You posting from overseas blues?
You make some fair and interesting points, but in answer to your specfic question about why Mudbath 2007 was so particularly hellish for me after so many other ones in the past, well paolo's answered that really. Last year was for me the worst Glasto mudbath EVER, only rivalled in Somme like hellishness by 1985 (so I hear), 1997 and 1998 -- and in the latter two years I was 34 and 35! I'd say 2007 was even worse than 1998 because, yes, there were far more people, and unlike in 98, the weather got steadily worse as time went on. Last year, the very worst mud built up on Sunday and Monday when people were already exhausted after 5 days of partying, getting caned, mudtrudging (most of the time), and (worst of all) sitting down being at such a total premium. And all this on top of 2004 and 2005, neither a TOTAL mudbath, neither nearly as bad as 2007, but both pretty skanky at times .... I'm resilient, I know how to enjoy and party and make the best of things, I'm experienced, and bring the right protective clothes, but BLIMEY was my longest holiday of the year in 2007 hard work towards the end!! Didn't help I suppose that last June I was going through a pretty bad phase personally .... but sunshine and NO MUD would have assuaged that so much better ....
I think I would feel seriously depressed if I failed to go this year and it was a sundrenched scorcher. Fuck me I'm owed!
I don't especially give a shit about the lineup, I always found the best things further down the bill on smaller stages anyway, and I'm already hearing good names being mentioned (for me things like King Blues, Slackers, Pama International, 3 Daft Monkeys etc etc and everyone else will have completely other preferences, there's so much for everyone). And there's lots more to come. If people don't like Jay Z they can see Massive Attack or loads of other stuff instead anyway . Leonard Cohen is a legend and this is a unique chance to see him. Can't wait to see Jimmy Cliff again and he WILL bring sunshine back. We'll be working this year for the first time -- new perspective, fresh outlook. Commerciality, well aspects of that are well shit, but there's STILL vast quantities of the less/non commercial stuff at Glasto. Lost Vagueness being shit last year? True, but it's been sacked and it's replacement looks VERY promising. Mainstream/conventional attituded crowds? I've always been less judgemental about that than some, if you go with as positive and open and friendly an attitude as possible, you will always meet/chat to/spend time with congenial positive people who bring something new to the party. Twats are easily enough avoided.
I think paolo's right just above, give us a modicum of sunshine and an absence of mud, and Glastonbury 2008 could well be a total winner, entirely contrary to all the jaded doom and gloom sayers who have IMO become far too locked into not just making legit criticisms (many of which I agree with) but writing the whole thing off and being almost incapable of saying anything positive about it any more -- I find such negativity really sad and annoying to the point of tedium be honest! And you know that's not at all because I think Michael Eavis/Glastonbury are beyond criticism or anything.
If you don't come, enjoy your other festivals (many of which I'll also be at, being lucky enough for an either/or decision not to be necessary this year). If you do head Pilton way, enjoy Glastonbury -- it's still fucking brilliant IMO, EVEN after last year!
Still needs old schoolers around, just doing me Festographer job!
For the 13th time in Glasto's case and I'm not jaded ...
Sorry, not read posts beyond this cos if I do, I won't get to eat tonight. Also deleted your emoticons to make room for mine!
I'm in Ireland (Republic) so have to do the international thing. I did it last year and it's no fucking fun! Bath & West - join massively long queue. Realise the "hut" dispensing tickets has two people in and seemingly no particular "order" to the tickets since it takes forever to find anyone's. Queue for three hours (not kidding). Start to get mightily pissed off that you're outside, nowhere to get a drink/food or even sit down unless you use your own rucksack. Tough shit if it's raining and err, if we're not to pee in hedges, put some bloody portaloos in there then! (No I didn't, but if I'd come off a coach/train and then had to do the shuttle thingy, I might have had to - plenty did)
I've no particular issue with putting off internationals, it's minor compared to the rest, it's just the attitude, or seeming attitude, that no matter how hard they make it for folk, it'll still sell out and so why bother making it any easier.
That's the main issue with all of it, this "who cares" attitude that seems to have pervaded the festival. See the ed's comments earlier about how they've changed - it's not him (well I assume he hasn't pissed anyone at GFL off in any significant way!) it's all of it/us. Whether the mud and rain was worse in 07 or not is largely irrelevant, it just felt worse because we'd had to go through much more crap to even get there (ticket reg's, usual t-day stress, coach shit) and nothing or very little was done to help the situation, a heck of a lot more people were there adding to the problems inherent in the place anyway, and when anything was done to try and ease problems, it was far too late.
You go to a pub with all your mates and the pint is great. You go again and it's shit, you might go again and give it another chance. You go twice more, pint is shit, three times .....? Some loyalty to the landlord makes you still go back even though your mates won't go near the place and then he tells you he doesn't want you there anyway ...?
I can well see why people were pissed off at Michael's comments. (And I'm not saying all those years were shit, it's just the most apt comparison I can think of for you!)
Your comment re "stubborn and want to go out on a sunny one" is common enough, and was my preference too. But it's your certainty that it's the mud that's put people off that I mainly take issue with. The mud alone, we've survived often enough and are prepared for. What some of us are no longer prepared to do is keep putting up with having more asked of us in a dozen different ways when there seems to be so much less being put in by the organisers to help make it less of a struggle so we're geting so much less out of it.
Pretty much everything else I agree with you on, although beware seeing behind the curtain (working) cos in a strange way you'll find even when you're off duty you start to notice things and think "that should be reported"
"gloom sayers who have IMO become far too locked into not just making legit criticisms (many of which I agree with) but writing the whole thing off and being almost incapable of saying anything positive about it any more -- I find such negativity really sad and annoying to the point of tedium be honest! And you know that's not at all because I think Michael Eavis/Glastonbury are beyond criticism or anything."
All of that I totally agree with, but I can also understand how some folk become angry and even bitter when they feel they've given so much support (whether working or not) and effectively are being shat on from a very great height, or at the very least GFL are taking the piss. There's an awful lot of folk who have been very involved for a very long time feel that way. And in my view, they're mostly justified.
I'm not disputing with you the mud/rain is a factor, I just dont think it's the driving force behind many of us saying "enough" when so many other things have made it so much more effort, so many things are managed/planned so badly that it just feels like all they give a damn about anymore is the money, and that's supposed to be the exact thing it WASN'T about.
But, I genuinely do hope it's a scorcher for those going, and in all probability I'll see bits on the tv and smile. I very much doubt I'll regret not going. I do think it's redeemable, but probably not until there's a major shift in thinking from the very top all the way down. I haven't said I'm never going again, but I genuinely don't believe I ever will go again.
It's highly unlikely we're going to be at any of the same festivals this year. I'll be in the UK in June round about Strawberry fayre but with Grandson no.2 arriving the week before and youngest blueslet turning 21 also, the chances of me getting to it are ummmm, about the same chance as you forecasting rain! But I appreciate the comment - especially from the man who can't stand me and when you've done your hot and sunny one and decided to move onto something new, let me know if any of them are this side of the water