Glastonbury 2008: Candi Staton

Or "Canadace Station", as she seems to have been dubbed on YouTube:



[Part of Glastonbury 2008 videos]

Glastonbloggy: A quick scamper

BBDO say their joke is a repeat, but then Glastonbury is about the classics, isn't it?

Gowherehiphop catches Lupe Fiasco's slightly-more-political-than-Borrell-at-Hyde-Park speech:

“During his set at the Glastonbury Festival in the U.K. last night, rapper Lupe Fiasco spoke out about “tyrannical world leaders”, clumping Zimbabwe’s longtime dictator and the American president in the same category “Fuck Robert Mugabe, Fuck George Bush,” he said. Fuck politics, democrats, socialists, the Labor party. Music’s what it’s all about.”

David Cameron, we're given to understand, has already welcomed this endorsement of the Conservatives.

John Demetriou takes the Mail to task for its less-than-enthusiastic embrace of the festival:

Let’s move past several paragraphs of negativity and nastiness and get to something else: “With a captive audience, traders ramped up their charges…you could buy a sausage sandwich if you had £6 to spare and a mocha to wash that down for £3.”

You can just hear the selfish old bitter cunts now, as they read this story pretending not to look at the pictures of fruity looking girls swanning by: “ooooooh, how much? hooowww much? And I’m going to have to pay for this!”

The reader's responses are also explored:

Chris said: “How can the Fire Authority allow people to pitch tents so close to one another? This site is a fire disaster waiting to happen.”

Yeeeeah, close it dooowwn, now. Nuurrgh.

What an absolute spanner. What the hell has pitching tents close together in a wet and damp environment got to do with fire hazards, and if there were fire hazards, don’t you think this would have been looked into?

It's a good point, though - we're betting none of those tents have got fire escapes, much less clear signage pointing out the emergency exits. Something must be done.

[Part of the Glastonbury Weekend]

Glaston the box: Day two, evening

Given the between songs stuff which the BBC have left in during the Winehouse set, you have to wonder what the hell they've been axing when you get a very obvious jump cut from song to song.

Much of the between tracks bits we've seen have been attempts to raise the status of jailed thug Blake to some sort of national hero - when the audience tried to object, Winehouse lectured them about "being rude". We're treated to a rambling reminiscence about how they met - "he hit me over the head with a cricket bat" she reveals, before realising that with his reputation, it's probably best to point out that this wasn't literal.

She's almost gone over a couple of times, too - once neatly saved by a backing dancer. You wonder if they're actually trained doctors, too; the insurance bill would be greatly reduced if the help is on stage rather than in the wings.

And is it worth it, this performance? Not really. Even if you didn't care for what she did, you couldn't deny that she did it well, but this version of her is more a demonstration of what she had. A Joe Longthorne version of Amy Winehouse. Sure, it's unquestionably a bloody impressive for a woman who was at death's door (or at least up the same street) this time last week - but that makes it sadder. Do we really need a spectacle of a woman apparently risking her life, and certainly teetering on the edge of disaster, to warm us up for Jay-Z?

She's dancing like a nervous geologist passing a particularly persistent parasite, too.

Winehouse has kicked off BBC Two's coverage for the evening, where things are helmed by Laverne and Radcliffe and, erm, an introduction where Andrew Marr suggests we take lots of underpants to Pilton.

Back over on BBC Three, earlier, we leaped into the middle of what we thought at first was an interview with someone from a previous series of Big Brother. Suddenly, we realised it wasn't - quite - but instead was Will Young. Even Young might have been surprised at how much screen time he got, indulging with Bowman in the creation of what a straight man might imagine a gay man's fantasy world to be. Something about Jay-Z being supported by Dale Winton, since you ask.

More surprising, though, was Zane Lowe's fawning in the face of Will, praising him as a "credible artist". It turns out that they were waiting for Hot Chip to take the stage, and so we were watching a bobbing boat clinging to a giant Will Young flotation device. We say this often, we say this each year, but: why not just slap on some recorded music in the lulls between live stuff?

Damn, though: it's spooky how close to Edwyn Collins Reggie Youngblood sometimes sounds.

[Parts of this post have been made possible through the generous assistance of the Mr Copper Foundation; part of Glastonbury 2008]

Well...

She's turned up, at least...

Glastonbury 1998: Lady Of The Flowers

A brief glimpse of a smiling John Peel, and then we're in to a slice of Placebo's 1998 Glastonbury set that, clearly, has been lifted from someone's Brian Molko VHS stash - though it how survived from the endless freeze-framing, we'll never know.



[Part of Glastonbury 1998]

Glaston the box: Day two

Now, that's horrifying: the Press Red service crashes while loading - Neon Neon are just kicking off I Told Her In Alderaan on the right hand side, but the television is locked on Crowded House on the left. It must be what middle age feels like - desperate to hang out on the young people's side, but being forced to languish in the middle of the road.

