David Bowie’s Surprise Glastonbury Performance Revealed
In a shocking revelation, it has been uncovered that the late David Bowie’s unforgettable performance at Glastonbury in 2000 almost didn’t happen. The iconic musician, who sadly passed away in 2016 at the age of 69, had no interest in taking the stage at the renowned festival. It was only through a cunning ploy by his PR manager that Bowie was convinced to participate.
During the late 90s, Bowie’s popularity seemed to wane, and his concerts struggled to attract audiences. In fact, his team couldn’t even give away tickets to his shows. This lack of public interest, coupled with Bowie’s own disinterest, led the festival organizers to doubt whether his act would be captivating enough for the festival-goers. It appeared that the legendary Ziggy Stardust would not grace the Glastonbury stage.
However, Bowie’s resourceful publicist, Alan Edwards, 68, took matters into his own hands. He decided to leak a story to the press, suggesting that Bowie might make an appearance at Worthy Farm. The strategy was designed to generate publicity and reignite interest in the musician.
To their astonishment, the Glastonbury organizers were inundated with calls from eager fans after the story broke. The overwhelming response led to Bowie being swiftly announced as a headliner for the festival.
Bowie’s performance at Glastonbury has since become one of the most iconic sets in the festival’s history. It is a testament to the power of clever marketing and the enduring appeal of the legendary musician.
In a recent interview on the Rockonteurs podcast, publicist Alan Edwards revealed the details of the ingenious trick. He explained, “We had this period in the Nineties where we couldn’t give away tickets. There were tickets available. What we did, we came up with this strategy of going to the nationals and the editors were big, big David fans. There’s a moment where he does Glastonbury by mistake. Michael Eavis didn’t want him — he was worried he was going to do a Tin Machine set, a little drum and bass set. And David just didn’t want to do it.”
According to Edwards, Bowie’s initial reaction to the trick was one of playful admonishment. He reportedly told his publicists, “You naughty boys, don’t ever do that again, but thank you very much, that was brilliant.”
The success of the leaked story exceeded Edwards’ expectations. He recalled, “The Sunday Times went a lot bigger on it than I expected, front page: ‘Bowie to play Glastonbury.’ The phones went crazy at Glastonbury, they rang off the hook like never. By the end of that day, David was headlining Glastonbury.”
Despite Bowie’s initial reluctance, his surprise performance at Glastonbury turned out to be a triumph and solidified his status as a music legend. The clever strategy employed by his publicist ensured that his talent was once again celebrated on one of the world’s biggest stages.
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