TEN YEARS AFTER 1970 - August to December - IOW The third Isle Of Wight Festival of Music, billed as ï¿½the great event,ï¿½ has lived up to its name, there will never be another. As nearly half the estimated 600,000 people at East Afton Farm pitched camp on ï¿½Devastation Hill,ï¿½ overlooking the site, the festivalï¿½s pressman said: We will never organise another Isle Of Wight pop festival, or another festival anywhere. We are all very disillusionedï¿½. At press time it was estimated that Fiery Creations, promoters of the festival were ï¿½92,000 in debt, with over ï¿½20,000 lost in damage to property on Sunday alone. Says Ron Foulk: ï¿½I suppose the shout for free music was inevitable, but the spirit which created this festival, a festival of convention, has now destroyed itï¿½. And many of those backstage at the weekend confirmed that not only was this the last Isle Of Wight festival, but the last big pop festival in Britain.

ï¿½Youï¿½ve torn down the walls, now youï¿½re tearing down the restaurants,ï¿½ said Rikki Farr at 10:40 p.m. on Sunday. ï¿½For the good people, goodbye. For the rest of you, just go to hell! I am finishedï¿½. This was just a sample of the ï¿½aggroï¿½ and tension in the air throughout the long weekend, and came just before the festivalï¿½s climactic finish with Jimi Hendrix and Joan Baez. Tension, often of nerve-shattering intensity, had been building between audience and organizers throughout the five days. Rikki Farr, compeer of the whole programme and, with brothers Ron and Ray Foulk, promoter of the event, left the stage with tears in his eyes. But there was peace and goodwill here too, and almost 80 hours of the best music in the world. Worldï¿½s top talent for two bob a head The finest talent in the world for just two shillings a head, that in cold simple fact was the financial truth of the Isle Of Wight Festival.

For a weekend, three pounds a ticket, there were over 30 top-line acts, and that doesnï¿½t include the two free warm up days. Musically: This festival provided the biggest number of top world acts ever assembled in one place at one time. It has never been done before, and it will certainly never be done again. But why? Why did what should have been a runaway success, for artists, audience and promoters alike, ultimately collapse in alleged financial disaster, with a tidal wave of bad feelings between the organisers and the fans. Almost half the fans had pitched camp on the hill known as ï¿½Desolation Hillï¿½ beside the site, ignoring all discomfort and happy in the knowledge that they had beaten the ï¿½bureaucrats,ï¿½ to enjoy five days without paying a penny. Thoughts of barricading off the hillside were out of the question and even on Friday morning Ron Foulk was prophesying a vast loss. But, this in itself was not the trouble.

Did the real trouble come from what Hampshire Chief of Police ï¿½ Douglas Osmond described as a ï¿½lunatic fringeï¿½ an estimated 10,000 militants, mainly French we were told, whose sole objective seemed to be to break down all the barriers and turn the festival into a free-for-all? Even when they eventually had their way at 3:50 p.m. on Sunday, when the arena gates were opened in an effort to avoid further damage to property, this ï¿½fringeï¿½ was still not satisfied. ï¿½If the music is now free, why isnï¿½t the food,ï¿½ they cried, and so vented their feelings by demolishing rows of festival shops and refreshment stalls. Or were organizers to blame themselves? Did they aim too high, book too many artists in an attempt to make this festival the biggest ever. Certainly, for the fans who were anything less than open-air veterans, the experience of sitting in a cold field for up to 20 a day and night must have been enough to fray many tempers.

Maybe, Rikki Farr, admired as he certainly must be for the absolutely phenomenal amount of work and organization he and his fellow ï¿½Fiery Creatorsï¿½ put into this festival, could not achieve the communication he wanted between himself and the crowd. Maybe he was wrong to expect to make a lot of money out of so much hardship: maybe some of his emotional outpourings stirred up the wrong emotions, but was it right to make him the object of so much abuse? The answers may never be known, but the lesson of the pop festival has been learned. This was quite definitely the greatest musical event Britain has ever seen. But now the festival bubble has burst and never again will anyone in this country (England) attempt to achieve what has proved to be the impossible. Festival Scene Incredible difference between Roger Chapman (the madman on stage and Roger Chapman the quiet gent off stage. Giant ï¿½Canvas Cityï¿½ inflated sausage marquee provided discothï¿½que music non-stop throughout the festival. The Moody Blues appropriately dedicated their song ï¿½Melancholy Manï¿½ from their ï¿½Question Of Balance album to compeer Rikki Farr.

Amazing job of work done by disc-jockeys, Jeff Dexter and Andy Dunkley, who seemed to be alive and working 25 hours a day. Terry Blackburn one of many ï¿½surpriseï¿½ faces that we didnï¿½t expect to see in the press-enclosure. Emerson, Lake and Palmer may regret using the festival as their major debut, seeing that the general consensus of opinion was that they were not well received. It was easy to spot the enthusiastic stars of the festival, which included: The Who, Tony Joe White, Family, and Pentangle among the artists who both arrived early stayed late, and bothered to go front stage to see their competitors. Then comes the question, why did so many artists insist on playing for so long, knowing the number of people who were to follow them? To bring Sly and the Family Stone specially from America and then put them on at breakfast time was ludicrous. Then again, it was Tiny Timï¿½s rendition of ï¿½Land of Hope and Glory brought out a feeling of national pride in the audience as they were singing along and waving peace signs.

FESTIVAL HAPPENINGS Wednesday: A security dog savages the arm of an engineer and the owner of a nearby private golf club is aghast to find campers merrily pitching tents on his sixth green! Thursday: Malnutrition strikes the fans and the Chief of Police offers an amnesty over drugs. The self-styled ï¿½White Panthersï¿½ storm the arena turnstiles in an attempt to turn this into a free festival, and the crowd turns ugly when the sound is turned down after midnight-apparently part of the festival agreement. Friday: Hitch-hikers and walkers span the 25-mile route from Ryde to Freshwater, yet some people are already walking back to Ryde on their way home. The ten-guinea V.I.P. enclosure sparsely populated is torn down by angry fans who serge up to the edge of the front press enclosure. A hand grenade is thrown at the ticket office and Rikki Farr is taken home in a state of nervous and physical exhaustion. Relief organisations recognise the needs of campers on ï¿½Devastation Hillï¿½ and attempt to lay on field telephones. There are rumours of a typhoid plague sweeping the site.

