Superstars unite for Band Aid reboot

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Band Aid 30 stars arrive to record new single for Ebola crisis 1:17

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Boy band One Direction and U2 lead singer Bono join some of the biggest names in British pop and rock music to record a new version of the Band Aid charity song to raise money to combat Ebola in West Africa.

  • news.com.au
  • 17 Nov 2014
  • Entertainment
Bob Geldof arrives at a west London studio to record the new Band Aid 30 single. Geldof,

Bob Geldof arrives at a west London studio to record the new Band Aid 30 single. Geldof, One Direction, Bono and some 30 other stars gathered to record a 30th anniversary version of the Band Aid charity single to raise money to fight Ebola. Pic: AFP PHOTO / ANDREW COWIE Source: AFP

IT’S not your usual Christmas song.

But Band Aid hopes the graphic images of Ebola victims and lyrics about death will make people donate money to help victims of the disease.

One Direction, Bono and Chris Martin feature in the video for the new Band Aid single to raise money for anti-Ebola charities which was shown for the first time on British television on Sunday.

Organiser Bob Geldof presented the song on X-Factor UK and said it was about “the most anti-human disease”, which prevents physical contact because of fear of contagion.

The music video begins with graphic images of an Ebola victim’s body being carried away, before switching to London’s Sarm Studios where around 30 stars recorded the Christmas song on Saturday.

Band Aid 30 – Do They Know It’s Christmas (2014)

“There’s death in every tear,” sings Grammy award-winning diva Angelique Kidjo, followed by a lyric from Coldplay’s Chris Martin: “The Christmas bells that ring there are clanging chimes of doom”.

“Well tonight we’re reaching out and touching you,” Bono sings and Seal continues with: “Bring peace and joy this Christmas to west Africa!”

The single is the 30th anniversary version of “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” recorded by Geldof and fellow singer Midge Ure in 1984, with other stars, to raise money for famine victims in Ethiopia.

Band Aid – Do they Know it’s Christmas (1984)

The song became one of the best-selling singles ever and led to the hugely popular Live Aid concerts in 1985, which had a record-breaking estimated global television audience of 1.9 billion people.

The song was re-recorded in 1989 by Band Aid II and in 2004 by Band Aid 20, again raising funds for famine relief.

Band Aid II – Do They Know It’s Christmas? (1989)

No live performance linked to the current Band Aid is planned but Geldof says he is hoping the song will rise quickly in the charts when it is officially released for download on Monday.

“We go to war.

We’re going to stop this thing. Buy this song,” Geldof said.

“The reason they did this is that this thing could arrive here on a plane at any time.”

The Ebola outbreak has claimed more than 5,000 lives since last December, according to the World Health Organisation.

Band Aid 20 – Do They Know It’s Christmas? (2004)

The Band Aid 30 “Do They Know It’s Christmas” features Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant, Bono, Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Sam Smith, Queen drummer Roger Taylor, Ellie Goulding, Underworld, Sinead O’Connor, Bastille, Ed Sheeran, One Direction, Elbow, Rita Ora, Paloma Faith, Clean Bandit, Olly Murs, Seal, Jimmy Napes, Emile Sandé, Anélique Kidjo, Paloma Faith, Disclosure, Jessie Ware, and Fuse ODG, as well as Geldof’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas” co-writer Midge Ure.

Here is some of them arriving for the recording:

British singer Paloma Faith. Pic: AFP PHOTO / ANDREW COWIE

British singer Paloma Faith. Pic: AFP PHOTO / ANDREW COWIE Source: AFP

British singer-songwriter Liam Payne of boy band One Direction. Pic: AFP PHOTO / ANDREW C

British singer-songwriter Liam Payne of boy band One Direction. Pic: AFP PHOTO / ANDREW COWIE Source: AFP

British singer Ellie Goulding. Pic: AFP PHOTO / ANDREW COWIE

British singer Ellie Goulding. Pic: AFP PHOTO / ANDREW COWIE Source: AFP

U2 frontman Bono. Pic: AFP PHOTO / ANDREW COWIE

U2 frontman Bono. Pic: AFP PHOTO / ANDREW COWIE Source: AFP

British singer Rita Ora. Pic: AFP PHOTO / ANDREW COWIE

British singer Rita Ora. Pic: AFP PHOTO / ANDREW COWIE Source: AFP

Coldplay’s Chris Martin. Photo: John Phillips/Getty Images

Coldplay’s Chris Martin. Photo: John Phillips/Getty Images Source: Getty Images

Originally published as Superstars unite for Band Aid reboot