strange letter

[eFestivals]

So Scientology isn't taking any financial gain from it supposedly? I guess the chance to be involved with new members is good in itself.

from what I've been told and read today (I can't remember which it came from now) it seems to be the case that scientology gives 'artists' a special higher status than the standard plebe, and the suggestion made to me is that it gives their own 'artists' a chance to appear (perhaps for an overly high fee which goes back to scientology) and gives them a chance to target new artists for recruitment.

Or perhaps they see it as an investment from whcih scientology will (or has?) profit in the future.

Who knows?

I guess that comes down to the age old question of the status of Scientology.

while the 'established' religions like to pretend that they're something different from what they like to call 'cults' I don't see any difference at all between them.

To me, they all work from false promises of a better tomorrow, and exploit their members by using that false promise. The amount of exploitation might differ, but it's all based around delusion and continuation of their organisation via the deluded.

[eFestivals]

Wether the organisors are scientologists is their business really.

if that's all there is to it then yes, I'm 100% with you.

I believe that Michael Eavis is a practicing methodist. That's nothing different.

[zahidf]

if that's all there is to it then yes, I'm 100% with you.

I believe that Michael Eavis is a practicing methodist. That's nothing different.

[Fareham Grecian]

Well I've been to the last 3 EotR's, am anti (all) religion to the point of paranoia, and if I'd seen or heard even a sniff of this from any attendees, public, bands or staff, I would run a mile. If I was convinced that there was any truth in it, I would not attend, as I don't attend Green Belt.

And as someone pointed out, if they are not preaching (or whatever it is they do) and they're paying to keep the festival afloat, there seems no possible benefit to them.

The only possible explanations remaining then seem to be (a) a nutjob or (b ) a smear campaign.

Edited January 31, 2012 by Fareham Grecian

[Fareham Grecian]

I mean, they booked Ben Goldacre a few years ago, doesn't seem like the sort of guy who Scientologists would want around.

[wackojackohighcliffe]

A lot of these guys seem pretty sure about it - https://whyweprotest.net/community/threads/end-of-the-road-festival-england-has-scientology-connections.47011/page-2

Some even seem to be trying to shut it down.

[SweepingTheNation]

That seems to be (ie I just googled it) Anonymous' anti-Scientology wing, so obviously they would be.

Most of this thread seems to be people who don't think there would be a link trying to convince themselves there is one.

[geofelgie]

Seems very strange to me - been every year, have a lot of contact with stewards and others working at the festival and never so much as heard a whisper of christianity....even famed mormons Low seemed rather short of holyness when they appeared.....let alone scientology.

In fact given the huge number of canadians on the bill taking the piss out of god-fearing americans at every opportunity....I would be astonished if they were even that devoutly religious.

Holy Crutches were added late but they are in the programme..........and there was a genuine pull out.

[geofelgie]

EOTR did lose a lot of money in the first year and did get rescued by a backer in 2007. I think i met him actually but I was a bit drunk - I remember him as being short, also called simon and from somerset-ish....but he could've been a seven foot jamaican in truth......could've been one of god's gullible I suppose, he was definitely wary of me!

[Infinite Jest]

I remember him as being short, also called simon and from somerset-

[Ed209]

Having a little dig around on the net, then there does seem to be a bit of evidence that there are scientology connections. They have found one of the organisers to be a scientologist and the festival itself is registered to an address in East Grinsted, Sussex. If people don't know, East Grinsted was home to L Ron Hubbard and is considered to be one of the global scientology epicentres (it used to be the HQ). Cruise and travolta have visited there on several occasions (I know this because I have a number of friends who grew up together in East Grinsted, and know people who still live there - JT was spotted in burger king only a few months ago).

Apparently the place is riddled with the scientologists.

[SweepingTheNation]

Hmm. I don't know if that's as good as confirmation - I know the famously non-secular Emmy The Great, for one, grew up in East Grinstead (mind you, she did play the main stage last year...)

