Published by The 39 Production Company Ltd, UK, Summer 2003
Format: Limited edition hardback book, 48 full-colour pages, full-colour cover.
Available to order using this special direct link. The cost is £10 plus postage - they ship worldwide.
Full
details of payment options (they accept UK cheques, euro cheques,
dollar cheques, and credit cards) and postage costs on their website.
This new book, compiled, designed
and edited by the Honourable Henry Lytton Cobbold, member of the family
who have lived at the House for over five hundred years, is an
entertaining and sometimes intimate look at the concerts which have
been held in the grounds of Knebworth House since 1974. Presented very
much like a family album or scrapbook, there are many amusing or
interesting anecdotes within from many of those involved in putting on
the shows.
The scene is set with the inside
front/back covers, showing an aerial photo of the house and grounds,
with the sell-out 1996 Oasis concert in full swing. Many legendary
artists played the largest shows in their careers at the venue - in
thirty years, over two million people have attended the concerts held
at this stately home in the middle of England.
The
book starts with a brief family history - taking the story from 1490,
when the grounds were chosen for the construction of the house.
Fast-forward to 1974, and Freddie Bannister's original proposal letter
which started the whole thing off. Chrissie Lytton Cobbold admitted
that "Freddie was very persuasive!" particularly as they'd been
approached before about holding events in the grounds.
Each show, from the pioneering 74
gig, is detailed in excerpts from cuttings, personal recollections, and
many great photos - some conventional live shots, most though candid,
giving a flavour of the human side of each event. There's also ticket,
poster and other memorabilia reprinted. The recollections are
particularly fascinating - memories of the smallest, silliest things
vie with key moments.
The
1974 show was due to feature Led Zeppelin with the Allman Brothers, and
it explains how LZ pulled out when they found they would be sharing top
billing - not their style at all! The very next year was the first of
two Pink Floyd appearances - and most would argue the first was the
more significant and interesting. Backed with an eclectic mix of
artists from Steve Miller to Captain Beefheart - even members of Monty
Python!
A nice double page spread on the
show, with a poster and unused ticket reproduction, an aerial shot of
the crowd, memories of the band in Knebworth House itself, and a couple
of stage shots - one side on, showing the large speaker stacks, and one
of Richard Wright in action, with Roger hidden in the dry ice behind.
1976 saw the Stones headline, and
the book shares some interesting quotes from Keith Richard: "when bands
[like us] have been around for this long, they should be dead and
buried", and Mick Jagger: "I would hate to think I would still be
singing Satisfaction when I'm forty"!
The story continues with the two shows in 1978 - Genesis, followed by
an eclectic line-up in the second show, to counter claims that the
festivals were bland and unexciting, with the likes of Frank Zappa, The
Tubes, and the Boomtown Rats all appearing.
Led Zep finally made their
appearance in 1979, and an interesting anecdote is printed concerning
the shooting of the programme cover by Storm Thorgerson. The following
year's festival was less successful, a small crowd turning up to see
The Beach Boys, Mike Oldfield and others. Subsequent shows were equally
humdrum (the recollections of the Christian "Greenbelt" festival
drawing complaints from the locals are interesting though!) until Deep
Purple, The Scorpions and Meat Loaf arrives in 1985. The following year
saw a huge Queen concert, that ended in tragedy as a fan was stabbed to
death whilst watching the show.
1990, of course, saw the other
Pink Floyd appearance, as part of the star-studded Silver Clef Award
Winners concert in aid of the Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy charity. A
couple of piccies of David Gilmour (one with Richard Wright) and a
quote from David about how the weather helped the atmosphere. As
someone who was in the crowd, I find the remark debatable, although I
can see what he meant as the lasers shone out clearly. The circular
screen was taken down though due to the high winds, so no projected
film.
1992 saw Phil Collins return,
with the rest of Genesis, for their second appearance and his third.
Very brief coverage of this show. Far better is the amount of
memorabilia on show for the next concert - Oasis in 1996, which
captured the band (are they even still going?) at the very height of
their popularity. A dance event in 2001 saw twelve seperate arenas
constructed to house the different genres, and the book finishes with
coverage of the three (then upcoming) Robbie Williams shows at the
start of August this year (2003).
The end of the book covers a
selection of memorabilia for the shows - official and unofficial. It
includes various bootleg albums, CDs and videos that have appeared of
the performances, including for Floyd a scarce "Wish We Were There" CD
bootleg of the 1975 show, which I've not seen before.
A fascinating, if quick read
(probably in one session), that takes a more intimate look at the
concerts. For a more indepth, conventional look, you would need to
search out Chrissie Lytton Cobbold's "Knebworth Rock Festivals" (now
out of print). Definately worth a look for an entertaining scoot
through the history of the shows held at the house.
|