By the time the system has been rebooted, Neon Neon are just shooting themselves in the foot by bringing on Har Mar Superstar. NB, Neon Neon: this is not what most people mean by the phrase "very special guest". It's interesting to see that Har Mar has given up on the seedy porn look in favour of something a little more owner-of-a-failing-sports-bar-in-the-midwest.

There's little escape; demands of the tennis mean the other channel choices are blank until darkness falls on SE11, so it's this, or Crowded House. When, by the way, did Joe Longthorne take over as the lead singer with Crowded House? It would make some sort of sense to sign Longthorne up as replacement for lost lead singers, now I come to think of it - the man of a million voices could fit right in any group as a replacement without much disruption. Especially if the original lead sounded like Shirley Bassey to a greater or lesser extent.

Duffy, back on BBC Three proper, is trying to show why everyone's excited by her; still can't see it, though. It's worth noting, however, that she is dressed like the set-up to a punchline on a dirty seaside postcard.

[Part of Glastonbury 2008]

Glastonbury 2008: We are the MGMT

In the ever-present, always-on world, it's no surprise that this weekend's performances are hitting the net almost as soon as they happen. Last night's MGMT, for example, is already up:



More YouTubeage from 2008 to come
Candi Staton - You've Got The Love
Amy Winehouse fightstar
Jimmy Cliff - Wild World
Noah And The Whale - Five Years Time
Band Of Horses - Older

Update:

Glastonbloggy: Dissertations and diversions

Guardian blogger Alex Hoban gives Beth Ditto a gift, a dissertation about Beth Ditto:

So, when my Glastonbury work brief included the task of interviewing Beth, I knew this was my best chance of getting one over a friend of mine who'd been honoured enough to present her Julian Barnes-based disseration to the man himself at what I imagine was a cranium-crumblingly dull literary conference.

And it happened, just as I imagined. Entering her dressing room she fanned herself forward in a breezy floral dress like a new Aphrodite against which beauty must be measured. Many platitudes were exchanged as I handed her the chalice of my endeavours and, visibly enthused by the whole situation, she promised to read it and get back in touch to let me know what she thought.

A big important book all about how important Beth Ditto. However did he know?

Holy Fuck are going in prepared:

We’re warming up tonight with a show at Proud Galleries in Camden. There’s currently a Sid Vicious photo exhibit here, so as a tribute I will be getting fucked up and miming all my bass parts while Mat our sound engineer does the real work from behind my amp. Has the makings of the best Holy Fuck show of all time.

Tomorrow we head to the Glastonbury Festival where we’re playing the John Peel Stage. Hopefully the hippies are kinder to Jay-Z than they were to Kanye. And hopefully we don’t drown in the mud as it’s already been raining and continues to do so today. Brian is set as he has his Canadian-branded wellies.

Let's hope his wellingtons find favour - Fashionologie takes Daisy Lowe to task for a "no-no":

This year's Glastonbury Festival just kicked into gear today, and what do you know . . . Daisy Lowe popped up goofing off for the cameras in a slouchy black top, PVC pants, and muddy wellies. Considering that the fashion flock watches Glastonbury to see what Kate pops up wearing, it's not so smart for an up-and-coming model like Daisy to follow Kate's suit — at the same event — a year later.

On the other hand, wearing wipe-clean trousers makes sense when you're kneedeep in mud, surely?

[Part of Glastonbury 2008]

Glastonbury Flickr dip

TimS has posted a snapshot of a flipchart with the latest Glasto stats on: 342 crimes, 33 transfers to hospitals, 1 arrested tent thief and "crime virtually zero" (although what the tent thief was doing isn't clear, then.)

Hey, you sass that Norman Cook? There's a man who knows where his towel is. Photo by Whiper under a creative commons license.

Meanwhile, it seems that Adam Buxton hasn't completed the BBC training video on location filming and this is as close as anyone got to Shakin Stevens and survived.

[Part of Glastonbury 2008]

Glastonbury web round-up: Raging at the rain

Metronomy are having a lovely time at Glastonbury, although Gigwise shows they might be enjoying the grumbling as much as the fun:

Speaking to Gigwise about a radio interview where Eavis was quoted as saying there is wall to wall sunshine. Bass player Gabriel said: “It doesn’t matter because I’m having good time – but it’s such blatant lying.”

Oscar was singled out by the band for being a Glastonbury virgin, and a somewhat subdued Oscar quipped: “I haven’t seen any evidence that it’s so special. It sounds really harsh but maybe I will. We don’t want to be ungrateful. I am having a good time.”

Q went to see Shakin' Stevens, who seems to have confused his invite to play with an interest in what he's doing now:

[T]he former chart-topping star may have misjudged the situation a little when he announced: "We're going to do a few tracks from the new album."

Surely this would have been an opportunity to wheel out the entire back catalogue of hits rather than using it as a showcase for new songs?

Especially since he didn't do Green Door. And, as Q observed, there'd been a literally-minded request in the shape of:

a punter in the audience carrying a green door

And is the NME still running eye-catching headlines that don't really stack up?

