The Isle of Wight Festival 1970: Six Days That Rocked The World has reached the Best British Book shortlist in the British Book Design and Production Awards 2009.

The book compiled by author and former Fleet Street photographer Bob Aylott records the weekend when Woodstock was eclipsed by the 600,000 fans who sailed across the Solent to the Isle of Wight, to hear music legends Joan Baez, Jimi Hendrix and The Who to name but a few.

Publicity surrounding the book, which was launched to highlight the Isle of Wight Festival’s 40th anniversary next year has created a stir worldwide. 

It’s been two years in the making for author Bob Aylott and top photographers, Bryn Campbell, Bob Mazzer, Doug White, Ken Beken, Mike Hardy, and Chris Weston, who have contributed to this, the most important publication about the greatest pop festival of all time.

The hardback book (will stand the test of time) and is testament to the quality and genius of the photographers who were there.  It has been produced to not only provide a textual but gives a very visual account of the 1970 festival’s many goings on and can easily transport the reader back in time.

With exclusive stories, iconic and unpublished photographs, ‘Isle of Wight Festival 1970, ‘Six Days That Rocked the World’ is set to go down in rock and roll history.

Falcon Press who produced the 1,000 limited edition run of which 600 have already been sold, are delighted to be up for one of the most prestigious prizes in British book publishing.

MD Mark Stephenson said:

“We do a lot of calendars and landscape photography, but we have never entered a book into a competition before. I’m really thrilled it has even got this far.”

Bob Aylott  says of the nomination:

‘It has been a tremendous team effort from the photographers, the book editor, the book designer and the boys and girls at the printers Falcon Press.

To be shortlisted is an amazing honour for the whole team. There are pages of incredible unseen photographs from photographers who are passionate about their work. Plus back stage interviews from the people who made the festival happen.  Including the real life story of Fairfield Parlour, the band who opened the show on the promise of fame and fortune but discovered the heartache of rock and roll’. 

Island Pulse having already featured the book earlier this year, allowed us the chance to interview Bob Aylott who initially covered the IOW Festival 1970 as a Fleet Street press photographer for the Daily Sketch.  

Bob informed us when we  met up with him and former Press Photographer Larry Ellis (pictured) as they began promoting the book to an enthusiastic crowd at Yarmouth Old Gaffers Festival.

“This book is to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Isle of Wight Festival, of what has become known as ‘The Last Great Festival’ and for the first time, it gives a dramatic day by day eyewitness account of the world’s greatest pop festival.”

“We were the size of a small city; we were a mass of people that no police force in the world could control.  If Neil Armstrong had been up there at the time, he’d have seen us from outer space,”

We have to agree with Bob, as a limited edition first print run of only 1000 copies, published in high quality hardback format, we expect the memories contained within the pages will last another 40 yrs.

This pregnant hippie (pictured) among a sea of tents is destined to become the face of the 1970 Isle of Wight Pop Festival.  But who is she?  The girl with no name standing in the middle of Desolation Row at the 1970 Festival features in the book and on a poster celebrating the 40th anniversary of the iconic festival…Read more from the Island Pulse here:

Getting back to the British Book Awards 2009, the Isle of Wight Festival 1970. ‘Six Days That Rocked The World’ will be up against two others, ‘Bond Bound’  and ‘The National Cookbook’  If it wins, family run Falcon Press, which employs just 20 staff, will go into the British Printing Industries Federation’s hall of fame alongside major publishing houses including Simon & Shuster, Penguin, and Faber and Faber.

To purchase: Isle of Wight Festival 1970. ‘Six Days That Rocked The World’ first hardback edition is available on line at www.isleofwightfestival1970.com priced at only £35 + p&p. You can also pick up a copy at Dimbola Lodge in Freshwater on the Isle of Wight to save on postage costs.