Sir Bob Geldof has again somehow gathered many of the world's finest pop and rock talent in one place at one time for Band Aid – but hey, it's 2014 which means even it is not immune from lashings of cynicism — and opportunistic whoring.
As with previous incarnations, the assembled group consisted of some of the UK's biggest-selling British pop acts, including One Direction, Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran, Emeli Sandé and Ellie Goulding, Chris Martin, Bono, and bands including Bastille and Elbow. And again they covered the track Do They Know It's Christmas?, written in 1984 by Geldof and Ure, this time to raise money towards the Ebola crisis in Western Africa.
The track has re-tweaked lyrics to reflect the current Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa with all proceeds going towards battling what Geldof described as a "particularly pernicious illness because it renders humans untouchable and that is sickening".
But in a shameful attempt to find an angle, Bob Geldof’s interview with Sky News was terminated prematurely after he was blindsided by bottom-feeding Sky News journalist Jayne Secker. Instead of celebrating the achievement, Secker makes Geldof waste three minutes of his life defending the non-starter issue of the non-appearance of Adele. Not content with that, she quotes two industry figures as mean-spirited as her employer who question the taxation obligations and wealth of those who have contributed.
The UK's Independent reported Secker asked “There’s a lot of people who say there’s a lot of wealthy people in that room. If they all pay their taxes in the right way we wouldn’t need these fundraisers singles – what would you say to that?” “I think they’re total b*****ks,” Geldof responded.
I think it's Bollocks ~ Geldoff
“That’s pretty colourful language. If you could not use anymore we’d appreciate it,” laughed the presenter before asking him to comment on remarks made by journalist Ian Birrell, a former deputy editor of The Independent, who, with Damon Albarn, co-founded the Africa Express – a collective of musicians from around the world who tour.
Secker then read out an extract from an Observer interview with Birrell: “This trite song will raise a comparative pittance, ignores Africans and has a logo implying the virus struck the entire continent. Patronising and perpetuating myths again. Band Aid should have learned its lessons and stayed silent.”
“Perhaps less colourfully,” adds Secker, “what would be your response to this?” “Complete load of b*****ks,” said Geldof again, suppressing a smile. The channel then muted his words, before Secker explained: “I’m afraid we’ll have to apologise for that language again and we’ll leave it,” she said, ending the interviewing as the singer looks bemused. “Thank you for joining us Bob Geldof.”
This is not the first time self-righteous proponents have hijacked the narrative (while doing nothing themselves).
This is not the first time self-righteous proponents have hijacked the narrative. In 1986, the anarchist band Chumbawamba released the album 'Pictures of Starving Children Sell Records', as well as an EP entitled 'We Are the World', jointly recorded with US band A State of Mind, both of which were intended as anti-capitalist critiques of the Band Aid/Live Aid phenomenon. They argued that the record was primarily a cosmetic spectacle, designed to draw attention away from the real political causes of world hunger.
Albarn, Birrell and Chumba-Freaking-Wumba may have ideas of what's PC and better ways to raise funds to fight Ebola — and to them I'd suggest they get on with it and cease creating half-arsed, pop-psy bollocks. The imagery that Band Aid uses is no different from organisations such as World Vision.
To date, the 'patronising' Geldoff, Ure and clan have raised tens of millions of dollars and topped the charts over 30 years. All artists give their time and all profits raised go directly to the cause. If there's any ego involved in any quarter — and I'm sure there must be — that's hardly a reason to can the man and his multi-generational work.
