Latest news with #Glastonburyfestival
The Guardian
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Kula Shaker on making Govinda: ‘Crowds would sing the lyrics as, 'Go cash your gyro gyro''
It's not our song; it's as old as the hills. The first time I heard it was in a Krishna temple as a kid. George Harrison was the first person I know of who recorded it – it's the last track on 1971's The Radha Krsna Temple album. We were all living together as a band in Swiss Cottage, London, and that record got played all the time. So I had it absorbed. The first time we played our version was at Glastonbury festival in 1993. We'd smuggled ourselves in, in the back of somebody's van, then blagged our way on to the stage in the Hare Krishna free food tent, which seemed appropriate. The arrangement with the droning chords and the chant in the middle pretty much happened on the spot. We continued to play it every night at every show for two years until we got a proper record deal. It's one of those songs that continues to evolve and surprise you however many times you play it. It's not just a song. It's a doorway into thousands of years of tradition, woven with philosophy, ontology and history encapsulating the promise of spiritual adventure. We're still discovering things now, because of the song's origins. You have to have a mood of service towards it because it belongs to the world. It's one of those songs where the band are getting as much benefit as the audience. As for the lyrics: Sanskrit is often called 'the language of the gods'. Why on earth would you not want to try that in a pop song? Govinda is one of the 'intimate' names of God, which translates as 'reservoir of pleasure'. On the whole, any of the names with the prefix 'Go' (meaning 'cow'), like Gopal or Govinda, glorifies Sri Krishna's youthful time as the divine cowherd, who protects the cows, plays his magic flutes in enchanted forests and steals the hearts of heavenly milk-maidens. It always got a reaction live. There was never a beige response. One of the turning points was when we were touring our debut album, K, to a sold-out show in Blackburn in front of 2,500 people in various states of intoxication with their arms in the air, singing this ancient spiritual folk song. I thought to myself: 'God, we're not in control of this, are we? This has got a life of its own.' It was the perfect, miraculous convergence of sublime and ridiculousness, and that's what pop music should be. We were playing around the north London Camden scene but also going out to the West Country and playing to a very different, often very hippy crowd. Our drummer is from near Glastonbury, so if we could play Glastonbury Assembly Rooms alongside some psychedelic sitar player, we'd jump at the opportunity. We'd always loved the hippy music of the 60s and 70s, and had been equally fascinated by Indian classical music and eastern mysticism. A friend introduced us to the Bengali musicians who ended up playing on Govinda, who were a Hindu family from east London. We worked with John Leckie, who had produced the first Stone Roses album and before that, this brilliant psychedelic record by the Dukes of the Stratosphear. The verse is repetitive but we'd been listening to the George Harrison version for months, so it was quite easy to get down. There's lots of the tambura – the four-string sitar from Indian classical and folk music that gives the droning sound – and the tabla (the hand drums) all over the record. We had to remember that we were still these whitey westerners, laying down our groove. It was great to get a song that's entirely in Sanskrit on Radio 1, although I think most people saw it as one of those gimmicky songs. I remember people at early gigs shouting the lyrics as: 'Go cash your gyro gyro.' Some old songs you get tired of playing live, but Govinda always feels fresh, so we always finish live sets with it. It has a power that's beyond us; we're just the vessels. All we have to do is play and let the universe do the rest of the work. Kula Shaker are performing at Chalfest, Stroud, 18-19 July, and Lakefest, Eastnor Castle, 6-10 August
The Independent
07-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Where to stay in Glastonbury year-round
