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Live Aid: The Definitive 40 Year Story

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Live Aid: The Definitive 40 Year Story

By: Paul Vallely
Narrated by: David Thorpe
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About this listen

 A Classic Pop Music Book of the Year

FEATURING A FOREWORD BY BOB GELDOF

The authoritative, official inside story of 40 years of Live Aid, from Band Aid to today.

In 1985, with £100+ million in his back pocket from Live Aid – the greatest rock concert the world had ever seen – Bob Geldof took a trip across Africa to decide how to spend the money he had raised for the Ethiopian famine. He asked Paul Vallely to go with him. Over the next four decades Vallely became one of Geldof’s closest advisers – travelling with him to meet the world’s top rock stars and politicians.

Here, for the first time, Vallely gives his full eye-witness account of those 40 years. The book, which has a foreword by Bob Geldof, is crammed with stories of how pop, poverty, politics and power are interwoven in the Live Aid story. Geldof encounters presidents, prime ministers and popes as well as the pop heroes who adorned his bedroom wall as a boy. Bob drinks late-night whisky with Margaret Thatcher, is forced to write a grovelling apology to Bill Clinton and meets Vladimir Putin on a boat in the Mediterranean. He pressurises The Who, sweet talks Pink Floyd, and is awestruck by Bowie. Is Bob Geldof a bully or a charmer, saint or ‘white saviour’, or simply a force of nature?

But there is more to this than music. The journey from Live Aid to Live 8 was one from giving money to calling for action, from charity to justice – and an entire generation went on it with him. Live 8 in 2005 was the largest gathering in human history. Its eight simultaneous concerts created a seismic event which the leaders of the world’s most powerful nations could not ignore. It made a whole generation feel they could make a difference. In more ways than one, Live Aid rocked the world. Entertainment & Celebrities History & Criticism Music Philanthropy & Charity Social Sciences Africa Russia
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As a teenager in the 80’s Band Aid & Live Aid were significant influences on my life. This is a fascinating and thoughtful journey through the politics and people behind the story, told by one of them. It is moving, with sections that can make you furious with anger but the overriding feeling is one of admiration for the sheer bloody mindedness of Bob Geldof and his friends to get things done.

A detailed and heartfelt exploration of the Live Aid history.

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One of the best audiobooks I have listened to. The detail and depth of the Live Aid story as told by Paul Vallely is incredible and the narrator brought the book to life with remarkable skill.

An inspiring account of the whole Live Aid movement

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What a fantastic listen on Audible. A really compelling mix of pop and politics. Funny and, by turns, heart-rending. Great storytelling.
So much we didn’t know about Band Aid, Live Aid, Live 8 and all the politics in between. Still going on in 2025.
Love the story about Mick Jagger and Pete Townshend trying to steal the top slot form Paul MCartney. And the one about George Bush describing Tony Blair as a pain in the arse!

Great story telling of a huge event in history and the continuing story

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