Paul McCartney asks Brian May for permission to headline Glastonbury after the Queen guitarist’s feud with founder over badger culling
- Announced this week that Sir Paul will play at the Worthy Farm festival next year
- May said he would not play Glastonbury due to founder’s support of badger cull
- Founder Michael Eavis, 84, has called May a ‘danger’ over opposition to the cull
Sir Paul McCartney told Queen’s Brian May of his fear that by headlining Glastonbury, people will think he endorses ‘the mass killing of badgers’.
It was announced this week that The Beatles star, 77, will play the festival at Worthy Farm next year.
May, 72, previously said he would not play Glastonbury due its founder’s support of the badger cull.
Sir Paul McCartney told Queen’s Brian May of his fear that by headlining Glastonbury, people will think he endorses ‘the mass killing of badgers’
Michael Eavis, 84, who is also a dairy farmer, has called May a ‘danger’ over his opposition to the cull, which is aimed at curbing bovine tuberculosis.
May has now said that Sir Paul called him about the cull before accepting the festival gig.
He wrote on Instagram: ‘Paul was kind enough to phone me about this before he accepted the invitation.
‘He was concerned that he might be thought to be endorsing the current mass killing of badgers.
‘Paul, a great campaigner on behalf of animals, is firmly against the Badger Cull.
‘I told him he should not feel any obligations – that my reluctance to play was based on the personal comments Michael Eavis has made about me.’
Last month, May dismissed claims that his band had been booked to headline Glastonbury’s 50th anniversary, saying Mr Eavis had ‘frequently insulted’ him.
Eavis’s support for the cull has prompted calls from some to boycott the festival.
Brian May, 72, (left) previously said he would not play Glastonbury due its founder’s support of the badger cull. Founder Michael Eavis, 84, (right) who is also a dairy farmer, has called May a ‘danger’ over his opposition to the cull, which is aimed at curbing bovine tuberculosis
May claims that the farmer and rock concert organiser ‘frequently insulted’ him so he would not take part in the show, although he wished Sir Paul luck with the performance.
He wrote: ‘I work daily with people who disagree with me in matters like this – it’s necessary in order to move forward.
‘But I don’t have to work with people who insult me who are ignorant of the work I do.
‘People can change, and I’m always open to that. In the meantime I wish Paul and his band a great gig.’
May previously said badger culling is a ‘tragedy and unnecessary crime against wildlife’.
The Queen guitarist described the badger cull as an ‘unnecessary crime’ (stock image)
Last month, May dismissed claims that his band had been booked to headline Glastonbury, saying Mr Eavis had ‘frequently insulted’ him (stock image)