A rock legend has revealed he’s ‘pulled out’ of performing at this year’s Glastonbury festival. Neil Young claimed the event was now under ‘corporate control’ and ‘not like it used to be’.
The 79-year-old was due to perform at the event this summer, alongside his band The Chrome Hearts. But despite it being one of his ‘all time favourite outdoor gigs’, he has now changed his mind, The Sun reports.
A statement on the Neil Young Archives website said: “The Chrome Hearts and I were looking forward to playing Glastonbury, one of my all time favourite outdoor gigs. We were told the BBC was now a partner in Glastonbury and wanted us to do a lot of things in a way that we were not interested in. It seems Glastonbury is now under corporate control and is not the way I remember it being.”
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The statement continued: “We will not be playing Glastonbury on this tour because it is a corporate turn – off, and not for me like it used to be. Hope to see you at one of the other venues on the tour.”
According to GB News, neither Neil nor his management have elaborated on the specific requirements from the BBC that sparked the decision. Neil last performed at Glastonbury in 2009, but this sparked controversy when the BBC only broadcast five songs from his two-hour set. However the BBC said at the time, it had spent months negotiating with Neil’s management, who believed “in the live event and retaining its mystery”.