Watchfield Free Festival – August 1975

supplied by Clive Richardson – photo 1 Hastings Crew including Steve Nicholls, Clive Richardson and Cliff Hesselden. 

Phil Gill… Stallion played there twice, Friday and Sunday. Steve Demetri and I drove there in his lime green Lotus Europa – the hippies on the gate hated us for that when we arrived. I vividly recall us driving west on the M4 and watching a plane take off right alongside us into the setting sun, whist we listened to Jeff Beck’s tune “Diamond Dust”…it was perfect…like being in a video. One of those moments that I still treasure.
We played a set, and later, we all slept out round a campfire in the open, no tents. The rain woke us around 4am, so Steve decided he and I should go home and have a fry up in the motorway services on the way. We spent Saturday night in The Nelson and went back on Sunday, this time in Steve’s brother’s Lotus Elan 2+2. The hippies on the gate decided to hate us again, this time even more than they did on the Friday. Maybe the Elan offended them more than the Europa… It was a fun weekend.

Pete Fisher… excellent anecdote Phil!

Geoff Peckham… I enjoyed that memory, Phil.

Dr Julie Coultas… We were trekking across England on horseback in August 1975 (long story). I am currently writing up the journal from that time. Thursday 28th August 1975 – it turns out we rode through the Savernake Forest and some kind people let us put our horses and tent on their lawn for the night. They then took us to the Watchfield Festival. My memories are of a band called Stallion. Oh and also the cabbage curry we gratefully consumed while we were at the festival!!

Phil Gill… Julie Coultas, pleased you enjoyed Stallion. I was the 19 year old bass player in the band and we had a fabulous time at that festival.

Iain Cobby… Hey Phil, I remember that Lotus!

Dr Julie Coultas… Phil – I am just writing about the Watchfield Fesitval for my book. I am a bit confused as your band, Stallion, must have been memaorable for me to write about it in my horsetrek journal. Can you imagine how surreal it was for us – we had been riding across England for 9 days and then we end up at Watchfield! My journal entry says that we saw you Thursday 28th August 1975? Any memories or anecdotes from that night would be gratefully received and I would be happy to include them in my book. Sadly, our memories of that time were clouded by substances other than alcohol so it may be me who has it wrong…

 

2 thoughts on “Watchfield Free Festival – August 1975”

  1. Phil – I am just writing about the Watchfield Fesitval for my book. I am a bit confused as your band, Stallion, must have been memaorable for me to write about it in my horsetrek journal. Can you imagine how surreal it was for us – we had been riding across England for 9 days and then we end up at Watchfield! My journal entry says that we saw you Thursday 28th August 1975? Any memories or anecdotes from that night would be gratefully received and I would be happy to include them in my book. Sadly, our memories of that time were clouded by substances other than alcohol so it may be me who has it wrong…

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