Live Aid, July 13, 1985

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Black Biscuit
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I have the 4 DVD set from this concert. It seems there was a 20 year embargo put on it by Sir Geldof.

(Is embargo the right word to use here? - they use it at media conferences I go to prior to major events, meaning the info presented should not be disseminated until the embargo ends.)

Anyway, from what I can gather, the 4 DVDs are different footage (different camera angles) to what was beamed live via satellite, so even if you saw the live show on telly in 1985, this will present a slightly different view.

I saw the live coverage 'back in the day' (4 days prior to my 18th birthday, it was) and it was quite a blast from the past to see those acts again. Some have largely sunk without trace - Sade, Nik Kershaw, Thompson Twins, Paul Young, even semi-stadium-rock outfits like Simple Minds and Spandau Ballet (ughhh!).

There was also a shocking number of 'mullet' hairstyles on display. And Paul Young looks incredibly similar to the actor Bob Crane.

Then there are all the people who've since died - the singer from Big Country (suicide) was singing the finale next to Freddy Mercury (Aids), the blonde singer from The Cars (pancreatic cancer a few years back), Linda Macartney, etc.

And for some reason, Tom Petty keeps giving the audience (or someone in the audience) the 'one finger salute' during the song American Girl. Dunno if it was related to the lyric of the song, but he does so about five times during the song. Go Tom!

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Last edited by Black Biscuit on 16 Jun 2005, 16:49, edited 1 time in total.
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RicheyJames
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Black Biscuit wrote:I have the 4 DVD set from this concert. It seems there was a 20 year embargo put on it by Sir Geldof.

(Is embargo the right word to use here?)
not exactly. as i understand, sir robert of geldof promised all the acts taking part that no recording would be made of the event. this was to placate those poor fragile rockstar egos worried at the lack of rehearsal time. luckily (?) for us, some bbc bod decided to ignore potty-mouthed bob leading to the footage you have now accquired. there's more about it here
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Scardwel
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Black Biscuit wrote:I have the 4 DVD set from this concert. It seems there was a 20 year embargo put on it by Sir Geldof.
Anyway, from what I can gather, the 4 DVDs are different footage (different camera angles) to what was beamed live via satellite, so even if you saw the live show on telly in 1985, this will present a slightly different view.
Sir Geldof apparently wanted all the footage destroyed - his reasoning being "you had to be there" or something. But the MTV footage survived, and was different to what was shown on BBC / ITV, hence the different camera angles etc.
The 4 DVD set came about because bootleg DVD's of Live Aid started to appear on Ebay - presumably taken from VHS tapes of the original broadcast.
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Silver_Owl
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And do any of the proceeds go to 'charidy'?
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Black Biscuit
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Maybe the 20 year embargo or whatever was long enough until the majority of the bands were dead, disbanded, would actually be happy with a last shot at some publicity/fame, etc.

There were performers to suit all ages and races. Judas Priest and Black Sabbath put on energetic performances (Ozzy Osbourne is lovable in a batty sort of way, isn't he?) even though I'm not an old-school metal fan, generally.

Paul Young and Bono were good at getting the crowd going (Jim Kerr tried - pretty well, admittedly) and a very gothic-looking Nick Rhodes was the only guy who didn't look ridiculous in a mullet.
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Mrs. Snowey
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Black Biscuit wrote: a very gothic-looking Nick Rhodes was the only guy who didn't look ridiculous in a mullet.
I used to have to argue all the time that he was the most fanciable one in the band, certainly not chubby old Le Bon :lol:

And he's still fit now :innocent:
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canon docre
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Mrs. Snowey wrote:
Black Biscuit wrote: a very gothic-looking Nick Rhodes was the only guy who didn't look ridiculous in a mullet.
I used to have to argue all the time that he was the most fanciable one in the band, certainly not chubby old Le Bon :lol:

And he's still fit now :innocent:
:lol: Had myself a Nick-Rhodes-affinity back then. :oops: Got picked on by all my John-Taylor-fancying girlfriends. :roll:
Put their heads on f*cking pikes in front of the venue for all I care.
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Black Biscuit
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Those DD boys couldn't remember which famous old Sydney building they stood on the steps of for the cover photo of their third album. I had to tell 'em. They used to drink at a bar called Benny's when they were in Sydney.
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