[Jeddon]

Holy Crutches were absolutely diabolical last year. One of the worst performances I have ever seen. Whether they replaced an artist who dropped out or not, it's curious that I can see no trace of them anywhere online - no evidence of other shows, no recordings, no page/scrobbles on last fm...nothing. There must be a thousand unsigned bands who would have turned up to play in the Big Top and late in the Tipi for free - even at ultra short notice - and they'd have to try pretty hard to be worse. Clearly there is some kind of connection which brought about that performance. That could simply be that they were someone's friends who got to piss around. The suggestion that it was a front for a donation to be made to Scientology in the form of a performance fee is certainly interesting though.

I have been to EOTR for the last 3 years, and have a ticket for both EOTR and NDH this year. Thus far, this is not going to stop me going, and hopefully having as good a time as I have in the past...but I am intrigued to find out more about this.

[Fareham Grecian]

Having a little dig around on the net, then there does seem to be a bit of evidence that there are scientology connections. They have found one of the organisers to be a scientologist and the festival itself is registered to an address in East Grinsted, Sussex. If people don't know, East Grinsted was home to L Ron Hubbard and is considered to be one of the global scientology epicentres (it used to be the HQ). Cruise and travolta have visited there on several occasions (I know this because I have a number of friends who grew up together in East Grinsted, and know people who still live there - JT was spotted in burger king only a few months ago).

Apparently the place is riddled with the scientologists.

[Fareham Grecian]

Holy Crutches were absolutely diabolical last year. One of the worst performances I have ever seen. Whether they replaced an artist who dropped out or not, it's curious that I can see no trace of them anywhere online - no evidence of other shows, no recordings, no page/scrobbles on last fm...nothing. There must be a thousand unsigned bands who would have turned up to play in the Big Top and late in the Tipi for free - even at ultra short notice - and they'd have to try pretty hard to be worse. Clearly there is some kind of connection which brought about that performance. That could simply be that they were someone's friends who got to piss around. The suggestion that it was a front for a donation to be made to Scientology in the form of a performance fee is certainly interesting though.

I have been to EOTR for the last 3 years, and have a ticket for both EOTR and NDH this year. Thus far, this is not going to stop me going, and hopefully having as good a time as I have in the past...but I am intrigued to find out more about this.

[RedRockRick]

If, as I understand from very reliable sources it will be, at the next act announcement it is confirmed that Simon & Garfunkel, Joe Simon, Carly Simon, Simon Dupree & The Big Sound and Simone Felice will be playing, with We Are Scientologists as Sunday night headliners, that'll be the clincher.

[zahidf]

Hey, if it means Beck will headline, then i hope it's true!

[dacbo]

here's some fuel for your fire:

http://drownedinsound.com/community/boards/music/4267143#r5573854

[Infinite Jest]

Out of 10000 people at a festival, we have someone else claiming that one of them claimed to be a Scientologist. Does this really prove much?

[langerabend]

thanks for bringing this up. yes, I find the idea of EOTR having ANY connections to the world of scientology more than disturbing. maybe there is also a reason, why EOTR got bigger (even though they promised not to), started a second one, and keep so secretive about things lately. I dont know, there just seemed something changing in the last years. I found EOTR to be an oasis of good intentions. it would be very disappointing (to me) to find these accusations being true. hopefully, someone clears all this up.

[eFestivals]

I'm told that EotR will be making a statement about this sometime soon-ish.

So that I don't put the wrong words in their mouths in error I'll leave them to do that themselves.

[paulwa]

What a load of bloody tosh... EOTR is just a fun music festival... end of story.

[Fareham Grecian]

here's some fuel for your fire:

http://drownedinsoun...267143#r5573854

[RedRockRick]

I remain very, very concerned. I understand the Scientology Church has a program under which subliminal messages are transmitted via a series of antennae, which can be disguised to look like something as ordinary as rotary washing lines; little energy is required to produce a signal, and apparently sufficient power can be generated by something as mundane as pedalling. Did anyone see anything like that last year?

[shoebox]

Oh God! I feel like I've literally stuck a fiver in their bank accounts!