No festival will ever say that they don't want someone. Them saying it's not likely to ever happen is quite the same. There are acts that are desirable to events for decades but like in any relationships sometimes the moment passes and the magiq is gone. At the moment no festival in a whole world would count their financal succes on Prince. He has been playing festivals in Europe during recent years but they have been new, one-off or huge enough to risk with him. Roskilde can handle cancellation of any act but their press and hype is not all about headliners. Glasto is a special case because the secrecy and mystique they create around headliners. You can't rumour, feed rumours, give hints, create hype atc. based on a act that a) hasn't confirmed b) won't show up. Major tours are booked very early and major festivals know already who are the main touring acts 2015. Prince can never do that and unless this changes he won't get a pyramid -stage headliner slot at glasto.

Can this be a permanent sticky, and can we make it so that every Glastonbury comment has to go in this thread? You know, like with Michael Jackson in the Non-Prince Music forum?

TIA.

mtkmmt said:

No festival will ever say that they don't want someone. Them saying it's not likely to ever happen is quite the same. There are acts that are desirable to events for decades but like in any relationships sometimes the moment passes and the magiq is gone. At the moment no festival in a whole world would count their financal succes on Prince. He has been playing festivals in Europe during recent years but they have been new, one-off or huge enough to risk with him. Roskilde can handle cancellation of any act but their press and hype is not all about headliners. Glasto is a special case because the secrecy and mystique they create around headliners. You can't rumour, feed rumours, give hints, create hype atc. based on a act that a) hasn't confirmed b) won't show up. Major tours are booked very early and major festivals know already who are the main touring acts 2015. Prince can never do that and unless this changes he won't get a pyramid -stage headliner slot at glasto.

You have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. Everything you have said is disputed by the facts. Prince does and has played major festivals. ANY festival would be delighted to have someone of his stature play. So much so, Glastonbury have been chasing him for YEARS and is admitted by the organisers themselves. And, even with all the knockbacks, Michael Eavis has pretty much given him an open invitiation to play - "If he wants to do it, he will, but it's up to him".

So, really, you're assumptions count for jack in the face of the facts put forward by people who are actually involved in the scene. Incidentally, Michael Eavis doesn't stand for any nonsense either - he kicked a Pyramid-stage act out of the festival for unreasonable backstage behaviour, without batting an eyelid. The fact he still tries to engage with Prince might indicate that Prince has, so far, not been too unreasonable with them.

Mindflux said:

mtkmmt said:

You have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. Everything you have said is disputed by the facts. Prince does and has played major festivals. ANY festival would be delighted to have someone of his stature play. So much so, Glastonbury have been chasing him for YEARS and is admitted by the organisers themselves. And, even with all the knockbacks, Michael Eavis has pretty much given him an open invitiation to play - "If he wants to do it, he will, but it's up to him".

So, really, you're assumptions count for jack in the face of the facts put forward by people who are actually involved in the scene. Incidentally, Michael Eavis doesn't stand for any nonsense either - he kicked a Pyramid-stage act out of the festival for unreasonable backstage behaviour, without batting an eyelid. The fact he still tries to engage with Prince might indicate that Prince has, so far, not been too unreasonable with them.

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Mindflux said:

Mindflux said:

mtkmmt said:

No festival will ever say that they don't want someone. Them saying it's not likely to ever happen is quite the same. There are acts that are desirable to events for decades but like in any relationships sometimes the moment passes and the magiq is gone. At the moment no festival in a whole world would count their financal succes on Prince. He has been playing festivals in Europe during recent years but they have been new, one-off or huge enough to risk with him. Roskilde can handle cancellation of any act but their press and hype is not all about headliners. Glasto is a special case because the secrecy and mystique they create around headliners. You can't rumour, feed rumours, give hints, create hype atc. based on a act that a) hasn't confirmed b) won't show up. Major tours are booked very early and major festivals know already who are the main touring acts 2015. Prince can never do that and unless this changes he won't get a pyramid -stage headliner slot at glasto.

You have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. Everything you have said is disputed by the facts. Prince does and has played major festivals. ANY festival would be delighted to have someone of his stature play. So much so, Glastonbury have been chasing him for YEARS and is admitted by the organisers themselves. And, even with all the knockbacks, Michael Eavis has pretty much given him an open invitiation to play - "If he wants to do it, he will, but it's up to him".

So, really, you're assumptions count for jack in the face of the facts put forward by people who are actually involved in the scene. Incidentally, Michael Eavis doesn't stand for any nonsense either - he kicked a Pyramid-stage act out of the festival for unreasonable backstage behaviour, without batting an eyelid. The fact he still tries to engage with Prince might indicate that Prince has, so far, not been too unreasonable with them.

