Emily Eavis On The Glastonbury Special Guests

Sian Rowe talks to Emily Eavis about the special guests (clue: it’s not Cliff Richard), Beyoncé’s wellies and the little things that make all the difference in our run up to Glasto interview.

Emily Eavis

So – the big question, who are the secret guests?

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“We are still unsure of exactly who is turning up, mainly because it’s unconfirmed at the moment! I swear I have heard every rumour – even that Led Zeppelin are playing!”

Any other secret sets you think will pop up over the site beyond the Park Stage?

“I think there will be some surprises scattered across the site all weekend, from Dance to Shangri-La. As ever, these things are best stumbled upon. Don’t fret about missing out on anything. There are some special moments being planned for the whole weekend across the site so if you miss one, you may still catch another.”

Is that one of the things you think people love about Glastonbury?

“Yes! It’s good to have a few surprises. We’ll have them all over the weekend. So many rumours are spread while the festival is on that everybody gets into a panic. If you listen to them, there isn’t a band who isn’t on the list, whether it’s Cliff Richard or Eric Clapton!”

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Beyoncé’s actually playing, though. When did that discussion start?

“She came in 2008 with Jay-Z and we’ve seen her a few times over the years. She’s a lot more than just a lightweight pop star – she’s got an amazing voice, serious moves and she’s bloody strong! She’s coming over to Europe especially.”

How many guests is she going to bring on stage with her?

“Really couldn’t say. I know she is planning something really special and have seen some pictures of the set which look incredible. She is putting a lot of energy into making this a damn good show for everyone.”

beyonce

Do you have to make any ‘special arrangements’ for her?

“No! She’s really easy to please. She and Jay-Z will get stuck in with their wellies, they don’t seem precious.”

Who do you think could steal the show this year, or really make the step up, like a lot of bands do at Glasto?

“I think The Walkmen could have a really great year, as well as Tame Impala. Talking main stages i’d go for Fleet Foxes, Friendly Fires and Tinie Tempah of course.”

Who’s your favourite really new band on the bill?

“I’m really looking forward to seeing Grouplove, as well as The Walkmen and James Blake.”

What’s the best thing anybody’s ever said to you about Glastonbury?

“My dad fell asleep on a train the other day and woke up with a note in front of him. There was no sign of its author – it just said, ‘Thanks for bringing so much happiness into people’s lives.’ It means a lot to Michael after over 40 years.”

We will be reporting direct from Glastonbury 2011. Head over to NME.COM/festivals/Glastonbury and download our NME Festival App – Powered By BlackBerry for line-up news, photo galleries, instant reviews and backstage video interviews from all the UK’s best-loved festivals. You can add us as a BBM contact using the pin 26E588A4 and follow us on Twitter @NME_Festivals. Plus if you’ve got a BlackBerry, you can send us your pictures and reviews through the app or to festivals@nme.com.

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