Yes:

Kings Of Leon defy the BBC at Glastonbury

Really? How?

Scroll down, and down, and down, and you find this:

"The people at the BBC asked us not to play any new songs," explained Caleb introducing the track, "but we're going to have to ruffle some feathers tonight because it's Glastonbury."

So, it's not actually defiance as such, it's just turning down a polite request. And it's probably not that seriously asked anyway - after all, hardly anyone would recognise an old Kings of Leon track, so it doesn't make much of a difference if they slip in some new ones, does it?

Glastonbury 1998: Road Rage

It's not just because it was hell on earth that 98 seems like the pivotal Glastonbury - there were signs all over that things were shifting. The sense of being isolated from the rest of the world was vanishing quickly, as mobile recharging stands and cashpoints were popping up all over. Down in the market area, slick corporate booths flogging phones sat alongside the blankets and patchouli-scented headscarves. Robbie Williams knew it was the place to reboot a stalled career. And it was the year where the TV coverage started to ramp up. In 1999, the BBC would be covering Glastonbury like a heavy-handed Tory council CCTV initiative.

There were gaps in 98, though - so, sorry, there doesn't seem to be an Ultrasound or Kenickie as the second stage didn't seem to get any daylight acts recorded. There is, however, footage of Catatonia, so hopefully this'll do:



[Part of Glastonbury 1998]

Bjork gets annoyed, won't go wild

Bjork - the planned headliner for Vince Power and Geoff Oakes Go Wild In The Country Knebworth fest - has pulled out with a week to go.

If that sounds last minute, according to her explanation, it sums up the festival's approach:

"Organisers Geoff Oakes and Vince Power for Renaissance have been unable to secure any staging, sound and lighting for this festival making it impossible for the headline artists to perform and are unable to fulfill their contractual obligations to all of the artists contracted to perform at their event," a statement read.

Are there now so many festivals we're facing a scrap for rigs and speakers? Has it come to this?

Glastonbury paper round: Scrubbing the mud of rumour from the pure doorstep of truth

Effectively, the Sun's coverage is hanging this morning on triumphantly blowing the Doherty isn't coming story out the water:

DESPITE rumours of him going awol - PETE DOHERTY took to his Glasto headline slot like a duck to water.
[...]
Pete was top notch, performing to a dedicated following who finally believe he cares more about the music than the drugs.

Hang about, Nadia Mendoza - that sounds like a dangerous deviation from the paper's party line, there.

Nadia's coverage of Franz Ferdinand's discovery of the risks of turning up as a surprise too high up the bill is pretty good, too:

SECRET giggers FRANZ FERDINAND should have gone down a storm - but when they took to the stage DIZZIE RASCAL fans were left wondering what had happened to their hero.

The Scottish rockers played a surprise set on the Park Stage before the British rapper, leaving the crowd bewildered and second guessing if the hip-hopper would turn up.

Polite applause and confusion left what should have been a fantastic set somewhat tainted.

We were surprised, though, that Nadia seemed both bemused how The Subways could be familiar enough to be on the main stage, and yet also convinced their songs were too over-familiar to be worth bothering with.

While The Sun is berating those who fall for rumours, it's slightly kinder on the people who ran stories about Dolly Parton's surprise plans - what with that being the boss, and all. No Dolly, no way, as she's playing at the other end of the country.

Perhaps surprisingly, the Mirror is leading its coverage with an interview with Martha Wainwright, and a sad tale of lost footwear:

She explained: "I did have my favourite wellies that I wore when I went to Africa with Damon Albarn (on a fact-finding mission to Mali for the Blur frontman’s Africa Express project). But they were in such bad shape by the end of Glastonbury last year, I just kicked them off and said goodby as I was leaving the site. They had done their duty. I’ve got to buy some there this year, but the mud can’t be anything as bad as last year."

The paper also found tickets on eBay for a tenner. So, Michael Eavis has finally beaten the touts - by tanking the resale value of the tickets.

The Mail has spotted Kate Moss, and so can now go home happy. She didn't speak to them, so the paper made do with the next best thing:

Tom Knowles, 27, a retail manager, from Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire, said: 'Every time the heavens opened, I felt a little down. I kept thinking "oh God is this it" but it kept clearing after 10, 15 minutes tops.

The Guardian's coverage focuses more heavily on the music, offering a handy scorecard of the acts so far:

Candi Staton - 9
Ting Tings - 8
Vampire Weekend - 8
Glasvegas - 7

Glasvegas probably lost a couple of points for being on a rival sponsor's stage.

The Telegraph has sent Tom Chivers down to battle through the crowds, although he does seem to be relying on his rivals to keep him in the loop:

I read in the Guardian that "despite the weather", and to Emily Eavis' obvious disappointment, "at least one in 10 festivalgoers are still wearing wellies". How odd.

But he rallies, and gets a scoop of his own:

And finally, a Such Small Portions exclusive - according to our sources (in this case, an authoritative-looking man overheard talking on the phone as he walked through the press tent), Michael Eavis has booked the headline for next year: Morrissey. Remember, you heard it here first. Unless it's not true, of course, in which case you didn't.

