Do they know it's Christmas

Live Aid

In November 1984 Bob Geldof of the Boomtown Rats, saw a BBC report on the famine suffered by the people of Ethiopia and decided to try to make a record for famine relief.

With Midge Ure of Ultravox he wrote 'Do they know it's Christmas?' / 'Feed the World'. Several artists were contacted and within days, 40 stars had agreed to perform: Band Aid was formed and nobody would take any profit from this all-star benefit record.

Band Aid single Do they know it's Christmas

On Sunday 25 November 1984, the cream of British pop and rock came to London to record the historical single 'Do they know it's Christmas?'. Midge Ure produced this historic Band Aid recording .
Band Aid consisted of: members of The Boomtown Rats, Ultravox, Bananarama, Culture Club, Duran Duran, Frankie goes to Hollywood, Heaven 17, Status Quo, Spandau Ballet, Style Council, Kool & the Gang, U2, Wham! and solo artists Annie Lennox, Phil Collins, Paul Young, Paul McCartney, Sting and David Bowie.

The Band Aid single 'Do they know it's Christmas' was launched on 7 December 1984, with an Ethiopian Benefit concert at London's Royal Albert Hall, organised by the Save the Children Fund.
The single 'Do they know it's Christmas' entered the UK chart at NR 1 and sold more then three million copies to become the biggest-selling single ever in the UK. The single raised GBP 8 million worldwide.

In January 1985 the official Band Aid Trust was established as a permanent charity to ensure the swift collection of fund and aid to Africa.

The following months, other countries across the world began recording their own songs for Ethiopia, such as 'USA for Africa' with 'We Are the World'.

Bob Geldof and Midge Ure received the Best Selling A-side award for the Band Aid single 'Do they know it's Christmas?' in March 1985.

Live Aid

Something had happened and started something that no one wanted to stop. It would lead to the Live Aid show. Within 35 days the Live Aid concert was arranged, with a venue at the Wembley Stadium in London (GB) and the JFK stadium in Philadelphia (USA).

13 July 1985 was the day of the Live Aid concerts at the Wembley Stadium in London and the JFK Stadium in Philadelphia. Live Aid was also live on television world-wide.
This 16-hours mega-concert included appearances by: Status Quo, Style Council, Boomtown Rats, Adam Ant, Ultravox, Spandau Ballet, Nik Kershaw, Billy Ocean, Black Sabbath, Sade, Sting, Phil Collins, Bryan Ferry, Paul Young, Bryan Adams, U2, Dire Straits, Queen, Simple Minds, David Bowie, Elton John, Kool & The Gang, Madonna, Paul McCartney, Cliff Richard, Thompson Twins, Eric Clapton, Duran Duran, Patti Labelle, Hall & Oates, Mick Jagger, Tina Turner, Bob Dylan and Keith Richards.

Click here for the complete list of all artists who appeared at Live Aid
and the songs they played.

At the end of the day they had raised over GBP 4 million for famine relief in Ethiopia and the following week this figure had risen to GBP 30 million.

Re-releases single Do they know it's Christmas?

On 21 December 1985 the Band Aid single 'Do they know it's Christmas?' was re-charted in the UK. On the B-side 'One Year On (Feed the World)', with messages from Bob Geldof and Midge Ure.

The single 'Do they know it's Christmas?' had been released for the second time in 1989. This time by Band Aid II.
Some artists who are involved with Band Aid II are: Bananarama, Jason Donovan, Kylie Minoque, Chris Rea, Cliff Richard, Jimmy Sommerville, Lisa Stansfield and Wet Wet Wet.

On 14 June 1996 Bob Geldof received an honorary knighthood for his humanitarian activities, and is henceforth Bob Geldof K.B.E. (in popular press 'Saint Bob').

Live Aid dvd

After 19 years Live Aid, the biggest concert in Rock 'n' Roll history, is officially released on DVD on 8 November 2004.

Band Aid 20

In 2004, 20 years after the first recording, the Band Aid single 'Do they know it's Christmas?' has been released for the third time. Some artists who are involved with Band Aid 20 are: Paul McCartney, Robbie Williams, Dido, Peter Gabriel, Bono, Busted, Keane, Bob Geldof and Midge Ure. This time, Band Aid will raise money for famine relief in the Darfur region of Sudan.

See also the Live Aid site: http://www.live-aid.info