Here we go again, next week is 40 years since the original Band Aid single Do They Know It's Christmas? was recorded and then released and now we have yet more of the same.

What is the real motivation for keeping this going?

Isn't it rather condemning that 40 years later we still need to think like this and do this type of thing, and isn't it an outdated 80's concept to keep doing in this day and age?

Where's the famine now? Not in Africa. Actually Yemen is one nation with hunger issues, but on the hugely wealthy Arabian peninsula you'd think those countries dripping in oil wealth could finance solutions there. A few parts of East Africa are nowadays identified as places with "food insecurity", but then there are a lot of people in the UK going to food banks suffering just that same term. Infact we here in the UK are now being fed by Ethiopia, I had green beans on the plate last night labelled "Grown In Ethiopia". Such irony.

Very strange that nobody would ask Ed Sheeran his permission for his vocal use, and I tend to agree with his attitude here. Not another Christmas No1, please no. Enough is enough.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2k03qz5jqno

It's funny when I see so-called British apples they from Spain and so some cases South Africa. The best apples are from Vermont.

Trump, please send us some McIntosh Reds.

I never understood the appeal of Ed Sheeran and I do find him very plan and bland like vanilla ice cream. I do know Ed is involved in a lot of charity work for children's hospices, he also donates his clothes to charity auctions including the undies he wore on stage. so he does not need his vocals on some shitty song.

Rich wrote:
Here we go again, next week is 40 years since the original Band Aid single Do They Know It's Christmas? was recorded and then released and now we have yet more of the same.

What is the real motivation for keeping this going?

Isn't it rather condemning that 40 years later we still need to think like this and do this type of thing, and isn't it an outdated 80's concept to keep doing in this day and age?

Where's the famine now? Not in Africa. Actually Yemen is one nation with hunger issues, but on the hugely wealthy Arabian peninsula you'd think those countries dripping in oil wealth could finance solutions there. A few parts of East Africa are nowadays identified as places with "food insecurity", but then there are a lot of people in the UK going to food banks suffering just that same term. Infact we here in the UK are now being fed by Ethiopia, I had green beans on the plate last night labelled "Grown In Ethiopia". Such irony.

Very strange that nobody would ask Ed Sheeran his permission for his vocal use, and I tend to agree with his attitude here. Not another Christmas No1, please no. Enough is enough.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2k03qz5jqno

Its actually 40 years this year since the Band Aid single. It was November 1984. Next year is 40 years since live aid. I still enjoy the original band aid single, but I'm not interested in any re-makes. There are lots of things that we don't need such as silly puns on sausage rolls from Lad Baby. If people want to buy a new band aid single (do people still purchase downlands?) then they are free to do so, or alternatively give money to Oxfam.

I've never gone along with telling people why they should buy or like a track. Any reason is valid depending on the individual. Likewise I didn't criticise those taking part at the time - again, everyone has different motivation. I just complained that the music was awful, occupied a space that should have been taken by a better track and that the effect of the charity run by amateurs meant the money never reached those who deserved it and also took vital funds away from better run charities. Again, hype trumped truth. Because of media (a great story).

robbiex wrote:
Rich wrote:
Here we go again, next week is 40 years since the original Band Aid single Do They Know It's Christmas? was recorded and then released and now we have yet more of the same.

What is the real motivation for keeping this going?

Isn't it rather condemning that 40 years later we still need to think like this and do this type of thing, and isn't it an outdated 80's concept to keep doing in this day and age?

Where's the famine now? Not in Africa. Actually Yemen is one nation with hunger issues, but on the hugely wealthy Arabian peninsula you'd think those countries dripping in oil wealth could finance solutions there. A few parts of East Africa are nowadays identified as places with "food insecurity", but then there are a lot of people in the UK going to food banks suffering just that same term. Infact we here in the UK are now being fed by Ethiopia, I had green beans on the plate last night labelled "Grown In Ethiopia". Such irony.

Very strange that nobody would ask Ed Sheeran his permission for his vocal use, and I tend to agree with his attitude here. Not another Christmas No1, please no. Enough is enough.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2k03qz5jqno

Its actually 40 years this year since the Band Aid single. It was November 1984. Next year is 40 years since live aid. I still enjoy the original band aid single, but I'm not interested in any re-makes. There are lots of things that we don't need such as silly puns on sausage rolls from Lad Baby. If people want to buy a new band aid single (do people still purchase downlands?) then they are free to do so, or alternatively give money to Oxfam.

I hated Lad Baby, I remember T-shirts in the mid-2000s that said "Sex, Drugs and Sausage Rolls"

I agree if you want to give to Oxfam buy something in their shops or on their online store.

