Bob Geldof defends Band Aid single: This pop song has kept millions alive

Bob Geldof has said his Band Aid foundation azygous has “kept millions of radical alive” aft a caller 40th day mentation of Do They Know It’s Christmas? faced criticism.

To people the song’s milestone, a remix has been created which blends the voices of artists who person featured connected erstwhile editions including Harry Styles, George Michael and Bono.

Ed Sheeran said past week that they did not inquire for support to re-use his vocals from erstwhile helium sang connected Band Aid 30 successful 2014, and that helium would person “respectfully” declined the request.

The singer-songwriter said successful a societal media station that “a decennary connected and my knowing of the communicative associated with this has changed”, citing a station by British-Ghanaian rapper Fuse ODG that criticised overseas assistance successful Africa.

Responding to the comments successful an interrogation with The Sunday Times, Geldof said: “This small popular opus has kept millions of radical alive.

“Why would Band Aid scrap feeding thousands of children babelike connected america for a meal?”

He added: “Why not support doing that? Because of an abstract wealthy-world argument, careless of its legitimacy?

“No abstract mentation careless of however sincerely held should impede oregon distract from that hideous, factual real-world reality.

“There are 600 cardinal bare radical successful the satellite – 300 cardinal are successful Africa. We privation it were different but it is not.

“We tin assistance immoderate of them. That’s what we volition proceed to do.”

Fuse ODG said successful an Instagram Story station that helium had turned down the accidental to instrumentality portion successful Band Aid 30 alongside Sheeran a decennary prior.

“I refused to enactment successful Band Aid due to the fact that I recognised the harm initiatives similar it inflict connected Africa,” helium wrote.

“While they whitethorn make sympathy and donations, they perpetuate damaging stereotypes that stifle Africa’s economical growth, tourism, and investment, yet costing the continent trillions and destroying its dignity, pridefulness and identity.”

He added: “By showcasing dehumanising imagery, these initiatives substance pity alternatively than partnership, discouraging meaningful engagement.

“My ngo has been to reclaim the narrative, empowering Africans to archer their ain stories, redefine their identity, and presumption Africa arsenic a thriving hub for concern and tourism.

“Today, the diaspora drives the largest travel of funds backmost into the continent, not Band Aid oregon overseas assistance proving that Africa’s solutions and advancement lies successful its ain hands.”

In different post, helium said they welcomed anyone “genuinely trying to enactment the continent” but it needs to beryllium “a tone of collaboration not patronisation, solidarity not charity”.

Band Aid’s latest way blends voices from Band Aid (1984), Band Aid 20 (2004) and Band Aid 30 (2014), and has been produced by Trevor Horn, who has worked with the likes of Grace Jones and Sir Rod Stewart.

The compilation is backed by the Band Aid location set of Sir Paul McCartney, Sting, John Taylor (bass), Phil Collins, Roger Taylor, Danny Goffey (drums), Thom Yorke (piano), Paul Weller, Damon Albarn, Midge Ure, Johnny Greenwood, Gary Kemp and Justin Hawkins (guitar).

The archetypal Band Aid azygous saw artists articulation forces successful 1984, led by Boomtown Rats frontman Geldof and Ultravox’s Midge Ure to assistance charities moving with starving children successful Ethiopia.

Do They Know It’s Christmas? went consecutive to fig 1 that twelvemonth and became the fastest-selling azygous of each clip successful the UK, selling a cardinal copies successful the archetypal week alone.

It remained astatine fig 1 for 5 weeks, going connected to merchantability much than 3 cardinal copies.

Reflecting connected the archetypal singles success, Geldof told the newspaper: “For america to apical the charts we sold 620,000 copies.

“Will this caller mentation marque thing similar that one? No, due to the fact that determination are nary f****** grounds shops. If we person 620,000 hits connected Spotify, what volition that make? Literally a quid?”

Despite feeling similar it is present a “febrile world”, helium does not consciousness defeated successful his pursuit to help.

“I tin warrant your idiosyncratic enactment present volition effect successful a kid sleeping warmer, fed that night”, helium said.

“This is 1 contented successful which you person power. You get to tilt the satellite a fraction – and I know: ‘Here is f****** Geldof banging on.’

“But the instrumentality of this control, arsenic corny arsenic it whitethorn sound, is this happening – this OK tune.”

Do They Know It’s Christmas? – 2024 Ultimate Mix volition premiere connected UK meal vigor and streaming connected November 25, and volition beryllium released physically connected CD and vinyl connected November 29.