I watched the first two parts of the BBC documentary last night and can't wait for the final instalment tonight. As a teenager at the time I had an idea what it was all about but just didn't grasp the enormity of it and didn't have a scooby about the geopolitical background to the famine. Bob Geldof still raging about it to this day and rightly so. Why are people dying for lack of food in their belly when we live in a world of food surplus?
If all the overweight gluttonous people ate properly , the amount of food saved would feed all the starving. A few years ago I read that the crops grown just for feeding cows would elimimate world starvation. Apparantly , now more people in the world die of the results of over eating than under eating.
I remember the event well. I remember the whole series of events well. Watching it back now is still as powerful as it was then. I honestly think it shone a light on something that needed a light shining on it. Geldof is very in your face. He ruffled plenty of feathers but to this day I dont think he gives a toss. A lot of egos, particularly on the American side, needed some home truths. The music itself was largely memorable. So many chose perfect songs to play. Ultravox with Dancing with Tears in my eyes was special. Quo rocking all over the world had to be the opener. Every breath you take, Im the air tonight - class. Elton and Wham was just magic. Let it be was a wonderful finish. But my own moment was Bowie and Heroes - what a performance and song, perfect. Not so much on the American side. Four tops and Pretenders two stand outs for me. A brilliant logistical feat at the time too.
Me too actually. Not least the perennial grandstanding of Geldof. There is a man who loves himself very dearly.
