Miscellaneous - Glastonbury

  by Jon Rogers

published: 25 / 5 / 2013

intro

In 'Hitting the Right Note' Jon Rogers reflects on Glastonbury, which this years will include amongst it headliners the Rolling Stones and Mumford and Sons, and its move away from alternative music and into the mainstream

Have you seen the full line-up for this year's Glastonbury? We have the one-hit wonders that are the Arctic Monkeys, no doubt playing - effectively - the same song over and over. Does anyone take them seriously anymore? Surely not. Then on the Saturday night it's the Rolling Stones. A band who were once great about 40 years ago and are now just something of a joke. Then, if you have not stopped laughing by Sunday, bringing the whole thing to a close are Mumford & Sons. Yes. You read that correctly. Mumford & Sons. They got a higher billing than Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Looking down the list for the main stage there's a whole host of artists well past their sell-by date - Elvis Costello, Primal Scream, Billy Bragg... And even Kenny Rogers. If that is the creme de la creme of alternative music, then give me the mainstream any day. Even that oh-so alternative musician Professor Green gets a set on the main stage. Out of all the artists the only one that is doing anything interesting is Toumani Diabate. Not really worth the asking price of a ticket, is it? Admittedly, there are some bands of interest further down the list like Public Image Ltd and Public Enemy, but similarly their heyday has long since past. And, before you dismiss that all as just the ramblings of some bitter old git who bemoans the music of his youth, it would seem that this commentator is not alone. A quick scan down message board of ‘The Guardian’ would clearly indicate I am not alone. One wag describes the whole event as "three days of beige rock." While another suggests that Motorhead should headline one day before adding, "They could play the Ace of Spades card. Instead that farmer who thinks he is down with the kids just keeps playing the safe one." And there it is in a nutshell. Glastonbury, once the beacon of alternative music, has been willing - and that word is important – to co-opt into the mainstream. It really is nothing more now than a date in the diary for the establishment's summer season. Along with the likes of Wimbledon and Henley Regatta. Where a load of posh wannabes can slum it in the mud for a few days and think they're so 'street' and 'cred' and listen to some really 'cutting edge' music. Who can we thank for this state of affairs? Surely not the Eavis' themselves. Why, they only run the whole event, book the bands and organise it all. They have allowed it to become the very corporate hell-hole they say they despise. Actions speak louder than words though. Remember kids, Glastonbury is not the only music festival. Alternatives are available.