John Giddings interview - BBC funding Glastonbury, Prince etc

[Alan_C]

Sorry if this has already been posted, or isn't deemed worth of it's own thread but I didn't know where to post it. Most of it is IOW related but it does have a bit of Glastonbury related stuff and Prince, which will interest a few people. I've put the Glastonbury bit in bold, if that's all that's of interest to anyone. The headline of the article is slightly misleading mind:

http://loaded.co.uk/prince-talks-hendrix-isle-of-wight-festival-john-giddings/

Quote

Prince has had talks to play the most unique show of his career – by performing a set of Jimi Hendrix covers at Isle Of Wight Festival.

The megastar, who has recently released a series of new low-key albums, has said he’s interested in performing a tribute to Hendrix, who played one of his most famous shows at the first Isle Of Wight Festival in 1970.

Festival organiser John Giddings told Loaded: “I’ve suggested this to Prince for a couple of years. He has seemed quite excited by the idea. I’d love it to happen this year.”

But Giddings admitted that it’s tough to find out who to have talks with on the singer’s behalf. He explained: “It’s very hard to know who Prince’s representative is. He’s a bit elusive. But he’s very ahead of the game and one of the most talented musicians the world has turned out. He’s welcome to come any day of the week.”

The festival is on June 9-12 this year, with Stereophonics and Faithless joint headliners on the Friday night and Queen on the Sunday. The Saturday headliners have yet to be announced, though Giddings says they have been booked. He added: “I can’t say who it is yet, because the contractual negotiations are like The West Wing.”

However, he scotched rumours that it could be The Spice Girls. It’s the 20^th anniversary of their first hit Wannabe this year, and gossip that they’d headline Isle Of Wight was sparked when three of the Girls – Melanie C, Geri Horner and Emma Bunton – were seen together at the VIP enclosure at last year’s festival.

However, it’s since been rumoured that Victoria Beckham doesn’t want to take part in any reunion. Giddings said: “Whether The Spice Girls would play without Victoria, I don’t know. I’m friends with Geri, Melanie C and Emma, but whether they want to tour again is up to them, not me.

“Just because someone comes to the festival, that doesn’t mean they’re going to play it the year after. I’ve talked to them about playing the festival over the years, but you can’t force someone to do something they don’t want to.”

Giddings named Foals, The Black Keys and Royal Blood as future potential headliners, adding that he’s determined to get Green Day and Arcade Fire – who have yet to play the event – to top the bill one day too.

He also said that he’d like Ed Sheeran to headline one day too, despite calling him “fucking boring” in 2014.

Giddings, who first revived Isle Of Wight Festival in 2002, admitted he’d since come to admire Sheeran’s music and said he’s seen the singer socially several times since.

He confessed: “I didn’t want to like Ed, but he’s really, really good fun. He’s a good guy. I really like him, and I’d have him play the festival in a heartbeat. I’ve grown to love him.”

As well as the headliners, this year’s festival stars Iggy Pop as the special guest on Saturday night. Everything Everything, Jess Glynne, Busted, Adam Ant, Blossoms, Reverend And The Makers, The Corrs, Twin Atlantic, Feeder and Half Moon Run are also on the bill.

It follows Blur, Fleetwood Mac and The Prodigy as last year’s headliners. Giddings secured Fleetwod Mac despite Michael Eavis publicly courting the reunited rockers to play Glastonbury for several years.

Giddings said: “Michael asked how I managed to book Fleetwood Mac and I told him: ‘I paid them.’

“Glastonbury don’t have to pay artists as much, because they have so much BBC coverage. I don’t understand why the BBC effectively promote a rival festival, which means they can get bands a lot cheaper than we have to pay for them in the commercial sector.

“I don’t understand why the BBC funds Radio 1’s festival Big Weekend either. I pay a licence fee for these people to compete against me, and I resent that.”

The 62-year-old, who also promotes The Rolling Stones and was David Bowie’s concert organiser until the singer’s death last month, admitted he’s concerned about the lack of new rock bands emerging as potential headliners.

The festival introduced a successful new acts stage hosted by club night This Feeling last year, but Giddings said: “There are a lot of new rock bands out there, but it’s harder for them to get exposure.

“Royal Blood stuck out like a sore thumb at the BRITs last year. They weren’t part of what else was happening at all. They were brilliant, but you could see people thinking ‘Who are these?’ You don’t get bands treading the boards in little clubs now.”

One band Giddings does think will eventually play his Festival is Oasis.

