Should The Organisers Of This Years' Glastonbury Festival Find Another Headline Act?

[sp1814]

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/glastonbury-2014-petition-launched-to-ban-metallica-over-james-hetfields-bearhunting-9483500.html

I don't understand why anyone feels the need to do this...

http://conservbyte.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/bear-300x204.png

[Gromit]

Viv


Every year in the UK we kill
2 million cattle
8 million pigs
9 million sheep and lambs
80 million fish
750 million birds

Is a bear more worthy than a cow or a sheep?

[viv38]

Oh for funks sakes Gromit, I've heard this argument before (yawwwwn). I stlll think hunting for sport is abhorrent and like I said, I couldn't kill a magnificent beast like that. I was answering sp's post and if you don't like my answer, then tough! Stick you stats where the sun don't shine ........

[Gromit]

The Bears were killing the Mooses. The meat was eaten.

[andy-hughes]

sp1814 - The Glastonbury Festival covers an rea the size of the city of Bath. There are seven major stages, and hundreds of other performance areas, and thousands of perfomers over the weekend.

It is possible to spend the entire weekend and never even get within sight of the Pyramid Stage - so why should people boycott the entire festival on the basis of potential objections to tbe behaviour of one member of one band?

If I started looking into the personal activities and lifestyle choices of just about any of the musicians whose work I have liked, or continue to enjoy - then I would have to stop going to gigs and interviewing musicians.

I personally believe in a separation of the art from the artist.

This allows me to enjoy Beatles records, even though John Lennon was a violent yob in the early part of the band's career.

I am also partial to a little Wagner, raging anti-Semite that he was.

Where do you draw the line at boycotting art because of an objection to the artist?

Just a thought.

[andy-hughes]

ChillDoubt - "Instead of a petition, the great unwashed could just vote with their feet and stay away."

The 'great unwashed'?

Have you checked out how much it is to attend Glastonbury lately?

Have you been and seen the festival goers?

I can assure you that the average Glastonbury patron is particularly well washed, as befits anyone with the high end of £200 to spend just to get through the gate, before taking in transport and food costs.

[ummmm]

£225 this year I think...

[ToraToraTora]

lot of dosh to take drugs in a field!

[andy-hughes]

TTT _ refer you to my above answer - Glastonbury is far more adult-oriented than you may think - and it's like a city, rather than a field!

[dunnitall]

I don't see the reason either. Killing or culling same thing, perhaps there should be a culling of humans rather than defenceless animals, after all they have a right to inhabit the planet, perhaps more than some of the low life humans should have!

[kvalidir]

I can't see the difference in hunting bears to cull them when necessary and using their meat than killing pigs, sheep, cattle or chickens for human consumption- oh wait yes I can actually- the bears probably had a much better quality of life before they died than the animals we habitually slaughter for our food.
I think Metallica are okay, not really Glastonbury headliners though, but each to their own, let em get on with it.

[ummmm]

And Andy...not everyone takes drugs!!

[ChillDoubt]

andy-hughes,
My reference to the great unwashed was for those who wish to actually sign the petition and subsequently ought not attend, if Metallica perform. For those who don't but subsequently DO attend then they'll be hipocrytes, won't they?
So what are you going to do?

[ChillDoubt]

Hypocrite even...............dunno how I got a y and an i mixed up!

[andy-hughes]

ummmm - "And Andy...not everyone takes drugs!!"

Are you sure about that???????????? LOL!

Actually, apart from the whiff from the odd spliff, I have never noticed any drug taking at any festival I have attended - although I imagine there are a few thousand-yard-stares going on down in the Dance Area!!

[andy-hughes]

Chilldoubt - thanks for clarifying.

[joeluke]

Glastonbury regulars hate the fact that Metallica have been chosen to headline and the bear hunting thing is just a flimsy excuse for them to highlight their disapproval of a great band

[andy-hughes]

joeluke - "Glastonbury regulars hate the fact that Metallica have been chosen to headline and the bear hunting thing is just a flimsy excuse for them to highlight their disapproval of a great band"

I don't agree. Glastonbury has built its reputation on the vast variety of music it provides, and it prides itself on covering any and all genres.

Following the scare in 2010 when Jay-Z headlined, and there was a fear that the festival would not sell out, Michael Eavis has been even more determined to follow his maverick position and book acts that appeal to him, and to a large part of his visitors.

If people don't want to watch the Sunday headline, there are masses of other bands and artists all over the site, or they can pack up and head home - I don't believe they would protest over one band in a festival this size, it's just not worth it. Some you like, some you don't - that's festivals.

[Gromit]

If you want a read, this is a very good report in GQ.

http://www.gq.com/long-form/who-wants-to-shoot-an-elephant