Morrissey? Bloody hell - the tickets'll be lucky to make a fiver on eBay, then...

[Part of Glastonbury 2008]

Meanwhile, over on ITV...

You could hear the sigh of relief releasing itself from Television Centre a country mile away, as it became increasingly clear that Mandela's 90th Birthday Party was going to have to shift from being solely a celebration of his life to having a political angle as Zimbabwe became harder and harder to ignore. Sure, nobody would suggest that calling for fair elections in Harare should be balanced with getting a spokesperson in to insist that there should be more repression, not less, but having got boiled over Live Earth and Live 8, you imagine that BBC management must have been relieved to not worry about another knees-up turning a little bit op-ed.

As it turned out, though, they needn't have worried, as it fell to Johnny Borrell to be the voice of the world's conscience. "All we are saying is democracy for Zimbabwe" he pleaded. Or would have done, had he not stumbled over the 'democracy' - a bit like Mugabe, really.

Winehouse did make it out of hospital - although, as she apparently substituted "free Blakey my fella" for "free Nelson Mandela" during the finale, perhaps it would have been better if she hadn't done. Unless morality has shifted so badly that we're suggesting political activism and boorish barroom brawls are now indistinguishable. (Mind you, we've only got the Sun's word for it that she sang those words.)

Glastonbury 1998: The Life Of Riley

The Lightning Seeds 98 set marked another piece of Glastonbury's legendary piss-poor planning. On the first night, England were due to play Colombia in World Cup Match, upon which hung the chances of the team's progression to be crushingly defeated in the middle stages of the contest. Perhaps hoping that the various attractions of the festival might keep people away from the prospect of Jimmy Hill in his lucky St Georges bow tie - on a big screen, mother - the decision was taken to show the match only in the cinema field.

It might have just about worked, too, had the start of World Cup Grandstand (as it still was then, correctly) not dovetailed with the Lightning Seeds finishing their set on the Pyramid Stage with a rousing Three Lions. Stood in the cinema field, you could hear thousands of voices raised insisting there'd be no more years of hurt before the Seeds went off the stage and their audience turned to traipse towards the cinema stage. Up some narrow, already muddy lanes.

Luckily, realising they had unleashed a health and safety nightmare, the organisers suddenly decided to patch the match through to the screens at the side of the stage.

Then it started pissing down anyway, so all but the strongest gave up before the half-time business.

In order to avoid health and safety nightmares here, and because live Three Lions was so ropey it doesn't seem to have made it onto YouTube, here's them doing The Life Of Riley instead:



[Part of Glastonbury 1998]

Glastonbury web round-up: Third reich is wrong

Joe Lean has, the NME tells us, compared himself to Hitler during the Jing Jang Jong's set. Not, unfortunately, in the sense that he's about to escape justice, but simply because he looked a bit like him in a video:

Onstage, Lean explained that he unfortunately looked like Hitler in the video for recent single 'Where Do You Go', adding that this was "not a good thing".

Although, of course, it's not as bad as thinking like Hitler. Having said which, you can beat Labour in a by-election doing that these days.

The NME's coverage does seem to have hit on "eye-catching headline on a ho-hum story that actually says the opposite" framework for Glastonbury. So, we also get this:

The Gossip's Beth Ditto at Glastonbury: 'Jay-Z is guilty'

Only for the story to reveal that he's guilty in a good way:

"I'm so jealous of you, camping to see Jay-Z," Ditto said shortly into the set. "Seriously, I'm so fucking jealous. Jay-Z: guilty of making this festival good!"

Still, let's just ponder this for a moment: who is actually stopping Ditto from camping to wait and see Jay-Z? If she's that jealous, why doesn't she send a minion to Bristol to pick up some stuff from Millets and pitch a tent?

And is it just us, or does this "ooh, Jay-Z's made this a good festival" just smack of the most desperate bid to sound contrairian? I don't ever recall Ditto having accused Glastonbury of not being good in the past, and certainly never bemoaning the lack of hip-hop stars on the bill.

Meanwhile, Gigwise shows how to write a headline that sums up the story honestly, and with passion:

Lightspeed Champion Declares Love For Pukka Pies At Glastonbury

Q meanwhile is slightly hobbled by its official role as "partner", and so is having to do all the public service. Actually, the story about Billy Bragg, Dirty Pretty Things and Bluetones doing charity work for the guitars-for-prison charity is a strong one, and it's in a noble cause. It's a pity they've hidden it under an apologetic heading:

You have the right to remain LOUD!

[Part of Glastonbury 2008]

Glastobox: Watching from a safe distance

Were The Feeling doing I Thought It Was Over live? Really live? It didn't sound like it was coming from a stage in a unseasonally autumnal field.

