Tim Hughes talks to Cornbury Music Festival's Hugh Phillimore about why his 'uncool' gathering still has the best bands around

HUGH Phillimore is a man in love with live music. In fact he lives and breathes it.

So when the man behind Cornbury Music Festival smiles and says proudly that he has the perfect festival line-up, he deserves to be taken seriously.

"I am proud!" he says. "It has really come together well. There are some people I have been determined to bring to Cornbury, and this year I have got them, which I am very happy about."

Tomorrow sees the start of the 13th instalment of Hugh's annual gathering, which is held at Great Tew Park, near Chipping Norton. And a glance at the line-up suggests Hugh can be forgiven for feeling a little smug. While always diverse, this year's is a supremely eclectic bill, topped by jazz pianist Jamie Cullum, lounge lizard and Roxy Music legend Bryan Ferry, and girl band All Saints. Also appearing are Seal, Lemar, Booker T, The Beat and Wilko Johnson; singer-songwriters James Morrison, Newton Faulkner and Gabrielle Aplin; and country acts Lucinda Williams and The Shires.

Then there is soul from Beverley Knight, Stax and Soul II Soul, and crowd-pleasers Turin Brakes, The Dunwells and Cattle & Cane.

The whole thing is topped off on Sunday night by a show by Abba tribute Bjorn Again.

For a festival which has become as well known for its high-class trappings – smart VIP area, Pimms and Champagne bars, and a celebrity clientelle which includes royalty, the Prime Minister and his family, a smattering of actors and TV presenters and members of the Chipping Norton set – it is all too easy to lose sight of its credentials as a serious music event. This year 'Poshstock' dies just that.

"There are lots of people I can't wait to see," says Hugh.

"Jamie Cullum has never been here before and is a fantastic live performer, Soul II Soul are great, and Wilko Johnson is returning.

"Then there's Bryan Ferry who also puts on a great live show. There is something about him and he makes a sound like noone else. His music is beautifully crafted and textured, and I'm a huge fan and have been since I did his first gig in 2001."

Oxford Mail:

Love is the drug: Bryan Ferry. Picture by Matthew Becker www.liverockjournal.com

"All Saints are also very cool and wrote a lot of their own stuff. I saw them recently and they are still great and will put on a good show, unlike Blue last year, who were awful!

"Then there's Seal, who was great last year, and who seriously surprised everyone when he jumped into the crowd. There's also my old friends Bjorn Again with their cheeky Swedish accents, and Lucinda Williams – who has an amazing voice and sounds like a female Tom Waits."

Many of the acts on the bill are friends of Hugh's or have worked with him on previous events – a fact that boosts Cornbury's pulling power.

"We've all been doing gigs for quite a while," he says. "I know most of these people and am an obsessive music fan."

he admits the line-up is solidly family-friendly though – with a notable absence of metal, punk or anything too noisy.

"No one is frightening the horses here," he laughs. "Lucinda is the closest we get to that!"

One of the biggest surprises is the return of Dr Feelgood frontman Wilko Johnson.

The Canvey Island pub-rocker, one of the founding fathers of punk, played the 10th instalment of the event in 2013 on what was billed as his farewell tour.

At the time he was suffering from what he feared was terminal cancer. he subsequently had the tumour removed in an 11-hour operation and has now declared himself free of cancer.

"Wilko is returning having nearly died," says Hugh. "And that is something we at Cornbury take full credit for."

Having played his set in 2013, he was approached by amateur photographer Charlie Chan, who also happens to be a top cancer surgeon. Mr Chan told the star that he believed he had been misdiagnosed.

"He told him 'you can't have the cancer you've been told you have, or you'd be dead," says Hugh.

"Not one to take no for an answer, Charlie then went to see Wilko on Canvey, and was told in no uncertain terms to go away. He then turned up at a gig and persuaded a friend to take him to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, where he was operated on.

"The tumour was the size of a baby and Wilko was given the all-clear. So Cornbury saved Wilko Johnson's life."

Aside from saving the lives of rock legends, Hugh says the festival also played an important part in promoting grassroots music through its Riverside stage – which is curated by Andy Pickard of Charlbury Riverside Festival, and showcases largely local bands.

It features sets by The Peerless Pirates, Mayhem, Saedly Dorus & The Hoolie Band, Loud Mountains, Zurich, Alphabet Backwards, The Inflatables, Balkan Wanderers, The Might Redox, The Knights of Mentis, The Great Western Tears and many others.

Oxford Mail:

Divine presence: All Saints

"It's all about great local bands," says Hugh. "We have the creme de la creme of Oxfordshire. For a lot of people, they come, sit on the straw bales in front of the stage and stay there for the whole weekend."

He goes on: "The line-up hangs together well. There's a lot of new stuff, but it will all feel reassuringly familiar, for people like me, who like things to be the same but also love good music.

"Some 74 per cent of people come back every year, and love the fact its safe and friendly.

"It probably has the lowest policing bill of any festival, with only one arrest in 12 years.

"It is the most civilised gathering. It's sweet, family-friendly and beautifully done – and our range of music is fantastic."

He concedes it is perhaps not the 'coolest' music festival out there, but insisted that was also a strength.

"Part of me likes being uncool," he grins. "But some people won't come near it.

" For people who would rather be at Glastonbury or Boom Town it would be most uncool, but others love it _ especially those who are scared of festivals and would rather go to a village fete with bands.

"I have had endless people contacting us asking whether it is going to be as muddy as Glastonbury, as they can't possibly get that amount of mud on their BMWs!"

  •  Cornbury Music Festival runs from tomorrow to Sunday. Go to Go to cornburymusicfestival.com for tickets and full line-up.

Oxford Mail:

Hugh's the man: Hugh Phillimore

Line-up highlights

Friday:

  • Jamie Cullum
  • Soul II Soul
  • Wilko Johnson
  • Lemar
  • The Beat
  • Port Isla
  • The Lottery Winners
  • The Dunwells
  • The Hummingbirds

Saturday:

  • Bryan Ferry
  • All Saints
  • Corinne Bailey Rae
  • Booker T
  • Lucinda WIlliams
  • Gabrielle Aplin
  • Tunde (Lighthouse Family)
  • Turin Brakes
  • Cattle & Cane
  • Hidden Charms
  • Orlando Seale & The Swell

Sunday

  • Seal
  • James Morrison
  • The Shires
  • Newton Faulkner
  • Beverley Knight
  • The Zombies
  • Kelvin Jones
  • Pierce Brothers