Alternative, feasible, Live Aid in 1985 - with different acts

[mcnpauls]

(This is my first thread, despite having been a reader for years.) At another site, a friend got a discussion going about who might have stolen the show at the giant 1985 Live Aid charity gig for African famine relief if Queen hadn't performed. As I am an alternate history fanatic, this led to my reading up on who else might have appeared at Live Aid, and why they didn't. For instance, I have researched:

1) Artists who appeared on the two charity records that inspired the event - Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" and USA for Afica's " We Are the World" - but did not play at Live Aid.

2) Acts who were announced, ie, even appearing on official promotional posters, but who were not there.

3) Artists that credible sources reveal either were invited to perform, or who offered to perform.

4) Other major bands or singers around at the time who might have filled gaps on the bill.

As I am a Brit, and was much more into British/Irish music at the time, thus far I have only come up with a proposed Live Aid London feasible running order. I would love to know other peoples' ideas for both London and Philadelphia.


1 Slade
Cum on Feel the Noize
Run Runaway
My Oh My

2 UB40
Red Red Wine
One in Ten
I Got You Babe with Chrissie Hynde

3 The Stranglers
Something Better Change
Golden Brown
No More Heroes

4 Bananarama
Cruel Summer

5 Thin Lizzy, Gary Moore, Midge Ure
The Boys Are Back in Town
Yellow Pearl
Out in the Fields

6 Peter Gabriel & Kate Bush:
Solsbury Hill
Games Without Frontiers
Wuthering Heights
Biko

7 Bonnie Tyler
Holding Out for a Hero
Total Eclipse of the Heart

8 The Special AKA
Ghost Town
Free Nelson Mandela

9 Iron Maiden
Run to the Hills
Running Free

10 Marillion
Kayleigh

11 Hot Chocolate
It Started with a Kiss
You Sexy Thing
Every 1’s a Winner

12 Big Country
In a Big Country
Fields of Fire

13 The Kinks
Come Dancing
Lola
All Day and All of the Night

14 Kenny Rogers
Lucille
The Gambler
Islands in the Stream

15 Madness
House of Fun
Wings of a Dove with The Inspirational Choir & Creighton Steel Sounds
Michael Caine with Michael Caine
It Must Be Love with Labi Siffre
Our House

16 Genesis
That’s All
Follow You Follow Me
Turn it On Again

17 Olivia Newton-John & ELO
Don’t Bring Me Down
Xanadu
Physical
You’re the One that I Want

18 Pink Floyd
In the Flesh? with Bob Geldof
Breathe
Money
Wish You Were Here
Another Brick in the Wall pt 2

19 Wham!
Everything She Wants
Wake Me Up before You Go-Go
Wham Rap!
Careless Whisper
Freedom

20 Rod Stewart
Young Turks
Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)
Baby Jane
People Get Ready with Jeff Beck
Maggie May
Sailing

21 The Police
Don’t Stand So Close to Me
Wrapped Around Your Finger
Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
Every Breath You Take

22 Ringo Starr & George Harrison
With a Little Help from my Friends
Here Comes the Sun
Give Peace a Chance

Finale
One Love
Do They Know It's Christmas?

 

[mcnpauls]

If you watch the new Netflix documentary "The Greatest Night in Pop" about the making of the all-star "We Are the World" 1985 for the African famine relief cause at the time (January 1985), one striking thing is how few of the stars who performed on the song actually performed at the Live Aid follow-up concert in July 1985, whereas, from the equivalent British all-star charity song "Do They Know it's Christmas" the large majority of the stars on the song did play Live Aid.

A bit of research revealed that there were myriad reasons why this was the case, however, some "no shows" from among the USA for Africa line-up who might feasibly have been persuaded to play in an alternate timeline include:


Billy Joel - his saxophone player became unavailable and Geldof suggested either recruiting a replacement for the gig or performing solo singing at the piano. It seems Billy Joel's manager interfered and hindered things, too.

Stevie Wonder - Committed to play, then changed his mind, or his manager did, several times.

Bruce Springsteen - the date was changed to suit him but neither Geldof nor his manager could bring themselves to ask him to perform as he had given the band a holiday and was recently married/on honeymoon. Springsteen has said he regrets not having performed.

Paul Simon, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson were all announced but promoter Bill Graham alienated them all and they pulled out.

Huey Lewis and the News - were initially announced, and Bob Geldof said Huey Lewis, with whom he shared a mutual friend, Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy, gave him an assurance he would perform but that this became a late withdrawal possibly because someone was going around LA saying Live Aid was shaping up to be too English or an amateurish disaster. Bizarrely, it has been hinted that this might actually have been US event organiser Bill Graham!