A militant agitator is given the microphone to proclaim: ï¿½If this is for peace there must be no fencesï¿½. Saturday: Organization of the music begins to fall apart, and the show meant to end at midnight, eventually finishes at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday. Ron Foulk announces that he needs another ninety two thousand pounds in administration fees just to break even, and thereï¿½s rumours that some of the top acts may not appear. Onstage the messages from and for distressed people grow longer by the hour. Thereï¿½s temporary panic when one of the giant lighting and sound towers is in danger of collapsing from the weight of people climbing up for a better view. Sunday: The superbly organized food and drink supplies begin to run out and ï¿½pirateï¿½ traders move in, selling same at inflated prices. The non-paying fans are let into the arena for free, but still the barricades are broken down. Pentangleï¿½s act is interrupted ï¿½Weï¿½re now more naked than youï¿½ cries a hoarse Rikki Farr. Weï¿½re open to creditorsï¿½.

And then as an afterthought, to try and restore goodwill: ï¿½I want you to stand up and hold your hands together in friendshipï¿½ which we do in the arena, on the hill, in the press enclosure, and onstage. Joan Baez: Gives a press conference and denies rumours that she is being paid twelve thousand pounds, that she is living on a yacht, and that she is fighting with Leonard Cohen. A fire scare starts onstage after Jimi Hendrix, sends the press into panic and has water tenders rushing to the scene. But itï¿½s only flairs which some militants had placed on the roof above the stage, then they throw newsletters into the press arena. He roof smoulders all through Joan Baezï¿½s act. By midday the queue for busses home had grown to three miles, stretching right around the arena. There are reports that one person queuing has slashed his wrists, which brings fourth the dry-statistic ï¿½ one person commits suicide. Welfare organisations express extreme concern at those hundreds of fans likely to be stranded on the island without food or money. Rikki Farr has had enough and vanishes without a trace.

The roads for miles around are strewn with bodies, walking, stumbling or just sleeping exhausted in ditches. Monday: After five brilliantly sunny days, the ï¿½Isle Of Wight Festival Of Music 1970ï¿½ awakes to ï¿½ rain. Festival Report by: Gavin Petrie and David Hughes for Disc Special Edition. Wild, tight Chicago and rocking Procol Harlem heat up the island's cold night Wednesday and Thursday ï¿½ Having two free days was a wise move on the part of someone. Firstly, it gave the ever-growing crowd a pleasant pastime in the sunshine and secondly, it enabled the superhuman posse of technicians to sort out the giant banks of speakers.

The highlights were David Bromberg, backing guitarist to Rosalie Sorrells, who played some incredibly slow, almost talking blues; The Groundhogs, featuring some really excellent bass guitar work from Pete Cruickshank and the splendid ï¿½Eccentric Manï¿½ from their, ï¿½Thank Christ For The Bombï¿½ album; Supertramp who, despite confessing themselves that their act was far from perfect, fully justified the faith placed in them by others, particularly on their version of ï¿½All Along The Towerï¿½ and ï¿½Black Widow,ï¿½ who have at last dispensed with their Black Magic image and replaced it with some really fine tight music. With the organizers managing complete control over the time limits of these lesser-known acts, the music came thick and fast, yet ended on time. Many acts were forced to stop while running repairs were made on the speakers and other equipment, but the promise was for good and efficient days ahead.

Friday: And with the two free warm up days over, it was Fairfield Parlour to open the first day of the festival proper, and a day that was to spotlight the heavier sounds, and a day which started at about 2:00 p.m. and ended at 4:00 a.m. the following morning with Melanie due to have been last on the bill, fast asleep backstage! There were three notable highlights to the day. Chicago, who impressed with their musical professionalism; Taste, who impressed with Rory Gallagherï¿½s aggression; and the amazing and unique Voices of East Harlem, who slayed a very cold 2:00 a.m. crowd with their raw gospel soul. The Voices are an incredible line up of black kids of various ages, looking much like much like several sets of Jackson Fiveï¿½s dressed in ï¿½Dead End Kidï¿½ denim and punching out that wild soulful, gospel sound, that may not mean much here generally yet, but after this festival, well, you just wait and see!

The ideal act for that time in the morning, with an overall sound really filling the air, as did the roar for more, when they eventually left the stage, after an incredible version of John Fogertyï¿½s ï¿½Proud Maryï¿½. Taste, really is Rory Gallagher though Richie McCracken and John Wilson provide excellent bass and drums accompaniment and are rewarded by the occasional solo. But itï¿½s Gallagher, swaying back and forth, with hair flying and mouth open in apparent ecstasy at finding note sequences maybe even he didnï¿½t think possible, who leads the trio on and on. One of the highlights was Roryï¿½s bottleneck solo on ï¿½Gamblinï¿½ Blues,ï¿½ and it was no surprise they came back and back again for three encores. The sun was coming down in the late afternoon and the mood and temperature was right for the Irish band who, until now, have remained sadly underrated in Britain, but no longer is that the case. Chicago Transit Authority: Were the bill-toppers, and wisely presented half-way through the evening before hands were too cold or ears too blasted.

They really are a force to be reckoned with, thoroughly professional yet able to let roar without once conceding to quality. Itï¿½s the brass section that really makes Chicagoï¿½s sound, sax man Walt Perry who also doubles splendidly on flute. James Pankow is on trombone and Lee Loughnane is on trumpet. Those three really blow a storm, both together and individually, without once hitting a bad note. Pankow seems to be the bandï¿½s driving force, screaming words of encouragement whenever his mouth is free! Jim also wrote the long ï¿½Balletï¿½ which is based around their ï¿½Make Me Smileï¿½ single. Their song ï¿½25 or 6 to 4ï¿½ was the natural closer, allowing us to hear in full Terry Kathï¿½s guitar solo, and the band obliged with a quick encore of, ï¿½Iï¿½m A Manï¿½. September 5, 1970 ï¿½ Chicago About The I.O.W. Festival ï¿½ Disc and Music Echo Chicago flew in on Wednesday morning for the Isle of Wight Festival.

The band was shattered by two days without sleep, at the end of a three-month non-stop tour schedule, and undecided whether they were looking forward to the music festival or not. Pete Cetera, ï¿½Weï¿½re visual and donï¿½t leap about, so unless the sound equipment is really first-class, we donï¿½t seem to come over very well. ï¿½In fact, this is probably the last festival weï¿½ll ever play. Their coming to an end in America. I really donï¿½t like having to play to an audience of more than 10,000 people. ï¿½Apart from anything else, the security precautions are so stiff that thereï¿½s always a huge blank area, between the stage and the crowd. We feel remote from the audience and unable to give our bestï¿½. Honest stuff, but Chicago are reputed as an honest, straight talking group. Theyï¿½ve ridden the waves of criticism and have emerged along side of Blood, Sweat and Tears, as the most powerful and original musical force in the United States.