BBC Three is currently being anchored by Edith Bowman and Zane Lowe - Lowe, surely, must be wondering if he's ever going to get any work from the BBC besides festivals and the Evening Session slot by now. Clearly, the City Of Domes that is modern Radio One means he can't do that forever, and it looks like he's attempting to slightly reposition himself enough to open some other lines of employment. Calmer, controlled, almost suave. But he's never going to get a National Lottery themed gameshow, is he?

Bowman is laughing like a tractor sinking into a slurry tank; Rufus Hound is filling up acres of air time with those pointless roving reports that they seem to think are integral to the programme - Hound does 'em well, but it doesn't alter the fact the reason why most of us are watching on TV is we don't want to spend time with the sort of eccentrically-behatted types who clutter up the campsites like a wacky invading army, so we really don't want to hear what they have to say. Especially when, as the woman who was just on, it's "I have a different outfit each day, pink yesterday, multi-colour today... these are my friends from London, but I see them most weekends despite coming from..." Where? Wales? Scotland? Spain? Nope... "... Kent." Not all the way from Kent to London, a distance of less than no miles.

Lupe Fiasco has, somewhat optimistically, encouraged people to sing along "if you know the words." The audience tried, but thought the words were "polite cheer".

Edith and Zane are trying to talk up the Jay-Z set - "word has definitely got to him about the reaction to his set" suggests Zane, letting us into the secret we wouldn't have heard unless we had ears or eyes of some sort.

Editors were pretty good - you can see why people peg them as a bit like Coldplay - they even have the same wet beards, but it's like comparing a microwave curry with the proper deal in a restuarant. Yes, there's a sense of the flavours being similar, but only one offers a real experience of textures, and surprises, and satisfaction.

This year's entertainment value has been increased greatly by adding the Guardian's Great Lyrics booklets, allowing countless rounds of 'One song to the tune of another'.

[Part of Glastonbury 2008]

Glastonbury blog round-up: A broad umbrella

At the moment, it's one-nil to the stay-at-homes. Our Man In Newcastle relishes being in Newcastle:

There was a moment earlier today that I kicked myself for not attending Glastonbury.

A quick look at the webcam and it looked, well, dry. And there are few better places in the world than a dry Glastonbury.

But then I just checked again and this is what the place looks like now and all of a sudden I’m glad I’ll be tuning into to it on the sofa later.

Yes, it's pouring. Just like Carol Kirkwood claimed it wouldn't.

Mind you, someone sees this as an opportunity, claims the Adelaide Green Porridge Cafe:

In a bid to break the drought, the South Australian Government has made a bid to buy the Glastonbury Festival and move it to Adelaide.

The Premier, Mike Rann said that rain was so predictable at the festival that it could help to turn things around in South Australia, facing another summer of drought.

They could just try hiring Michael Eavis to tell them it's raining.

Tamsin is also glad to be home:

I just waved off 3 little sisters and a de-facto brother-in-law heading for Glasto. Again. They are braver than me. I am weak. If it had been a sunny day I might have managed to get my head together. But as it is, rain and clouds and mud on the agenda, and a night of dreaming about WHAT IF, I've decided to listen to my inner voice screaming "For fuck sake NO!" and cut my losses with Glasto 2008. Hey ho. All that planning and being excited for nought. Nice one cosmic joker!

The Beat Happening is coming at you from the press tent, via the magic of wifi:

I have to admit, since I got here it’s all pretty much gone by the book; I’ve covered about twenty miles on foot, bought a gallon of industrial strength cider from a local farm, spent half my festival budget on one burger, lost my phone, and been rained on far too much for my optimum moisture levels.

And let's put the cynicism to one side for a moment. Glastonbury can be magic:
life of a so-called shutterbug reminds us how:

http://ernimason.livejournal.com/14297.html">Six years ago, I was at Glastonbury festival with one of my best friends and her boyfriend. What an amazing place. It's still one of my favourite places in all the world to be. The only place I've felt completly free and had no worries at all. The Friday evening hit, and my friend's boyfriend had a call saying that some of his friends had managed to get free tickets and were on their way down, and we'd meet them in a field under the big paper star, after Coldplay's set. So we walked to meet them. And there, under a star, I met Gary for the first time - now I say the first time. I'd met him once before but hadn't spoken to him properly. - We spent the next day and a half together. The rest, as they say, is history ;)

The post is tagged 'husband'.

Embed and breakfast man: Glastonbury 1998

It's a tradition (= we did it last year and so will do it again this year) for us to remind ourselves of a gentler, happier Glastonbury ten years ago through the medium of video while the new event is pouring out of Somerset.

Except, of course, ten years ago wasn't happy. It was bloody miserable; we know, because - while Blur were doing this set - we were stood watching them. Except, we weren't standing. We were treading water, to try and stop the top of our boots disappearing under the churning mud. It looks so much better from here:



More videos - and embittered reminiscence, no doubt - as the weekend continues
Lightning Seeds - The Life Of Riley
Catatonia - Road Rage
Placebo - Lady Of The Flowers
Portishead - Western Eyes
Underworld - Born Slippy

Signs of the impending apocalypse

Or, things you don't want to read in the subject lines of your inbox:

Simple Minds write songs for next album

They've got enough for a double. Send your children to the higher ground, and make peace with god.

