The charismatic bass player has toured the world, enjoying the excesses of fame, fortune and good honest fun. Now a gentleman farmer and celebrity cheesemaker, he combines his musical lifestyle with a more rustic existence on his beautiful farm at Kingham, near Chipping Norton – emerging from the rolling Cotswold acres for forays on at Wembley Stadium with his reformed band. It’s all tremendously exciting.
But, he admits, nothing makes him happier than throwing open the gates to his farm once a year for his homegrown festival celebrating , food and family. Now in its 13th year, The Big Feastival is a highlight of the summer – and one of the biggest events in Oxfordshire’s cultural year. And it springs into life this weekend, with a packed programme of music, comedy, cooking demonstrations, dining, kids fun and much more running from Friday to Sunday, August 23-25.
“I have never felt better or happier,” he says, talking to me amid a buzz of activity on the farm as the festival takes shape. “There are 2,000 people here building a temporary town the size of ,” he laughs. “The sun has been shining and we are in for the biggest and best Feastival ever.
” The line-up is impressive. It features headliners Becky Hill, Ministry of Sound Classical and Snow Patrol, along with a range of other acts including Cat Burns, Cian Ducrot, Natasha Bedingfield, Ella Henderson, Kate Nash, Johnny Marr and Ash. The crowd will also be treated to performances from Circa Waves, Jax J.