ï¿½The main accusation was that we are pretentious,ï¿½ says Peter. ï¿½ï¿½People said it was pretentious for a new band to start their recording career with a double album. Even the record company were very worried about it. They were even more worried about the second double album. They told us maybe the first sold on a gimmick basis. ï¿½Initially, our reputation spread around by word of mouth. No one played the Chicago Transit Authority album, for about three or four months, so we relied on reports of live appearances to keep our name goingï¿½. Did the pretentious tag worry them? ï¿½I just laughed,ï¿½ says organist Robert Lamm. ï¿½We knew we could not give the public a fair cross-section of what we were like on one record album, so it had to be a double album. Whatï¿½s the logic in calling that pretentious? Maybe if the group had only one writer, we could have been accused of being long-winded. But the fact that most of us write, and all write in different styles, makes a double-album a mustï¿½.

Bandwagon: It seems very strange that, following the enormous success of Chicago and Blood, Sweat and Tears, there has not been a flood of groups adding brass sections and jumping on the bandwagon. ï¿½But there has,ï¿½ says Peter, ï¿½though maybe they havenï¿½t been successful enough for you to have heard of them. The ï¿½Ides of March had one hit here, and your band seems to have modified itself almost completely like Blood, Sweat and Tears. ï¿½At least the brass boom means more opportunity for good horn players. Five years ago, people studying brass instruments only, had a few outlets. Jim Pankow, out trombonist, was in a jazz band, Lee Loughnane, our trumpeter, was working with an Irish show-band, and Walt Perry, our saxophone man, was working with a rock groupï¿½. Rock `nï¿½ Roll, in fact, is a subject that Robert Lamm feels very strongly about. ï¿½I listen to the rock and roll of ten years ago, and it makes me laugh. Itï¿½s totally unnecessary to revive these songs and release them on singles.

The best thing that can be done with Golden Oldies, apart from to bury them, is to issue them in two record sets, in a mail order catalogue. That way people can still buy them, but we donï¿½t have to hear them on the radioï¿½. Robertï¿½s other sore topic is, American Radio. ï¿½Radio in America is governed by big white bosses who know nothing at all about music. They decide what the American public shall, or shall not hear. Thatï¿½s why we (Chicago) were forced to release edited singlesï¿½. Article by David Hughes An Aside: Earlier arrivalï¿½s ï¿½ Frank Collins had passed one of the greatest test of his life, convincing the largest crowd yet assembled at a British pop festival, that hit single groupï¿½s are able to compete musically with their heavier friends. ï¿½See The Lordï¿½ was the song that broke the ice and had almost the entire crowd up on its feet clapping, shouting and singing ï¿½ no little achievement !

Lighthouse: A thirteen strong Canadian outfit, who managed to beat the Customs Officials and get the right work permits, and gave out some very freaky, wild and jazz-based numbers, such as: ï¿½Letï¿½s Stand Alone Togetherï¿½. But, maybe even for such a vast crowd, they were way too loud, for it was the quieter stars who were to steal the festival. Tony Joe White: Appeared at an unfortunate moment in the early evening hours, right after an angry section of the crowd had voiced its disapproval of the ten guinea for the VIP enclosure by throwing Coke cans and other missiles in that direction. But the large, beaming, calm man from the deep south ignored the initial quiet reception and after each number, the audience warmed more and more towards him. He kicked off with John Lee Hookerï¿½s ï¿½Boom Boomï¿½ and getting an amazing sound from simple guitar and drums, using wah-wah petal and vibrato.

Someone leapt onstage to say how wonderful everybody was, and Tony Joe stepped back, to let him make his speech, and then added dryly: ï¿½Ya all must be havinï¿½ an election hereï¿½ ï¿½Groupie Girlï¿½ and ï¿½Polk Salad Annieï¿½ clinched his success and he encored modestly with his new hit single, ï¿½Save Your Sugar For Meï¿½. Family: Yet to fail to please an audience, once again had the groovers-grooving and the freaks- freaking, and brought a new warmth for those beginning to feel a chill in the night air. Their secret is that they remain completely unique, drawing from no one but themselves, and always creating new and different sounds, both electronically and acoustically. Roger Chapman makes the group with his frenzied and often frightening stage antics. As he wanders around during instrumental breaks, glaring like a mad axe man before pouncing on the microphone and wrecking havoc with it. From sheer creation and power. With Poly Palmer on vibes, organ and flute must also be one of the countryï¿½s most underrated musicians.

Procol Harum: Followed, well past midnight, facing a giant spotlight, the newly christened ï¿½Devastation Hillï¿½ dotted with a few fires and even a few flames inside the main arena (so thatï¿½s where the bathroom doors ended up ï¿½ as firewood) ! All this made Gary Brooker. Who was sitting at his grand piano, look pretty incongruous. Sadly, the band was were very un-together at the start. A lot of Procolï¿½s songs, have the ï¿½Whiter Shade Of Paleï¿½ approach, but not that lift. Songs from the, ï¿½Salty Dogï¿½ album brought the most reaction, the title track eventually getting them the normal encore. ï¿½Itï¿½s too cold to play anything slow,ï¿½ said Brooker as an aside, so they launched into the good old rock nï¿½ roll, still guaranteed to get everybody going.

ï¿½Move On Down The Lineï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½High School Confidentialï¿½ ï¿½ and ï¿½Lucilleï¿½ and another heavy band had won the day, thanks to Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard! Cactus: Ended the first long dayï¿½s night. The quartet of ex ï¿½ Vanilla Fudge men Tim Bogert (bass) and Carmine Appacie (drums) and friends Jim McCarty (guitar) and Rusty Day Vocals and Harmonica) ï¿½ played loud and heavy, but honestly, was it anything new, and was it worth staying up until 3:00 a.m. to hear? Maybe the crowd also thought not, for after their set it was called a day and Melanie good-naturedly agreed to miss a booking in Holland and play the following night instead. Saturday: The day started late and ended even later, so at dawn on Sunday to be precise, and with Sly and the Family Stone exalting ï¿½I Want To Take You Higherï¿½ right before breakfast and on an empty stomach no less!

But, Sunday presented two of the festivalï¿½s highlight acts. John Sebastian and Ten Years After. The day belonged to them. Chalk and Cheese on the music scene, but together earning the most delicious applause of the eighteen hour day. John Sebastian: Was the first artists to appear, and well after the alleged 11:30 a.m. start time and it went straight on to appease a very tense audience. ï¿½Do You Believe In Magicï¿½ is one of his old songs, and in reply, we certainly do. No one else had arrived, so John had all the time in the world; nearly two hours to sing ï¿½ Sheï¿½s A Ladyï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Daydreamï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Jug Band Musicï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Darling Be Home Soonï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Younger Girlï¿½ ï¿½ and many many more.