UNKLE scavenger hunt

We know, we know: you're sick of bloody Glastonbury and if you were that bothered you'd have gone down to Somerset.

Luckily, it's possible to have some fun without catching trench foot or having Michael Eavis bark 'you ARE having fun' at you. Because this weekend, UNKLE are starting a sort of scavenger hunt, where you can start to collect a mini album from across four websites. The tracks go together to make up a whole piece, and they themselves are a bit of the forthcoming UNKLE album proper. There's a press release which explains it all:

Although fans will have to collect the tracks individually, when all four (tracks 5, 6, 7 and 8 on the album) are played consecutively, in order, they play as one extended, mixed piece of music that comprises the middle section of the record.

The four tracks will be made available as follows:

Track 5 - Kaned And Abel via UNKLE.com on Fri, June 27th

Track 8 - Chemical (feat. Josh Homme) via Pitchfork on Mon, June 30th
www.pitchforkmedia.com/page/forkcast

Track 6 - Blade In The Back (feat. Gavin Clark) via Rcrdlbl.com on Wed, July 2nd
www.unkle.rcrdlbl.com

Track 7 - Synthetic Water via UNKLE77.com on Fri, July 4th

You can scamper about the internet gathering the pieces from now. Or, of course, save yourself the effort and buy End Titles… Stories for Film when it comes out instead.

Well, fancy that

Guess who's not going to turn up at Glastonbury? Or, indeed, anywhere else much.

Okay, Amy Winehouse was a good guess, but it's not right (at least, not yet) - this time, it's Pete Doherty who has pulled out. And cancelled the Babyshambles tour, and possibly even fired his tour manager.

But we bet Gordon Smart still believes in his story about a Barat-Doherty reunion during the weekend.

Hang about - who's running London?

Boris Johnson isn't: He's in Glastonbury, hanging out with very dubious company indeed.

Glastonbury blog round-up: Heading down

This year, it seems, is to be the year when on-site unofficial coverage of Glastonbury is going to become familiar - for the last couple of festivals, there have been a couple of blogs attempting to report from the mud, but this year it's looking like that there's going to be a constant stream of coverage.

DJSemtex blogged before leaving:

Im on my way to Glastonbury, for some reason I’m not looking forward to it.

It could be the mud, it could be the fact that I wont be doing my radio show tonight, it could be the fact that its gonna take 8 hours to get there.

He's also planning to Twitter, although according to that he's been watching the Hulk for a week.
Fat Butcher's off there, too, although sounding a bit more positive, although less keen to do everything live:

Wellies, water, wipes… check. Train leaves at lunchtime and I’m weighed down with mixers and cables and fifty pence taped to my hand in case I get lost and need to ring my parents.

My first major festival sets of the year, working with Bassline Circus and Pointless Productions, will be updating with photos on my return.

Those who are staying at home seem content with their choice. The Crazy is Catching reckons it'd have been better for a year off; Tizyertiz reckons it should be "put out to pasture" altogether, and isn't sure about Jay-Z - and is able to call on experience of the last Glasto/hip-hop pyramid experiment to support their working:

Personally, I quite like hip-hop (although I'd have to say that I think most modern day hip-hop artists, such as Mr.Z, are pretty awful) but Glastonbury is not the place for it. I once stood in a field and saw Eminem and a number of other hip-hoppers do their thing but , for me, it just didn't work (especially when the majority of the crowd thought it would be fun to lob bottles filled with 'The Lord-Knows-What' at all and sundry).

That - liquid on stage - can ruin an act, as KANYE WEST YELLED AT US JUST THE OTHER DAY.

[Part of Glastonbury 2008]

Glastonbury web round-up: Third agers and PR

It's not enough that Glastonbury has embraced commercialism whole-heartedly, as every other company in the world jostles for a piece of Glasto-related coverage.

A bank rushes out a press release to somehow link Glastonbury with pension planning:

Emma Walkley, current account manager at [a bank that should have remained a building society] said: "Those attending Glastonbury this year will find themselves being entertained by the golden oldies, with Leonard Cohen, Neil Diamond and even Shakin' Stevens making an appearance.

"Not only are the over 50s taking over the line-ups at festivals but they are also making up a large proportion of the crowds - which just goes to show more and more over 50s have ambitions to enjoy exciting challenges and experiences well into later life."

Of course, using Leonard Cohen as an example of planning shrewdly for your retirement is taking you onto dodgy ground.

Anyway, will you have any money left over to invest in pensions if you listen to an insurance company, which warns you to make sure you get insurance:

Managing director for Direct & Partnerships at [an insurance company], Mike Quinton, said: "One in four British adults said they were planning on attending a festival this summer and it would be all too easy to get swept up in the summer spirit and forget to take even the simplest of precautions with their belongings.

