Glastonbury: An Oral History of the Music, Mud & Magic

by John Shearlaw, Crispin Aubrey, Michael Eavis (Foreword)

For the first time ever, the story of Glastonbury Festival is presented in full. Packed with photos and the vivid accounts of hundreds of people—from performers to punters —Glastonbury is a colorful oral history of a party that started with a handful of people in a field in Somerset, England and grew into a mammoth “city in the fields,” drawing more than 100,000 attendees and 40,000 performers and staff.

Genres: Nonfiction, Music

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Nick · Rating 2 out of 5]

I attended the first festival in 1970, and the second the following year, this book doesn't have much to say about the first apart from Eavis complaining about Bolan's ego and how he lost money. The second was better but the reminicesenses in the book are not how I remember it, everyone differs when it comes to recalling events. There was an event not recorded in the book in 1973. Although there was no festival that year because of opposition from locals, the pubs and restaurants all had 'no hippies' notices in their windows with the exception of The Riflemans and The Abbey Cafe who were more welcoming. About 200 people squated an abandoned hall in the town centre where we held an indoor festival for three days before being evicted, great fun and a lasting memory. I never attended Glastonbury festival after that but often went on the summer and winter solstice, and there were much better festivals held elsewhere, notably a free festival at Trentishoe High on the cliffs of North Devon overlooking the Bristol Channel.

The book itself could have much more interesting in my opinion, and it's not really reader friendly, there's a lot of stuff missing. The festival itself has become much too commercialised, and bears little resemblance to the original ethos of freedom and alternative living.

[Madeleine Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Made me SO excited to go again this year. I loved hearing all about the behind the scenes of the creation of Glasto way back in 1971.

It’s mad that everyone knows and experiences how magical it is. You can’t put it into words really, but this book does come close.

One of my fave excerpts was about the guy in control of the waste disposal, who said he gathers tonnes of the stuff, when he’s not eating pizza.

Another lady found the courage to divorce her knobhead husband after experiencing complete freedom and independence there - love to hear it.

Also loved finding out that the pyramid stage was imagined from a dream.

Need to read Marc Allen (music journo) articles!!

[Jon Chaisson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spoilers: This is not a tell-all or a memoir about the bands or the shenanigans that have gone on throughout the years of Glastonbury's existence. This is a behind-the-scenes look at what it took for Worthy Farm owner Michael Eavis (and numerous others over the years) to run a yearly music and craft festival. The writing is a little dry and the story isn't as exciting as one would hope, but it does maintain interest, if only for those curious.

[Dane Cobain · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, I admit it - I'm a big festival fan. I've been to a few in my time, the major ones being Hop Farm, Reading and Download, but Glastonbury has been my spiritual home since I first went back in 2011. I bought this book for some light reading ahead of one of the festivals, just to get me on the mood.

If that's why you're reading it, you're in a good place - if not, you'll just wish you were there. Aubrey and Shearlaw investigate the full story of Glastonbury Festival, from its humble beginnings as a party on Michael Eavis' farm to its modern-day status as one of the greatest festivals on the planet.

The book includes first-hand accounts and a collection of photographs of the festival throughout the years which will make you feel like you were really there. It's just a shame that the Daily Mail agrees with me - they say, 'If you've never been to Glastonbury, Crispin Aubrey and John Shearlaw have provided a fascinating oral history to tell you what you've missed.'

I wouldn't go that far, though - sure, it's an interesting read, but it lacks inspiration and fails to capture the quintessential Glasto spirit which festival-goers have grown to know and love over the last forty years. It's like reading a biography of a magician - not only does it lack magic, but also it dispels some of the illusions that kept you under his spell in the first place.

That's not to say you shouldn't read it - it just does what it says on the tin, nothing more and nothing less. Judge for yourself!

[Zara · Rating 3 out of 5]

After my Glastonbury 'experience' this year, i decided to find out more about the history of the festival. I stumbled over this book in my local library. Chronologically set out, it describes each year as told by the people who organised, performed or just danced round a fire naked.

It's interesting to see who's played, which year makes you the most jealous, to hear about a year where it didn't rain and to imagine what that might have been like....hmmm? However, as interesting as these stories are, the book is badly edited with more repetition than there are beats in the Dance Field.

[Justine Giddings · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Glastonbury Festival....have been five times and am going to go again! This book is a must for anyone who has been, and loved, the magic of the greatest festival in the world :)