Each song was linked with ecstatic shouts of ï¿½Out of Sightï¿½- ï¿½Oh Youï¿½re Really Too Muchï¿½ ï¿½ and it was only unfortunate that the quality of his music slipped temporarily when he was joined by, old fellow Spoonful man, Zal Yanovsky for ï¿½Blues In The Bottleï¿½ and ï¿½Bald Headed Lenaï¿½. He will be remembered as the great hit of the Isle Of Wight Festival! Joni Mitchell: Following the runaway success of John Sebastian, it looked at times like disaster for frail and pale Joni Mitchell was inevitable. She was obviously very tense and nervous to be playing to such a vast audience. She was cautiously dressed, appropriately in a big yellow dress. She started on guitar with ï¿½ The Midwayï¿½ and went halfway through the song, ï¿½Chelsea Morningï¿½ before deciding, ï¿½I donï¿½t feel like singing that song so muchï¿½. So, she moved over to the grand piano and then the trouble started. First someone rushed on stage with an ï¿½important announcementï¿½.

Which he was not allowed to broadcast, and that got a large section of the crowd annoyed, and Joni was left bewildered and upset in the middle. As she struggled through ï¿½Real Good For Freeï¿½ ï¿½ and pleaded with photographers to stop pestering her. While twice she tried to play her ï¿½Woodstock Songï¿½ and twice she was stopped from doing so. Calls for a doctor, and other screaming and shouting. But, this was not Woodstock, and there can never be a comparison to that one time only festival. ï¿½It was almost all overï¿½, she said, ï¿½you must realize that, although Iï¿½m very happy to be playing here, it takes a lot of hard work for me to get it together for youï¿½so please, help me with some supportï¿½. She cried in a breaking stressful voice, and she almost had to leave the stage at that point. ï¿½Woodstockï¿½ was successfully completed and it was obvious that the majority of the audience was fully behind her appeal.

She took the dulcimer for use on ï¿½Californiaï¿½ and then switched back to her guitar to end her set with her hit ï¿½Big Yellow Taxiï¿½ and ï¿½Both Sides Nowï¿½. This undoubtedly, was the most emotional performance of the entire weekend. Emerson, Lake and Palmer: They were making their second appearance before this audience, They were ill-prepared, ill-rehearsed and yet never the less, full of all the excitement we expected and loved in the Nice. With Keith Emerson still the most exciting keyboardist to watch in all of rock and roll. Being backed up by Carl Palmer on drums and vocals, the trio has a great future ahead of them. While much of their set was taken up with the title track from their second album, ï¿½Pictures At An Exhibitionï¿½. But, the best reception was for the old ï¿½Rondoï¿½ which was now complete with 1812 overture cannons! The Doors: Were a relative failure, largely due to the nihilistic attitude of the brand new and very non-sexy Jim Morrison.

Who seemed not to care one iota that a half a million people were staying up half the night just to hear him perform. Justifiably, the audience gave him and the rest of the band a very cold reception, and in return, The Doors exited without an encore. The Who: Followed The Doors at 3:30 a.m. with ï¿½Canï¿½t Explainï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Young Man Bluesï¿½ and the inevitable ï¿½Tommyï¿½ which is still getting riotous applause whenever played. Melanie: She broke the dawn chorus with a charming selection of songs from her two albums. This ended Saturday at 8:30 a.m. Sunday morning. Sunday: Amazingly, the sky was still blue, the world was still turning and the sun was still shining brightly. Maybe the gods werenï¿½t smiling on the unfortunate promoters, but they were certainly smiling about the 3,000 sun-worshipping music lovers covering the fields and up on the hill.

As Sunday represented the ï¿½Top of the Artists Billï¿½ which included: Joan Baez, the unique Moody Blues, the incredible Ian Anderson and many more. Jethro Tull, now the five man line up were simply incredible, and not just musically. Ian Anderson was one of the few people onstage apparently unconcerned about the thousands upon thousands of faces watching him. ï¿½Just like the Marquee, only bigger,ï¿½ he commented. In fact his ï¿½in betweenï¿½ comments were as entertaining as his music, even if sometimes verging on the obscene, and he managed to hold the audience through tuning up and instrumental problems. If anyone wonders why Jethro Tull needed a fifth member, they only have to listen to the musical conversations between Ian Andersonï¿½s flute and John Evanï¿½s piano, and how well they complement each other. Ian Anderson, Live At The Isle of Wight Festival 1970 ï¿½ Reflections of the Event ï¿½ 2004 From Nothing Is Easy: - Oh, to be a fly on the wall at the downfall of the Hippie Days.

The clash of cultures between sleepy Isle Of Wight residents and the great unwashed hordes who descended on the islandï¿½s green pleasant pastures was a sight to behold. Well, the music fans may not have been unwashed when they left for the long weekend, but by the end of the festival, there was something (Funky Smelling) in the airï¿½.. I personally had a good soap and scrub before climbing aboard the Tris-lander, which is a small commuter aircraft with an unlikely three, even smaller, engines ï¿½ for the brief flight from somewhere in the South of England. We were joining Jimi Hendrix to close the three day festival and things were getting out of hand for Rikki Farr and the organisers of the event. The demands for free entry and a general grumpiness on the part of the disillusioned hippies had brought about chaos and violence on the fringes of the crowd. Tiny Tim had wanted the money up-front. Joni Mitchell had broken down in tears on stage. Jimi Hendrix wasnï¿½t a happy bunny. I donï¿½t know if we were ever paid, but it wasnï¿½t important.

Having done a few shows with Jimi during the last couple of years, we were well aware of his highs and lows as a performer. The Hendrix crew and our roadies had the (by then) customary battle to set up their respective bandï¿½s gear first, since neither act wanted to follow the other and close the show. Our roadies, with perhaps a little less equipment to wrestle with, won and we took to the stage amidst much tuning up and kerfuffle. Not the best show of our lives, but a landmark gig in terms of just being there. This was ï¿½Englandï¿½s Woodstockï¿½ moment. But with the unravelling of the ideals of the last hippie years. Our manager, Terry Ellis had pleaded for calm backstage. Rikki Farr pleaded for calm at the back of the enormous crowd and beyond the rapidly disintegrating barriers. I silently pleated with the Gods of Tunefulness, that Martin and Glenn could align themselves with the grand piano and agree, if temporarily, on the precise nature of a concert C.

