Glastonbury 1987

[Skip997]

In my opinion the greatest ever. Nothing to do with the acts, but for one of the greatest performace art events ever.

1987. We gave Glastonbury its first major arts performance. In the travellers site of the festival, we built Carhenge, a Stonehenge memorial made out of old cars. With its Mutoid installations, sculptures and dinosaurs, the field ressembled an apocalyptic Disneyland on acid.
The sound of the drums came from everywhere, people beating oil barrels, cars, sculptures... Anarchic, loud and pulsing, the Zombie beat became the improvised soundtrack of this travelling arts exhibition.

Mutoid Waste

Unimaginable in these days of manufactured fun,and impossible due to a health and safety culture which (IMO) has stifled true spontaneous creativity.

It seemed half the site spent the best part of 24 hours in an acid trance druming on those strange sculptures, even those who sneaked of to bed couldn't avoid it as Mad Max style cars drove round site, trying to rouse and inspire the sleeping,crewed by people who could have been extras in that same film.

The creativity continued throughout the night, I remember one guy who had collected as many metal framed chairs as he could and spent the whole night welding them together into an ever growing snake.

Yes I can imagine such a structure appearing at Glastonbury these days, but it would be surronded by herras fencing, covered in don't climb signs and manned 24/7 by security/stewards.

I was thinking recently that Shangri La needs a revamp, maybe a Carhenge stage.

 

   

 

[Neil]

'87 a goodun in my mind 😄 

[Sawdusty surfer]

Think it was in what is now the CN Field. 

We were in the field below it. Absolutely ground breaking at the time. Fantastic. 

[Kizzie]

I loved 1987 too, it had a real vibrancy about it, thrilling. 

[Neil]

8 hours ago, Sawdusty surfer said:

Think it was in what is now the CN Field. 

i think it was in kings meadow, now stone circle.

[Skip997]

Topic needs bumping, more folks should see this.

[Neil]

12 hours ago, Skip997 said:

as Mad Max style cars drove round site,

that's what i remember most. 😄 

[fred quimby]

Was a great year, even if my memories a a bit hazy. Loved the vibe that went with it. 

[Neil]

i was selling jewellery at an unofficial stall on the main drag, there were lots of sparkly people that year, who had to buy the sparkly jewellery, lol

[Skip997]

10 minutes ago, fred quimby said:

Was a great year, even if my memories a a bit hazy. Loved the vibe that went with it. 

A vibe I don't imagine we'll ever get again.

[fred quimby]

56 minutes ago, Skip997 said:

A vibe I don't imagine we'll ever get again.

Of course not it was the 80's. I still long for the dub tent of the early 80's.

However, all years have their vibes. I love the early 90's with all the raves cropping up at night. Lost vagueness, when ever that was. Equally I enjoyed the vibe around the place this year.

It ends up being crap if you try to capture a vibe and repeat it.

[Skip997]

2 minutes ago, fred quimby said:

Of course not it was the 80's. I still long for the dub tent of the early 80's.

However, all years have their vibes. I love the early 90's with all the raves cropping up at night. Lost vagueness, when ever that was. Equally I enjoyed the vibe around the place this year.

It ends up being crap if you try to capture a vibe and repeat it.

True.

For some reason I didn't notice any particular vibe this year. It felt more manufactured and "false" than ever, but maybe that was just me, I didn't have a particularly good one this year.

[Neil]

2 minutes ago, Skip997 said:

True.

For some reason I didn't notice any particular vibe this year. It felt more manufactured and "false" than ever, but maybe that was just me, I didn't have a particularly good one this year.

that was me too, which i've put down to me, and not the fest.

[Pinhead]

Looks more like it was is Undleground?

[Pinhead]

As much as it was or looks amazing, that world has passed and those that were there like yourselves should feel lucky to have been there and remember it. Probably couldn't or wouldn't happen today at least not in the same way. Its a shame.

[Skip997]

36 minutes ago, Pinhead said:

Looks more like it was is Undleground?

That was my first thought.

I've always remembered it as being Undleground.

[Pinhead]

That's my take from the photos. Other possibilities are King's as Neil said, or maybe Williams Field (note the one East of Dragon's, not Williams Green), else some have put it in bottom of Glebeland but I don't buy that.

[fred quimby]

Was not King's or Glebeland. Is all I know. 

[Neil]

11 hours ago, Skip997 said:

That was my first thought.

I've always remembered it as being Undleground.

those fields wrren't used back then.

[glasto-worker]

it was the last time I bought a ticket - weekend was £21 - cant find 1987 map but I believe this is 1989 so its close enough.

my big memory {and I have extensive photos of it {well the 35mm negatives }
was the Mutoid Waste people driving round in a ' Skull truck ' - they were all over the place that weekend with that truck. if my memory is correct the Mutoid Waste people first showed up in 1986.

Some of the exhibits they ' were using welding torch on site ' - No way would health and safety allow that now.

main highlight was Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians on Friday 19th June  and Richard Thompson on Saturday 20th June

mainly dry but some wet periods got muddy in some areas  

[Neville Street]

It’s funny seeing the bar names. When I went in 87/89/90 we did not use a bar once. We took our booze with us (and in 89/90 sold beer in the campsite). We didn’t have any money, so I guess that’s why we didn’t use bars, but it’s just weird, I have some great memories of those years, also some gaps to be fair, it was all a long time ago, but absolutely zero recall about bars at all!!!

[Skip997]

4 minutes ago, Neville Street said:

It’s funny seeing the bar names. When I went in 87/89/90 we did not use a bar once. We took our booze with us (and in 89/90 sold beer in the campsite). We didn’t have any money, so I guess that’s why we didn’t use bars, but it’s just weird, I have some great memories of those years, also some gaps to be fair, it was all a long time ago, but absolutely zero recall about bars at all!!!

Can't help there, I didn't drink at Festivals in those days.

I don't drink alcohol at all these days.

The other thing I struggle remembering from the 80's/early 90's is the state of the loos. I hardly ate at Glastonbury then.

[fred quimby]

1 hour ago, glasto-worker said:

 

main highlight was Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians on Friday 19th June  

 

 

Oh indeed, was a massive fan back then think it was the year he came on in a wolfs mask, might have got the year mixed up. Off to see him in September this year

[glasto-worker]

4 hours ago, Neville Street said:

It’s funny seeing the bar names. When I went in 87/89/90 we did not use a bar once. We took our booze with us (and in 89/90 sold beer in the campsite). We didn’t have any money, so I guess that’s why we didn’t use bars, but it’s just weird, I have some great memories of those years, also some gaps to be fair, it was all a long time ago, but absolutely zero recall about bars at all!!!

Over time ' most bar names were changed ' with a few exceptions and as the festival expanded some were moved about and there was others added.

below is a photo from 1986 and as you can see it was tiny - have not a clue
of its location. 

[glasto-worker]

4 hours ago, fred quimby said:

Oh indeed, was a massive fan back then think it was the year he came on in a wolfs mask, might have got the year mixed up. Off to see him in September this year

 So that must be his concert in Reading - have a good night