1985: Live Aid makes millions for Africa

The Live Aid concert for the starving in Africa has raised triple the £10m expected.

And as the London event draws to a close at Wembley Stadium, Britain had contributed £1,100,000 to the global total of £30m.

Described as the Woodstock of the eighties, the world's biggest rock festival was organised by Boomtown Rats singer Bob Geldof to raise money for famine relief in Africa.

Wembley was packed with a crowd of 72,000, but TV pictures, co-ordinated at BBC Television Centre, have been beamed to over 1.5 bn people in 160 countries in the biggest broadcast ever known.

The transatlantic concert began in London's midday sunshine with a fanfare for Prince Charles and Princess Diana and Status Quo performing Rocking All over the World.

Stars were helicoptered into the arena in a line-up that included David Bowie, Wham and royal favourites Dire Straits.


Don't go to the pub tonight - please stay in and give us your money

Bob Geldof
Frequent appeals by Bob Geldof reminded viewers of the motive for the occasion: "Don't go to the pub tonight. Please stay in and give us your money. There are people dying now."

He took the call from the ruling family in Dubai who made the biggest single donation of £1m.

Across the UK eight appeal centres were set up with 200 phone lines to handle - mainly credit card - donations of up to £2,000.

In the US 22,000 pledges were received within five minutes of the Beach Boys taking to the stage in the simultaneous concert at JFK Stadium, Philadelphia. The 16-hour music marathon is being completed there tonight with acts including Bob Dylan, Duran Duran and Paul Simon.

Nine months after the droughts, disease and famine in north eastern Africa were brought to the media's attention the UN has warned that 160m people are still affected.

Governments have begun a global relief operation but there are still problems of distribution in the worst hit areas - mainly Sudan and Ethiopia.
Bob Geldof - BEST OF THE BOOMTOWN RATS

Geldof Rules Out Live Aid Anniversary Show

Bob Geldof said today it was unlikely that there would be any concert to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Live Aid.

He said he did not think an anniversary concert would be appropriate.

Geldof, 49, organiser of the twin British and American Live Aid concerts in 1985, was speaking before collecting an honorary doctorate in civil law at the University of East Anglia in Norwich.

“I, frankly, think any concert would just be less than the original,” he said.

“It was a big deal in 1985 but I don’t think it would be appropriate to have an anniversary concert.

“There is many reasons why it would have less impact.

“Why celebrate a concert which was done to help starving people?”
Bob Geldof - BEST OF THE BOOMTOWN RATS

Live Aid anniversary show ruled out

Bob Geldof says it is unlikely that there would be any concert to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Live Aid.

He said he did not think an anniversary concert would be appropriate.

Geldof, 49, organiser of the twin British and American Live Aid concerts in 1985, was speaking before collecting an honorary doctorate in civil law at the University of East Anglia in Norwich.

"I, frankly, think any concert would just be less than the original," he said.

"It was a big deal in 1985 but I don't think it would be appropriate to have an anniversary concert.

"There is many reasons why it would have less impact.

"Why celebrate a concert which was done to help starving people?"

Bob Geldof - BEST OF THE BOOMTOWN RATS

Stuck in a 'Rat Trap'? 'Don't Like Mondays'? Revisit the Punk Revolution With New BEST OF THE BOOMTOWN RATS Collection

Bob Geldof - BEST OF THE BOOMTOWN RATS
The largest and most complete "best
of" album from The Boomtown Rats, one of punk rock's -- and Ireland's --
greatest bands, and the group that launched Bob Geldof, receives its U.S.
debut on August 31, 2004. The 19 tracks on BEST OF THE BOOMTOWN RATS
(Island/Mercury/UMe) were chosen via an Internet fan poll and then personally
approved by Geldof. Each selection has been digitally remastered from the
original tapes and the package includes a booklet featuring photos and a
personal reminiscence by renowned Irish novelist and Rats fan Joseph O'Connor.
Spanning all six of the band's albums, 1977 to 1984, BEST OF THE BOOMTOWN
RATS is highlighted by a pair of the era's most-recognized songs, the band's
two U.K. #1s, "Rat Trap" and "I Don't Like Mondays," one of MTV's earliest
hits and a song inspired by a California teenager who went on a killing spree
and justified her murders with the title line.
The Boomtown Rats formed in 1975, a time when Ireland was not on the
rock 'n' roll map. They played fast, furious and loud, celebrating punk's
arrogance and anarchy, disdain for convention and disrespect for authority.
Before 10 years passed, singer-songwriter Geldof would be one of the most
famous people in the world, having organized the famine relief efforts Band
Aid and Live Aid.
In the interim, the group had moved to London and its debut single, 1977's
"Lookin' After No. 1," became the first of nine straight to reach the U.K.
Top 40. Their self-titled debut album that year also featured "Mary Of The
4th Form," "Joey's On The Streets Again," "Neon Heart" and the surprising
ballad "I Can Make It If You Can." TONIC FOR THE TROOPS (1978) boasted their
first U.K. Top 10, "Like Clockwork," and "Rat Trap" as well as "She's So
Modern" and "(I Never Loved) Eva Braun."
Heard on THE FINE ART OF SURFACING (1979) was "Someone's Looking At You"
(U.K. Top 10), "When The Night Comes," "Diamond Smiles" and "I Don't Like
Mondays." The latter was their only hit not produced to that date by Robert
John "Mutt" Lange (Def Leppard, AC/DC). With Tony Visconti (David Bowie,
T. Rex) at the helm, "Fall Down," "The Elephants Graveyard" and the band's
final U.K. Top 10, the reggae-influenced "Banana Republic," a devastating
attack on Irish society, appeared on 1980's MONDO BONGO. "Never In A Million
Years" graced V DEEP (1982), and "Dave" and "Drag Me Down" IN THE LONG GRASS
(1984).
In 1984, Geldof organized the star-studded Band Aid and co-wrote its "Do
They Know It's Christmas," then the biggest-selling single in U.K. history.
The next year he led the massive Live Aid concerts. When The Boomtown Rats
disbanded in 1986, Geldof launched his solo career and he has continued to
fight hunger around the world. Meanwhile, the songs of The Boomtown Rats
remain some of punk's most beloved.

