David Challinor

...just watching BBC's annual erratic coverage of the music festival. Its always a treat, and has, in the past, got me into a band or two which I hadn't known before. Strange this year, though, I'm waiting for footage of 1970s star Gilbert O'Sullivan who was billed at the main pyramid stage, but not a sausage, everyone else but....I admit to liking his hits (apart from Clare!), but I find it odd that he seems to be left out when other nostalgic acts from this festival get coverage. And there I was thinking, the globally conscious audience at this event would have really taken to this verse (probably the height of his work) from Nothing Rhymed: 'When I'm drinking my Bonaparte Shandy
Eating more than enough apple pies
Will I glance at my screen and see real human beings starve to death
Right in front of my eyes' ......

julian_craster

What an excellent idea!

The youth of Glastonbury could do with a good dose of THE MIKADO, PIRATES OF PENZANCE
and TRIAL BY JURY........

DB7

I think Eavis overdid it this year with the annual 'ironic' acts. Radcliffe claimed that Shakin Stevens did a rockabilly version of Hallelujah and my sarcasm detector failed to pick up whether or not his tongue was embedded in his cheek; I suspect so.

The Verve sounded mighty fine last night.

mariocki

Shakey came out with the dreaded words, "Now I'd like to do some songs from my new album."

You crazy idiots - my name's McGill!

davedingle

I am really dissapointed that the BBC missed out Gilbert O'Sullivan. There are very few British singers that can point to the career that he has had - he writes the songs, writes the lyrics, records them in his own studio, and he has never sold himself short by doing a cover version. A true musician in every sense.

Why did the BBC give so much coverage to Neil Diamond and completely ignore our British gem?

Andy H

He was (and remains) one of the finest Tunesmiths of the modern age. 'Nothing Rhymed' was a masterpiece and virtually everything he did in his early period was brilliant.
He was ripped off by his management in the 80's and now manages himself (I think I'm right).

Chevyman

I would like to have seen Gilbert

I still have a very early single of his "Mr Moody's Garden"....twas on the Major Minor label

Leonard Cohen opted not to be filmed or recorded while at Glastonbury; Amy Winohas much to learn from him

Aviva is the new name for Norwich Union

David Challinor

Cheers for all the supportive chat here about GS...I was never a big fan until I realised he'd penned some excellent stuff, most of it performed as fillers in 1970s tv shows! I wonder just why the Beeb has chosen to ignore it, too ironic? Any answers ?????

Harbottle

As a lad I could not abide Gilbert O'Sullivan, now Nothing Rhymed is a firm favourite. I must be getting old as I enjoyed Swingle 2's version of Windmills of Your Mind the other night while viewing The Two Ronnies

I caught a little bit of Diamond, my word he should pack it in his voice has gone completely, croaking away

Pam1927

I loved Gilbert O'Sullivan from his first hit onwards - until he came out with a number entitled 'A Woman's Place Is In The Home' from which time he ceased to exist as far as I was concerned!

Pam

It's nice to be nice...

Biffo

My wife and I are both fans of Gilbert and I have been a fan since school and followed his career closely for all those years so was very disappointed with the Beeb for not showing anything at all of Gilbert. I've been fortunate to meet him a couple of times and he really is a charming and thoroughly nice bloke. He is very much a family man who shuns the celebrity scene prefering to concentrate on his family and his songwriting so it is a shame when the Beeb can't show a performer like that and decides to show artists with shall we say less redeemable qualities!! It just goes to show that in this day and age it is all about the artist that appears the most in the press and celeb mags.

davedingle

I've written to the BBC - will let you know what they say.

Chevyman

There may have been contractual problems

Aviva is the new name for Norwich Union

David Challinor

I'll be interested to see Beeb's reply - many thanks davedingle

dogstar

My enjoyment of the Beeb's Glastonbury coverage is always marred by its presenting team, who, with the exception of the excellent Mark Radcliffe I always find ghastly in the extreme with special mention to Jo Whiley whom I loathe with a passion which could easily become psychopathic ( and I'm not the only one!). I would have loved to see Gilbert O'Sullivan - as has been pointed out above he wrote some great songs - Nothing Rhymed being a bona fide classic ( I even have a version by folk musician extraordinaire Martin Carthy ) - and deserves attention beyond the merely ironic. In retrospect maybe the flat cap and shorts didn't do him any favours...

Only a fool looks for logic in the chambers of the human heart....