Journey - Steve Perry sings on "We Are the World" (no-one is yet sure whether Journey was asked)

Dionne Warwick - has said she would have definitely performed at Live Aid but was not asked, which seems unforgivable.

 

[Somedevil]

Sounds like the US side could use a different promoter . As much of a legend Bill Graham is he did seem to create problems.

 

[mcnpauls]

Sounds like the US side could use a different promoter . As much of a legend Bill Graham is he did seem to create problems.

And I think a lot of people who did play Philadelphia were acts that Geldof actually sent over from the UK to make sure there was a viable gig in the USA: Mick Jagger, Duran Duran, The Pretenders, Billy Ocean, Simple Minds all paid to have their gear flown to the USA and for rehearsal spaces in the US when Geldof asked them to:

 

[ramones1986]

Had they lasted a bit longer, I would love to see the Go-Go's in Philly.

 

[Joe Bonkers]

Tears for Fears were scheduled.

Cyndi Lauper was ill or having surgery IIRC.

The Eurythmics - Annie Lennox apparently lost her voice temporarily.

Talking Heads were supposed to perform.

 

[mcnpauls]

Had they lasted a bit longer, I would love to see the Go-Go's in Philly.

Great idea! Definitely believe Geldof could have used his powers of persuasion and the Go-Gos' contacts with UK New Wave artists to recruit them in an alternative universe, and they could have been really good. Let's have them on the bill in Philly!

 

[mcnpauls]

Tears for Fears were scheduled.

Cyndi Lauper was ill or having surgery IIRC.

The Eurythmics - Annie Lennox apparently lost her voice temporarily.

Talking Heads were supposed to perform.

Yes, Tears for Fears were on the poster to promote the Philadephia concert and their manager had "given his word" says Geldof, yet a combination of band politics, two members leaving, fear of playing using backing tracks but without a soundcheck and resentment at Geldof having announced their appearance before checking with them led to their withdrawing a couple of weeks before the event.

I think we can add them as "feasible" for our alternative U.S. Live Aid. David Byrne stoutly refused to even consider Talking Heads appearing at Live Aid, so we can rule them out, as well as Cyndi Lauper, who was having an operation of some sort.

Eurythmics are intriguing - the Annie Lennox had vocal problems story is most mentioned, however, other sources said Dave Stewart refused and Lennox's throat problems were to spare the blushes.

 

[mcnpauls]

Feasibles and possibles for alternate timeline Philadelphia timeline:

Yes and Foreigner - both groups offered to play but were told it was too late to find a place on the bill

The Go-Gos - just needs a little Geldof prrsuasion to get them to do it.

Dionne Warwick - on "We Are the World" but was not invited to Live Aid.

John Denver - offered to play but was turned down, allegedly as organisers said he was "uncool".

Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, Huey Lewis & the News, Waylon Jennings - all appeared on "We Are the World" and initially agreed to play but cancelled late on for various reasons.

Tears for Fears and Kris Kristofferson - announced on poster, but cancelled/ruled out for unclear reasons.

Bruce Springsteen - now admits he regrets not having agreed to appear, and date was changed to suit him.

Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Donna Summer - all invited and all turned it down as they were working in the studio.

Not sure if they were invited but seem feasible:


Willie Nelson, James Ingram, Smokey Robinson, Journey, Al Jarreau, Kim Carnes, The Jacksons, Toto, The Pointer Sisters - all represented on "We Are the World"

ZZ Top, George Benson, Chicago, Pat Benatar popular worldwide at the time.

 

[mcnpauls]

Friends have been chipping in ideas and my own research is turning up new ideas, so there are some changes to the Wembley Live Aid proposal:

Banarama are not feasible, due to never having performed live at tbst time, which is why they ruled themsleves out of the original timeline. The Specials/the Special AKA had just split up very acrimoniously. The Stranglers would never have been considered due to bad reputation for violence hanging around them and their prickly relationship with the media and other artists.

In come Frankie Goes to Hollywood, the Human League, Culture Club and Eddy Grant, which has meant some trimming of other artists' proposed setlists.

Opinions welcome!