I would say the festival wants him, but are likely tired of dealing with the broadcast and cancellation clause issues. Prince is difficult to work with, but I'm sure they have extended him an open invitation provided he clearly agree to their CON-tract.

Mindflux said:

I'm not sure how much more clear I can be with this. I work in the industry and have performed multiple times at the event we're discussing. You clearly don't work in the industry. Yet, you keep coming back with your assumptions as to how it works, what is possible etc. I've told you how it is, given you facts, so please stop trying to argue with my first-hand experience via your mere speculation! You say, "I'd be surprised if every artist has a say" - well, be surprised! I'm not a major artist by any means - I've played some of the smaller stages and one of the mid-sized ones (Glade Stage), I still get asked about what I want broadcast, in whatever format that is.

Your first hand experience isn't with Prince though is it? Well done that you've played there. You don't know for certain however that your contract is the same as Princes. I suspect you don't get paid the same for a start. As I said, the festival website says they retain all broadcast rights.

I know Prince wouldn't have sold any more tickets. Clearly Prince doesn't know the ticket situation. Yes, he will have heard of Glastonbury, but do you really think he knows the ins and outs of the festival. He won't care. I've heard of the Burning Man festival in the US, it's one I'd like to play. Do you think I know when tickets are on sale, what their marketing strategy is......?! Of course not! I'll just try and speak to the usual people you speak to about booking a gig. And, naturally, Prince won't even do that. Someone else will do it for him, tell him they're speaking to Glasto about a possible gig - Prince says ok, but he wants it to be a surprise gig, Prince then gets wind of it all over media, throws a strop and says he won't do it now. None of this should be any surprise to any long-time followers of Prince - he's cancelled shows for less!

I think Prince knows that tickets for Glastonbury don't go on sale a week before the event yes. He's worked in the industry for 40 odd years. I suspect he knows tickets for festivals go on sale months in advance... He's experimented with his own mini-festivals a la the celebrations.

He's already played pretty much everything there is to play - yes, Glastonbury would be a feather in his cap, but it's a cap that is already well-feathered and I don't think he'll feel his touring career was a failure if he never played it!

I agree with you there. However his recording career could do with this kind of media attention. With a decent TV set he would be practically guaranteed a top 10 album/single.

That said, I'm pleased you finally find it plausible that he didn't play because the surprise was blown (despite it having been specualted that he was playing for about the last 10 years!) and it is pretty much what Michael Eavis has confirmed. And, no, it doesn't explain why he hasn't played yet (but another explanation for that might be to do with money - Glastonbury gives so much to charities and good causes, that artists do not get the usual fee they command. In fact, you might only get half what you regularly get - perhaps that is a factor?). The truth is that we don't know what his reasons are, but there is pretty much an open invitiation for him to play whenever he feels like it, so who knows when or if it may happen. I, for one, would absolutely love to see him play there - it is a gig like no other.

I'm pleased you're pleased, but don't try and make out thats what you were saying. You didn't suggest he pulled out because the surprise was blown - you claimed it was his fear of Glasto trading on the name "Prince" - after all the tickets had been sold and the festival couldnt possibly benefit from the name "Prince" - because Prince apparently isn't aware the tickets go on sale more than a few days in advance (i.e. 6 months ago when they likely first asked him to play the 2014 Festival)

Noodled24 said:

He'll play in about 15 years in the Sunday afternoon legends slot, lots of muddy people drunk on Cider singing along to Kiss.....

I wonder if it's the BBC / Glastonbury deal which means his entire set would be broadcast. We know P controls his music.

andymacfunky said:

Mindflux said:

DaveT said:

Just for the record, when the Rolling Stones played they only allowed the BBC to broadcast about 15mins of their set (the rubbish, slow, middle 15mins!)... I'm sure they could come to a similar arrangement for Prince.

Having said that, I'd be gutted if they did that as I'd likely be watching it on TV. As much as I'd love to go to Glasto I'm not taking a £200 risk on tickets before I knew who was playing...that's crazy!

Actually, it's crazy not to take the "risk"! It is the finest music and performing arts event in the world and with over 1200 acts to choose from, do you really think you would go and not see anything you liked?! Even apart from the music, there is so much else going on plus the quite unique vibe and atmosphere that Glastonbury has, it is really something you shoukd go and experience. It is a music-lovers festival and people go for the event itself -which is why 150,000 people every year don't mind taking the 'risk' you suggest