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Bob Geldof recalls David Bowie 'genius' at Band Aid as he launches new 40th anniversary version
25 November 2024, 14:23
Bob Geldof recalls David Bowie 'genius' at Band Aid as he launches new 40th anniversary version
This year marks 40 years since Band Aid's 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' was first released.
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To mark the occasion, Sir Bob Geldof is launching a brand new version of the iconic Christmas song, but with a twist.
Band Aid 40 will feature audio from three of the previous versions of the track - bringing together voices like George Michael, Sting and Bono alongside the likes of Harry Styles, Robbie Williams, Chris Martin and Ed Sheeran.
Gold's James Bassam caught up with Bob about the track, which you can watch in full above.
Do They Know It's Christmas? (2024 Ultimate Mix)
"I think what this is is a tiny piece of British rock and roll history on this one record, it transcribes the arc of British rock and roll over 40 years because we have the three official Band Aids, 84, 04 and 2014, those three generations of artists.
"They did make the weather for the culture of the last part of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century. And to hear a young Sting singing with, say, a young Harry Styles, to hear a young Rita Ora singing with Sinead O'Connor, to hear Bananarama and the Suganabes, to hear Underworld and Kool and the Gang, to hear Guy Garvey and Boy George singing together, to hear George Michael at his most powerful and most beautiful singing with Tony Hadley or Paul Weller. It's extraordinary."
Sir Bob also spoke about how he wanted to have David Bowie feature on the record.
"And then to unify it all, David Bowie introduced it at the beginning. Top of the Pops wouldn't play it because it broke the rules. You had to be in the top 40. So I called the head of BBC, Michael Grade. And he said, 'No, you can't go on Top of the Pops, but I'll give you a programme before it and get someone to introduce it.
"So I called David Bowie, as you do. Absolute genius. And all the people on the first one were, in effect, Bowie's children musically. And David showed up, and he was a wonderful man, and he looked so cool and beautiful.
"He said, 'well, what do you want me to do?' I said, 'wear my crap T-shirt'. So there's Bowie, still looking mega and cool, wearing my crap Feed the World T-shirt.
Band Aid - Do They Know It's Christmas? (Official Video) [4K]
"And he tops and tails it. And what Trevor Horn has done by introducing these elements of the past, he's topped and tailed it with a man who transcends all that time.
"Bowie will be listened to forever and will be a major influence on British music forever. Without doubt. So he tops and tails it. And in between you have the greatest artists, the greatest artists of British pop history without question. And then David comes back at the end when the three choirs are lined up as one.
"And he says, 'someone once said, rock and roll will change the world. Happy Christmas.'"
'Do They Know It's Christmas? 2024 Ultimate Mix' by Band Aid 40 will be available to stream from today (November 25th), and is on sale from November 29th.
