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Paul Weller slams Glastonbury festival

'The fans aren't what they were' reckons ex-Jam man

April 22, 2008 | 20 Comments
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Paul Weller has denounced the Glastonbury festival, pointing towards the bad weather the festival has experienced of late.

Weller also pointed to the kind of people who went to the festival, claiming that recently festivalgoers hadn't been as big music fans as previously.

Comparing his performance at last year's festival to that in 1994, Weller told BBC 6Music: "The difference between doing it in '94 and doing it last year was that most of the audience knew the greatest hits, whereas in '94 they were music fans. You didn’t just have to do the greatest hits, that was very noticeable to me."

"The conditions are disgusting aren't they?," he continued. "I don't know how people can... I mean, you'd have to be off your box to stay there for three days wouldn't you?"

"I'm not a big lover of festivals at the best of times, I like proper gigs… and it's just really corporate now isn't it?"

Paul Weller tickets:

Date / Time	Artist	Venue	Town/City	Buy
Dec 02, 2009 19:30	Paul Weller	Victoria Halls - Halifax	Halifax	[Sold Out]
Dec 02, 2009 19:30	Paul Weller	Victoria Halls - Halifax	Halifax	[Sold Out]
Dec 03, 2009 19:30	Paul Weller	Carlisle Sands Centre	Carlisle	[Sold Out]
Dec 04, 2009 19:30	Paul Weller	The Spa Royal Hall	Bridlington	Buy Paul Weller tickets from Seetickets
Dec 04, 2009 19:30	Paul Weller	The Spa Royal Hall		Buy Paul Weller tickets from Seetickets
Dec 06, 2009 19:30	Paul Weller	St George's Hall	Bradford	[Sold Out]
Dec 06, 2009 19:30	Paul Weller	St George's Hall	Bradford	[Sold Out]
Dec 07, 2009 19:30	Paul Weller	Venue Cymru	Llandudno	Buy Paul Weller tickets from Seatwave from £75
Dec 07, 2009 19:30	Paul Weller	Venue Cymru	Llandudno	Buy Paul Weller tickets from Seatwave from £75
Dec 08, 2009 19:30	Paul Weller	Guildhall	Portsmouth	Buy Paul Weller tickets from Seatwave from £69
Dec 08, 2009 19:30	Paul Weller	Guildhall	Portsmouth	Buy Paul Weller tickets from Seatwave from £69
Dec 10, 2009 19:30	Paul Weller	Margate Winter Gardens	Margate	Buy Paul Weller tickets from Seatwave from £54
Dec 10, 2009 19:30	Paul Weller	Margate Winter Gardens	Margate	Buy Paul Weller tickets from Seatwave from £54
Dec 11, 2009 19:30	Paul Weller	Warwick Arts Centre	Coventry	Buy Paul Weller tickets from Seatwave from £107
Dec 11, 2009 19:30	Paul Weller	Warwick Arts Centre	Coventry	Buy Paul Weller tickets from Seatwave from £107
Dec 12, 2009 19:30	Paul Weller	Corn Exchange	Cambridge	Buy Paul Weller tickets from Seatwave from £85
Dec 12, 2009 19:30	Paul Weller	Corn Exchange	Cambridge	Buy Paul Weller tickets from Seatwave from £85
May 24, 2010 19:30	Paul Weller	Royal Albert Hall	London	Buy Paul Weller tickets from Seetickets
May 25, 2010 19:30	Paul Weller	Royal Albert Hall	London	Buy Paul Weller tickets from Seetickets
May 26, 2010 19:30	Paul Weller	Royal Albert Hall	London	Buy Paul Weller tickets from Seetickets

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Comments (20)

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Apr 22, 2008

Thats not really "slamming" Glasto...i'd say its more of a "personal opinion"

JFELT

Apr 22, 2008

This, Mr Weller, is because you are not as relevant as you were in 1994. British music was dull then, just as you are now and were then. The reason crowds were up for it when you played then was because you were one of the only people making decent music.Now, I can see where you are coming from regarding the current situation with hoardes of people going to Glastonbury for the experience rather than wrinkled rockers such as yourself, but as one of your heroes famously sang "the times, the are a-changing". You are no longer relevant as your records have become dull. This pains me as I am a big Jam fan and I was really in to Stanley Road at the time.Sorry mate, just word your argument differently.

neweducation

Apr 22, 2008

come on mr weller, just because you might get your sta press muddy and ruffle up your feather cut.. where are your punk ethics? roll on glasto!!!

howarj

Apr 22, 2008

I wouldn't say it's slamming Glastonbury really, just his own thoughts from experience. But a good point of view all the same, from one of the greatest icons, still coming out with quality tunes, that just get better and better.

bragdad

Apr 22, 2008

Doesnt complain about the money he no doubt got paid though.....

