get any advice – from me or anyone in front of that many people and no a favour: bring something sturdy laden with camping gear. “It’s all to enjoy himself at the event he else – but here goes anyway: with you. (Maybe even a small so full of life and anticipation and spends his entire year working on? doubt you will be too” throne?) fun. They’re all incredibly excited “Enjoyment is the wrong word,” ARRIVE EARLY to be here. That is the best thing.” he says. “I can’t really relax and NO ONE IS BIGGER Roses. The main thing is, I suddenly Not that the Festival’s founder watch a whole performance. I’ll When Pulp were summoned to fill realised that IT DIDN’T MATTER. BREAK A LEG and co-organiser can relax at always be thinking ‘What should in for The Stone Roses in 1995, THAN GLASTONBURY As long as we didn’t kill anyone’s Just kidding! Whoever decided this point. “Oh my work’s just I be doing now?’. But the sense of we had to camp on site because That was a major realisation: buzz, it would all be alright. this phrase should mean “good begun, to be honest with you. My achievement is immense.” all hotels in the area had been when you’re getting ready for a luck!” needs to have a word with main concern now is the weather The 79-year-old smiles as booked up months before – you big performance you can get too FIND A ROBUST CHAIR himself – especially in the present and making sure that things are another group of Festival goers won’t have that problem because caught up in yourself and lose sight circumstances. Please DON’T working on the roads and in the car skips giddily past on their way to you were already on the bill – and of the bigger picture. As we walked Even after this epiphany, I still have break a leg. (You broke your foot parks. And I’ve got to personally the campsites. “We went to look at this ended up being the best thing through the Festival it dawned on to admit that I was nervous about at Coachella anyway, so what thank about 20,000 people myself Block9 last night,” he says. “And that could have happened. We me that Glastonbury itself was the performing in front of that many are the odds?) Please DO have a over the Festival. That takes a lot driving along that ridge, seeing had to set up camp on Friday and biggest character in this drama – if people and no doubt you will be fantastic show. of time. It’s a big job and I have to the whole valley so full of energy got to wander around the Festival we broke a string or fluffed a line too. This is where the chair comes keep up the enthusiasm.” and beauty and creativity, I was site. We managed to pick up the it wasn’t such a big deal. People in handy. In the hours immediately That meeting and greeting speechless. It’s better than it’s ever atmosphere of Glastonbury during were here for an experience and we preceding our show, I became Yours sincerely, role included being up at 6am been, it really is. Even after all these that time – I suggest you try and were just part of it. Out there in the utterly convinced that I was going on Tuesday morning to greet the years, to be stunned to silence. Isn’t do the same. In our case, Oasis dark, people were having their very to have some kind of accident that Mr Cocker crew from the Festival’s fabled that incredible?” 2 The Glastonbury Free Press Thursday, 25 June, 2015 Do you remember the first time? Glastonbury staff, performers and broadcasters share memories of their debut at Worthy Farm LIZ ELIOT (GREEN FIELDS a white veil – to protect myself the feeling of anticipation way to the tour bus to watch the and the Glastonbury CND Festival in what felt like two minutes and CO-ORDINATOR) 1981 from the sun, in the manner of built and built. Slowly, the site coverage on TV. At the end of Rod’s provided a rallying point for all just like that it was all over – we’d a Victorian lady. That’s what begins to tease you with little set, John Peel was summarising of us opposed to the Thatcher played our first Glasto. I remember arriving at night I thought I looked like. glimpses through hedges the day’s events when he government. I played on the Friday, John Peel Stage, 6.25pm looking down from the top of A friend who later and farm gates. When announced that his highlight of the Pyramid Stage at 2pm on Friday, Muddy Lane. The air was thick saw photos of that we finally arrived, this day had been Belle & Sebastian, then spent the rest of the weekend FELIX MARTIN with wood smoke and the light weekend pointed out that amazing alternative town “With a lot more muscle live than roaming the site. The highlights of (HOT CHIP) 2000 from hundreds of individual I actually looked like was stretched below us, you would expect.” We could not my weekend were provided by Dr bonfires revealed cars, tents and a bee-keeper. buzzing with excitement and have been happier. John, Elvis Costello and whoever Simultaneous clockwise and lots of hairy, happy, pretty people I walked around the site looking industry. I still get that anticipatory Sunday, Other Stage, 6.45pm was running the reggae blues anti-clockwise sharing of spliffs, crammed together in the fields that like a beatifically stoned teenage thrill of seeing the Festival from the tent. I spent a lot of time enjoying showering and watching live music ran up from the Pyramid Stage. It bride who’d lost her bees, in love hill above, imagining everything LAUREN LAVERNE their heavy dub sound system and optional. Wellies only necessary was lovely. I can’t remember much with how beautiful it all was: the held within. (BBC PRESENTER) 1997 plentiful supply of Red Stripe. for The Glade. Black bin bags more about it, probably because lavish midsummer meadows; the Sunday, Other Stage, 9.45pm Friday, the Left Field, 9pm an inadequate replacement for a I had such a good time. traveller-girls in faded rainbow I am living proof that if for some forgotten outer layer of our tent. skirts; the stall selling tiny, candle- TOM FINDLAY reason your first Glastonbury GEMMA CAIRNEY Profound sunrises. Commercialism JESSIE WARE powered tin boats. I sat at the Stone (GROOVE ARMADA) 1997 experience doesn’t work out, (BBC RADIO 1 DJ) 2007 and authority in short supply – (SINGER-SONGWRITER) 2007 Circle and looked down, and was it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t freedom of the body and mind! astonished to see I was actually Glastonbury has always been try again. The first year I I remember arriving Bowie’s wicked hair and effortless My first Glastonbury was in 2007 in the middle of a city – that a big part of Groove Armada’s came to Glastonbury I was 19 belligerently in a pair of brilliance – a celestial messenger and it POURED down most of the Glastonbury has roads, and markets, history. We may have started our and our band (Kenickie) were white, mod ankle boots. picked out by a stunning spotlight, time. We got there on Wednesday and hospitals, and ambulances – own festival but three shows at supposed to be playing, but They were plastic and rising out of the darkness and evening and left Monday.