Band Aid (band)

Band Aid were an international charity supergroup founded in 1984 by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure in order to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia. They released a single, "Do They Know It's Christmas" (Geldof/Ure) (Mercury FEED 1) in the UK on December 15 1984, having recorded the song in one day on November 25. The record was written by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure and produced by Midge Ure and Trevor Horn and became that year's Christmas Number One hit single.

The single was released as a 7" (3'55) and a 12" version (6'18).

The record was re-issued the following Christmas and reached Number Three on December 7, 1985. In all it raised in excess of £8 million.

Following the success of the original 1984 Band Aid single, Geldof organised the charity concert Live Aid.

The original Band Aid ensemble consisted of (in sleeve order):

• Adam Clayton (U2)
• Phil Collins
• Bob Geldof
• Steve Norman (Spandau Ballet)
• Chris Cross (Ultravox)
• John Taylor (Duran Duran)
• Paul Young
• Tony Hadley (Spandau Ballet)
• Glenn Gregory (Heaven 17)
• Simon Le Bon (Duran Duran)
• Simon Crowe
• Marilyn
• Keren Woodward (Bananarama)
• Martin Kemp (Spandau Ballet)
• Jody Watley
• Bono (U2)
• Paul Weller
• James Taylor
• George Michael
• Midge Ure (Ultravox)
• Martin Ware (Heaven 17)
• John Keeble (Spandau Ballet)
• Gary Kemp (Spandau Ballet)
• Roger Taylor (Duran Duran)
• Sarah Dullin (Bananarama)
• Siobhan Fahey (Bananarama)
• Peter Briquette
• Francis Rossi (Status Quo)
• Robert 'Kool' Bell
• Dennis Thomas
• Andy Taylor (Duran Duran)
• Jon Moss (Culture Club)
• Sting
• Rick Parfitt (Status Quo)
• Nick Rhodes (Duran Duran)
• Johnny Fingers
• David Bowie
• Boy George
• Holly Johnson (Frankie Goes to Hollywood)
• Paul McCartney

The sleeve artist, Peter Blake, was also credited on the sleeve.

In 1989, a new line-up (reflecting the musical climate at the time), Band Aid II formed after a second famine struck Ethiopia. This different line-up re-recorded "Do They Know It's Christmas?" (PWL/Polydor FEED 2), and the song was again Christmas Number One in the UK charts.

The line up this time consisted of:

• Bananarama
• Big Fun
• Bros
• Cathy Dennis
• D Mob
• Jason Donovon
• Kevin Godley
• Glen Goldsmith
• Kylie Minogue
• The Pasadenas
• Chris Rea
• Cliff Richard
• Jimmy Somerville
• Sonia
• Lisa Stansfield
• Techtronics
• Wet Wet Wet

An American ensemble, known as USA for Africa, formed in 1985 to record "We Are the World" as a fundraiser for the appeal. The song was a UK Number One for the collective in April of that year.