Michael Eavis is working on securing The Stone Roses for a return to the Glastonbury festival next year, after the band were forced to pull out at the last minute back in 1995, famously paving the way for Pulp to subsequently deliver one of the event’s most celebrated performances.
An injury to guitarist John Squire caused the Roses to withdraw that year; just one of a number of setbacks suffered by the Manchester group at the time before their messy disintegration eventually culminated in a disastrous appearance at the Reading festival just over a year later.
And Michael Eavis has now told NME ‘it is possible’ the reunited band could finally fulfill their headline duties at Worthy Farm close to twenty years on from that disappointing cancellation.
“I’m very keen on The Stone Roses – I always have been,” Eavis has said. “They played at Pilton Party for 300 people in 1995, which the year they cancelled on the main event and Pulp stepped in to replace them. I would like them to come back at some point. Are they a possible headliner for next year? I think it is possible, yeah.”
Eavis also revealed the Glastonbury organisers’ decision to regain control of licensing from Festival Republic is going to lead to a ‘new era of freedom’ when it returns from a year’s break in 2013.