“I’d love to get Oasis, they’re my dream,” Giddings enthused. “They’ll reform eventually. Absolutely they will. They have to. The world wants them to, and the pressure will be on them until they do.

“I’ve met Noel a few times, and I’ve asked him if it’ll happen. But I’ve asked Paul Weller to reform The Jam and he just turned around and walked the other way.”

 

[zero000]

So Giddings is a prize c**t then. Glastonbury's reputation brought the BBC not vice versa. Suggesting the BBC subsidise Glastonbury is the kind of nasty rhetoric we get from the Tories constantly.

All in all he comes across as a capitalistic pillock trying to make a quick buck.

[Andy0808 v5]

Didn't we know he was a cock from that article where someone interviewed various festival organisers?

saying something about that Courtney Barrnet was a risky booking. 

[stuartbert two hats]

11 minutes ago, zero000 said:

So Giddings is a prize c**t then. Glastonbury's reputation brought the BBC not vice versa. Suggesting the BBC subsidise Glastonbury is the kind of nasty rhetoric we get from the Tories constantly.

All in all he comes across as a capitalistic pillock trying to make a quick buck.

He's got a point. Glastonbury has managed to get itself in a position where it can get a lot more bang for its buck, which must make it really hard for the other large festivals to compete. And a great deal of this competitive advantage it currently has is tied up with the blanket coverage from the Beeb. Do you think big bands 

It works very well for us, because it's enabled Glastonbury to put on the best festival around, and whilst it may have got into its current position on merit, this isn't a level playing field.

[FloorFiller]

19 minutes ago, Andy0808 v5 said:

Didn't we know he was a cock from that article where someone interviewed various festival organisers?

saying something about that Courtney Barrnet was a risky booking. 

it was Chloe Howl (what the hell happened to her?!) but yeah he comes across as a right tosser

[FloorFiller]

8 minutes ago, stuartbert two hats said:

He's got a point. Glastonbury has managed to get itself in a position where it can get a lot more bang for its buck, which must make it really hard for the other large festivals to compete. And a great deal of this competitive advantage it currently has is tied up with the blanket coverage from the Beeb. Do you think big bands 

It works very well for us, because it's enabled Glastonbury to put on the best festival around, and whilst it may have got into its current position on merit, this isn't a level playing field.

yet he proved last year with Fleetwood Mac that sometimes Glastonbury's reputation and esteem just isn't enough - they also got the Stones first, remember. although judging by what's been announced this year for IOW and what's rumoured for Glastonbury, it's not a frequent occurrence one-upping Glastonbury in terms of acts

[grumpyhack]

The IoW and Glastonbury are like chalk and cheese.  The IoW is corporate beyond belief while Glastonbury still has some links with its original free spirit. Whether Giddings chooses to put on a corporate arena festival because its the only way he can make it pay or whether that's just his style I don't know.

[Alan_C]

I can understand his frustrations about having to pay more, but even without the BBC funding, his festival could never compete with Glastonbury as a festival experience. I've been. Away from the few stages of music, there is not a lot going on, and the crowd it attracts are some of the most miserable ignorant people I have met at a festival (from my experience).

[scaryclaireyfairy]

He's a bitter Betty, isn't he?  If he had a notable product to offer, I'm sure the BBC would be there in droves.  They manage to spend a lot of time and money broadcasting Reading and T...

[oneeye]

The man has shown himself up to be a money obsessed tit,  with no festival soul. If you do an IOW festival then do Bestival

 

[dingbat2]

Giddings is in it to maximise his own profit. He has no idea of the ethos or spirit of music or real festivals. Yes Eavis does pretty well out of the festival but his motivation is totally different to Giddings, he wants to put on a music festival for people, his motivation is primarily for people to have fun and enjo0y themselves, and because of it he makes a bit of (but not excessive) money for himself and his neighbours who he borrows land from. And he gives a couple of million to charity as well.

And this ethos is what keeps punters coming year after year, without knowing any of the line up. Just being able to take you own booze anywhere for example, so few festivals allow you to do this nowadays - Eavis could stop people taking booze into the 'arena' but chooses not to, the punter is ultimately king and Eavis knows this

Giddings also needs to appreciate that Glasto helps his ticket sales. Bands who see bands on the Beeb will attract punters to his festivals in later years. If there was no BBC coverage then he would struggle to sell tickets in following years

Eavis has the right balance, If all music festivals are about maximising profit for the organisers then music festivals really are doomed. He who pays the most get the band. Thank god some bands appreciate music and the ethos of music and music festivals, With or without BBC coverage

Sorry if this doesn't make sense, I am bladdered

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 5, 2016 by dingbat2

[zero000]

45 minutes ago, stuartbert two hats said:

He's got a point. Glastonbury has managed to get itself in a position where it can get a lot more bang for its buck, which must make it really hard for the other large festivals to compete. And a great deal of this competitive advantage it currently has is tied up with the blanket coverage from the Beeb. Do you think big bands 

It works very well for us, because it's enabled Glastonbury to put on the best festival around, and whilst it may have got into its current position on merit, this isn't a level playing field.