Glastonbury, famed for its festival, mythology and mystical tor, is magic to visit during every month of the year. Of course, the annual Glastonbury festival at Worthy Farm is it's main draw – with The 1975, Olivia Rodrigo, and Neil Young headline acts for 2025. The quirky town may be synonymous with mud-caked tents, punctured air beds and bogged-down camping chairs, but aside from that long weekend in June the area steeped in medieval history is primed for a staycation. Elegant country houses, witchy B&Bs and cosy high street hotels host those musically – and holistically – inclined as bases to explore the South West settlement away from the main stage. Alternatively, to stay true to the beloved pitches of Glasto, there are luxury glamping tipis, back-to-nature treetop homes and rooms with a view above buzzing live music bars for an off-season slice of the action. With safari lodges, pub bedrooms and converted churches available in the Somerset town year-round, here are the digs that dance to their own beat in Glastonbury. Tall Trees Glamping, Coxbridge At Tall Trees Glamping, four safari lodges offer an elevated camping experience in a wildflower meadow on the edge of the Somerset Levels. Forget back-to-basics camping, here the home comforts are plenty – think double beds, plump pillows and a cosy log burner within the rustic interiors just a 10-minute drive from Glastonbury town. There's even a cast-iron BBQ for families of six to grill up a storm, a dream way for guests to refuel during active getaways to the Somerset countryside. The Covenstead, Glastonbury To immerse yourself in the rich myths of the area, Glastonbury's witchiest accommodation is The Covenstead, a pagan-themed B&B. Just five minutes from Glastonbury Abbey, the listed building is studded with artefacts, curiosities and a riot of magical grimoires, and the scent of burning incense lingers in the air from the antique dining room to the characterful bedrooms. As for breakfast, a hearty full English (with vegetarian and vegan options available) style awaits guests who spent the night in rooms such as the Halloween Honeymoon and Hernes Hideaway. Pomeroy Treehouse, Wells This treehouse for two is nestled between Glastonbury and Wells, with vintage Dutch bikes ideal for exploring the area (including the tor) on two wheels. Inside the intimate retreat, a king-size bed and moody lounge enjoy a sprawling countryside view beyond the outdoor bathtub and Finnish electric sauna. Up the spiral staircase, a roof terrace, complete with a fire pit, outdoor TV and a pizza oven are the cherry on top of summer nights in the Somerset stay. From £275 per night, minimum two-night stay. The Sheppey, Wells If you long to hear the live music of Glastonbury Festival year-round, The Sheppey pub's live music offerings are a solid second-best. Better still, upstairs there are three eccentric boutique rooms complete with en suites, soundproofing and memory foam mattresses to rest your head after a night of singing, feasting on modern European food and sipping a whole roster of ales at one of the musical haunt's soulful events. Beryl Country House, Wells For a regal, adults-only escape in the Mendip Hills, the grand rooms of Beryl Country House are a four-poster affair complete with views of the gardens, Wells Cathedral and the Italianate swimming pool. True to Glastonbury's quirks, this isn't the quintessential English country haunt. Instead, antique furnishings and elegant reception rooms designed in Gothic Revival style feature Georgian and Cantonese furnishings, and there are a pride of bronze lions in the tea room. Middlewick Holiday Cottages, Glastonbury At the base of Glastonbury Tor, the Middlewick farm is a maze of self-catering cottages, eco-friendly wood cabins and glamping pods – all served by local delicacies from the on-site farm shop, a steamy converted shepherd hut spa and a heated swimming pool. With home-from-home spaces that sleep up to eight (all just a seven-minute drive from the town centre), and furry friends welcome to come along, these cottages are ideal for families looking to discover the draw of the magical tor. The Lion, West Pennard Comfort is king at The Lion at West Pennard, from the heartwarming plates of home-cooked fish and chips in the 19th-century country inn to the 12 spacious en suite bedrooms blessed with bed and breakfast status in the converted barn. Contemporary interiors, period architecture and free-standing tubs greet guests who retire to rooms after a tipple of Glastonbury Gin, Moons Cider or wine from Wootton Vineyard. Haydn House, Glastonbury Haydn House sits in the heart of the action, just a minute's walk from the eclectic collection of witchcraft, crystal and Tibetan drum shops on Glastonbury High Street. Ideally located for rejuvenating after days spent sightseeing, each airy and affordable room has its own breakfast area, modern en suite and inviting double beds. The flagship suite welcomes in views of the Abbey ruins. The Gothic Church, Wells Gather a group to embrace Glastonbury's quirks in a converted 19th-century Gothic church in the middle of an area of outstanding natural beauty. The Grade II-listed property in Wells comes complete with a hot tub, vaulted living room and formal banqueting gallery with original stained-glass windows overlooking the tor. With six bedrooms, a wood-burning stove and a 44ft kitchen, this is a go-to place for a family feast and celebrations.