I never understood why people bought download singles when you can transfer YouTube videos into downloadable MP3 or Flac files.

In the 21st century the Christmas No1 has been completely trashed. It's an incredibly poor list of shame. I think there would be more prestige in missing out on it! Only 2003 sticks in the mind as decent, and that was a cover but a great one, the sombre Mad World, as far from upbeat, fashionable or seasonal as you could get.

I don't get the UK's obsession with it. It wasn't always the biggest singles sales week of the year was it. Brace yourselves, all the oldies are about to come flooding back like a tsunami yet again any moment.

JK am I correct in thinking that in the United States there is no big deal regards what may be top of the Billboard Chart there on 25th December and there is no Christmas No1 hype and never has been?

Rich wrote:
In the 21st century the Christmas No1 has been completely trashed. It's an incredibly poor list of shame. I think there would be more prestige in missing out on it! Only 2003 sticks in the mind as decent, and that was a cover but a great one, the sombre Mad World, as far from upbeat, fashionable or seasonal as you could get.

I don't get the UK's obsession with it. It wasn't always the biggest singles sales week of the year was it. Brace yourselves, all the oldies are about to come flooding back like a tsunami yet again any moment.

JK am I correct in thinking that in the United States there is no big deal regards what may be top of the Billboard Chart there on 25th December and there is no Christmas No1 hype and never has been?

I hated that cover of Mad World, I think it was from Donnie Darko, another movie I gave up on. Billboard 100 is about Payola in the States and downloads. I know there is a chart for Country music and I think for another Adult Contemporary, which is their equivalent to Heritage Chart.

I think the obsession with Christmas No. 1 finished in the last century, and the charts having any relevance at all probably died about 15 years ago when streaming sales were counted. The last Christmas no. 1 to be a Christmas song was Saviour's day by Cliff in 1990 which was rubbish. I hated Mad World by Gary Jewell, much preferred the original. I'm surprised Take That never did a Christmas song. They are about the only band still going who can knock out a decent tune, and still have hits late into their career.

robbiex wrote:
I think the obsession with Christmas No. 1 finished in the last century, and the charts having any relevance at all probably died about 15 years ago when streaming sales were counted. The last Christmas no. 1 to be a Christmas song was Saviour's day by Cliff in 1990 which was rubbish. I hated Mad World by Gary Jewell, much preferred the original. I'm surprised Take That never did a Christmas song. They are about the only band still going who can knock out a decent tune, and still have hits late into their career.

I know the new 45s are coming back but let's admit they are a gimmick. It started before the Beatles Now & Then, which is also a very dreary song.

I only see them in niche record stores or on Amazon. The same goes for new cassette tape releases. Just remember, kids. Cassettes get tangled up or even eaten. Most cassette players you get in an all-in-one record player are not top-grade.

Cassettes were not great quality they do hiss, I remember even brand-new tapes used to have hiss. We bought them because they were cheaper than CDs and people had cassette players in cars or had Walkmans which were heavy on batteries.

A good BBC article on the whole Band Aid thing from the modern African perspective.

It's taken 40 years to wake me up to how stupid some of the lyrics are - "where nothing ever grows, no rain nor rivers flow" which is of course complete and utter nonsense. As for the actual title, well of course African children and adults knew about Christmas throughout much of the continent long before 1984, like the rest of us. "Ethiopia was a Christian country before England, we knew Christmas before your ancestors" says a man involved in telling the world about the famine back then.

Quite rightly Africans don't want to keep being portrayed as victims any longer.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9dl22gz3vlo

I read once in a newspaper the whole song took about 15-30 mins to write.

It shows it was written by white rich folk. I think Midge Ure wrote most of the lyrics.

The opening song by Paul Young is funny because of the way it is sung. He is a lovely man off-screen, but I wish he would stop doing the Behind The Lens Tour. He has the cheek to tell his life story and has copies of his book for sale in the foyer.

Let us admit it, Christmas is only for suicides, debauchery, loneliness, and greed from both the public and big corporations. I am just waiting for product recalls, health warnings about Temu, and seeing the Lynx gift sets in the food bank collections in the supermarkets.

www.tomorrowsworld.org/magazines/2024/no...e-do-about-christmas

Rich wrote:
A good BBC article on the whole Band Aid thing from the modern African perspective.

It's taken 40 years to wake me up to how stupid some of the lyrics are - "where nothing ever grows, no rain nor rivers flow" which is of course complete and utter nonsense. As for the actual title, well of course African children and adults knew about Christmas throughout much of the continent long before 1984, like the rest of us. "Ethiopia was a Christian country before England, we knew Christmas before your ancestors" says a man involved in telling the world about the famine back then.

