Anyone watch the making of Do They Know Its Christmas Doc on BBC

[I8toys]

Such a lovely slice of nostalgia. I now have major crush on Midge Ure - such a lovely creative and extremely calm man in the face of potential chaos.

Lovely to see the process and the genius of a young George Michael and Boy George bringing in the smut and humour.

I saw this too, loved it. Was really interesting to see people like Paul Young and Bono singing slightly nervously because they’d obviously only just learned it and all the famous singers were watching them.

Loved the bits with Paula Yates. When she gushed about George Michael singing to her. Quite moving.

And Bananarama all climbing out of that tiny car!

I don't know. I grew up in that era and remember the whole BandAid/LiveAid thing, but watching it now made me think how dated it all seemed?
As in totally white male dominated? I saw Kool and the Gang, but not many other black singers, and I know Bananarama and other female singers turned up but why weren't any of them considered for any of the opening solo lines?
Maybe just a sign of the times...

I did like seeing George Michael though, and he was so humble and unassuming compared to some of the others, despite being top contender for Christmas number one that year!

we did and really took me back...although where were the female singers!

It was like a dad dropping off a daughter and friends for a school disco.

Didn't even occur to me at the time that there were hardly any women in it... now I can't see past it...

But just watch the old Top of the Pops and you’ll notice that there are very few women then. Bananarama were the highest selling female act at the time and, other than The Bangles, the only female group I can think of.

I remember when it came out - it was a something- that- had- never -been -done- before where everyone came together when asked to do something good, with very liitle advance notice. They just came and did it!

And the public bought the single because we wanted to help too.

And I think that was a large part of why it was so successful - it was something totally from the heart, with no expectation of publicity or royalties or premier billing or No 1 chart spot ............... just pop stars of the day wanting to help and the public wanting to help

I'm not sure it could be done now, what with publicists and agents and privacy clauses and diary planning etc?

But Bob Geldof, Midge Ure et al pulled off something quite magical that day ! 😊

Half way through, really enjoying it. Love seeing George Michael singing Last Christmas to Paula Yates and meeting Bono for the first time. Everyone looks so real - not overly styled, some look quite scruffy. And Midge Ure is a delight. Yes, lack of women on the song is a problem, but there were much fewer big female artists around at that time.

Salt N Pepa? Strawberry Switchblade? Wasn't there another one with two women and one of them died?

Shame the new remix is an absolute disgrace. It's the worst song I've heard in a long time. Sickly, schmaltzy and ill judged.

The musical side of it is magical and gives me goosebumps of nostalgia.

I can't believe noone on here has yet addressed the fact that the money did not get to the people it was meant to.

They were great but didn’t have the profile of the likes of Duran/Spandau etc. and don’t forget at how short notice it was all arranged

And it was all credit to Midge Ure not Sir Bob.

@niadainud that was Mel and Kim

Salt n Pepa were American, though, and I think later. You might be thinking Mel and Kim for the otehr one who are late 80s. Jodi Whatley is the video. It's her that Francis Rossi is ogling. Is Kim Wilde there? To be fair, all the solo men have better voices than the women present.

Strawberry Switchblade had iirc one hit! They were my friends' brother's friends! Again, I think they were later anyway and Glasgow bases. U2 aside it's very Londocentric. Clare Grogan would have been around then but most of the female stars of the early- mid 80s were US based.

I think Annie Lennox is the notable not in it female for the times and Alison Moyet.

I do think wannabe cool teenagers were a bit cynical about Band Aid at the time and went around saying cool ironic things - and I did notice there were no women then.

But we all got swept up by Live Aid which was immense! It totally converted me to Queen who I thought were talentless and uncool up to that point in my life (I was a tiresome teen!)

I shall watch the doc. Thanks for flagging it up OP!

As with everything now - so over produced.

The new song is a disgrace!

I said on the other thread I accidentally started 🤦‍♀️ that I thought Boy George really spoiled things when he showed up. He was trying to start beef by claiming that everyone hated each other; the atmosphere soured considerably when he arrived. Jon Moss is so humble in comparison.

George Michael was clearly an enormous talent and just had an ear for melody and composition. Changing 'just say a prayer' by one note lifts it immeasurably.

enjoyed it even though the quality was dreadful.
george Micheal was so sweet. loved seeing boy george.
was shocked how white and male it was though. there were some brilliant female singers about back then,

And this year's Do They Know It's Christmas is also dominated by white men. Quote from The Independent:

"Contributors to the new version of the song include Robbie Williams, Sheeran, Guy Garvey, One Direction, Simon Le Bon, Boy George, Sting, Chris Martin, Seal and the late George Michael and Sinead O'Connor.

The backing band, compiled from the original and 2004 versions, features McCartney and Duran Duran’s John Taylor on bass, Radiohead’s Thom Yorke on piano, Phil Collins on drums, and The Darkness’s Justin and Dan Hawkins on guitar."

Nothing changes.

It doesn't much but I think that might also be the Independent's (unconscious?) bias about who matters because I swear there's quite a few (not terribly good) women in it.

And there's a rap....

much fewer big female artists around at that time

Apart from

Kate Bush
Bonnie Tyler
Annie Lennox
Alison Moyet
Debbie Harry
Stevie Nicks
Cynic Lauper

And soul singers like
Tina Turner
Donna Summer
Dionne Warwick
Chaka Khan
Witney Houston

Class acts, all with amazing and diverse vocals who'd have given the men a run for their money.

Shameful isnt it.

Your whole second list and three of your fist are Americans! Several of the US ones were involved in US Live Aid.