Loads of interesting stuff doing the rounds including this article:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/jul/12/90s-spiral-tribe-free-parties
Hampshire police should note lack of police presence and peaceful atmos (Glade).
More here:
Castlemorton’s 18th Anniversary
Britain’s most infamous free festival at Castlemorton Common took place eighteen years ago this weekend (May 21st) provoking a massive police crackdown against raves which eventually led to both the Criminal Justice Act and the emergence of today’s all night club culture in the UK.
Ironically the location was inadvertently chosen by cops who directed 10 Sound systems including Spiral Tribe, Bedlam, Circus Warp, Circus Normal and DiY to the common on May 20 1992, after shutting down the annual Avon Festival. With weather conditions absolutely perfect for outdoor partying (hot and sunny by day and crisp and pleasant by night) thousands congregated with numbers growing even faster when the BBC opened their TV news bulletins with footage from the event on Friday evening.
An estimated 40,000 revellers attended Castlemorton over four glorious days and nights with most typically inner city ravers living for the weekend or ‘new age travellers’, predominantly young alternative people who’d quit urban squats for life on the road. Though scores of cops prowled outside the festival’s loose perimeter of trucks and tents, virtually non ventured on site, leaving the Common to become a genuine temporary autonomous zone that remained safe and virtually crime free throughout the long weekend.
As Britain’s tabloid ‘yellow’ press demanded ‘something must be done’ to stop free parties, Castlemorton reveller ‘Richard’ explained their popularity and ability to provoke fear within the establishment.
"There is nothing wrong with what we are doing. We are here to have fun in the sun. We chose to live this way and reject the hassles associated with a conventional way of life,” he told the Daily Express.
“Some say we are dirty, but we are environmentally conscious, we make efforts not to dump rubbish. People generally have it in for us because of our lifestyle. I think many envy us because of our freedom.”
Acid techno legend Henry Cullen (aka D.A.V.E. the Drummer) had also left London some years before to live in a van though when the Festival happened was already building a name for himself as a drummer with ska/ punk/ dub band Back To The Planet.
“We were playing on Wango Riley's travelling stage which was made from a huge removal lorry with one side that folded out to become a stage. I think the sound was by Aardvark or maybe Bushfire and it was a great rig to play on with pretty good lights too, it was a proper rock and roll stage,” he recalled.
“Of course we were surrounded by these stupid ravers from the city in flash cars (I was used to dreadlocks and old buses back then),” he chuckled, “And all these sound systems with DJs all playing the same record over and over again but I didn't care. I was young, free and a total hippy. I loved everyone (twice),” he laughed.
“I remember seeing one policeman on his own at the entrance when we arrived in our truck: we waved at him on the way in.”
“After we played at night, we had to wait for two people to finish ****ing in the middle of the lane before we could get off site,” Henry continued.
“So the entire band, including our female singer ‘Fil’, sat in the front of the band van and watched these two going at it like rabbits with me flashing my lights and beeping the horn and shouting ‘get out the ****ing way!’ out of the window They didn't move until it was all over. Oh the days . . . (CLICK BELOW FOR MORE)
http://m1e.net/c?79527268-1MKGJgeEYfOpA@5347699-LrdCBxT9UYZG.
http://m1e.net/c?79527268-gSzLLA2mc56fo@5347700-HZlfTSrFFysCM (click to access superb back-in-the-day underground party portal Free Party People)
http://m1e.net/c?79527268-IDiMBgHwn4WKk@5347702-vY5QHjvjPKFBs (Back to the Planet)
http://m1e.net/c?79527268-s.aomlgryyuGY@5347703-IpDhK8Ey40jHI (The temporary autonomous zone: Pirate Utopias: THE SEA-ROVERS AND CORSAIRS of the 18th century created an "information network" that spanned the globe: primitive and devoted primarily to grim business, the net nevertheless functioned admirably. Scattered throughout the net were islands, remote hideouts where ships could be watered and provisioned, booty traded for luxuries and necessities. Some of these islands supported "intentional communities," whole mini-societies living consciously outside the law and determined to keep it up, even if only for a short but merry life . . .’)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/jul/12/90s-spiral-tribe-free-parties
Hampshire police should note lack of police presence and peaceful atmos (Glade).
