Thursday 23rd June 2016 PROUDLY PRINTED IN THE THEATRE AND CIRCUS FIELDS OF GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL FREE • LIBERA • GRATIS Right LIZ CLEGG: A on cue EAVIS: NOT One time snooker titan Steve HERO WALKS Davis brings his bag of weird records to Glastonbury BY JOHN LEWIS AMONG US The long-standing Glastonbury Festival crew READY FOR member is taking care of women and children Around Glastonbury, you’ll find literally hundreds of top DJs in the Calais refugee camp BY KATIE GLASS playing a huge variety of musics around dozens of stages. But, unless Ray Reardon is playing a surprise Liz Clegg, a former firefighter from trauma. They repeatedly put DOUGHNUTS microhouse and neurofunk slot Devon and a mother-of-two who’s themselves in danger attempting the in the Glade, you’ll not find described as a sweary, chain-smoking dangerous crossing to the UK. For With Glastonbury Festival 2016 under way, we hear many five-time World Snooker Mother Teresa, was supervising the now, the camp is “the only place they Champions among their number – litter-pick at last year’s Glastonbury can call home”. from the man who started it all BY CHRIS SALMON nor will you find many playing as Festival when she heard about the Despite authorities bulldozing weird and as varied a set as Steve infamous refugee camp in Calais, the camp in March, Clegg stayed on "Interesting" Davis. the Jungle. Immediately, she knew to continue her work. “Emotionally In 1983, at the height of his what to do. “I read about how they we’re on a high-speed rollercoaster It’s lunchtime on Wednesday, and spirit is wonderful, though. I heard my bank manager!”). He’s also fame, Davis – aged 25 – appeared needed camping equipment and it and after nearly a year being at Michael Eavis is grabbing a moment one person who’d been in his car extremely energised about this on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island wasn’t rocket science,” says Clegg the front of the situation in Calais in his Worthy Farm office between overnight interviewed on the radio year’s line-up, particularly Jeff Discs. His choices, which included in her typically matter-of-fact way. it is still horrendous,” she says. “The meetings. Outside, the gates are open this morning, saying that the Festival Lynne’s ELO. “I hope that he plays a slow jam by Narada Michael (She’s as famous for her no-nonsense only thing that keeps me going is and Festival-goers are arriving, but is definitely worth waiting for. He all of his fantastic songs,” he says. Walden, some acoustic pastoralism manner as she is her big heart.) So the honour to have met so many Eavis is still focusing his attention on was still in a good mood at 5am! Isn’t “That will be a major event. It from Gentle Giant, a feverishly last July, she bought a truck off amazing and resilient people from all the traffic around the site. that incredible?” really is like we have four headliners Michael Eavis and, after filling it over the world.” “There were tailbacks in the Forty-six years after Eavis first these days.” with wellies, stoves and tents left You can help support Liz places where they used to be 10 or 15 held a music festival on his farm, it’s Eavis also takes a moment to behind after last year’s Festival, set Clegg’s Women And Children’s years ago,” he says. “Things have been abundantly clear that he still *really* talk about the rumours that he plans off for France. Centre, which provides a safe so much better in recent years, but cares about the event and the people to organise an event down the road Arriving in Calais, Liz half-jokes, space for hundreds of children and the weather in advance this year has who attend it. “At my age, I should at Longleat. “That’s really on the the camp was “partly reminiscent women in the camp, 24 hours a been a real problem. It really has. But probably be sitting in a deckchair backburner for now,” he says. “But of old school traveller and festival day, seven days a week, by donating I’ve just heard that we’ve definitely on Weymouth seafront eating it’s something we are looking at for sites, but I was still shocked to see to mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/ broken the back of the queues, which doughnuts,” grins Eavis, who turned the next fallow year, which is likely so many people living rough”. Also, junglewomenscentre is obviously fantastic news.” 80 at the end of last year. to be in 2019.” with typical good humour, she plays Eavis has been up for much of Instead, during our