DIFFICULTIES PRESERVING LIVE AID FOR THE FUTURE

Gentle Readers . . . and Maxwell,

 How do we preserve the memory of Live Aid if we weren't fortunate enough to be at one of the venues?

We have the memories of the performers and the people who watched at home.

But is is true that . . .

• Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt of Status Quo--the band that opened the show in London on July 13, 1985--were known as Dr. Rossi and Dr. Parfitt because of the large quantity of drugs they carried?
• Bob Geldof's wife Paula Yates stopped at a gas station on the way to the concert to buy flowers for Princess Diana?
• Bob Geldof had to hitchhike home after the show because no cabs were available?
• David Crosby was out on bail because of drug and weapons possession charges?
• No band was to have more than twenty minutes on stage, so when the red five-minute warning light flashed during The Who's performance, Pete Townshend smashed the light and the band played an extra five minutes?
• Elton John's performance ran over so Wham! didn't get to play?
• A number of performers refused to participate or did so under duress because they felt bullied by Bob Geldof?

I hope any bad feelings left over from the concerts to benefit the starving people of Ethiopia have dissipated over the years. But what about preserving the performances from this historic occasion?

Yes, I've watched the four DVDs of the show, but they don't include all the performances. Some bands aren't included because of music rights issues or because they were unhappy with their performances and wouldn't allow them to be shown again.

The only people who have the complete concerts are those with aging videocassettes they recorded at home on that day because Bob Geldof considered the show a one-time only event. He asked all the broadcasters to eraser their tapes.

ABC dutifully obeyed Geldof, but in 2004 when Geldof finally realized the concert should be released, he learned that the BBC and MTV disobeyed him. They had the parts of the concert they broadcast, although the BBC recordings are said to be superior.

In spite of backstage drama, I hope the major lesson of July 13th, 1985, is that people can come together to raise money for a cause. We've seen many such examples since then, such as The Concert for New York after 9/11.

I've watched quite a few memorable performances on the DVDs, but I must say that the best is that of Queen. Many think that Queen gave the all-time greatest live performance ever. I swear Freddie Mercury must have been jolted with power that he sent into the ether to electrify the crowd and even the viewers at home.






We still miss you, Freddie.


Infinities of love,

Janie Junebug

Prince Charles asks Bob Geldof, Where are we?
Princess Diana wonders how she married such a dolt.

The crowd in Philadelphia 

The crowd in London

David Bowie

Elton John

Madonna was described as an up and coming singer.

Sir Paul

Tina Turner and Mick Jagger
She was 33. He was 103.

Queen steals the show.

Call Bono!
Someone stole this girl's shirt.
He must pull her over the barrier and dance with her.
Save us all, Bono!

P.S. I'm sorry I confused some of you. I did not attend either concert. I watched part of the show on TV. My strongest memory is of Paul McCartney starting to sing Let It Be, but his microphone didn't work for the first two minutes of the song.

And no, Shady, I am not the topless girl!