Gary Flockhart: These Modfathers aren't all they're cracked up to be

SO Paul Weller denounced the Glastonbury festival last week, saying the bad weather the festival has experienced of late has put a dampener on it.

The Modfather also pointed to the kind of people who attend the festival, claiming recent festival-goers hadn't been as big music fans as previously.

Comparing his performance at last year's festival to that in 1994, Weller opined. "The difference between doing it in '94 and doing it last year was that most of the audience knew the greatest hits, whereas in '94 they were music fans. You didn't just have to do the greatest hits, that was very noticeable to me.

"The conditions are disgusting aren't they?," he continued. "I don't know how people can. I mean, you'd have to be off your box to stay there for three days wouldn't you?

"I'm not a big lover of festivals at the best of times, I like proper gigs – and it's just really corporate now isn't it?"

Elsewhere, a Glastonbury festival-goer hit back, complaining that "Weller isn't the songwriter he once was".

The Festivalfather, as he is known, suggested that due to a number of sub-standard albums in recent years his songs aren't "what they once were".

Comparing his performance at last year's festival to that in 1994, he opined. "The difference between doing it in '94 and doing last year was that his new songs are rubbish, whereas in '94 he had some decent tunes. He didn't have to do the greatest hits, that was very noticeable to me."

"The new songs are disgusting aren't they?," he continued. "I don't know how people can. I mean, you'd have to be off your box to want to listen to them wouldn't you?"

"I'm not a big lover of Weller at festivals at the best of times, I like proper gigs – and he's just really corporate now isn't he?"

OK, you've both had your say. Now give it a rest, the pair of you.

In other news this week, Elvis came to London.

Well, shockarooney. It's not exactly on par with whisperings that 'The King' is working in a chippy on Leith Walk (watch this space, we have been reliably informed), but that didn't stop the tabloids getting all shook up over the revelation this week.

For more than half a century it was generally accepted that Elvis only made a fleeting visit to Scotland in 1960 – much to the disappointment of his legion of UK fans.

But this week theatre producer Bill Kenwright revealed in a radio interview that Elvis, then a tender 23, managed to go sightseeing in London with Cockney singer Tommy Steele.

The pair's trip, understood to have taken place in 1958, included visits to the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace. Elvis left both buildings without performing.

Kenwright, who has known Steele for decades, revealed the secret trip in a Radio 2 interview on Ken Bruce's show Tracks Of My Years.

Steele, now 71, was discreet when asked this week to confirm the meeting.

"What actually happened many years ago is something secret and memorable," he said.

Must be a great pal to have, Kenwright, just don't expect him to keep a secret.