Secrets of Band Aid 40 years on including group on coke, ‘forgotten’ songwriter & why lyrics were changed

This Christmas tune, which included some of the top pop performers of the day, sold around 12 million copies worldwide and collected over 80 million dollars for charity.

However, in honor of the song’s 40th anniversary, we now disclose how the popularity of Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” was fueled by leftover sandwiches, alcohol taken from a nearby journalist’s house, and, for some, the cocaine supply of Status Quo.

Boy George was hurried to the studio from New York by Concorde after he first failed to show up, Duran Duran was confined in the studio restroom, and the famous bells on the track were pounded out on songwriter Midge Ure’s Casio keyboard.

Robin Eggar, one of only two music journalists permitted entry to the room for the renowned studio session by the organizers, Ultravox vocalist Midge and Boomtown Rats singer Bob Geldof, shares the amazing stories of the creation of the popular charity track.

Given the quantity of stars, Robin stated in an exclusive interview with The Sun: It was an extraordinary day.

It was amazing to see all of these artists in one small, slightly worn studio together, and there were some funny moments.

On a calm Sunday in November, Bob Geldof gathered and intimidated all of these musicians, including Duran Duran, George Michael, and U2, who had been slapping each other off in public and vying against one another in the charts, into one location.

Good time

Without Concorde, things might never have been the same. That day, Bob called Boy George and told him to fly in from New York.

Everyone got along despite everyone’s egos, but there was no food, so guests were instructed to get their own sandwiches, and I had to return to my house to retrieve six bottles of wine, which vanished within ten minutes.

Status Quo keeps vanishing to use the restrooms with other people and returning feeling rejuvenated.

Midge had to kick out most people around midnight since everyone was having so much fun, even though his day had started at 8am.

It will be 40 years on Monday when almost 40 of the best pop performers in Britain gathered in Sarm Studios in West London to record the hurriedly composed tune that became the best-selling charity album in UK history.

A disturbing 1984 BBC News story from Ethiopia, where famine had devastated the nation and killed 1.2 million people between 1983 and 1985 alone, served as the inspiration for the song.

Bob Geldof called his friend Midge after seeing the dispatch’s pictures of starving children and told him, “We need to make a record.”

According to Robin, a music writer who had spoken with some of the greatest names in the industry, Bob set out to raise money. In just a few weeks, he intimidated and enraged everyone he could in the music industry.

Bob had a somewhat shaky career. Paula Yates, his partner, was far more well-known because she was the TV host of The Tube.

However, he had the phone numbers of everyone and persisted in pressuring them to appear.

Midge is the one who is rather overlooked in this. Compared to Bob, he was a considerably bigger star.

Bob began pushing individuals after he was certain that Midge was on board.Because he was so interested with environmental concerns, Sting was an easy target.

Shortly after seeing Gary Kemp from Spandau Ballet via an art gallery window, Bob ran into Simon Le Bon of Duran Duran as he was exiting the Picasso club on King’s Road.

Because they were both Irish, U2 was present, and it was simply simpler to follow Bob’s advice because he would never have let them hear the end of it.

They felt compelled to attend because Bob would tell them that others were confirmed, even if they weren’t.

At first, they stated that their goal was to have the record reach number one on the Christmas charts and earn a few hundred thousand pounds, but in actuality, the song has made about 80 million.

Before the recording on November 25, Bob wrote the lyrics and Midge composed the music. However, the film crew was the only people outside when they got there at 8 a.m.

“I was living a gentle walk away and I knew a lot of the bands,” said Robin, who arrived before most of the celebrities.

Paul Young was the first to arrive, followed by Sting with the Sunday papers, Bono, and Adam Clayton from U2.

“Paul Weller was somewhat anxious when he arrived. In a dilapidated cab, Bananarama pitched up.

Around ten in the morning, Duran, Duran, and Spandau Ballet arrived. They all flew in together because they had been at a TV show in Germany the previous evening and were a touch worn out from a drinking competition.

“No managers, no publicists, no security.

Regarding who sang first, there was some reluctance to sit at the front of the class. Finally, Spandau’s Tony Hadley offered his services.

When Culture Club arrived at 11 a.m., Bob saw that Boy George was gone.

