It was 25 Years Ago Today.......

[Clogiron]

LIVE AID

13th July 1985

And as a footloose and fancy free 21 year old I was there with a few mates from Uni.

Hard to believe its that 25 Years have passed since ... where did the years go to?

[Nice Guy]

I remember Live Aid.

Lot of the bands back then played.

Was it effective? I mean, did it help?

[Rural Surin]

LIVE AID

13th July 1985

And as a footloose and fancy free 21 year old I was there with a few mates from Uni.

Hard to believe its that 25 Years have passed since ... where did the years go to?

A cynic might ask: "where did the money go?" or "what was the outcome?"

[jandajoy]

Watched it, some of it, on a live broadcast in the restaurant of the Akropol Hotel, Khartoum.

It was a real morale booster at the time. Shame the way it all ended up.

[Gerbil]

Well, Bob got a knighthood out of it....

[Mid]

[Mid]

[jandajoy]

Yeh, great..........................

[Rural Surin]

Yeh, great..........................

For who?

[Gallowspole]

Went there with a mate and his (soon to be ex) girlfriend. On entering the stadium we were stopped from taking in our own beer but then found many people inside with their own booze. Twats. So, from the off things had started badly.

They didn't get better. Just after the royal fanfare and big jugs Charlie had mumbled something, my mate's favourite band of all time, Status Quo, kicked it off. Next thing I remember was the girlfriend doing an impression of the 'dying fly' dance on the deck. Unfortunately, she wasn't getting herself into a frenzy on the impending arrival of Adam and the Ants but rather having an epileptic fit.

Subsequently, we spent most of the day at the St John's Ambulance station located at the far end of the stadium opposite the stage. She'd pissed her white stone-washed jeans and refused to leave until the tide marks had disappeared.

Apart from the above events, the revolving stage didn't work, there were problems with the US live link, big gaps between sets and the food was crap.

We waited till Queen had finished then went early to Victoria Station to get the Clipper back home to Newcastle. Got in a big argument at a fast food place at the station with an immigrant worker of Caribbean origin, who, for some reason, mistook my order of 'a cup of tea' for 'a strawberry milkshake' and demanded I pay for her error because, as she so eloquently put it, 'yah no speaks the English, man' . Eventually the manager, another immigrant with similar English skills as the first one, graciously replaced the milkshake with my original order after an expletive laden attack.

My mate and his now very soon to be ex-girlfriend argued all the way back north ending with her screeching away in her car leaving us at Gallowgate bus station with no transport home.

Yeah, a great day out.

Well, it was all for charity (thanks Maggie) so shouldn't complain.


What do you call an Ethiopian with sesame seeds on his head?

A quarter-pounder.

[jandajoy]

For who?

Them.

[Fuzzy Bob]

Live Aid was just one great big 80's suckfest.

[jandajoy]

EGOs UNITED.

[Gerbil]

Bob being interviewed live by the BBC was good value. Especially when he found out they'd only raised 1 million quid after the first 6 hours (which will have probably just about covered the backstage booze and drugs bill).

"Never mind the fucking addresses. Give them the (phone) numbers! Send us your fucking money!"

[jandajoy]

It all turned out kinda sad.

The main bodies concerned got involved for the right reasons.

The wankers that took control had no idea.

[Bogon]

Never worked this one out.
Phil Collins played in London, then jumped in a 'copter after his set. Landed at Heathrow and took concorde to America to play at the Live Aid there.
Wouldn't the money have been better spent on feeding the starving dudes and dudettes in Africa?
Anyways Geldof was class...............
Remmeber the "butter mountain" argument he had and won with Thatcher? Couldn't find a youtube (shame).

[Overman]

an investigation concluded that millions intended for victims of the 1984 famine was diverted to anti-government rebel leaders – including the current Ethiopian Prime Minister... of the $100 million that went through the rebels’ hands, 95 per cent was diverted to buy weapons... The findings are backed by CIA reports which alleged that rebel groups were using their own relief organisations as a front to divert money to their military wings

Live Aid donations 'were diverted to arm Ethiopian rebels' - Times Online

[jandajoy]

Bob Geldof made a few quid out of it too. Scamming bastard.

I doubt that very much.

In fact I'm pretty sure that's complete and utter bollocks.

Would you care to produce one iota of evidence?

A lot of people did make money out of the whole crisis.

Over and beyond the Live Aid thing, but I'm pretty sure Geldorf made fok all out of it, other than notoriety.

[jandajoy]

Live Aid donations 'were diverted to arm Ethiopian rebels' - Times Online

Unmitigated and unsubstantiated shite,

A lot worse than that went on, but that particular allegation is twaddle,

[nedwalk]

i have never understood geldoffs 'talent [?]' seemed to me he rode on every one elses coat tails..and the stupid bastards down here gave him a job as an ambassador..fucked if i know, its a stupid world sometimes

[bobo746]

did it help anyone

[Overman]

that particular allegation is twaddle,

The BBC are standing by it.

That makes it true.

[jandajoy]

The BBC are standing by it. That makes it true.

Well, not exactly. i'll be interested to see what they've got to say.

[Overman]

Millions of dollars in Western aid for victims of the Ethiopian famine of 1984-85 was siphoned off by rebels to buy weapons, a BBC investigation finds

BBC

The CIA said it too, back in 1985.

CIA Document

If that's not working, try this one & click ETHIOPIA: INTERFERENCE IN RELIEF OPERATIONS (1985)

[FarangRed]

Hey and at the same time there was a boat on it's way Ethiopia with 25 grands worth of your finest whisky, i kid you not