Live Aided Many But Sir Bob Was Shining Light

So, did Live Aid change the world? It certainly changed music … and a lot of people’s careers

Live Aid was one of them events of the modern era that everyone remembered where they were. A bit like when JFK was shot, September 11^th and Raul Moat’s recent public execution

I remember watching Live Aid on video (it was a long time ago) in my mates house when I was thirteen. He’d recorded it the week before and I remember sitting there with his parents and sisters when half way through, I think it was when Spandau Ballet were on, a giant black cock appeared with a young ladies lips wrapped around it and here head bobbing up and down (you get the picture). Turned out his sister’s boyfriend taped over it with a porno for a laugh. That was a pretty uncomfortable moment to be honest as I turned to their parents with their gobs wide open in utter disbelief!

Anyway: getting back to the event.

Live Aid was twenty five years ago this week in Wembley Stadium on what turned out to be a scorcher of a day! A few rock stars of the day including Midge Ure and Bob Geldof organised this live event that was aimed at bringing aid to starving kids in Ethiopia. But one of the many things that happened that day did bring much need … to the ailing rock bands of the time!

Many of the day’s main acts including U2, Dire Straits and Queen turned into some of biggest acts on the planets as a result of Live Aid. Before that Dire Straits were teetering in the brink of superstardom (you could say – in Dire Straits), Queen were considered ‘past it’ and U2 were, well just another Irish rock band with a complete twat for a lead singer (why he still insists on getting young women out of the crowd to dance with him today is still way beyond my comprehension). Bad mullet as well!

With regards to the far reaching events of the day, music had tuned into International global audiences viewing international global events for the first time. Although a few technical difficulties needed to be solve first. After that – stadium rock was well and truly born along with the afore mentioned band’s new found stomping grounds for bringing in the money and enhancing their reputations

But, for me, there is one individual that really stands out for me after Live Aid. He is the one true shining individual of the day. A monster of a man. A beacon of light in a world of dark, greedy capitalism. A true hero = Sir Bob Geldof!

Here was a man who didn’t really care what people though of his personal appearance or what he said live on television. Here was a man who is forever known as the man whose wife ran off to shag Michael Hutchence from INXS and having a rather wayward young daughter who is too fond of the paparazzi lens!

On the day itself he sat in the royal box with Charles and Diana in a pair of jeans and a scruffy denim shirt that looked like it’d seen a few sweaty live appearances in its day! He even had the balls to correct Charles when he asked them who that band were (Status Quo) playing first.

And most famous of all, in a remarkable show of passion and damn right whole hearted determination, stamped his fist on the table live on television in front of Millions upon millions of people demanding they “give their money now and don’t go to the pub”.

That for me summed up Sir Bob. He truly believed in the cause after first hand witnessing the suffering in Ethiopia that obviously left its mark on this tough street fighter of a singer from the rough streets of Belfast! In other words = he didn’t give a shit and he didn’t give a shit what people thought of him.

The world needs more people like him!

Long live Sir Bob

Mol