Murray Lernerï¿½s cameraï¿½s were rolling as they had been from the beginning of the event.The whole documentary of the Isle Of Wight Festival Of Music, is a magnificent treat.Itï¿½s a bright snapshot of the time. Jethro Tull was just a tiny part of it all. Tull gave out the white heat energy which overcame the occasional technical imperfections. Tull gave hints of more sublime and classical alternatives. There was no one like Jimi Hendrix. This was his last major concert on planet Earth, and it began shakily, and I could see that he wasnï¿½t having a good night. With a new band, and determination to find new beginnings to his music. Jimi had to bow to the crowd pressure, and play his usual hits. I left after two or three songs for the mainland, and the rest of my life. Jimi left us for good a few days later. So letï¿½s dedicate this I.O.W. memory to the man who wasnï¿½t exactly my pal, but would certainly have become one if he were alive today. The Moody Blues: Were another of the festivalï¿½s runaway success stories.

Itï¿½s somehow odd, that these lovers of so-called ï¿½heavy musicï¿½ can warm up so readily to the Moodies sophisticated sounds. ï¿½Sunsetï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Tuesday Afternoonï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Never Comes The Dayï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Questionsï¿½ and ï¿½Ride My Seesawï¿½ ï¿½ all went down incredibly well, with people leaping spontaneously to their feet after each number. But, it was the almost legendary ï¿½Nights In White Satinï¿½ that really got the biggest applause, overwhelming Justin Hayward and Mike Pinder, who like us all, could only lapse into superlatives, to show his appreciation. Praise also, during the Moodies act particularly for having the very best sound system. It was so loud, yet so well balanced, with all four voices coming through perfectly. Individually, and with not a bit of distortion. Donovan: Would have loved, to have re-enacted, his ï¿½saviourï¿½ role here as he did at the Bath Festival.

But, the problem was, that John Sebastian achieved this a full day earlier. As it was, he played for a good hour on his own, before being joined by The Open Road- John Carr on drums and Mike Thompson on bass guitar. Solo, the highlight was a naughty piece called: ï¿½How Much Of A Pee Do You Wee When Youï¿½re Little and Only Threeï¿½ On which he was joined by his own son and two small friends for the liberated chorus. Then came the favourites: ï¿½Hurdy Gurdy Manï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Catch The Windï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Atlantisï¿½ ï¿½ and ï¿½Jennifer Juniper. Also his brand new single, ï¿½Ricky-Ticky-Tavi. It was a good set ï¿½ but way too long! Free: With their heavy music playing in the sunshine, got a tremendous reception from the vast audience. (and who says singles arenï¿½t important any more?) But the band was plagued with instrument problems right from the start, when these were finally corrected, they put on a magnificent show.

It was a solid, pounding, rocking beat, working around a melodic idea, rather than a melodic song. There was a noted lack of virtuoso solos, which was a real crowd pleaser, but when the cries came pleading for ï¿½All Right Nowï¿½ were satisfied, things got really wild and exciting from then on. All the calls for more and encoreï¿½s were totally genuine and deserved. Free won the day. Pentangle: Who suffered right from the get-go due to terrible sound balance, and completely lost them their well-known melodic gentleness. Bert Janschï¿½s voice was completely lost, and Danny Thompsonï¿½s experiments with bass and bow came through the speakers as strange electronic noisesï¿½.and added to all this chaos, someone jumping onstage and trying to broadcast an unofficial announcement of some kind, and youï¿½ll appreciate the fact that it was one of Pentangleï¿½s most hideous sets ever. Jimi Hendrix: The great guitar god himself. The music idol got off to an extremely bad start, as some others did as well.

Not only did everyone there have to wait a painfully long time for him to perform, meaning an hour and a half, due to overwhelming technical issues, that needed to be resolved first, but once on stage, these problems continued and nothing Jimi tried to do worked in his favour. It was as if in retaliation, when things finally settled down, he seemed determined not to leave the stage until he and his fans were completely satisfied. With wild man, Mitch Mitchell on drums and Billy Cox hammering at the bass, Jimmy launched into a non-stop selection of known and unknown numbers, that got wilder and wilder as they went. The audience stayed and Hendrix stayed, and it appeared as if heï¿½d still be onstage playing until Monday morning. It took so long to get the audience back on his side, and when they were there, they grooved and grooved ï¿½ but when he eventually loped off the stage, no one called out for an encore, as would be expected. Everyone was satisfied. Joan Baez: She followed immediately, and proceeded only by a ï¿½fireï¿½ on stage, that was caused by a giant orange flare.

The finest female folk singer in the world faced an almost impossible job of following Jimi Hendrix. Her opening song was the Beatles, ï¿½Let It Beï¿½. It was even more meaningful under the circumstances, and he marvellous stage presence and personality won the ï¿½getting the audience attention battle after just one song, and thatï¿½s impressive in anyoneï¿½s book. Other songs followed: ï¿½Joe Hillï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½The Brand New Tennessee Waltzï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Farewell Angelinaï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Oh Happy Dayï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Blowing In The Windï¿½ ï¿½ ï¿½Te ï¿½ Adorï¿½ ï¿½Suzanneï¿½ - ï¿½I Shall Be Releasedï¿½ ï¿½ and the obligatory ï¿½The Night They Drove Old Dixie Downï¿½ ï¿½ through them all, Joan was in complete command. The audience took to her warmly with real respect and affection.

Leonard Cohen: He followed Joan Baez? Her beautiful voice and songs against his crass suicidal songs of despair and depression? To this audience who was dirty, cold, miserable and depressed enough already? Leonard Cohen in no way helped the situation, but it was too late anywayï¿½ï¿½.the damage and the healing were already done. (Daveï¿½s Opinion) Richie Havens: What little was left of the Isle Of Wight Festival, was given to Richie, in order to make the final exit, of the final festival. It all ended right hereï¿½on an island, how appropriate is that ! Epilogue ï¿½ Isle of Wight Music Festival ï¿½ 1970 ï¿½ Part One: The United Kingdomï¿½s most infamous rock festival, and the stuff that legends are made of. The Isle of Wight Music Festival was true rock and roll mayhem. Where tales abound of Hellï¿½s Angels appearing, insufficient food supplies, some violence occurred and plenty of chaos to go around. The event caused such consternation to the establishment, that all future concertï¿½s and or festivals on the island were banned.

It took the passage of thirty two years before the next festival could be held on the Isle of Wight. The 1970ï¿½s festival was also remembered for Jimi Hendrix who played his last gig there on Sunday August 30, 1970. He died on September 18, 1970. But no one seems to remember that after the I.O.W Festival Jimi also played at Fehmanï¿½s Farm in Germany, and the last major place where Jimi played, and if you thought the Isle of Wight was a mess, you should have seen Fehmanï¿½s. We had to get many of the bands equipment out fast, because the German bikers went berserk towards the end of the festival, and they turned over trailers, lit fires and then left before the German police could arrive.