1 Slade
Cum on Feel the Noize
Run Runaway
My Oh My

2 UB40
Red Red Wine
One in Ten
I Got You Babe with Chrissie Hynde

3 The Human League
Don't You Want Me?
Together in Electric Dreams
Mirror Man

4 Thin Lizzy, Gary Moore, Midge Ure
The Boys Are Back in Town
Yellow Pearl
Out in the Fields

5 Peter Gabriel & Kate Bush:
Solsbury Hill
Games Without Frontiers
Wuthering Heights

6 Bonnie Tyler
Holding Out for a Hero
Total Eclipse of the Heart

7 Eddy Grant
Electric Avenue
Romancing the Stone
I Don't Wanna Dance

8 Iron Maiden
Run to the Hills
Running Free

9 Marillion
Kayleigh

10 Hot Chocolate
It Started with a Kiss
You Sexy Thing
Every 1’s a Winner

11 Big Country
In a Big Country
Fields of Fire

12 The Kinks
Come Dancing
Lola
All Day and All of the Night

13 Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Welcome to the Pleasure Dome
Relax
The Power of Love

14 Kenny Rogers
Lucille
The Gambler
Islands in the Stream

15 Madness
House of Fun
Wings of a Dove with The Inspirational Choir & Creighton Steel Sounds
It Must Be Love with Labi Siffre
Our House

16 Genesis
That’s All
Follow You Follow Me
Turn it On Again

17 Culture Club
Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?
Karma Chameleon
The War Song

18 Olivia Newton-John & ELO
Don’t Bring Me Down
Xanadu
Physical
You’re the One that I Want

19 Pink Floyd
In the Flesh? with Bob Geldof
Breathe
Money
Wish You Were Here
Another Brick in the Wall pt 2

20 Wham!
Wake Me Up before You Go-Go
Wham Rap!
Careless Whisper
Freedom

21 Rod Stewart
Young Turks
Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)
Baby Jane
People Get Ready with Jeff Beck
Maggie May
Sailing

22 The Police
Don’t Stand So Close to Me
Wrapped Around Your Finger
Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
Every Breath You Take

23 Ringo Starr & George Harrison
With a Little Help from my Friends
Here Comes the Sun

Finale
One Love
Do They Know It's Christmas

 

[midnight77]

If Elvis hadn't passed, he probably would have appeared. He was big into charity.

 

[Ashley Pomeroy]

I was going to suggest Adam Ant. But he actually did perform! I had completely forgotten. Only one song though. A handful of performers only did one song, including Elvis Costello, Howard Jones, and Paul McCartney, who from what I remember ended up doing half a song. I learn from the internet that George Harrison was reluctant to perform in case the promoters tried to force him to perform alongside McCartney.

As the OP points out I can't see Bob Geldof ever asking The Stranglers to perform - they'd transformed into a different band by the time of Live Aid but there was still a perception that they were enormous misogynists. Iron Maiden wouldn't have been asked to play either because heavy metal was a completely separate thing back then, in a way that's hard to appreciate nowadays. I can imagine Marillion and Def Leppard playing, because they were only semi-metal. They were nice metal.

Frankie Goes to Hollywood would surely have done "The Power of Love". I'm not sure "Two Tribes" would have fit the concert's mood. And they were pretty poor live, like New Order but more competent and less interesting. One band I could imagine doing it would be Simple Minds, who were... oh, hang on, they performed too. In the US. Looking at all the records that were big in the UK in 1984 other names that stand out are The Thompson Twins and Alison Moyet. Given the generational shift that happened just after Live Aid it's fascinating to think that Everything But the Girl could conceivably have played a set. I realise it's probably circular, but whenever I think "which Live Aid-style acts might have performed at Live Aid in 1985" I end up picking a band that actually did perform, but I had forgotten about it.

For the record my enduring memory of Live Aid is of Nik Kershaw. Specifically of reading the UK Transformers comic with Nik Kershaw on television in the background. It would probably have been UK issue 22, with the famous The Transformers... Are All Dead Shockwave cover because it was published the same day, 13 July 1985.

Looking through the list of players it strikes me that Nik Kershaw, Paul Young, and The Style Council were incredibly lucky to have had a run of chart hits (semi-hits in the latter case) at just the right time to be picked for Live Aid. The rest of the artists had lengthy careers pre- and post-Live Aid. Also, to a lesser extent Sade, who have a kind of comet-like, orbital career whereby they reappear every few years, with 1985 happening to be one of those years.

I've bent my brain, thrown off my mental chains etc, but I can't think of another band circa 1985 that would have had the same impact as Queen. No other band had the right combination of self-consciousness, pomposity, grandeur, a sense of the sublime, a willingness to look ridiculous, and a huge back catalogue. U2 came close.

 

[mcnpauls]

If Elvis hadn't passed, he probably would have appeared. He was big into charity.

