Live Aid this week 30 years ago - 13th July 1985

SharpshooterTom · 09-07-2015 11:51PM #1

So this time apparently Live aid took place (13th July 1985).

Line up included the likes of Queen, Phil Collins, Dire Straits, Led Zepplin, INXS, Paul Young, U2, Paul McCartney, David Bowie, Mick Jagger, Elton John, Madonna, Duran Duran, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Spandau Ballet, Adam Ant, Sting, Run DMC, Elvis Costello, Bryan Adams, Simple Minds, Nik Kershaw, Black Sabbath, Status Quo, Boomtown rats, Ultravox etc.

In all honesty all this stuff was really waaaaaaaaaaay before my time since I was only born in 1986 myself (29 next month), to have any real recollection of this somebody would have to be at least in their 40s now (or close to it), basically bit of an old fart now really. :P

You have to remember there were only 4 TV channels back in those days in the UK, so viewing figures would have been enormous for this, every other house in the neighbourhood would have had this blasting out, you wouldn't have been able to avoid it easily.

Music has changed a lot now, much more technology making it much more accessible with spotify etc, many people think chart music (and music generally) is far better now than it was back then. Most of my generation would laugh at this stuff, although I actually think some of its pretty impressive if I must say myself.

Queen and Freddie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0omja1ivpx0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBUJztI884M

Dire straits - one of my favourite bands of the 80s, a song I absolutely adore, the live aid versions for this is bloody great I think.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plsMlX-qYP8

Anyone here old enough to remember it? What were your memories of that event and that summer? Do you look back with horror and think the younger generation have gotten music better?

NachoBusiness · 09-07-2015 11:55PM

Bono changing the lyrics of the end of Bad to Lou Reed's Walk On The Wild Side..

"Holly came from Miami F.L.A., hitchhiked all the way across the USA, she could feel the satellite coming down, pretty soon she was in London town... Wembley Stadium, and all the people went, Doo-Doo-Doo-Doo-Doo."

And of course, this..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNm2mn86WNw

catallus · 09-07-2015 11:56PM

I'm sorry but this just reminds me of what a sad, tragic and painful loss Freddie Mercury's early death was.

The more I see of him the better he gets.

The Backwards Man · 09-07-2015 11:58PM

I was probably watching Bosco

PTH2009 · 10-07-2015 12:05AM

really thought they would of done live aid 2015 but times move on

efb · 10-07-2015 12:06AM

Glad that fixed the Ethiopian hunger problem

the groutch · 10-07-2015 12:07AM

30 years of throwing good money after bad.

Zaph · 10-07-2015 12:09AM

ThomasFlynn wrote: »

to have any real recollection of this somebody would have to be at least in their 40s now (or close to it), basically bit of an old fart now really. :P

Ahem

efb · 10-07-2015 12:15AM

Zaph wrote: »

Ahem

He speaketh the truth, I remember Mercury's death better.

I'm a youthful 35 you see

wil · 10-07-2015 12:15AM

the groutch wrote: »

30 years of throwing good money after bad.

Still though, 30 years later, people are still talking about it.
Must "of" done something.

efb · 10-07-2015 12:17AM

wil wrote: »

Still though, 30 years later, people are still talking about it.
Must "of" done something.

legacy, awareness and other immeasurable non-tangible things they can use that can't be refuted

DEFTLEFTHAND · 10-07-2015 12:31AM

PTH2009 wrote: »

really thought they would of done live aid 2015 but times move on

They did one in 2005 for the 20th anniversary called 'Live 8', featuring live concerts in the G8 nations.

darkpagandeath · 10-07-2015 12:35AM

Forced relocation of people the government did not like to land that cannot grow food does not have the same ring to it as "Famine" Did we ever solve that Famine btw ? Last I heard the relatives and family's are still in them camps using aid as currency.

DEFTLEFTHAND · 10-07-2015 12:42AM

From looking back on the performances it's a shame Led Zeppelin agreed to do it, they were diabolical. Terrible to see a band with a brilliant live reputation give such a sub par performance.

The hadn't played together in the five years since John Bonham's death and apparently only barely rehearsed beforehand. Phil Collins while a decent drummer didn't suit their style at all.

wil · 10-07-2015 12:46AM

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

They did one in 2005 for the 20th anniversary called 'Live 8', featuring live concerts in the G8 nations.

Then 7/7 happened during the G8:(

Zaph · 10-07-2015 01:43AM

ThomasFlynn wrote: »

Music has changed a lot now, much more technology making it much more accessible with spotify etc, many people think chart music (and music generally) is far better now than it was back then.

Anyone here old enough to remember it? What were your memories of that event and that summer? Do you look back with horror and think the younger generation have gotten music better?

The thing about music in general, and chart music in particular, is that at some point in time everyone decides that the current music is crap and what they listened to when they were younger was far better. Personally I think that almost all of what passes for chart music these days is an affront to my ears, but my parents probably thought the same of what was in the charts when I was younger.

I remember Live Aid vividly. I was 17 and despite it being a hot sunny day outside, I sat plonked in front of the TV for the whole day, even though it meant sitting through some awful crap, because I knew it was history unfolding right in front of my eyes and we'd never see anything like it again. Highlights of the day were amazing performances by David Bowie, U2 and Queen. Interest dropped a bit when they switched over to Philadelphia, but in part that was because there were a good few artists there who weren't very well known or popular on this side of the Atlantic. There was also some video links with other concerts in Moscow and Australia, but all I can remember of them was that a couple of INXS songs were played. The other hugely memorable part of the concert was when a video was played showing some pretty harrowing scenes from Ethiopia with Drive by The Cars as the accompanying music. It was quite a while after that before anyone said anything. Apparently it was the time when donations peaked, and it wouldn't have been shown at all if David Bowie hadn't volunteered to play one song less in his set. Whether the whole thing made any lasting difference will always be the subject of debate, but it really was an event in the proper sense of the word and I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

crockholm · 10-07-2015 02:06AM

Was only about 5 at the time and I gave one quarter of what was in my bank account(5 pounds) to the starving 30 million Etheopians-it seems to have worked,there's about 80 million of them now.