From Ford Crull Bravo Magazin ï¿½ Oktober 5, 1970 Zum zweiundzwanzigsten Male erfï¿½llte Bravo einen Leserwunsch: Im Privatflugzeug landete Joachim Schultz (17) auf der englischen Popmusik ï¿½ Insel Wight ï¿½Ich flog zum grï¿½ï¿½ten Festival der Weltï¿½ Ten Years After sind die Grï¿½ï¿½ten ï¿½ jedenfalls fï¿½r Joachim Schultz aus Duisburg. Um sie zu treffen, fuhr er extra nach England. Als ihm das nicht gelang, setzte er seine letzte Hoffnung auf die ï¿½Aktion Wunschbriefkastenï¿½. Das Wunder geschah: Unter Tausenden von Einsendungen zog Joachim das groï¿½e Los. Beim Festival auf Wight, wo seine Lieblingsgruppe auftrat, reservierte ihm BRAVO einen Platz, um den ihn 300,000 Fans beneideten.

So erlebte Joachim die Ten Years After: Ein Ehrenplatz direkt vor der Bï¿½hne! ï¿½Donnerwetterï¿½ staunt Joachim Schultz aus Duisburg, als er auf dem Londoner Sportflughafen Biggin Hill vor einer viersitzigen ï¿½Cessnaï¿½ Maschine steht, ï¿½was BRAVO so alles auf die Beine stellt, das ist ja kaum zu glauben!ï¿½ Das Sportflugzeug ist von BRAVO gechartert worden, um Joachim zusammen mit einer BRAVO Mannschaft zum Beat ï¿½ Festival auf die Isle of Wight zu bringen. Joachim Schultz hatte in hï¿½chster Not an die ï¿½Aktion Wunschbriefkastenï¿½ geschrieben. ï¿½Ihr mï¿½sst mir helfen,ï¿½ hatte auf seiner Postkarte gestanden, ï¿½nun bin ich in den Sommerferien extra nach England gefahren, um die Ten Years After zu treffen. Aber es gelingt mir nicht.

Meine letzte Hoffnung ist jetzt BRAVO.ï¿½ Und Joachim hatte Glï¿½ck. Er fiel aus allen Wolken, als BRAVO in seinem Ferienort Weymouth auftauchte, um ihn abzuholen. Bei strahlendem Wetter landet die Maschine nach einer Stunde Flug auf der Insel ï¿½ kurz vor dem Auftritt der Ten Years After. Das Gelï¿½nde gleicht einem riesigen Heerlager: Fans und Hippies haben ï¿½berall ihre Zelte aufgeschlagen und ihre bunten Decken ausgebreitet. Joachim schaut an sich herunter. ï¿½Im Grunde bin ich viel zu brav angezogenï¿½, meint er, als er die Fans in ihren Phantasie ï¿½ Kostï¿½men an sich vorbeilaufen sieht. Dem wird sogleich abgeholfen: An einem Stand kauft BRAVO ihm ein schickes, knallrotes T-Shirt.

Dann gibtï¿½s schnell noch eine Tï¿½te ï¿½Fish and Chipsï¿½ und Joachim rennt zu seinem Platz. 300,000 Beatfans beneiden den Wunschbriefkasten-Gewinner: Joachim sitzt genau vor der Bï¿½hne, zum Greifen nahe spielen die Ten Years After vor ihm. Joachim ist begeistert: ï¿½Mensch, machen die eine tolle Musik, live sind sie viel besser als auf Platteï¿½. Und beim Auftritt von John Sebastian vergisst Joachim sogar seine ï¿½Fish and Chipsï¿½. ï¿½berglï¿½cklich steigt er schlieï¿½lich wieder in die ï¿½Cessnaï¿½, die ihn zurï¿½ck nach London bringt. Hier wartet noch eine ï¿½berraschung auf Joachim: ein Besuch bei Barry und Paul Ryan. ï¿½Hallo Joachimï¿½, begrï¿½ï¿½t Barry den Besuch aus Germany.

Er erzï¿½hlt ihm von seiner neuen Wohnung im vornehmen Londoner Belgravia ï¿½ Viertel, die er bald beziehen wird. ï¿½Das mï¿½sstest du sehenï¿½, schwï¿½rmt Barry, ï¿½der Eingang ist wie eine Hï¿½hle ausgebaut. Wir haben uns die witzigsten Betten der Welt bestellt: Pauls Lager sieht aus wie eine aufgeklapptes Boot mit Beleuchtung, meines ist vï¿½llig verrï¿½ckt geformt und mit Kalbfell ï¿½berzogenï¿½. Wenn Joachim das nï¿½chste Mal in London ist, wird er das neue Heim der Ryans bestimmt besuchen. Denn Barry sagt zum Abschied: ï¿½Jetzt hast du einen Freibrief, jederzeit bei uns einzufliegen!ï¿½ Mï¿½de aber glï¿½cklich fï¿½hrt Joachim nach Weymouth zurï¿½ck.

The Love and Peace Festival, Fehmarn ï¿½ September 4th through the 6th 1970 In 1970 three young Germans had a dream. Helmut Ferdinand 33 was an Engineer, Christian Berthold 28 was an Inn-Keeper and Tim Sievers 30 was a student, planned a European equivalent of the all American Woodstock Festival that took place the year before. They were also inspired by the Isle of Wight Festival as they liked the idea of having it on an island. Which quickly led to the realization of the Isle of Fuhrman, a well connected island located between Germany and Denmark. They were hoping to entice the artists playing at the, Isle of Wight to come over and play their festival as well. The date for this new festival was set for September 4-6th. The idea was to feature 30 to 40 bands that also included Top International Talent. But what they got instead was closer to a nightmare than a heavenly situation. They got the heavy torrential rains of Woodstock, only this time lasting all three days, the rain more on than off. It was also colder in September than the August weekend of Woodstock.

They got the Altamont version of the Hells Angles Pseudo Security Force, heavily armed, ignorant and brutal as always, causing problem everywhere they went. As if this wasnï¿½t bad enough, they also got the ugly side of the Isle of Wight experience to boot. Although it must be pointed out, that the audience tolerated incredible hardships for those three days and are to be commended. Many bands who were promoted on posters and flyers to perform there either cancelled or showed up, but because of all the chaos had to leave to fulfil other commitments. These were: Ten Years After (showed up but never played) Cactus, who never returned phone calls, or showed up. Colosseum never made it there, car trouble. Taste (Rory Gallagher) never showed or cancelled as the band broke up right after the Isle of Wight concert. Renaissance ï¿½ cancelled. The best thing to happen here, was that Jimi Hendrix did show, did stay over-night and did play the next afternoon, as the sun finally came out and lightened everyoneï¿½s soul, spirit and overall attitude.