Yes, if I had gone for a kind of fantasy Live Aid, it would be nice to dream of Elvis, Beatles with Lennon, Bob Marley or Hendrix being around for it. Nevertheless, I set myself a target of artists who were feasible for July 1985, even to the extent of ruling out the massively popular Eurythmics because Annie Lennox had throat ptoblems.

 

[mcnpauls]

I was going to suggest Adam Ant. But he actually did perform! I had completely forgotten. Only one song though. A handful of performers only did one song, including Elvis Costello, Howard Jones, and Paul McCartney, who from what I remember ended up doing half a song. I learn from the internet that George Harrison was reluctant to perform in case the promoters tried to force him to perform alongside McCartney.

As the OP points out I can't see Bob Geldof ever asking The Stranglers to perform - they'd transformed into a different band by the time of Live Aid but there was still a perception that they were enormous misogynists. Iron Maiden wouldn't have been asked to play either because heavy metal was a completely separate thing back then, in a way that's hard to appreciate nowadays. I can imagine Marillion and Def Leppard playing, because they were only semi-metal. They were nice metal.

Frankie Goes to Hollywood would surely have done "The Power of Love". I'm not sure "Two Tribes" would have fit the concert's mood. And they were pretty poor live, like New Order but more competent and less interesting. One band I could imagine doing it would be Simple Minds, who were... oh, hang on, they performed too. In the US. Looking at all the records that were big in the UK in 1984 other names that stand out are The Thompson Twins and Alison Moyet. Given the generational shift that happened just after Live Aid it's fascinating to think that Everything But the Girl could conceivably have played a set. I realise it's probably circular, but whenever I think "which Live Aid-style acts might have performed at Live Aid in 1985" I end up picking a band that actually did perform, but I had forgotten about it.

For the record my enduring memory of Live Aid is of Nik Kershaw. Specifically of reading the UK Transformers comic with Nik Kershaw on television in the background. It would probably have been UK issue 22, with the famous The Transformers... Are All Dead Shockwave cover because it was published the same day, 13 July 1985.

Looking through the list of players it strikes me that Nik Kershaw, Paul Young, and The Style Council were incredibly lucky to have had a run of chart hits (semi-hits in the latter case) at just the right time to be picked for Live Aid. The rest of the artists had lengthy careers pre- and post-Live Aid. Also, to a lesser extent Sade, who have a kind of comet-like, orbital career whereby they reappear every few years, with 1985 happening to be one of those years.

I've bent my brain, thrown off my mental chains etc, but I can't think of another band circa 1985 that would have had the same impact as Queen. No other band had the right combination of self-consciousness, pomposity, grandeur, a sense of the sublime, a willingness to look ridiculous, and a huge back catalogue. U2 came close.

Great, great post!

Poor Adam Ant, who had been one of the first to commit to Live Aid and helped to publicise it, got cut down from three songs to one as more and more bigger names joined the bill. In fact, Geldof tried to have him removed altogether, which was nasty.

Adam was going to perform "Stand and Deliver" and "Goody Two Shoes" as well, which would surely have gone down far better with audiences in the stadium and on TV, but when he only had one song, he thought the lyrics of his unknown new song "Vive Le Rock" fitted the occasion better. Elvis Costello was also cut from three songs to one, and it seems his decision to do "All You Need is Love" as his single song was a spur of the momeng decision at the event on the day.

Nik Kershaw and Paul Young were, indeed, very lucky to be popular at the time, but they were also nice guys and, like Adam Ant, committed to the concert right away before the bigger stars were recruited. Paul Young also benefitted from Bowie being unable to make the Band Aid recording session because he got to replace him on the opening lines of "Do They Know it's Christmas?". He was also fortunate to be among greater stars at the Freddie Mercury tribute concert a few years later.

Metal was represented at Live Aid: Judas Priest, Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin all performed in Philadelphia, and both AD-DC and Deep Purple turned down invitations so the immensely popular Iron Maiden do not feel unrealistic at all. Def Leppard had to turn down their invitation as their drummer had lost an arm shortly before in a gruesome accident.

Great shout on "The Power of Love" rather than " Two Tribes" - I shall edit our proposed setlist.

We do have Marillion on the bill, and I feel our alternative Live Aid might have been stolen by Madness for UK audiences. The Police and Rod Stewart might be contenders for international viewers.