Quite rightly Africans don't want to keep being portrayed as victims any longer.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9dl22gz3vlo

The do-gooders have missed the point that there was a drought at that time (rivers) and it was about one particular part and one particular problem.

As for the twaddle about Christianity, these theme is of being so close to death that you dont give a shit about Christmas, and that those who are able to celebrate rejoice might want to look further than their own over powdered noses!

I am not a fan of the repeated re-releases. It reminds me of a dog eating its own sick, actually, but to twist words that were written with good intent, and pick them apart with the aim of sounding superior, is quite revolting.

I would just enjoy it for what it is, Rich. (or not)
We cant travel back in time to judge "then" by what is acceptable "now", and if we cant be perfect, having a go is always better than doing bugger all.

I must remember that to avoid my posts looking like an upturned bucket of alphabet blocks I should move my dogs off my knee instead of typing around them.

So today is 40 years since that first recording was done, and now this latest mash up is out.

I'm interested to note that one of my favourite record producers Trevor Horn has produced this rehash. If anyone can make a track sound decent he can I suppose, not that I've heard it yet or am straining at the leash to do so in November.

One interesting comment from this BBC news article today reviewing the track says - "The 1989 recording, however, appears to have been erased from existence: There's no sign of Kylie Minogue, Lisa Stansfield or Sonia's contributions" - I'm not surprised, that 1989 version was quite dreadful in every way, sterile and with no passion, with a very substandard bunch of vocals showing up mostly from the SAW singers stable of the time, Big Fun, yuck, and the poor production of Waterman and Co. Well and truly best forgotten, except Lisa, she's okay.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgl47nddn1wo

Predictably it got a big reveal on Radio 2 earlier and they wheeled out Geldof for more of the same. You can already see the next one coming along for the 50th in 2034 can't you.....Zzzzzzzzzzz.

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0025gmy/t...y-know-its-christmas

Watching the documentary on the making of the record, makes me realise what a treat this was for any pop fan of the mid-80s. Virtually every massive uk pop star of the time in one video from George Michael, Boy George, Duran, Spandau, Paul Young, Sting, and Paul Weller. I heard complaints on the radio about Bananarama being the only females aprt from Jodie Watley from Shalamar. There were lots of females in the music industry then such as Kim Wilde, Toyah, Alison Moyet, Kate Bush, half of Bucks Fizz, and Clare Grogan from Altered Images. I bought the record as a school child back in the day which gave £1.50 to charity, which otherwise I wouldn't have given.

robbiex wrote:
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0025gmy/t...y-know-its-christmas

Watching the documentary on the making of the record, makes me realise what a treat this was for any pop fan of the mid-80s. Virtually every massive uk pop star of the time in one video from George Michael, Boy George, Duran, Spandau, Paul Young, Sting, and Paul Weller. I heard complaints on the radio about Bananarama being the only females aprt from Jodie Watley from Shalamar. There were lots of females in the music industry then such as Kim Wilde, Toyah, Alison Moyet, Kate Bush, half of Bucks Fizz, and Clare Grogan from Altered Images. I bought the record as a school child back in the day which gave £1.50 to charity, which otherwise I wouldn't have given.


I can't imagine Toyah doing a charity single. Toyah tends to shy away from politics and has always been busy with charities but is hush-hush. I couldn't imagine Kate Bush singing a charity single, she tends to enjoy being away from the limelight.

I am not surprised Kim Wilde, Alison Moyet and Clare Grogan were not on it. I couldn't stand Clare Grogan's poppy songs and voice. Alison Moyet's strong vocal chords would have stuck up like a sore thumb in the harmonies.

Rich wrote:
So today is 40 years since that first recording was done, and now this latest mash up is out.

I'm interested to note that one of my favourite record producers Trevor Horn has produced this rehash. If anyone can make a track sound decent he can I suppose, not that I've heard it yet or am straining at the leash to do so in November.

One interesting comment from this BBC news article today reviewing the track says - "The 1989 recording, however, appears to have been erased from existence: There's no sign of Kylie Minogue, Lisa Stansfield or Sonia's contributions" - I'm not surprised, that 1989 version was quite dreadful in every way, sterile and with no passion, with a very substandard bunch of vocals showing up mostly from the SAW singers stable of the time, Big Fun, yuck, and the poor production of Waterman and Co. Well and truly best forgotten, except Lisa, she's okay.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgl47nddn1wo

Predictably it got a big reveal on Radio 2 earlier and they wheeled out Geldof for more of the same. You can already see the next one coming along for the 50th in 2034 can't you.....Zzzzzzzzzzz.