"Our research shows that many music lovers are taking unnecessary risks by storing expensive goods in tents, carrying pricey items on them and failing to consider protecting themselves from theft. We urge all festival goers this summer to plan ahead, only take what they need to as well as checking their cover before they go."

It might be a bit late sending out the press release when people are already half-sleeping in their tents.

[Part of Glastonbury 2008]

Glastonbury paper round: Some people think she's just a pair of tits

"Some people think she's just a pair of tits", you know. Yes, Gordon Smart surpasses himself by running a photo of Dolly Parton that looks like something you would have seen in a swingers' magazine.

He pushes his point home home in the story:

GLASTONBURY chiefs have been promising us a BIG surprise guest on Sunday.

But I didn’t realise they meant the size of her boobs.

Do you see? She has breasts! Ha ha ha! Breasts!

Smart also runs the exciting news of Libertines reunion:

Libertines set to reunite at Glastonbury

Really?

Oh, no. It's a guess:

A source said: “Carl and Pete are writing together and are keen to test the songs. Carl’s acoustic show on Sunday would be ideal.”

A guess which, over in the Daily Star, is being strongly ruled out by Carl Barat:

“I’d like to check out Pete’s set if it doesn’t clash with mine but at the same time I don’t feel well enough to deal with all the attention that might get me – if the fans spotted me they’d probably want us to get up on stage.”

The Mail spots Amy Winehouse shopping for alcohol and Euro 2008 stickers:

perhaps a gift for the many young fans who regularly wait outside the singer's north London home

(Why would you give your fans pictures of footballers? Why would that be your first guess?)

The paper is sure she'll be at Glastonbury, having got it from the horse's mouth:

Meanwhile, Michael Eavis has given the clearest hint yet that Winehouse will be well enough to perform at this year’s Glastonbury festival.

The festival’s 72-year-old founder revealed last night that he was looking forward to seeing Miss Winehouse’s scheduled performance on Saturday more than any other.

An offer of a helicopter to fly her in and out of Glastonbury to assure her the minimum of stress has also been put in place.

Of course, given that Eavis had been confidently predicting a sell-out and a dry festival, you might want to take that with a giant salt lick.

Lucy Bannerman in The Times warns that rain might be the least of fans' problems this year:

[T]he element to fear this year may not be water, but wind.

Those who have pitched tents on the site at 900-acre Worthy Farm, Pilton, Somerset, will have to steel themselves for strong southwesterly winds, which are predicted throughout the festival. Light showers are also expected today and tomorrow, but campers should escape the torrential downpours that have blighted previous years. Temperatures will hang around the 19C (66F) to 20C mark.

The Somerset County Gazette counters that, actually, you should fear water, too:

[A]t the time of writing, the heavens have opened and festival-goers have been told to prepare for the mires of deep puddles and sticky mud.

What of the bands, though? The regional presses go for local heroes. The Daily Record ignores the Jay-Z hoo-hah and the will she won't she Wineshe, and reveals who the star of the event will be:

Derek Meins

Who he?

Scots Indie Singer Plans To Take Glastonbury By Storm

Oddly, the Glasgow paper chooses to focus on a down-page act on the Greenpeace stage rather than, say, bigger Scottish names. But then maybe that's understandable - would you really want to claim the Fratellis as your own?

Preparing for their slot, the Fratellis moan to the Guardian about their image:

[T]hey're reviled by many for the very reasons others love them. And that greatly annoys Lawler, who, as the middle-class son of two teachers, probably has more in common with the Fratellis' critics than with the people who buy their records.

"You can't pick your fans, can you?" he asks, having settled himself at an outdoor table overlooking the canal that runs behind the Paradiso. "But we're grateful to have fans. And I think when people describe us as a band to get drunk to, or a party band, it shows you how out of fashion rock'n'roll is. We get described as a pub band, but that's what rock'n'roll is. Twist and Shout was three chords and 'C'mon, c'mon, c'mon' - it was nonsensical. But that was why it was effective."

The Evening Gazette has two Teesside acts to cheer for:

THE CHAPMAN FAMILY (right) got their invite via In New Music We Trust, a promotion on BBC radio stations aiming to promote new, original music.
[...]
DIRTY WEEKEND submitted their demo tape in a competition and beat thousands of other hopefuls to bag themselves a spot.

Eben the Chorley Citizen has found a local angle:

They [The Grow Things] have also been booked to play the BBC's Introducing stage at this year's Glastonbury - the same stage graced by the Ting Tings shortly before they shot to fame.

Mind you, if the United Press International is to be believed, there's going to be more bands than fans there:

About 35,000 people are expected to attend the Glastonbury festival, which began Thursday.

Bloody hell - 100,000 unsold tickets? No wonder Eavis was loooking worried...

Glastonbury blog round-up: Jews and lesbians

Mark from the Wichita Recordings blog is travelling down with a "random posse" and hoping that the site makes its magic happen:

My first Glastonbury was in ‘85 and I’ve been to the vast vast majority ever since (skipped the first couple of years after they let the police on site) and even now whatever cynicism I feel in looking at the line ups quickly dosappears when you get on site.

