OK so having been provoked (sort of) into passing comment on Band Aid 30 I thought I better check it out. Now obviously the message this time is very different to the last two band aid records as we are not fighting famine (though it still exists of course) but rather are all concerning ourselves with the threat that Ebola poses. Whilst the issue is primarily an African problem at the moment that does not mean that it cannot or wont have a dramatic effect on other parts of the globe (just think Aids to get an idea of what could happen). That said however I know nothing about the disease or how the fight against it is going because over three months ago I opted out of watching, hearing or reading any news. This was not done out of ignorance or burying my head in the said but rather because quite frankly the news was depressing the bejesus out of me. At the time I stopped tuning in the plane had just gone down over the Ukraine, Ebola was not really being taken that seriously and ISIS (or whatever it happens to be called now) was just starting to make headlines. The daily grind of taking it all in became too much and so I decided to live a simpler life and just get on with those things that I could control and look after my family as best I could. This post is not about my life choices however right or wrong they might be so lets get back to Band Aid 30 shall we? Band Aid was iconic, it likely wasnt the first collaborative effort of its kind but it was the most noticable and was made at a time when famine was a massive deal in parts of Africa. Nobody of a certain age can forget the harrowing pictures that were all over the tv at the time and we are of course constantly reminded of these things everytime Comic Relief swings around. Here is how that first song went - https://youtube/watch?v=bjQzJAKxTrE From the very opening with Paul Young and Boy George the song smacks of emotion and gets you everytime you hear it. It is quite frankly a classic and is also simple in its message. Even the video is simplistic and to the point, a group of musicians getting together to record a song (the greatest charity record of all time??) in order to raise money for those who desperately needed it. Never once when watching it now do you think well theyre clearly only in it for the kudos and publicity but then as it was the first I guess that wasnt really an issue. Also whilst I could not name them all I can name virtually everyone in the video without the need for google. Next up we had Band Aid 2 which came a few years later and was again in response to the problem of famine in parts of Africa. This time around the vudeo was laced with imagary from the worst affected areas just to hit home with the notion of what was going on (in case youd missed it on the news) and was recorded by the popstars of the time. This second time around I can name less of the talent involved but still know most of them are and like the first one the strongest singers are given the majority of the vocals (say what you want about Luke Goss and Marti Pellow but they can carry a tune). Its not as good as the first effort but is not a bad record. https://youtube/watch?v=83xYDazJavE NExt up came the 20th anniversary of the original Band Aid record which looks a little something like this - mtv.co.uk/band-aid-20/videos/do-they-know-its-christmas (I couldnt find a copy of it on youtube that didnt have the unbelievably annoying Johnny Vaughn talking over it). By now the move from genuine charity song to blatant career enhancement was pretty much complete and this version of the song was worse than either of its predecessors (seemingly the quality gets worse with each incarnation of this song). True they tried to be different with guitar riffs and a rap from Dizzy Rascal but nothing could save this record from being just a terrible terrible thing. you know youre in trouble when your record opens with Chris Martin, Dido and Robbie Williams. Again I could name half of the artists involved and most of them were pretty bad but it of course made money which was the most important thing. Two things to note are that Bono returned for this version so he could belt out his Thank god its them line again as he had done in the original and that after the first record the celebrity activist had been born. For me they do bring attention to various causes that might normally slip under the radar but they can also do more harm than good as much of the focus becomes about who is involved rather than the cause they are supporting (see Clooney,Jolie etc). Whilst some mean well it is obvious that others see it as a means to bolster a career, this is evident with some of the artists that were involved in Band Aid 20. Skip forward again and this week we got this - https://youtube/watch?v=i1jeiC-JEsI Band Aid 30, the record that everyone is talking about and not for the right reasons. The video opens up with footage of hazard suit clad men removing a dead body from a house in one of the Ebola infected areas. Whilst I can see what they are trying to do it doesnt work as to me at least it just comes across like the opening to a horror film and my daughter upon hearing it said, why are you watching Darth Vader? Please dont think im beng flippant about a serious issue this is just my opinion and you are free to take it or leave it, the choice is yours. From there we get the worst version of the record to date (what was that about getting worse woith each passing version?). The singers appear lifeless and come across as being without passion and the worst example of being there for the publicity we have seen in a Band Aid video yet. Right for the get go I know not a single person involved in this project. Ok I am being overly dramatic to make a point, of course I know Bono (back for his God line again), Ed Sheernan and Seal but outside them and Roger Taylor on drums I dont have a damn clue who any of these singers are. Now Im sure that any discerning 13/14 year old could tell me who every single one of them are (though theyll probably wonder who the bearded fellah on the drumkit is) and maybe Im showing my age but regardless of the who I am still left with the question why? Why if you want to release the song to make money dont you just rerelease the original. Yes some of the lyrics have been changed but would the original really be out of place? Speaking of the lyrics change, I get why its done as this is not about famine but rather a killer disease but with this in mind why do they still finish the song with the lyrics Feed The World?? Surely Heal The World would make more sense and fit with the theme that they are going for? Anyway theres not much more I can say about this record that hasnt been said in a million other places (Sir Bob is not happy with the bad reviews). At the end of the day its bad but if you feel the desire to buy a copy then by all means do so as you will of course be giving to a great cause. There are however many other ways to give or donate to this or many other great cause that dont involve such attacks on the audio senses of the masses. In closing I hope that the people who need help get what they need regardless of how the money is raised. The sole purpose of this post was just to offer up my opinion on one of the talking points of the day, take it for what you will.
Posted on: Mon, 17 Nov 2014 19:27:47 +0000
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