I had no idea there was a 1989 rehash and it's shit like the rest of them.

Big Fun was an effing joke and ear-rape to the ears. Celebrities need to stop with the virtue signalling and focus on the problems outside their front door. I don't see celebrities bang on Mrs Goggings losing her winter fuel allowance or the increase of bus fares.

What annoys me is the Unicef adverts, they have some A-listers with a Hollywood smile, good hair transplants, cocaine and facelifts.

Asking us to give, compare your looks, house and bank account to a celebrity to yours.

Most normies support the third world through foreign aid which is paid by our taxes and also people support charities by donating and buying from brick-and-mortar charity shops.

robbiex wrote:
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0025gmy/t...y-know-its-christmas

Watching the documentary on the making of the record, makes me realise what a treat this was for any pop fan of the mid-80s. Virtually every massive uk pop star of the time in one video from George Michael, Boy George, Duran, Spandau, Paul Young, Sting, and Paul Weller. I heard complaints on the radio about Bananarama being the only females aprt from Jodie Watley from Shalamar. There were lots of females in the music industry then such as Kim Wilde, Toyah, Alison Moyet, Kate Bush, half of Bucks Fizz, and Clare Grogan from Altered Images. I bought the record as a school child back in the day which gave £1.50 to charity, which otherwise I wouldn't have given.


Not forgetting We Are The World that followed from Stateside 4 months later in the spring. That was perhaps even more substantial in terms of artists coming together. What these prove is the remarkable breadth and depth of real substantial talent available in the mid 1980's that I think we took for granted at the time.

I think more interesting would be to know who got asked to do Band Aid in 1984 and either didn't take the call and reply or told Geldof & Co no thanks. Were Queen & David Bowie put under pressure to do this for example, famous no shows of the time, even though Queen did the big set at Live Aid and Bowie did his video the following summer to get themselves in on the act.

I wonder if JK on here knows of any interesting notable refusniks from '84? I also wonder how many of those who showed up on these recordings or at the concert actually dipped into their own deep pockets and donated some of their own personal wealth to the cause rather than just being seen doing something for a pat on the back.

I am interested in the No Shows at the time. It's news to me.

The only 2 musicians I know who were notorious for not turning up or cancelling shows at the last minute was the late George Jones and the knobhead Axl Rose.

Ray Davies would come on late and no explanation was given, I felt sorry for those who relied on public transport to see him.

Monkees members were known to walk off the stage during certain songs or leave the tours early.

Green Man wrote:
robbiex wrote:
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0025gmy/t...y-know-its-christmas

Watching the documentary on the making of the record, makes me realise what a treat this was for any pop fan of the mid-80s. Virtually every massive uk pop star of the time in one video from George Michael, Boy George, Duran, Spandau, Paul Young, Sting, and Paul Weller. I heard complaints on the radio about Bananarama being the only females aprt from Jodie Watley from Shalamar. There were lots of females in the music industry then such as Kim Wilde, Toyah, Alison Moyet, Kate Bush, half of Bucks Fizz, and Clare Grogan from Altered Images. I bought the record as a school child back in the day which gave £1.50 to charity, which otherwise I wouldn't have given.


I can't imagine Toyah doing a charity single. Toyah tends to shy away from politics and has always been busy with charities but is hush-hush. I couldn't imagine Kate Bush singing a charity single, she tends to enjoy being away from the limelight.

I am not surprised Kim Wilde, Alison Moyet and Clare Grogan were not on it. I couldn't stand Clare Grogan's poppy songs and voice. Alison Moyet's strong vocal chords would have stuck up like a sore thumb in the harmonies.

I heard Toyah talking out against asylum seekers living in her area. I also heard her say that she hated Margaret Thatcher. To be a punk in itself is supposedly political in itself. I like Toyah, but she does seem to do anything for money or publicity. Shes done I'm a celeb, celebrity masterchef, celebrity pointless, and strictly come dancing this year. She does 80s reunion tours all the time, which some turn their nose up at. Smash Hits editors always referred to her as been in reception, because she was readily available to do a cover shoot. I think she would have jumped at the chance to be on the band aid single, but her profile was pretty low at the time, and her lispy voice would stand out like a sore thumb. On a recent podcast called Rockenteurs Alison Moyet said that she wasn't on the band aid single because she didn't have any showbiz mates and thus wasn't contacted. She was a very private and solitary person