Neil Young has been confirmed as a headliner at this year’s Glastonbury – despite saying he was dropping out due to the BBC’s involvement in the festival.
The 79-year-old Canadian musician wrote on his website earlier this week that both he and his band, The Chrome Hearts, were pulling out because the BBC’s involvement was a “corporate turn-off”.
He has now said in a statement that this decision was down to “an error in the information I received”.
Emily Eavis, the organiser of the GlastonburyFestival, posted on Instagram on Friday: “Neil Young is an artist who’s very close to our hearts at Glastonbury.
“He does things his own way and that’s why we love him.
“We can’t wait to welcome him back here to headline the Pyramid in June.”
Glastonbury, which takes place at Worthy Farm in Somerset in the summer, has worked closely with the BBC – its exclusive broadcast partner – since 1997.
More on Glastonbury
Related Topics:
Posting on Neil Young Archives, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer wrote in his initial statement: “The Chrome Hearts and I were looking forward to playing Glastonbury, one of my all-time favourite outdoor gigs.
“We were told that BBC was now a partner in Glastonbury and wanted us to do a lot of things in a way we were not interested in.
“It seems Glastonbury is now under corporate control and is not the way I remember it being.”
Image: Young performing at Glastonbury in 2009. Pic: AP
Young, who headlined the festival’s Pyramid stage in 2009, added: “We will not be playing Glastonbury on this tour because it is a corporate turn-off, and not for me like it used to be.
“Hope to see you at one of the other venues on the tour.”
In an updated statement, he wrote: “Due to an error in the information received, I had decided to not play the Glastonbury festival, which I always have loved.
“Happily, the festival is now back on our itinerary and we look forward to playing! Hope to see you there!”
Young, who is married to US actress Daryl Hannah, was booked to play Glastonbury in 1997 but pulled out after cutting his left index finger while making a ham sandwich.
A pilot has died after a private jet owned by Motley Crue frontman Vince Neil crashed into another plane at an airport in Arizona.
Neil was not on board at the time of the collision, which happened off the runway at Scottsdale Airport on Monday afternoon.
Neil’s girlfriend Rain Andreani and her friend suffered injuries which are not thought to be life-threatening.
They were taken to hospital with the jet’s co-pilot, who was also injured.
Image: Emergency responders work on Vince Neil’s plane after the collision. Pic: AP
“While details are still emerging, our hearts go out to the families of both the pilot who lost his life and the passengers who suffered injuries,” Motley Crue said in a statement.
“Motley Crue will announce a way to help support the family of the deceased pilot – stand by for an announcement very soon”.
Rain Andreani broke five ribs in the crash and the dogs the women were travelling with survived, TMZ reports.
Kanye West has been criticised over a TV advert directing people to a website selling a swastika T-shirt during the Super Bowl.
It shows him lying down, telling viewers: “I spent all the money for the commercial on these new teeth, so once again I had to shoot it on the iPhone… go to Yeezy.com.”
The site now features nothing but a single T-shirt with a swastika on the front – alongside the code “HH-01” – believed to be a reference to “Heil Hitler”.
The advert was shown in the Los Angeles area during the big game, but not nationwide.
Image: The listing is the sole item on West’s website
The rapper’s final entry stated: “I’m logging out of Twitter. I appreciate [X owner] Elon [Musk] for allowing me to vent.
“It has been very cathartic to use the world as a sounding board. It was like an Ayahuasca trip.”
“Love all of you who gave me your energy and attention. To we connect again [sic]. Good afternoon and goodnight.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
0:32
Kanye’s wife shocks at Grammys
West made multiple posts on Friday, including statements such as “I love Hitler” and “I’m a Nazi” – with the Campaign Against Antisemitism calling on Mr Musk to ban him.
The group said the T-shirt listing was another damning example of West’s dangerous prejudice.
“The swastika is the symbol adopted by Hitler as the primary emblem of the Nazis,” it posted.
“It galvanized his followers in the 20th century and continues to threaten and instil fear in those targeted by antisemitism and white supremacy.”
X
This content is provided by X, which may be using cookies and other technologies.
To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies.
You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable X cookies or to allow those cookies just once.
You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options.
Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to X cookies.
To view this content you can use the button below to allow X cookies for this session only.
West – also known as Ye – has been suspended from Twitter at least twice before.
In October 2022, his account was restricted over antisemitic comments but he returned the following month. The outcry prompted Adidas to end their lucrative trainer deal.
Two months later, he was locked out again after posts including one appearing to show a swastika inside a Star of David.
Elon Musk, who rebranded Twitter as X in 2023,said at the time the suspension was “for incitement to violence” but the account was back up and running the following summer.
Kanye West has deleted his X account after being criticised over a series of offensive posts on the social media platform.
The US rapper, also known as Ye, was criticised for posting “hate-filled” remarks about Jewish people.
On Friday many of his posts centred on the Jewish community and he said “I love Hitler” and “I’m a Nazi”.
Another post said: “I’m never apologising for my Jewish comments.”
Following the posts, West’s account had a “sensitive content warning” added to it.
But the 47-year-old now appears to have deleted his X account.
“I’m logging out of Twitter,” he wrote. “I appreciate [X owner] Elon [Musk] for allowing me to vent.
“It has been very cathartic to use the world as a sounding board. It was like an Ayahuasca trip.”
“Love all of you who gave me your energy and attention. To we connect again [sic]. Good afternoon and goodnight.”
During the Super Bowl show he had posted about Taylor Swift, writing: “IF ITS ABOUT THE CULTURE … WHY ARE WE LETTING TAYLOR SWIFT BE SEEN ON TV SINGING A SONG ABOUT TAKING A BLACK MAN DOWN AND ACCUSING OF THINGS THAT CAN TAKE A BLACK MAN DOWN FOR LIFE.”
The Campaign Against Antisemitism had called on Mr Musk to remove West from X over a string of offensive posts.
A spokesperson said: “Once again, Ye has gone on an antisemitic rampage online. It couldn’t be any clearer that he is an unrepentant, proud antisemite.”
It added: “At a time of unprecedented antisemitism, there can be no mistaking this incitement for exactly what it is. We call on Elon Musk to remove him from X.”
The US actor said on his Instagram account: “This is so 2022. We can’t stop a deranged bigot from spewing hate filled, ignorant bile… but we CAN stop giving him a megaphone, Mr Musk.
“Kanye West has 32.7 million followers on your platform, X. That’s twice as many people than the number of Jews in existence. His sick hate speech results in REAL LIFE violence against Jews.
“I don’t know what’s worse, the fact that he identifies as a Nazi (which implies he wants to exterminate ALL marginalized communities including his own) or the fact that there is not sufficient OUTRAGE to remove and ban him from all social media at this point.”
“Silence is complicity,” he added.
Rapper has had account suspended before
It comes after West and his wife Bianca Censori caused controversy at the Grammy Awards when she wore a transparent dress on the red carpet as he stood by her.
The rapper has had his X account suspended at least twice in the past.
In October 2022, West’s account was restricted over antisemitic comments, but he returned to the platform the following month. He also made antisemitic remarks that led Adidas to cut ties with him.
In December 2022 it was suspended after he made antisemitic comments and praised Hitler.
At the time Mr Musk said the account would be suspended after Kanye posted an image appearing to show a swastika inside a Star of David.
He said the suspension was “for incitement to violence”. The account was unsuspended by July 2023.