Mark E. Smith on festivals

Melody Maker, June 27, 1992

MARK E SMITH, THE FALL: "We're not actually very popular with festival folks, we don't seem to go down too well with the organisers. They've only just lifted the ban on us at Glastonbury. I said something about CND - in Melody Maker, actually - and we were banned from playing or even going, which I thought was the funny bit. I mean, if the bass player goes down there who's going to recognise him? But there's only a week to go so I don't suppose they can throw us off now, and I don't mean to be negative about it. I'm looking forward to it - it's something a bit different. A change from the usual smoke-filled dumps!

"We did one festival in Denmark, and they put us in a fucking cage! They had Jethro Tull on and all that shit, and they had tents for dressing-rooms, but because we were punks, they put us in this cage and locked us in! I think they thought were going to be like Sid Vicious or something, and smash everything up, they were shouting at us all the time.

"As for Glastonbury - it doesn't pay very much, I can tell you that! I must admit I'm a bit ignorant about that part of the country. We're city boys, I'm afraid. The stage is a big pyramid with an eye in the middle, isn't it? I can't wait! I'II come back in shorts and a ponytail - 'it'll be all right'."