More here:
Castlemorton’s 18th Anniversary
Britain’s most infamous free festival at Castlemorton Common took place eighteen years ago this weekend (May 21st) provoking a massive police crackdown against raves which eventually led to both the Criminal Justice Act and the emergence of today’s all night club culture in the UK.
Ironically the location was inadvertently chosen by cops who directed 10 Sound systems including Spiral Tribe, Bedlam, Circus Warp, Circus Normal and DiY to the common on May 20 1992, after shutting down the annual Avon Festival. With weather conditions absolutely perfect for outdoor partying (hot and sunny by day and crisp and pleasant by night) thousands congregated with numbers growing even faster when the BBC opened their TV news bulletins with footage from the event on Friday evening.
An estimated 40,000 revellers attended Castlemorton over four glorious days and nights with most typically inner city ravers living for the weekend or ‘new age travellers’, predominantly young alternative people who’d quit urban squats for life on the road. Though scores of cops prowled outside the festival’s loose perimeter of trucks and tents, virtually non ventured on site, leaving the Common to become a genuine temporary autonomous zone that remained safe and virtually crime free throughout the long weekend.
As Britain’s tabloid ‘yellow’ press demanded ‘something must be done’ to stop free parties, Castlemorton reveller ‘Richard’ explained their popularity and ability to provoke fear within the establishment.
"There is nothing wrong with what we are doing. We are here to have fun in the sun. We chose to live this way and reject the hassles associated with a conventional way of life,” he told the Daily Express.
“Some say we are dirty, but we are environmentally conscious, we make efforts not to dump rubbish. People generally have it in for us because of our lifestyle. I think many envy us because of our freedom.”
Acid techno legend Henry Cullen (aka D.A.V.E. the Drummer) had also left London some years before to live in a van though when the Festival happened was already building a name for himself as a drummer with ska/ punk/ dub band Back To The Planet.
“We were playing on Wango Riley's travelling stage which was made from a huge removal lorry with one side that folded out to become a stage. I think the sound was by Aardvark or maybe Bushfire and it was a great rig to play on with pretty good lights too, it was a proper rock and roll stage,” he recalled.
“Of course we were surrounded by these stupid ravers from the city in flash cars (I was used to dreadlocks and old buses back then),” he chuckled, “And all these sound systems with DJs all playing the same record over and over again but I didn't care. I was young, free and a total hippy. I loved everyone (twice),” he laughed.
“I remember seeing one policeman on his own at the entrance when we arrived in our truck: we waved at him on the way in.”
“After we played at night, we had to wait for two people to finish ****ing in the middle of the lane before we could get off site,” Henry continued.
“So the entire band, including our female singer ‘Fil’, sat in the front of the band van and watched these two going at it like rabbits with me flashing my lights and beeping the horn and shouting ‘get out the ****ing way!’ out of the window They didn't move until it was all over. Oh the days . . . (CLICK BELOW FOR MORE)
http://m1e.net/c?79527268-1MKGJgeEYfOpA@5347699-LrdCBxT9UYZG.
http://m1e.net/c?79527268-gSzLLA2mc56fo@5347700-HZlfTSrFFysCM (click to access superb back-in-the-day underground party portal Free Party People)
http://m1e.net/c?79527268-IDiMBgHwn4WKk@5347702-vY5QHjvjPKFBs (Back to the Planet)
http://m1e.net/c?79527268-s.aomlgryyuGY@5347703-IpDhK8Ey40jHI (The temporary autonomous zone: Pirate Utopias: THE SEA-ROVERS AND CORSAIRS of the 18th century created an "information network" that spanned the globe: primitive and devoted primarily to grim business, the net nevertheless functioned admirably. Scattered throughout the net were islands, remote hideouts where ships could be watered and provisioned, booty traded for luxuries and necessities. Some of these islands supported "intentional communities," whole mini-societies living consciously outside the law and determined to keep it up, even if only for a short but merry life . . .’)
