Pre-headliner politics

[frostypaw]

We've talked on here before about how the political side of glastonbury has drifted.

Read this article today and it reminded me so much of some of the speeches we used to get from artists and others... can we not have this rather clever lady to come and give a quick talk before the headliner one night? Broadcast to the world by the BBC as part of their contract, insisted on by the festival to remind people it's not really about the bands

Anyhow the article - a nice sunday read.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/nov/01/how-economic-growth-has-become-anti-life

The dominant model of economic development has in fact become anti-life. When economies are measured only in terms of money flow, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. And the rich might be rich in monetary terms but they too are poor in the wider context of what being human means.

[jeffie]

Brian Milani, who wrote Designing the Green Economy, he would be fantastic.

[russycarps]

They'd get booed off, whoever it was

[frostypaw]

I dunno, I'd like to think the glasto audience is more open than that. It's not the place or time for the boring stuff - inspiring hopeful things not doom and gloom

Would be very sad if it's lost it's politics to that level

[stuartbert two hats]

Well Caroline Lucas was booed in 2011, with comments like “F*ck off you hippy, this is a music festival,” hurled from the Pyramid field.

[grumpyhack]

It's what the Leftfield used to be all about.

[alframsey]

Well Caroline Lucas was booed in 2011, with comments like “F*ck off you hippy, this is a music festival,” hurled from the Pyramid field.

[mrtourette]

I doubt they'd want to be seen as being outdated hippies by the Pyramid crowd.

[rubenz]

Really? Wow, that does shock me. It really does. Personally I'd love to see a more obvious indication of the festivals politics, I know we have Leftfield and CND etc but something on a bigger scale would be more than welcome in my mind.

[jeffie]

She was booed and I think it was out of order, don't think it was the best spot for it though to be honest (on the pyramid stage prior to the Wu Tang Clan)

[frostypaw]

Well yes. Would take a little more thought than that, but matching speakers to likely audiences would be the prime challenge

[stuartbert two hats]

I think there should be more of that kind of thing and on the Pyramid too. Get people used to it.

[jeffie]

I think there should be more of that kind of thing and on the Pyramid too. Get people used to it.

[guypjfreak]

It's what the Leftfield used to be all about.

[jeffie]

oh that and the levellers starting the festi off every year

[jimmyt]

Glastonbury has slowly educated me from the Tory ideals I was brought up with to the socialist values I now hold dear.

When people were moaning because Billy Bragg got (very slightly, for him) political this year on the Pyramid I realised that the festival I fell for years ago was no more. Still a brilliant weekend (NFiR NFC) but not what it once was.

[CaledonianGonzo]

Owen Jones gave a speech on the Pyramid Stage this year about Trident vs NHS. I didn't see it, but he came on after Jake Bugg.

[LondonTom]

When people were moaning because Billy Bragg got (very slightly, for him) political this year on the Pyramid

[Field Commander Jefferson]

Would be a great opportunity to get a decent message across. I think if anyone was going to talk in that slot and for it to work it would have to be an upbeat rallying call to fire people up...maybe have Michael himself introduce them, that should be guaranteed at least to divert any negativity.

On this subject stop war/cnd/occupy are all protesting on westminster bridge tonight about cutting war not welfare

[frostypaw]

Bang on - an introduction from Michael saying why this strange thing is happening has to help

At the very worst if HE got booed for it then the message would be loud and clear that something's gone fundamentally wrong

[frostypaw]

Something like that, but with less America, less illuminati hokum and more pictures of David Cameron

[rubenz]

I had an idea for a Glastonbury bin design earlier. Cameron being savaged by a badger - could that be arranged please.

I thought the greenpeace stuff was good this year but agree with the idea of trying to get something more out to the masses on the pyramid. The scrap Trident CND bit during "machine gun" by Portishead was quite impressive though.

Also why/when did they get rid of the big wall thing near John Peel tent which had CND logos etc on it?

[frostypaw]

Also why/when did they get rid of the big wall thing near John Peel tent which had CND logos etc on it?

[rubenz]

Yeah thats why I think the Portishead one was good as they had worked with CND to produce the visual backdrop.

[kpins]

Maybe bands being more political (a la Portishead) is the way forward. There appear to be few bands who are willing to stick their neck on the line anymore despite the horrendous political situation in this country and across the world. If you think back to The Clash and Pink Floyd (two bands from the opposite end of the musical scale) neither were afraid to bring politics into their music.