Whilst that is true, Glastonbury has managed to get such extensive coverage off it's own back, rather than the BBC giving it a "leg up" with the vast majority of the profits go to charity and not into some blokes pocket. Similarly just as Glastonbury exploits this coverage, the IOW exploits the corporate sponsorship to pay massive amounts of money to get the acts it wants. Glastonbury has to compromise. It's not just the coverage that delivers the goods for Glastonbury, it's the reputation and weight headlining Glastonbury possesses, it holds prestige. 

[jparx]

He's probably annoyed that he's managed to get a load of huge acts before Glastonbury by throwing the cash around, yet his festival is still pales in comparison.

[thewayiam]

1 hour ago, oneeye said:

The man has shown himself up to be a money obsessed tit,  with no festival soul. If you do an IOW festival then do Bestival

 

I bet the money he shelled out on last year wasn't recipricated in sales enough. He did booked a header with about 100 o2 dates lol and an act that were selling BST tickets for £2.50.

[eFestivals]

12 hours ago, FloorFiller said:

yet he proved last year with Fleetwood Mac that sometimes Glastonbury's reputation and esteem just isn't enough - they also got the Stones first, remember. although judging by what's been announced this year for IOW and what's rumoured for Glastonbury, it's not a frequent occurrence one-upping Glastonbury in terms of acts

don't think you can really say anything about that apart from that Giddings has been working with the stones for decades as their agent.

For bands of that size, a promoter's relationship with that counts for a lot.

[FuzzyDunlop]

"I don’t understand why the BBC funds Radio 1’s festival Big Weekend either"

 

If he can't understand that, can he understand anything? 

[stuartbert two hats]

21 minutes ago, FuzzyDunlop said:

"I don’t understand why the BBC funds Radio 1’s festival Big Weekend either"

 

If he can't understand that, can he understand anything? 

Can you explain? 

I love the BBC for its ability to do things that a commercial entity cannot. Like The Proms, for instance.  How does the Big Weekend fit into this?

[FuzzyDunlop]

Why does the BBC fund the radio one big weekend....?

They speculate to accumulate. They fund it to enhance their own brand. 

It is an event they came up with. Glastonbury / T in the park / Leeds, I can understand his point, I disagree with it, but I can get where he is coming from. For him to say "I don't understand why they promote their own event"  is odd

 

[Gnomicide]

If Glastonbury stopped letting people take in their own drink like he does at his festivals, they could pay the acts double from the extra revenue.

That would be a very bad thing, obviously.

[incident]

1 hour ago, FuzzyDunlop said:

Why does the BBC fund the radio one big weekend....?

They speculate to accumulate. They fund it to enhance their own brand. 

It is an event they came up with. Glastonbury / T in the park / Leeds, I can understand his point, I disagree with it, but I can get where he is coming from. For him to say "I don't understand why they promote their own event"  is odd

 

Especially when my understanding is that Big Weekend is basically more of a a showcase than a proper gig - they give the acts really short sets so that they can get on, play a few of their biggest/newest songs, then leave. Even the Main Stage headliners only get an hour. Rather than being a competitive Festival, it's basically free advertising for the bands. Which if IOW weren't so concerned about booking "exclusives" they'd be able to take advantage of.

[Muppetmark]

it says a lot how despite the fact the black keys coheadlined recently he doesnt see that as a headliner. 

[russycarps]

If this c**ts festival wasnt so shit maybe it'd be on the telly

[stuartbert two hats]

3 minutes ago, russycarps said:

If this c**ts festival wasnt so shit maybe it'd be on the telly

Ah, as ever Russy, you get to the heart of the matter.

[Alan_C]

Sky Arts don't even show much of their festival coverage anymore. They just do highlights a week or two after the festival.

[dan8k]

Went to Isle of Wight festival last year. Its a super commercial festival thats had the soul ripped out of it, with loads of shitty filler bands so they can afford big money headliners.

However, if they ever get Prince....