To learn more, I found this excellent website, to which I highly recommend it: From October 17, 1970 Ten Years After have an unusual place in rock idolatry; their live performances of supercharged rock and roll have made them a monster group. Woodstock has made them even bigger, and yet because of their success theyï¿½re now at a crossroads. Theyï¿½ve arrived at the crossroads because their strength, their success, is in their live performance when they come together as a driving, stomping outfit with a feel that theyï¿½ve never quite come across with in the studio. But their strength has also proved their weakness because having reached so far they face the possibility of drowning in their own success and being swamped by an audience of screamers, an audience that they never wanted. Alvin talked about these problems and other things to ROYSTON ELDRIDGE. ï¿½Love Like A Manï¿½ was a best selling singleï¿½the standard requirement for a groupï¿½s appearance on Top Of The Pops yet TYA havenï¿½t appeared to date. Why not?

Itï¿½s mainly their lack of artistic integrity, really, and television is a very weird medium for our kind of music anyway. Itï¿½s very difficult to get into music on a TV because of various reasonsï¿½theyï¿½re prone to cutting things and making it as short as possible. Iï¿½ve never done a session there but I should imagine itï¿½s in and out as soon as you can. Thereï¿½s no real point in us doing it anyway. The thingï¿½s a hit which we didnï¿½t really want in the first place, so whatï¿½s the point of plugging it further. One day, maybe, if we can get it together we might go on and play something which we are proud of but it would just be a waste of time at the moment. The single was just put out as a trailer for the album in the States but Jonathan King wanted it released here and we agreed to it as long as we could have the B side in stereo at thirty three and a third and over eight minutes long.

The A side I personally think is a very un-valid thing, itï¿½s not representative of us at all with the solo being cut out. When it comes back in after where the solo was cut, itï¿½s about twice as fast. It makes me shudder every time I hear it. When we turned down Top Of The Pops we were accused of being superstars and everything but the point is itï¿½s not valid for us to do it. We donï¿½t want to reach the people that watch it and you must admit itï¿½s a pretty poor programme. The bands come on, do their thing, and off. Itï¿½s very watery entertainment , superfluous, nothing real. A television enables you to reach a certain market which weï¿½re not really ready for yet , I donï¿½t think we ever will be actually but definitely not at the moment. The concerts draw full capacity anyway and the albums sell much more than the singles have ever done and as musicians thatï¿½s all we wantï¿½the appreciation of people who listen.

Hit singles tend to bring in peopleï¿½like the Woodstock film has to a degreeï¿½who come to kind of experience the event rather than listen to the music. We try to encourage the listeners rather then those sort of teenyboppers. Has the Woodstock festival and film appearance affected the group in any way? Itï¿½s affected the concerts in certain areas like New Jersey where itï¿½s got completely out of hand, you know where itï¿½s like a form of Beatlemania. I hate the word but a lot of people are definitely coming to see us because weï¿½re topical or trendy or what have you. Theyï¿½re just coming for the event, we played there and there were police barricades outside, it was a joke. We try and discourage it as much as we canï¿½you know all those screamersï¿½without sounding totally ungrateful. Itï¿½s flattering in a way but if we canï¿½t hear ourselves then itï¿½s not really worth playing. The groupï¿½s been together a long time now. How does everybody feel at present?

Well weï¿½ve been playing the same number for the last couple of months and you tend to feel a bit machine like and repetitive so weï¿½ll be having a few rehearsals and work on some new numbers which will cheer everybody up a lot. Weï¿½re going to make another album, weï¿½ll have some rough rehearsals first and throw a few numbers around, so we know basically what weï¿½ll be doing before we get into the studio. Then weï¿½re going to have a quick shoot around the Statesï¿½two weeksï¿½and then weï¿½ll have quite a bit of time off for policy talks and everything to work out where we go from here. I think weï¿½ve gone like so far, weï¿½ve gone beyond where we were actually hoping, so now weï¿½ve got to re-assess what we want to do and what direction we want to go in. Weï¿½ve so many ideas at the moment. Itï¿½s difficult to know which will be the best for us. Everybodyï¿½s had lots of thoughts musically and no chance to put them into any solid form.

Weï¿½ve got to decide whether we want to go on just as we are because if we do it might get too out of hand, we might get too teenyboppery. Weï¿½ve got to discuss if we want to control it and if so, how we can. Itï¿½s been suggested that we donï¿½t do any small clubs anymore which in a way is sad because they always have a very good atmosphere. The question is can we play at any small clubs again? If you get a lot of people turned away at the door, which happened in the States, you get trouble outside. Thereï¿½s not really the venues in England anyway. Thereï¿½s such a lot of difference between going down well in the clubs and from stepping up to the Albert Hall. Thereï¿½s nothing between, say the Marquee, and the Albert Hall and then thatï¿½s it. Once youï¿½ve played the Albert Hall itï¿½s difficult to go back to the Marquee and thereï¿½s nothing beyond the Albert Hall really except for the festivals.

I miss the club dates in a way because that was half rehearsal, half playing, sort of thing where we used to experiment a lot. When youï¿½re doing really organised gigs you get rushed in backstage, quarter of an hour before youï¿½re on, and before you know it youï¿½re on, youï¿½ve played and youï¿½re rushed out again. Have you considered increasing the size or instrumentation of Ten Years After? Our musical interest in TYA is seeing what we can do with what we have. The format is very loose the way we play now and any more instruments ï¿½although it might sound strangeï¿½would limit us because then you start getting into set arrangements. As soon as youï¿½ve got a certain section playing this and a certain section playing that, you loose any informal thing that you may have. Now we can just play and if we donï¿½t like the way it is going, I can switch the rhythm around and everyone picks up and weï¿½re off again somewhere else. Any more people than four and you might get some problems. Do you feel that youï¿½ve reached as far as you can go with four people?

I think when you hear that itï¿½s an excuse. Like King Crimson reached as far as they could go in one album? I donï¿½t believe it, I believe bands break up because of personal problems. Iï¿½m sure if we can keep our heads together and keep a good relationship on a personal level, the music will go on forever. It gets to the point when you even surprise yourself with what youï¿½re doing. I donï¿½t like forcing progression, you let it progress naturally, but you can be making and album and youï¿½ll find yourself onto something else which you donï¿½t realise until itï¿½s done. Thereï¿½s no limitation at all with four people, probably even less with three. Youï¿½re interested in electronics. Have you considered getting into electronic music a little more deeply? Itï¿½s like a hobby thing which is creeping into the albums a bit.

