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Lot Essay
Sir Bob Geldof will forever be known as the instigator of 'Band Aid'. In the autumn of 1984 after watching Michael Buerk's haunting BBC News report on the extreme Ethiopian famine, its causes and the subsequent plight of the country's population, he was moved to the extent it stimulated him into seeking a means to help.
With friend Midge Ure, they organised the recording of a charity single, the profits from which they planned would help feed the masses of starving Ethiopians. 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' was recorded with contributions from the majority of 1980s British rock and pop's stars. Released in late November 1984, it stayed at No. 1 for weeks including the coveted Christmas top spot, raising millions in the process. However, Geldof wasn't content with just this, in his mind, more aid was needed. In 1985 The Band Aid Trust would successfully create a 'Global Jukebox' that was 'Live Aid', two major concerts running simultaneously in London, and Philadelphia, USA, featuring live sets from an extensive number of stars from the upcoming bands of the day to Rock 'n' Roll royalty. Live Aid was watched, live, in 60 countries by an estimated 2 billion people, and an unprecedented US$150 million was raised.
In 2005, on the twentieth anniversary of 'Live Aid', the trust arranged 'Live 8', which if anything was even bigger, consisting of eight concerts all over the world, but this time the purpose was to raise awareness about general poverty, in order to put pressure on politicians to eradicate African and Third World debt. This guitar was signed at the Hyde Park concert. Throughout all these projects Geldof's initial stimulus, to assist a famine worn country and its people has been the driving force.
With friend Midge Ure, they organised the recording of a charity single, the profits from which they planned would help feed the masses of starving Ethiopians. 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' was recorded with contributions from the majority of 1980s British rock and pop's stars. Released in late November 1984, it stayed at No. 1 for weeks including the coveted Christmas top spot, raising millions in the process. However, Geldof wasn't content with just this, in his mind, more aid was needed. In 1985 The Band Aid Trust would successfully create a 'Global Jukebox' that was 'Live Aid', two major concerts running simultaneously in London, and Philadelphia, USA, featuring live sets from an extensive number of stars from the upcoming bands of the day to Rock 'n' Roll royalty. Live Aid was watched, live, in 60 countries by an estimated 2 billion people, and an unprecedented US$150 million was raised.
In 2005, on the twentieth anniversary of 'Live Aid', the trust arranged 'Live 8', which if anything was even bigger, consisting of eight concerts all over the world, but this time the purpose was to raise awareness about general poverty, in order to put pressure on politicians to eradicate African and Third World debt. This guitar was signed at the Hyde Park concert. Throughout all these projects Geldof's initial stimulus, to assist a famine worn country and its people has been the driving force.