Big Names Decline Involvement In Farm Aid

According to NME GLASTONBURY organizer MICHAEL EAVIS has confessed he was snubbed by some of the biggest names in music when he approached them to play at the FARM AID foot and mouth benefit event in CARDIFF on October 27.

Eavis announced on Wednesday that Coldplay, Ash, Toploader, Reef and Morcheeba had agreed to play at the 70,000 capacity Millennium Stadium show, but said that U2, Robbie Williams and Manic Street Preachers had all declined to be involved.

"I have not found many people in the business falling over themselves to get involved," he said. "I don't know why but they seem slightly uncomfortable about getting involved," he says. "Farmers have got bad press. People think they all get huge subsidies and ride round in four-wheel-drive vehicles, but I know many farmers who can't even afford a car. We should remember that thousands of farmers out there are really struggling, they look after the countryside and do a great job but they are finding it almost impossible to earn a living."

It leaves the concert well short of the big names Eavis feels he needs to make the show a success, saying he needs ten fairly big acts.

Eavis hopes to raise £500,000 from the show. Proceeds will be divided between: The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Fund, The Addington Fund: Farm Crisis Network; The Rural Stress Information Network; The Samaritans and the RSPCA.