« Back to Top Level | Free

Free - Isle Of Wight 1970 (1970)

Track listing:
  1. Intro 1:14
  2. Ride On Pony 4:27
  3. Woman 5:18
  4. The Stealer 5:10
  5. Be My Friend 5:09
  6. Mr Big 5:44
  7. Fire And Water 4:02
  8. I'm A Mover 3:33
  9. The Hunter 5:21
  10. Crossroads 6:18

Notes

Isle of Wight Festival featuring Free.
Soundboard recording on Sunday 30th August 1970.
Sound quality is excellent.

Free
Paul Rogers: vocals
Paul Kossoff: guitar
Andy Fraser: bass
Simon Kirke: drums

The Isle Of Wight Festival of 1970 wasn't the first. It all started in August 31st 1968, when the first edition was held at North Goodshill. There weren't a lot of famous artists, except for the JEFFERSON AIRPLANE.

In 1969 the thing was growing. On august 30th the second edition was held at Wooton. Some more artists showed up, including some of those that became big two weeks earlier, at Woodstock, like RICHIE HAVENS and JOE COCKER.

More than 100.000 people went to the concert, specially to see BOB DYLAN - on his first concert after the accident - and THE BAND. In the heights of the Woodstock, famous artist wanted to come. Including FREE, who was also there in 1969, but weren't recorded.

That's were the history of the 3rd (and last) festival begins. The promotors thought that - because of the good behavior of the cround last year - the Island could held another Festival. Again the site was changed, they moved to East Afton Farm.

With the gains of the last festival they thought they could bring every star that was alive, so they got THE DOORS, THE WHO, JIMI HENDRIX and - again - FREE. Result: more than 500.000 people showed up, and among them, all the gangs you can think of. From the obscure english White Panthers, to the well-known californian Hell's Angels, including nazi groups from Germany. These groups started to ask for free music, that started the fights, and so most of the public didn't wanted to pay the £3 for the whole festival.

The arena couldn't gather so many people, and most pf the public didn't saw or heard anything, and was unconfortable. At the good side there was the sound quality, the weather, and - of course - the high quality music. Outside the main arena there was a free-festival with THE HAWKIND and THE PINK FAIRIES. Everything went well during 99% of the time.

FREE's concert was on August 30th 1970, during a sunday afternoon. They went on the stage right after HEAVEN, and unknown band. And they did it pretty good, played all the 'hits', from "The Hunter" and "I'm A Mover" (taken from the first LP) to the threesome of the newest album Fire And Water: "Mr. Big", "Fire And Water" and "All Right Now". They also presented songs that would only be released in the next LP - Highway - in february 1971. Among them there was the ballad "Be My Friend", live for the first time. To close in a good mood they chose "Crossroads", a ROBERT JOHNSON tune, but reminding us the CREAM version.

What you hold in your hands - and probably goes into your ears - is one of the best records of a great band in its best shape. And a piece of rock history.