Lethalsiddle

Apr 22, 2008

So you're not a music fan if you don't know some of the more obscure Paul Weller songs? I am a music fan and that's WHY I don't know some of his songs. Well, its not even that I don't know them, I just find it hard to get excited by them. I have to endure Weller on a daily basis from my twin brother and his solo stuff is, for the most part, dull shite with the lyrical depth of an empty sink. The Jam were an amazing band, but Weller has long-since disappeared up his own arsehole and it looks like he's staying there. If a musically-greyscale Dad-rock pioneer wants to " slam Glastonbury" then let him. I'm glad the fans gave him a cool reaction, I just hope he doesn't come back!

luptonn

Apr 22, 2008

In other news... Glastonbury festival complain that "Weller isn't the songwriter he once was". Festival organisers suggested that due to a number of poor songs in recent years his songs weren't "what they were".Comparing last years material with his material from 1994 a source suggested that "he used to perform music that anyone could enjoy, but in recent years had failed to deliver anything worth listening to"."The songs are disgusting aren't they?," he continued. "I don't know how people can... I mean, you'd have to be off your box to listen to them don't you?""I'm not a big lover of Weller at the best of times, I like proper gigsâ€¦ and it's just really corporate now isn't it?"

modagoo

Apr 22, 2008

It's all very well stirring up more PR trouble for Glastonbury when naively debating the headliners but this really is scraping the barrel. What a cheap, sensationlistic headline, could you not have got "sub-prime" or "credit crunch" in there with "slamming"?Weller's performance at Glasto 2007 was lack lustre at best. He admits that he is "not a big lover of festivals" something that came across in his onstage presence far more than the waves of "corporate[ness]" that he implies dominate festivals now.He's not aging very gracefully either ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/glastonburyonthebbc/603298012/ ) - is it me or could he not be mistaken for Rainbow's Geoffrey Hayes?Have fun at your "proper gigs" Weller and and friends, I'll be checking my dividends down the board room at Worthy Farm, Jay Zed or otherwise.

tommychughes

Apr 22, 2008

Bragdad, artists who play Glastonbury tend to get paid ALOT less than those that play Reading/V Fest or most other festivals...And I'd be surprised if anyone even knew the Greatest Hits to be quite frank, most of the Topshop-clad folks I've seen around Glasto have even heard of Paul Weller

lipgloss

Apr 22, 2008

bloody hell, he hasn't even said anything of any particular disdain and everyone is forgetting the last 30 years he has given to music and slagging him off!if 'sir doherty' came out and said he didn't like glastonbury you'd all be jumping on his wagon!

angelo66

Apr 22, 2008

hey it's just so true... here in Portugal, 'cause of the good weather, there's not so much mud involved, but the festivals are nowadays just a big corporate thing, full of communication operators marketing and banks and always the same artists doing the singles stuff. Sometimes we goet good chances of seeings interesting artists, but itÂ´s just a minority, there, in the middle of an aphatic festival crowd waiting to recognize the next ringtone...

ladypenelope

Apr 22, 2008

Paul Weller isn't what he was...I saw him at Glasto last year and ended up wandering off to see something more interesting

binstig

Apr 22, 2008

how can you possibly say it is really corporate now, when you could easily compare to the REAL corporate events. glastonbury has really green ethics, gives endless amounts of money to charity so anybody who criticizes it is either jumping on the bandwagon or just a plain moron.

Jimmyjamesp

Apr 22, 2008

Having just seen Paul Weller at the Teenage Cancer Trust gigs from corporate seats, its fair to say that most of my immediate audience were bored to tears. Whilst I was amazed to hear obscure Jam B-Sides it didn't rock the crowd. For me he is peerless and my all time favourite performer but I have to say his set lists don't flow at the best of times and I think he takes perverse pleasure in pulling the rug from people's feet as soon as he starts dancing. As far as Glastonbury's concerned isn't he just saying the same thing that Michael Eavis did just in a different way is all.

bragdad

Apr 22, 2008

oh I know that tommychughes, they still get paid though

sirfrazman

Apr 22, 2008

as one of those unfortunates who had to stand through the 'modfathers' achingly dull set at last years glasto may i express my total lack of suprise that weller felt the crowd weren't feeling it - we weren't.when you go to a festival you see scores of bands whose back-catalogue you aren't aquainted with, and some who you've never even heard of. at last years glasto weller was the only dissapointment, concerned more with mastubatory guitar-solos and strutting around with a glass of wine and cigarette hanging from his mouth (though admitedly stylish.)so it had nowt to do with the audiences ignorance but with his own complacent performance. eg, when gogol bordello played the pyramid stage in the morning everyone was up for it despite most having never heard of them whilst for weller, even town called malice didn't get us excited

Madmod

Apr 23, 2008

He's not exactly said anything untrue & doesnt anyone think the media are trying to stir up sh*t, its not as if he was forcing his opinion on others.....he was asked a question & gave an honest answer. He is & will always be a legend in my book, one of the greatest songwriters ever to come out of this country, always passionate & always striving to do better, theres not many like him who's stayed the course & still knocking great tunes out.

markweg

Apr 23, 2008

Well, I'm a long time Jam/Weller fan and I have to say that Weller's 2007 Glasto show was a poor gig and pretty lame set choice, and the crowd reacted appropriately. I was really disappointed - so don't blame the crowd Paul, you might be an icon but you still have to make an effort.

matthudson16

May 28, 2008

Whatever Weller says goes, all the kids commenting above should go and enjoy Jay-Z...now there's real talent *ahem* will he be around making classic music in 30 years...I think not, long live real icons! Long Live Weller!

ronsmonkeys

Jun 15, 2009

94 was lucky to have glorious sun (though with that comes a distinct aroma) the people there were definitely more music led as the festival experience had yet to hit the mainstream (via tv which i believe started in 94) and so was not filled with middle class norms trying to be slightly wild.with wider publicity comes greater corporate interest unfortunately where you couldn't move for charity and good causes being mentioned now i think people are barely aware of the link. I think that the charity and social awareness side could be pushed more all you see is some sustainable living ideas and thats about it.