And if magic doesn't work for you, there's always faith. More faith than ever before, explains TotallyJewish:

A Jewish tent will host a Friday night get-together as part of an “informal but Shomer Shabbat programme”, while there will also be activities on Sunday. Those performing inside the tent – which will be located next to the Hari Krishna tent and near the Glade stage - will include the anarchic GhettoPlotz collective, Clive Selwyn and comedian Katie Burnett.

And if you're not interested in magic, and not bothered by faith, there's always sex. Dirty Converse is covering the festival from the lesbian's point-of-view:

Question: What do you get if you put a woman with a chainsaw in the Field of Avalon? Shapely tree stumps and a lot of men. And fucking hundreds of lesbians!

“Charlie Dimmock’s got nothing on her,” was one of the more polite comments I overheard while watching my first display of chainsaw tree sculpting. Picture a well built woman in jeans brandishing a fucking huge motorised saw, carving up tree stumps like they are pieces of cheese.

Bolsoversion isn't going. And was happy with the choice. Until they realised what they'd done:

Alas, the nation’s media decided my resolve would be short lived. Every outlet was insistent on making me feel like a big Glastonbury loser. Radio One bombarded me with Glasto propaganda, The Guardian told me how amazing the festival would be, The Independent sang the praises of the Kings of Leon and Jimmy Cliff and BBC News showed endless clips of happy campers.

On the up side, I will be sleeping the next four nights in a warm bed, not a hard tent floor, but this doesn’t reduce my jealousy.

All I am now hoping for is a little bit of rain. Not too much (I don’t want to wish the misery of Sunday 2007 on my friends and family) but maybe just a bit.

[Part of Glastonbury 2008]

Glastonbury Web round-up: Wellies and webcams

This is the scene from Glastonbury now - or at 10.17 this evening, anyway - as captured by the BBC webcam. They've made a widget so you can poke it wherever you like, too.

The BBC are predicting that it's going to rain heavily tomorrow; Weather.co.uk suggest rain tonight, tomorrow and on Saturday. But Gigwise found someone prepared to buck the gloomy predictions:

Michael Eavis sold a pair of wellies this evening for one hundred pounds as he told festival goers there is no need for them, we have sunshine all weekend.

His daughter, talking to the NME, was slightly less positive about the prospects, but still upbeat:

[Emily] added that the site is looking good, and based on her knowledge of the air – Eavis grew up on the farm – while she is not expecting a totally dry weekend she's confident conditions will be much better than in previous years.

"It's beautiful down here today, It's boiling hot," Eavis explained. "I'm expecting a bit of a shower at some point over the weekend but we think it will be pretty fine all weekend from knowing what it's like here."

Sponsors Q have actually put on some music:

Q's Queen's Head was rammed full this evening as Glastonbury's musical treats kicked off. As the first main stage to swing into operation at this year's event, there was a huge crowd baying for tunes with the tent packed to capacity and more than a thousand more people at the fringes trying to catch the early acts.

Glasvegas and Santogold (pictured) were among those to benefit from the huge interest in the Queen's Head and the "up for it" crowd happily tolerated the latter's slightly late appearance after getting stuck in traffic on the way to the Somerset site.

Here's a simple rule of thumb: if you're going to use a creaking with-it phrase like up for it, daddio, don't draw attention to it by putting it in quotes.

Back to Michael Eavis, finally: the first video from this year's events to hit YouTube is this, shot at the official opening:


[Part of Glastonbury 2008]

Ting Tings do it for Gore

Current TV take a break from the usual gap-year-meets-Damien-Day fare to make room for this:

The Ting Tings talking about things.

Are we not Happy Meals?

This is New Wave Nigel, one of the characters you could collect at American branches of McDonalds as an American Idol themed toy with the Happy Meals.

Why, yes, there is a passing resemblance to Devo, what with the hat and all. And, since you mention it, Devo have noticed, too. And they're not Happy:

McDonald's & American Idol Go Low
By Co-Opting DEVO's Energy Dome

We recently discovered that DEVO has once again unwittingly intersected with mainstream pop culture.

McDonald's fast food restaurants are offering a series of American Idol TV show themed toys in their children's Happy Meals. One of the toys is named "New Wave Nigel", who sports an orange jumpsuit, punk shades, and an unmistakable DEVO Energy Dome. Flipping a switch plays a DEVO-esque song (which sounds a bit like a mutated version of DEVO's Doctor Detroit.

Was DEVO ever contacted by McDonald's, American Idol, or anyone else involved in making and distributing this toy wearing their trademark headgear?
Of course not. Pioneers who got scalped....again.

It's disgusting, this sort of commercial exploitation of a band who set their face against commerce. Except when they did the 2003 advert for Swiffer.

We're given to understand they had been negotiating to create an "Are we not Bells? We are Taco - T-A-C-O" campaign for a rival chain.