The summer of love starts here
0n June 3, Tim Burgess will lead The Charlatans onstage at the Isle Of Wight festival. He'll follow in the footsteps of his idol Bob Dylan, who chose the same festival in 1969 to relaunch himself on the great British public. It's set to be a momentous occasion but Burgess isn't afraid of stepping into such a long shadow.
'I've got a bootleg of the ' 69 show," he crackles down the line from LA. "It wasn't one of Dylan's best. He wanted to get away from the freaks hanging around his house. He was paid £70,000, brought all his family, played pretty badly and headed out again. It is freaky playing there I suppose. I hope it's moved on a bit. Cowes is it? Is that where the ferry goes? I like listening to hip hop and looking at cows."
The festival is the first of three major outdoor events The Charlatans will play in Britain this summer. They're set to headline Glastonbury festival (June 28-30) and are the main support for Oasis at Finsbury Park (July 5-7). After a year that's seen them cement their position as British music heavyweights through sell-out tours, acclaimed album 'Wonderland' and NME Carling Award for Outstanding Contribution To Music, they're looking forward to kicking it back in the sun.
"I like Glastonbury," says Tim " I went a couple of times as a kid and we've played there and once I was hanging about backstage. I like hanging around these days. I don't live in England so I get a chance to catch up with a bunch of people I don't see often."
He maintains he has no intention of making use of the new helicopter service ferrying the rich and mighty to and from the Glastonbury site.
"I've done it once before when we played with Oasis at Knebworth. I felt a bit out of control. I'd rather go by small aeroplane. Don't think they have any aeroplanes."
Oasis and the Charlatans played at Knebworth in 1996 when Oasis were in their pomp and The Charlatans were recovering from the death of Rob Collins. Six years on, the Finsbury Park show may have a bittersweet edge, but it still has Burgess excited.
"It's the one I'm looking forward to most. It's a brilliant line-up and there's not as much pressure on us. I get a chance to catch up with Starsailor, BRMC, Robert Plant. It'll be great. I just love being on the road. We're sounding great right now, incredible. I want to play. Cabin fever on the bus is all part of it, seeing who cracks up, who loses it first. I love it. Music rules."
Catch The Charlatans this summer. Or alternatively sneak up on Tim Burgess with a picture of an Aberdeen Angus and a tape of Public Enemy. He'll like that.
Paul McNamee