Bob Geldof - BEST OF THE BOOMTOWN RATS

Ozzy and Judas Priest Live Aid performances head to DVD

In celebration of the upcoming 20th anniversary of Live Aid, show organizer Bob Geldof has produced a new DVD documenting the legendary show.

A four disc DVD will highlight over 10 hours of performances from various acts including Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath, and Judas Priest. The disc will also feature a new behind the scenes documentary about the event.

The Live Aid DVD will be available on November 10th.

Bob Geldof - BEST OF THE BOOMTOWN RATS

No Live Aid dvd For Led Zep

Led Zeppelin have confirmed they are refusing to allow their performance at the legendary charity fundraiser Live Aid to feature on the forthcoming DVD that will be ready in time for a Christmas release.

The seminal rockers played as part of the Philadelphia leg of the extravaganza with ex-Genesis drummer Phil Collins standing in for late sticksman John Bonham. The performance was notably the first time the band had attempted any kind of reunion performance since the drummer's death.

The Sunday Times reports that the band were unsatisfied with their performance and have vetoed permission to reproduce their set claiming they felt it was below par.

At the time, rumours circulated that the reason for the performance’s lack of focus may have been due to Collins’ jetlag having made musical history playing at both legs of the televised fundraiser. Travelling between countries on Concorde, Collins left directly after performing a string of hits with Sting in London to travel to Philadelphia to perform with Led Zep.

The vetoed performance includes classics such as ‘Rock & Roll’, ‘Whole Lotta Love’ and ‘Stairway To Heaven’.

While a spokeswoman for the band couldn't confirm exactly why the band would not be appearing on the DVD, she did note that "I don't think it is because they don't like appearing on compilations."

The DVD is set to feature 10 hours of footage and will be released just before Christmas on November 1. The Live Aid concerts, organised by Bob Geldof to raise money to provide aid devastating famine in Africa, were staged at Wembley and Philadelphia’s JFK Stadiums on Saturday July 13 1985.

Bob Geldof - BEST OF THE BOOMTOWN RATS

Live Aid Dvd - Led Zeppelin Defend Live Aid Dvd Move

Bob Geldof - BEST OF THE BOOMTOWN RATS
Led Zeppelin’s former members have defended a decision to pull out of the Live Aid DVD which is being released by Sir Bob Geldof to raise money for Sudan.

The remaining members of the rock group have refused to allow what they called their “sub-standard” 1985 performance to be included in the movie.

Sir Bob is hoping to sell eight million copies of the DVD and raise as much as £320 million for famine relief in Africa.

Zeppelin’s three surviving members, singer Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page and bassist John Paul Jones, today said they fully supported the fundraising project, but that they considered their performance in Philadelphia to be “sub-standard”.

They have pledged part of the proceeds from their forthcoming Page and Plant DVD, whi
ch is being released in October, to the charity campaign instead.

Plant, Page and Jones were joined by Phil Collins, the Genesis drummer and solo artist, on stage in Philadelphia, while a simultaneous Live Aid performance took place at Wembley.

The band’s original drummer, John Bonham, had died after a heavy drinking session in 1980, on the eve of an American tour.

While Live Aid sparked rumours of “reunion” for the band, who announced they were disbanding after Bonham died, concert-goers said the performance was lacklustre.

In a statement released today, the remaining members of Zeppelin said: “Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones are in absolute full support of the fundraising project for the people of Sudan.

“However, Jimmy, Robert and John Paul found that both the sound and general reproduction of their performance at Live Aid Philadelphia was sub-standard.

“To show their ongoing support Jimmy and Robert have therefore pledged proceeds from their forthcoming Page and Plant DVD release to the campaign.

“John Paul Jones will be donating the proceeds of his current US Tour with Mutual Admiration Society to the project.”

Bob Geldof - BEST OF THE BOOMTOWN RATS