Glastonbury 50: The Official Story of Glastonbury Festival

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The duo defended the song as a “crude” satire, and said it “would not exist at all if the destructive and violent policies of the Tory party hadn’t taken such a long and devastating toll on the UK. The band does not condone the killing of Tories or children, or anyone for that matter – regardless of political beliefs.”

Glastonbury Festival 2020 | Glastonbury Festival

It’s wonderful to hear that so many of you are planning to celebrate Glastonbury at home this year, and we wanted to offer you a taste of the full Festival experience to go alongside the BBC’s comprehensive coverage. The festival’s identity soon started taking shape: the first year featured the hippy-oriented Green Fields, which remain a key part of modern Glastonbury. In 1971, the main stage was renamed – and rebuilt – as an early incarnation of the Pyramid stage known today. Glastonbury was held sporadically in the 70s before becoming an annual fixture (with occasional fallow years) during the 80s, when its political affiliations with Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and later Oxfam, Greenpeace and WaterAid began.What's not to love?! A book about one of the world's most famous festivals told by its creators. Its an eye opener to the struggles behind how the festival came to be the institution it is today, adorned by stunning and captivating photographs. A thoroughly entertaining read, this book not only tells you loads about the history of the festival that you might not already know, but manages to really evoke the spirit of being there, especially through the pictures. Michael Eavis comes across as a great guy even if deluded at times – that surely was what enabled him to go against the odds and create such an incredible festival! Glastonbury is the most well-known and iconic festival in the world. After fifty years, it has become an institution. There have been films made about it. T‑shirts. Books. It’s on the news. On our TV screens. It’s embedded into the fabric of British culture, like football or sunburn or going, ​ “Wheeyyy!” when someone drops something. It is unusual, then, that Glastonbury has retained such afierce political streak. We are used to mainstream events distancing themselves from the issues that affect us – maybe so as not to alienate attendees or piss off brands – but Glastonbury has only got louder and more outspoken as each year passes. This makes sense when we consider the counter cultural roots of the Festival alongside the trajectory of politics in the UK. If Glastonbury wasn’t political, it wouldn’t really be Glastonbury.

Glastonbury 50: The Official Story of Glastonbury - WHSmith

Music had always been a big part of my life. I discovered Radio Luxembourg when I was at boarding school, and I’d listen to it every Sunday night, when Pete Murray and David Jacobs were on. Bill Haley and Bob Dylan captured my imagination, and although I never really went to concerts, I fell in love with pop music. To protect your own safety and that of other guests, please act responsibly. Please do not take chairs, buggies and trolleys into busy areas, or to the front of stages. If your chair, buggy or trolley is causing an obstruction you will be asked to move. The Premises Licence Holder (hereafter “PLH”) and Glastonbury Festival Events Limited (hereafter “GFEL”) reserve the right to: Michael Eavis with a baby Emily Eavis at the Glastonbury festival in 1980. Photograph: courtesy Glastonbury festival

Those who are aged 16 or 17 are allowed to attend the Festival unaccompanied, but we would strongly advise that this decision is made with the consent of a parent or legal guardian. All the coaches will be full, please consider whether you will be comfortable being on a busy coach in close proximity to other passengers. My first time at NYC Downlow – in the summer of 2015 – was acomplete blur. At the time Iwas working for Dazed &Confused and had arranged to meet Stephen and Gideon in acampervan to discuss their vision. We ended up getting deep into how gay culture had become pinkwashed in recent years and how Downlow was in some ways aresponse to gentrification, with all the most chaotic, alternative gay clubs in the city replaced by luxury flats, bank chains and branches of Pret aManger. In essence, they wanted to create aspace where people could have the freedom to do what they like – and be whoever they want – even if just for the weekend. Inspired by the Bath festival of blues and progressive music earlier that year, Eavis told his wife Jean he was going to stage a similar event. “If I remember rightly, her reply was, ‘Don’t be silly, you’ve no idea how,’” he recalls in an exclusive extract from the book, available below.