According to Robin, Bob called him around six in the morning in his hotel room in New York. Bob interrupted a drowsy George as he was telling him he would have a hard time making it, saying, “Everyone is here except you.”

Boy George was spicy

Don’t miss the 9.30am Concorde to London. It was midafternoon when he arrived.

“Could someone get me some brandy?” George asked as he entered. George was quite hot when Bob told he would have to perform his lines first. “Oh, get on with it, you f***ing old queen,” Bob joked.

“You Irish tart, shut up,” George retorted. After a single take of his line, George fled inside the studio to essentially cause mayhem. He energized everyone.

As he took pictures, photographer Brian Aris had the group perform the well-known Feed the World chorus to keep everyone busy. When Francis Rossi of the Status Quo said, “Why is everyone singing Feed the Welsh?” they burst out laughing.

Robin remembered Rossi was left to perform their lines by himself after lead guitarist Rick Parfitt fumbled with some of their signature harmonies.

As they worked on the tune, the two songwriters made adjustments.

According to Robin, Bob used his Casio piano to rib Midge Ure about the middle portion.

“It sounds like the Z-Cars theme played on the stylophone,” Bob remarked. Midge snapped back, If anything, it s Jingle Bells mixed with The Dam Busters theme tune .

They also realised the line, And there won t be snow in Ethiopia this Christmas wouldn t fit, so changed Ethiopia for Africa.

I also remember Paul Young was trying to sing his lines and Bob was cutting in from behind the desk and telling him what to sing, but Bob was completely out of tune.

“Paul looked confused. Midge cut in and shouted, You re out of tune Bob, let them do their business .

Robin said Bono wowed with a single take of his iconic Well, tonight thank God it s them instead of you line, whilePhil Collinswaited seven hours without moaning to record the drums on the track.

There was very little refreshment to hand, with Bob saying, If you want it, go out to get it yourself .

We ve buried our egos

Robin, who appears in the song s video next to Simon Le Bon after the camera crew thought he was a pop star, added: The studio rustled up some curry and chips. If you wanted a sandwich or drink, you went to get it from the corner shop.

“There were lots of day-old sandwiches being eaten.

While the singers were called up in order of chart success, some started to feel in need of a drink.

Robin said: I had a flat nearby. Adam Clayton and I went back and got six bottles of wine I had lying around. That lasted about ten minutes in the studio. Others went to the off-licence when it opened.

Status Quo also raised the level of partying. Robin added: There was a lot of cocaine in the industry then, and Status Quo were very popular, and they d keep vanishing into the toilets, and everyone came out looking very refreshed.

“They were the biggest party animals.

At one point they even locked Duran Duran in the toilets. But it was a real collegiate atmosphere.George Michaelsaid to me, What was needed was for everyone to get together. We ve all buried our own egos for a greater cause .

By the end, there were some great scenes. Weller was having a conversation withJon Moss, from Culture Club, and the singer Marilyn, aboutMargaret Thatcher.

Francis Rossi said in 2019 of the original recording session: I hadn t expected how much many of us had in common when it came to cocaine. Soon our corner of the studio became the go-to hangout for quite a few others.

Midge and Bob stayed until 8am producing the record. It was immediately sent for pressing and was on the shelves within days.

It flew straight to No1, staying there for five weeks over Christmas.

The success even inspired the Live Aid concert in July 1985, a remake of the song 20 years on, which this paper backed, and a further update in 2014. A new version, including voices from the 1984, 2004 and 2014 releases, is in the making to mark the 40th anniversary.

Robin, who went on to write biographies ofTom Jonesand Shania Twain and run his own communications firm, said: It remains one of the things I m proudest of just being in the room.

This week, Bob was forced to defend Band Aid 40 after London-born Ghanaian rapper Fuse ODG said the record fuelled pity rather than partnership .

Ed Sheeran, who sang on the 2014 release, also said he would have respectfully declined the re-use of his vocals on the new song, had he been consulted.

Robin said: Ed s views are perfectly reasonable. He should have been asked.

He added: However, the original Band Aid was a bunch of very successful pop stars who were appalled by what was happening in Ethiopia and wanted to help.

British music was in such a good place and it all came together in a tiny studio, on a Sunday afternoon.