MadsL · 10-07-2015 06:51AM

We can be heroes, just for one day...

Banjo String · 10-07-2015 07:09AM

Most trolling lyrics ever.

well tonight thank God it's them, instead of you....

Eh ok Bono.

Zaph · 10-07-2015 07:24AM

MadsL wrote: »

We can be heroes, just for one day...

Live Aid was the first time I'd ever heard Heroes as I was never really a Bowie fan. It's been one of my favourite songs since then.

Zaph · 10-07-2015 07:25AM

Banjo String wrote: »

Most trolling lyrics ever.

Eh ok Bono.

Well to be fair, he didn't write them.

il gatto · 10-07-2015 07:45AM

ThomasFlynn wrote: »

So this time apparently Live aid took place (13th July 1985).

Line up included the likes of Queen, Phil Collins, Dire Straits, Led Zepplin, INXS, Paul Young, U2, Paul McCartney, David Bowie, Mick Jagger, Elton John, Madonna, Duran Duran, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Spandau Ballet, Adam Ant, Sting, Run DMC, Elvis Costello, Bryan Adams, Simple Minds, Nik Kershaw, Black Sabbath, Status Quo, Boomtown rats, Ultravox etc.

In all honesty all this stuff was really waaaaaaaaaaay before my time since I was only born in 1986 myself (29 next month), to have any real recollection of this somebody would have to be at least in their 40s now (or close to it), basically bit of an old fart now really. :P

You have to remember there were only 4 TV channels back in those days in the UK, so viewing figures would have been enormous for this, every other house in the neighbourhood would have had this blasting out, you wouldn't have been able to avoid it easily.

Music has changed a lot now, much more technology making it much more accessible with spotify etc, many people think chart music (and music generally) is far better now than it was back then. Most of my generation would laugh at this stuff, although I actually think some of its pretty impressive if I must say myself.

Queen and Freddie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0omja1ivpx0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBUJztI884M

Dire straits - one of my favourite bands of the 80s, a song I absolutely adore, the live aid versions for this is bloody great I think.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plsMlX-qYP8

Anyone here old enough to remember it? What were your memories of that event and that summer? Do you look back with horror and think the younger generation have gotten music better?

People who think music is better now have no knowledge of music or haven't listened to older stuff with the intention of enjoying it. I listen to stuff from the 50s to today and i'm still finding incredible music. I hear crap chart music and derivative guitar music these days. And I thought it was the age thing, but realised I was still finding the odd band I loved. Turns out it wasn't age. Most of the music is, in fact, crap.
I was 7 1/2 when Live Aid happened. Pretty sure I watched it but it was everywhere. Unavoidable. So now I'm wondering did I actually watch it or the additional coverage. It was what the whole world was watching so I'd say I did.
"When Harry met Bob" is a good film based on it. Really enjoyed it.
Remember the Freddie Mercury concert vividly. I was a huge Queen and Guns'n'Roses fan. Wasn't quite Live Aid but still massive. Nothing like it these days. In music anyway.

kfallon · 10-07-2015 08:26AM

13th of July is next week OP.........

Timberrrrrrrr · 10-07-2015 08:33AM

Banjo String wrote: »

Most trolling lyrics ever.

Eh ok Geldoff/Ure.

FYP

padd b1975 · 10-07-2015 08:41AM

Zaph wrote: »

Live Aid was the first time I'd ever heard Heroes as I was never really a Bowie fan. It's been one of my favourite songs since then.

He pretty much murdered it that day IMHO....

Menas · 10-07-2015 08:42AM

Queen were brilliant that day...but as a young fella I was mad in to U2 at the time.
Will we be marking the anniversary of Self Aid too? I hope not!

Banjo String · 10-07-2015 08:43AM

Zaph wrote: »

Well to be fair, he didn't write them.

Yeah, I know but thatl'll always be Bonos 'line' in my memory. He even had the same line (with altered lyrics) in the new version.

anncoates · 10-07-2015 08:48AM

I was 14 so was probably loudly denouncing it as a "commercial", "plastic" farrago but secretly hoping Phil Collins would do Sussudio.

Summer wind · 10-07-2015 12:15PM

We were just after moving house and didn't have a TV. I was 9 and I was in the brownies and was getting ready to go away for the weekend with them. Our neighbour had a TV already and we watched a lot of it with them. I think that weekend belonged to one man alone the one and only Freddie Mercury.

Vex Willems · 10-07-2015 12:25PM

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

They did one in 2005 for the 20th anniversary called 'Live 8', featuring live concerts in the G8 nations.

What??? That was 10 years ago??? :eek::eek:

I was thinking sure they did that live 8 thing a few years back!

jprboy · 10-07-2015 12:40PM

One of the things that always comes to my mind about the day is that Phil Collins allegedly became the first artist to perform on two different continents on the same day.

Flew via Concorde to New York after his London performance and then got a helicopter to Philadelphia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tykdly0PLow

Live Aid this week 30 years ago - 13th July 1985

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