Iï¿½ve got ideas for using it for effects on stage but there again Iï¿½m not too sure because electronics is my personal thing, itï¿½s a hobby, and if it gets to be part of the band, it could ruin the hobby thing about it. Basically we want to stay musical. We want to play music, everyone has interest which are side trips but itï¿½s the music the TYA makes together that is Ten Years Afterï¿½s music, if you exert any one influence in any one direction on it, it can change the groupï¿½s direction and itï¿½s wrong to interfere with something thatï¿½s happening all on itï¿½s own. TYA is a fusion of four people and it just happens to work that way. If it doesnï¿½t well, it doesnï¿½t, but if it does thatï¿½s fine. We prefer to let it happen and improvise rather than guide it. We could say, guide it more towards jazz, we could take it to jazz, we could take it anywhere, but we prefer to let it have itï¿½s own natural head and see what happens to it.

Youï¿½ve been singled out as the face, the spokesman, of Ten Years After. Does it worry you at all, this superstar image? Only when Iï¿½m accused of doing something that I havenï¿½t done like ego-tripping or being a superstar or something. A lot of it is just stories Rolling Stone did a story about me having my own limousine; it was completely untrue. In fact the actual thing was that it was Ric and his wife travelling in another limmo. I think the reason Iï¿½ve been singled out is because I sing and itï¿½s the singer who has the spotlight on all the time. It wasnï¿½t planned that way and whether itï¿½s good or bad I donï¿½t know. What does get annoying, and what can happen to anyone is that you get put up on a pedestal, somebody puts you up there, and then other people start knocking you off. I long ago realised that whatever you do some people are going to like it and some people arenï¿½t. Some people write things which they canï¿½t possibly know about, the most common is being accused of being on an ego trip.

Itï¿½s really weird because thatï¿½s the one thing that I have always been aware of and tried to avoid. Itï¿½s easy to get too flash and for the seven years that I was struggling I always thought to myself if I got anything together I would definitely not get into one of those flash scenes. And Iï¿½ve always done the opposite. Iï¿½ve always gone out of my way to be non-egotistical. What about the criticism that you sacrifice taste for speed in your guitar playing? I never know how to answer that, I just play the way I want to play and I can see that in some peopleï¿½s eyes that might be true, but itï¿½s not true to me. I donï¿½t play as fast as I could, I could play a lot faster, I could be a lot showier, a lot flashier and a lot more commercial. If I go too fast for some people then thatï¿½s up to them to decide but to actually say something like ï¿½he plays too fastï¿½, thatï¿½s a very weird thing to say.

How do they put themselves into a position to judge anything so definitely. Iï¿½m going somewhere, my own style is developing still, and Iï¿½m never going to be happy with it. I know that, Iï¿½m always striving for something more but Iï¿½ve never strived for speed except for perhaps eight years ago when I used to do speed scales and things but that was just to get fluent. When Iï¿½m playing I get kinda heated and then what I play is more or less sub-conscious. I donï¿½t think ï¿½now Iï¿½m going to play this or Iï¿½m now going to play thatï¿½, it just happens I donï¿½t see any reason to change it. I think what is most valid is what is most real and whatï¿½s most real comes out naturally. If I play too fast for a lot of peopleï¿½s taste and I therefore slow down because I want to please them, then it wouldnï¿½t be real anymore. The whole business is really funny anyway with all the lights coming down on you and all those people looking.

I mean how can it be a normal event. I canï¿½t really relate to it, I just do it, I donï¿½t analyse it. If I thought to myself Iï¿½m walking out onto a stage, bathed in floodlights, where ten thousand people will be watching. Iï¿½d probably crack up and never do it again. Rock music is being used as a medium of political protest with bands like MC5, Country Joe McDonald, Grateful Dead and our own Edgar Broughton involved. Does this present a difficulty in the States where everyone seems to be on some political bandwagon? I donï¿½t believe people can learn from other peopleï¿½s values. Whatï¿½s right for me isnï¿½t going to be right for someone else. Iï¿½m not really interested in politics enough to talk about it and even if I was to use my popularity as a musician as a platform for something else is a bit strange. When weï¿½re in the States people come into the dressing room and ask you questions but you donï¿½t really talk. You just answer questionsï¿½ï¿½What do you think of this?

What do you think of that? What are your views on this? ï¿½ They obviously attach importance to your views but I donï¿½t. I donï¿½t attach importance to anyoneï¿½s views unless theyï¿½re actively involved in it, and Iï¿½m not involved in anything besides musicï¿½and I donï¿½t think you reach anyone whoï¿½s going to do anything about it anyway. Youï¿½ve got a very wide selection of albums here. Do you still listen to people like Broonzy and do you take much notice of what other groups are doing? No, if I listen to too many rock bands itï¿½s obviously going to influence me in the direction which isnï¿½t very good because weï¿½ll start sounding like someone else. Rock music to me is something that I enjoy playing rather than listening to. Music to me falls into something like fifty different aspects: music for for listening to for company, nice sounds in the corner like Crosby, Stills, Nash and the Band which just make nice noises to me.

And then thereï¿½s the intense stuff-jazz and the more progressive rock sounds that get into heavy thing. I still enjoy listening to the Beatles, I donï¿½t really know why, itï¿½s just a matter of interest to see what theyï¿½re up to. I listen to electronic music as a means of escapism. I think that I probably listen to it in the same way as someone who doesnï¿½t play an instrument listens to rock. Theyï¿½re not aware of the effects and how the instrument is being played, itï¿½s just a noise to them and electronic music is just a noise to me. Thereï¿½s been a revival of interest in rock and roll. A lot of bands are going back to those roots. Why do you think this is? Thereï¿½s a tendency to go round in circles in music and as a musician tends to progress much faster than the people in the people who are listening, you tend to outgrow the audience after awhile which tends to make you feel less successful.

I think this has happened to the Beatles, theyï¿½ve gone on in themselves but theyï¿½ve left the audience behind a bit and then they try to go back and pick it up where it was but then you lose your own interest in it. I think itï¿½s inevitable that itï¿½ll happen at some stage and if it does then Iï¿½m ready for it. October 24, 1970 - New Musical Express Is This ï¿½Reduced?ï¿½ ï¿½ Last weekï¿½s New Musical Express stated that Ten Years After were doing a short British tour at reduced prices. After applying for a ticket at Bournemouth Pavilion, I was told that prices were 18s each, 4s. more than Black Sabbath the previous week. Having seen Ten Years After for 12s. twice last year, it seems that prices are spiralling out of all proportion. Guys just havenï¿½t got the bread to throw around at these prices. Greedy promoters will kill off the club circuit by their own actions. K.J. Woodford, Christchurch, Hants

Question: Who was the closing act at the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival?
Answer: Richie Havens