The Archive .
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June 19-21st 1981 Aswad, Decline and Fall, Gong, Gordon Gilltrap,Ginger Baker, Hawkwind, John Cooper Clarke. Judy Tzuke, Matumbi, Nick Pickett,Robert Hunter, Roy Harper, Supercharge, Taj Mahal, Talisman,New Order, Rab Noakes,The Jazz Sluts, The Sound , Hinkleys Heroes, Beverley Martin, Chicken Shack, Pete Drummond. |
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Recordings.
Although it is reported that many recordings were made by the sound crew from the soundboard and sold to punters to raise funds for CND, there do not seem to be all that many in circulation. Hawkwind's set is certainly been widely traded.The original cassette was released on behalf of CND.
It appears that Henry Williamson of Mother Gong recorded most of the sets , read on !
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Gilli Smyth ramps it up : Mother Gong Glastonbury Festival 1981 © Chumba Shanks. |
Hi
Excellent Archivists
As writer for Mother Gong I remember well playing the Pyramid in 1981. Excerpts
of the 8 track recording were used on Robot Woman 1, released on vinyl by
Butt/ Shanghai records also in 1981.
The
1981 experience was much more musically pleasant than that in 1979, which
was marred by extraordinary and unparalleled sound problems.
A few years ago we released the Mother Gong sets from Glastonbury 79 and 81
on CD via Voiceprint.
Our lineup was Gilli Smyth - voice and space whisper, myself on Guitar and
vocal, Didier Malberbe - saxes and flutes, Guy Evans - Drums, Dane Cranenburg
- Bass.
We had been in the studio for two weeks before the gig and kicked off with a couple of instrumentals from Jan and Didier which impressed the jazz rockers with their complex time lines and odd Hungarian harmonies and thence to the first rendition of the Sci Fi Musical 'Robot Woman'. The story , loosely based on a fusion of Asimovs 'I Robot' and the feminist dialogs about housework and mothering versus more outward creativity occupied the band until 1987.
We had a rocking gig and I remember very clearly the odd feeling of being a very tall magnet in a sea of iron filings all dancing in circular waves. Each and every beat resulted in a pulse of movement radiating at the speed of sound to the horizon as people bopped to the beat, and I found I had to concentrate hard to avoid being totally distracted by the pulsating magnetic vision. Oh - and the generator ran out of fuel, as it almost always did despite a vast array of willing hands, and ex diesel mechanics trying to find how to bleed the injectors on a 500 KVA monster with no real instructions. There were many opinions. It took a while.
We recorded most of the festival onto 8 track tapes, which I still have, from the desk, and gave copies to those artists who asked for them. I still have Roys set on 1/4 inch. Some of the solo acts just went straight to two track stereo as the mixes and sound system was really excellent, from the wonderful Tony Andrews and John Newsham. Stting at the back of the auditorium was a bit like sitting in a giant control room but with no bad acoustic reflections whatsoever. I was really impressed. If you didnt like mud then you should not have been there but I was a veteran of the 1971 festival where I had become an involuntary mascot, so I felt completely at home. I had also given the festival a free small 3 KVA generator to help with the building of the cowshed/pyramid, so there was a connection to the staging as well.
Thats
me in the photo by Paul Sivyer. I'm playing a Gretch country gentleman ( light
green) that I bought in New York for $200 after the first Zoo Manifestival
tour in 1978 with NewYorkGong, MotherGong Bill Laswell, Material, Yosko Seffer
and many other luminaries, but thats another story.
I really enjoyed Taj, Aswad, Matumbi and Roy. Not so much into New Order than
though i knew they were IMPORTANT.
It was nice, relaxed festival and compared to the recent ones I have attended,
was much more fun to be at, less of a survival course.
Best from OZ
Harry Williamson
Harry now resides in Melbourne where he runs Springstudio
Mothergong Ottersongs (released 1982) 6-20-81
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Mothergong - Glastonbury Festival 1979 – 1981 Official release A selection of the best tracks of Mothergong's two Glastonbury Festival performances. Flamedog
records.
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Hawkwind
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Hawkwind Glasto-81 © Paul Seaton |
© Bodge |
Roy Harper 06-19-81, Glastonbury Festival,
(with The Roy Harper Band)
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Looking for cover art |
New Order
06/20/81 A- 52 minutes, probably soundboard . One track from Glastonbury 81 "In a Lonely Place" has been released on a boxed set entitled " Retro" There is apparently video footage of the Sounds Adrian Borland playing with New Order , no idea how long the clip goes for . New Order Gallery- Glastonbury 1981- stills taken from video recording. |
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New Order Glasto 1981 Photo © Paul Seaton |
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Looking
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Right: John Cooper Clarke onstage -Glastonbury 1981 Photo © Paul Seaton |
Looking for cover art |
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Glastonbury Festival pages .
Glastonbury Fayre pages 1970-79
Any info to add ?-well don't just sit there , Contact us