short chat, Could that mean saying down the danger, the riots and the the night, working with his team on Eavis enthuses about the extra urinals goodbye to Worthy Farm forever? “high level” of desperation she saw. getting people onto the site. “We’ve on site this year, which it’s hoped will “Absolutely not. It’s just important operatic instrumental by Magma, In those first few months she got an incredible crew,” he says, convince people not to pee on the that we try another site. We could and a muscular jazz-funk workout distributed to everyone, but over time “but the conditions were against us. land (“so important”) and positively have all kinds of problems here with by George Duke, can, in retrospect, she became aware of particular need We did everything we could, but raves about Jo Blackburn, who the livestock we have – horrible be seen as A Rather Big Clue for among women and children. So Liz unfortunately some people did sit in oversees all of the Festival’s traders things like foot and mouth – which what was to come. began supporting them, “seven days their vehicles for a long time. Their (“Do you know, she used to be could close us down. Longleat is only At the time, he told Roy a week, 24 hours a day”. Setting up 18 miles down the road and it looks Plomley that he had “around 300” a women’s tent and caring for over like a good place if we ever did an records. His record collection now 400 unaccompanied children in the alternative site.” is in the tens of thousands, featuring camp, Clegg helped them find clothes, So there won't be a traditional everything from prog to punk to food, shelter – but perhaps most year off? “I’m getting old,” he says, soul to electronica. He’ll be playing importantly, she provided emotional beaming. “I can’t afford another some of it at 5pm on Thursday support to children (mainly from year off! To waste another year at evening in the Stonebridge Bar. Afghanistan) burdened by horrific my age is unthinkable! HAHAHA! Don’t expect Snooker Loopy – do stories of how they had made their Besides, we’ve got the best festival expect downtempo electronica, way to the camp: children had been team in the world. And they don’t obscure French fusion and physically and sexually abused as want a year off either!” Canterbury scene weirdness mixed they were smuggled abroad and Still chuckling, Eavis starts to up with unlikely incursions from many of their parents had been head for his trusty red Land Rover Black Sabbath, Frank Zappa, and murdered. and his next meeting (something the Beatles. “The nearest thing you “The stories of their journeys to do with drainage). It’s been a can compare it to is maybe Stuart are sickening,” says Clegg. “Being stressful few days, but it’s wonderful Maconie’s Freak Zone on 6 Music,” locked below deck on the boats and to see him taking so much joy from says Davis. “But maybe a bit more nearly drowning; being trapped in his role. “How could I not?” he says. out there. You will hear stuff you lorries where people have died next “This thing that I created all those know and stuff you’ve never heard, to them; being beaten by traffickers. years ago just became extraordinary. and hopefully something you will It’s an endless series of abuse.” In It really is unbelievable. I’m enjoying find amazing.” the camp the same children suffered it more than ever. I truly am!” CONTINUES ON PAGE 3 isolation, starvation and emotional 2 THE GLASTONBURY FREE PRESS THURSDAY 23RD JUNE 2016 THE SECRET LIFE OF GLASTONBURY Glastonbury staff, performers and party people (reluctantly) reveal their own top tips for the Festival MICHAEL EAVIS army tent thrown casually over interaction. You want a tip? Walk there, and they always have surprise authentic NYC gay club this side PAUL CHARLES ACOUSTIC the top perfectly camouflages this and explore with no destination in gigs around the fire. The first time of the pond. It’s totally bonkers. The STAGE AREA ORGANISER The Underground Piano Bar is a real genuine link to the dawn of British mind and be open to where your we played at Glastonbury was by Rabbit Hole is a pretty well-known secret treat. I think they first came to festival culture. It’s always full of curiosity takes you. the Strummerville fire in 2012. The secret but it really has to be seen to be At the bottom of the field housing the the Festival about 20 years ago. They weird and wonderful (mainly naked) show was a bit of a mess but we had believed. It’s just above the Stonebridge Acoustic Stage is a row of urinals.