Live Aid II? Over my dead body – Geldof focuses on the future

Quoted from: http://www.timesonline.co.uk

BOB GELDOF has rejected plans for a Live Aid II concert in Hyde Park to coincide with the G8 summit, telling the organisers that the event could be a breach of his copyright.
Coldplay, U2 and Robbie Williams are tipped to appear at the concert, which is designed to focus attention on the July gathering of world leaders in Scotland, where a British plan to relieve Africa’s crippling debt is top of the agenda. However, the instigator of the 1985 Live Aid concert told The Times that a repeat of the event would take place “over my f****** dead body”.
Mr Geldof believes that an all-star London concert is an irrelevant attempt to recreate past glories. He is calling for a global network of awareness-raising events that would force the leaders of the United States, Germany, France and Italy to commit themselves to cancelling the debt and double aid to Africa at the Gleneagles conference. Mr Geldof said: “To try and artificially reproduce Live Aid would almost be a disaster. I wouldn’t do it and I can’t see a point to it. We already have high awareness of the issue in Britain. Live Aid II happens over my dead f****** body — nor can they use the name Live Aid, because it is a copyrighted brand.”
The record industry and broadcasters are pushing for a 20th anniversary Live Aid concert, which would achieve massive international exposure, but Mr Geldof will not be bullied into participating. He said: “They want Geldof to ring bands up and say, ‘Will you do it?’ Is that going to achieve anything? I didn’t do Live Aid so I could sit there and watch Queen. People don’t want to revisit Bob’ s greatest hits, either.”
Campaigners and concert promoters backing the Make Poverty History initiative offered to take over the annual Prince’s Trust Party in the Park pop event in Hyde Park, which has been cancelled owing to poor ticket sales and a lack of artists. Mr Geldof has discussed a fortnight of musical activities, working in conjunction with the BBC, but believes that the July concert, which clashes with the Wimbledon men’s tennis final, will lack impact.
An Africa concert without Mr Geldof, who collected a special award for his humanitarian achievements at the Rose d’Or Festival in Switzerland, would shatter the event’s credibility. Insiders believe that ultimately he will be persuaded to participate. Instead of fund-raising, Live Aid’s prime motive, Mr Geldof is concentrating on achieving political change through the eight (including Russia) world leaders who hold the future of Africa in their hands. The Live Aid trustees will meet this week to discuss an alternative musical campaign.
Mr Geldof said: “For the week of the G8, I have asked every band around the world to make their gig a Live Aid 20th anniversary. ”
Martina Milburn, the chief executive of The Prince’s Trust, said that the organisation would be “delighted to support” any concerts organised by Mr Geldof.
Mr Geldof sat on the Africa Commission, set up by Tony Blair, which called on developed nations to double aid to Africa, adding £30 billion a year over ten years. Mr Blair and Gordon Brown will be let down by their fellow global statesmen at the G8, Mr Geldof fears.
He said: “Silvio Berlusconi told me, ‘I sign up to these targets on paper. It means nothing’. That is shocking. I am telling Gerhard Schröder: if you are not prepared to alter your policy and support this agenda, which your people back, you are not welcome at Gleneagles. President Bush personally owes Blair and, the thing is, dropping the debt will not cost the American people anything. But will these eight people sitting around a table on a golf course do this thing? They will not.”
Mr Geldof will attend the G8 summit.