 

[mcnpauls]

Provisional alternative universe Live Aid with different feasible acts in Philadelphia and taking into account people's suggestions. I have doubts about:

a) Running order: Toto's "Africa" is a great opener and if Paul Simon had not pulled out due to Bill Graham's rudeness, and before Bob Dylan's confirmation, the plan was to close with an "Bridge Over Trouble Water" and "We Are the World" but everything in between is up for grabs, however, I have gone for a sort of rough ascending owner of fame/popularity/status.

b) Song selection: suggestions are most welcome, and I do not know where to begin with the Willie Nelson/Kris Kristofferson/Waylon Jennings joint set they had planned (again, before Bill Graham's rudeness alienated them all).

c) Whether some of them were genuinely feasible - Sinatra, Michael Jackson, for instance.

d) It might be lacking major acts - Chicago? - and it feels very light on young/New Wave groups and heavy rock.


Toto
Africa
Hold the Line
Rosanna

The Go-Gos
Head Over Heels
Our Lips Are Sealed
We Got the Beat
Vacation

John Denver
Take Me Home, Country Roads
Annie’s Song

Irene Cara
Fame
Breakdance
What a Feeling

Yes
Leave It
All Good People
Owner of a Lonely Heart
Roundabout (short version)

Sheila E
The Glamorous Life

Foreigner
Waiting for a Girl Like You
I Want to Know What Love Is
That Was Yesterday

Sheena Easton
Strut
Telephone (Long Distance Love Affair)
Sugar Walls
Morning Train (9 to 5)
For Your Eyes Only

Pat Benatar
We Belong
Invincible
Love is a Battlefield

Billy Idol
White Wedding
Eyes Without a Face
Rebel Yell
Hot in the City

Dionne Warwick
Walk on By
I Say a Little Prayer
Heartbreaker

Cream
White Room
I Feel Free
Sunshine of Your Love

The Pointer Sisters
I'm So Excited
Automatic
Slow Hand
Jump (For My Love)

Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings


ZZ Top
Gimme All Your Lovin’
Legs
Sharp Dressed Man

Donna Summer
I Feel Love / Bad Girls / Hot Stuff
She Works Hard for the Money
Last Dance

Journey
Open Arms
Who’s Crying Now?
Oh Sherrie
Separate Ways
Don’t Stop Believin’

Huey Lewis and the News
The Heart of Rock & Roll
If This is It
The Power of Love

Tears for Fears
Head Over Heels,
Everybody Wants to Rule the World,
Shout
Change

Paul Simon
America
The Boxer

Diana Ross
Upside Down
Mirror, Mirror
I'm Coming Out
You Can't Hurry Love
Theme From Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To) / Ain't No Mountain High Enough

Billy Joel
Piano Man
Tell Her About It
It’s Still Rock n Roll to Me,
Uptown Girl

Stevie Wonder
Part Time Lover
Living for the City
You Are the Sunshine of My Life
Isn’t She Lovely?
Superstition
I Just Called to Say I Love You

Bruce Springsteen
Born in the USA
Glory Days
Dancing in the Dark
Hungry Heart
Born to Run

Michael Jackson and the Jacksons
Can You Feel it?
Billie Jean
Beat It
Thriller

Finale, with Frank Sinatra and whole cast
My Way
Bridge Over Troubled Water
We Are the World

 

[mcnpauls]

Friends elsewhere have agreed with Ashley Pomeroy here that Iron Maiden would never have been invited to Wembley, so we are proposing Meat Loaf for a three song set instead: "Dead Ringer for Love" "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad" and " Bat Out of Hell". Furthermore, said friends have also concurred that Ashley is also right that artists would have been expected to do three song sets on the whole, so the suggestion is that Big Country and Bonnie Tyler kick off with "Wonderland" and "It's a Heartache".

Poor old Marillion still only get a single song, though.

 

[Popcorn]

Assuming they can get enough acts, could they have made it a two day event?

 

[mcnpauls]

Assuming they can get enough acts, could they have made it a two day event?

I think the US promoters thought it should be a two day event, or even run over 6 nights, however Geldof insisted a one-day event would capture worldwide attention better and avoid the risk of diluting its impact.

They could definitely have sustained a two day event, though. Over and above the dozens of singers and bands who performed at the original event, the following acts are on record as having offered their services or said they would have done it if asked:

Yes, Foreigner, Cat Stevens/Yusuf Islam, Big Country, Marillion, the Kinks, Kate Bush, Al Stewart, John Denver.

A two day event would also have allowed a number of people who did appear at Live Aid to perform the longer set they had ready or do more than take part in the finale: Wham! Elvis Costello, Adam Ant, Howard Jones, Kenny Loggins, Bowie, Lionel Richie, Harry Belafonte, Sheena Easton, Peter, Paul & Mary, Dionne Warwick, Big Country, Marillion, the Moody Blues, etc.