Seismic Musings

40 years ago today, we humans in America did a very good thing. Back when we were a country that truly cared about children and the poor and foreigners and being that shining beacon on the hill.

40 years ago today was Live Aid. The numbers alone were impressive.

The biggest live musical event ever.

2 cities in 2 countries on 2 continents in 2 time zones. Simultaneously.

1.9 billion people in 150 nations watching the live broadcast consisting of close to 40 per cent of the world’s population.

23,744 square foot stage in Philly, the biggest in rock-and-roll history. In the center of the stage was another stage, essentially a turntable, that rotated between acts, so one band could set up while another was playing.

Approximately £150 million in total raised for famine relief as a direct result of the concerts.

We are now in the anti-Live Aid era here in America. As of July 2025, USAID, the U.S. Agency for International Development which administers foreign aid to impoverished countries, is gone. Food, medicine, education: gone. Just like all the other promises that never materialize there is supposedly going to be a United States Agency for International Humanitarian Assistance. But its budget (if it even materializes) will be less than 10% of USAID’s budget. And it won’t do anything to further America’s goals or role in the world; it will only spend money when it “aligns with administration policies,” which means fulfilling Trump’s foreign policy aims according to our Secretary of State.

One of the many ways America helped through USAID was saving upwards of  25 million lives from HIV/AIDS. That won’t continue. It also provided funding for girls to be educated under repressive religious regimes. That won’t continue. It also led to a 51% reduction in malaria deaths. That won’t continue. But that’s only fair since under RFK, Jr., we won’t be getting vaccines from our government either so why not add malaria and HIV deaths to measles and other deadly disease statistics.

But back in ‘85 we were a caring and supportive nation. Live Aid was far from perfect but, hey, that’s rock and roll. Some bands/artists had their worst performances like Zeppelin and Madonna. But Live Aid was the last truly global concert where rock still retained some of its innocence as opposed to the money-driven industry it is today. (But what isn’t.)

In case you forgot the line-up, it included:

Paul McCartney

The Who

Led Zeppelin

Bob Dylan

Eric Clapton

David Bowie

Elton John

Mick Jagger with Tina Turner

Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young

Queen (who stole the show and whose first, and hardest rocking album, was also released on this date in 1973)

U2

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Dire Straits

Bryan Ferry with David Gilmour

Carlos Santana with Pat Matheny

Sting with Branford Marsalis and Phil Collins

Elvis Costello

The Cars

Run-D.M.C.

Joan Baez

Madonna

The Four Tops

Ashford and Simpson with Teddy Pendergrass

Black Sabbath

Judas Priest

Sade

Kenny Loggins

REO Speedwagon

The Beach Boys

Hall and Oates

Bryan Adams

The Pretenders

 

One of my few regrets is not going to Philly that day (although we did go to Live Earth at the Meadowlands), but I did watch it from start to finish. Sadly, the times they were a changin’.