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My other memory’s of 1990 besides the
magical day I spent with Ry Cooder, Was all the shit with security
and travellers . I will also throw dogs into the mix as well . Lets
take dogs first I would always take my dog Swan to the festival . He
was a perfectly formed staff handsome light fawn friendly with humans
and other dogs a real star every one loved him especially kids . He
would breeze round the site in a Cuban hat and a pair of shades, I
kid you not . Feargal Sharkey once offered me £500 on the spot for
him . That year he was on the Pyramid as we were setting up he went
to the middle of the stage had a shit then went to the corner had
another shit .The stage manager went mad . The lighting crew shouted
down “LEAVE HIM ALONE ITS A SIGN” He would always be wandering
into the crowd . He came once back minus collar I am sure I spotted
it the next day round the neck of some punky type . But they had left
his home back stage pass beautifully made by my daughter . I will
scan some shots and post them up .
But it was to be his last year . A
close friend his kid was bite in the face by a lurcher type dog on
the Thursday .Michael knew the family and that was it from then on
total dog ban . It was very much the right call more more dogs were
on site . Things could of got really out of hand .
Now the security thing that year . From
early on we knew things were not in safe hands . Stories of the
contract had been given to a joint London / Birmingham posse with
shall we say criminal elements involved . I was asked by a friend
who was new to the festival to go and retrieve some confiscated Jack
Daniels . I entered a tent up at their compound . A big guy sitting
behind a wooden fold down table with a array of confiscated drink
piled up behind him . Well lets say they weren’t handing much stuff
back . But he instantly knew I was not going to be a push over . My
friend spotted his bottle . He begrudgingly started to decanter it
into the plastic bottle we had provided him . But not before he
handed it round to 3 to 4 of his cronies who all took large swigs .
Totally out of order ,out of 20 people queuing to get drink back . I
was the only one to leave with at least some drink back . They where
coining it right from the word go .
But the most damming evidence came in
the way of another friend . She had won the contract to do the
catering with in the security compound . As the festival progressed I
heard reports she was going to pack up and leave site . It turned out
she was witnessing torture in the form of beatings and people being
tied in chairs and burnt with cigarettes all in the eating area of he
catering tent . She complained and was told to shut the fuck up. You
just make and serve the food it has got fuck all to do with you . She
told me they would be laughing and joking over meals how many people
and stalls they had robbed .When she eventually got home she was a
physical and mental wreck . So much so she decided to pack up and
move to France . I was in the Greenfield on Monday afternoon When I
recognized a person from were I live . He was a wrong one who I had
run ins with in the past. He was in security gear and high as a kite
. He bragged to me how he had a contact in the security . Who had
sold him passes t-shirt photo id . He had spent the whole festival
being a free lance robber showing me an array wallets and money he had
robbed we nearly came to blows there and then . He called me a dick
head and swaggered off down the hill .
In my opinion the Travellers thing was
the smoke screen the security needed . I think the security knew they
had been rumbled they were going to take on the travellers to cover
their tracks . So they did, prompting the confrontation to show the
travellers were the problem . Knowing the travellers would duly
oblige . When all the the time the security were the nastiest thing ever
to be in that beautiful valley . But the festival learned a valuable
lesson . The security now days is good I have worked with them no
worries . The same security for quite a few years now . You can tell
they have taken the festival to the hearts which is good every one
has got to grow with it . To make sure we never have to work with
people like that again
More to come Norm
