Neil Young blasted the music festival for being “under corporate control” at the hands of the BBC, who has partnered with the festival for its coverage every year since 1997
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A legendary musician has pulled out of the Glastonbury line-up and criticised the BBC.
Tickets for the iconic music event sold in a matter of minutes, with punters shelfing out over £300 for a chance to see their favourite acts. The line-up has gradually been revealed with the likes of legendary rocker Rod Stewart getting a slot.
But one act who will no longer be taking part in the line-up is Canadian rocker Neil Young, who announced he would no longer be performing. The 79-year-old is penned in a letter on Tuesday (December 31) that he would not be gracing the stage of the festival as he believed the show was “under corporate control” of the BBC.
In a damning statement, Neil said through his website – the Neil Young Archives – that his band Chrome Hearts were to pull out of the line-up. “The Chrome Hearts and I were looking forward to playing Glastonbury, one of my all time favorite outdoor gigs,” he wrote.
“We were told that BBC was now a partner in Glastonbury and wanted us to do a lot of things in a way we were not interested in,” he continued. “It seems Glastonbury is now under corporate control and is not the way I remember it being.”
The BBC has been a partner with Glastonbury since 1997, when it started to provide television coverage for those who could not make it to Worthy Farm in Somerset. However, since then, the BBC’s involvement has continued to grow – with wide coverage of all the main stages.
Neil and his band had yet to be announced as a performer for the festival, but the Chrome Hearts had been rumoured to be making appearances. Other acts said to be taking part in the festival include Rihanna, Ed Sheeran and Eminem.
The last time that Neil had performed at Glastonbury was back in 2009, where he was a headline act. The BBC had recorded his set to air the public, but only portions of the show eventually made it to television screens.
According to the Guardian, the BBC responded to claims that they had edited out his set, adding that the negotiations had been going on for “the last couple of months” in the lead-up to the concert. “Neil Young’s career has been conducted on his own terms,” they added.
The channel continued: “Neil’s management agreed to let TV and radio broadcast five songs as they watched and listened to his performance. They believe in the live event and retaining its mystery and that of their artist.”
Tickets for the upcoming edition festival have now completely sold out, with the full line-up expected to be released in March, in line with previous years. It is likely that the festival could go on a one-year break in 2026, as organiser Emily Eavis said that it was “important to give the land a rest”.
Daily Star has contacted Glastonbury Festival and the BBC for comment.
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