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Geldof/live eight

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? by lins-a-sylum
something about his face,
and his new live eight logo
is really making me sick this evening.

grr. i know it's a 'good' cause bla bla bla. but musicians don't need some easy way to get some gratification and lessen guilt. they need real pressure to give up some of that cash and stop squirrelling it away/splurging like billy-o.
geldof's kidlets hardly want for the little luxuries.

bah.
maybe i should find it in my heart to, y'know, support it all....

rants please.

lins-a-sylum | 31 May '05, 19:12 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Geldof/live eight

just watched him on ch4 news i mean i think its better than doing nothing isnt it? is anyone really against this?


if there was a better alternative then great do that but no one thinks of doing anything else. This aint about raising money or anything though is it its about getting rid of world debt, it may not make much of a difference but its worth a bash
sharp_yet_blunt | 31 May '05, 19:19 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Geldof/live eight

I usually dismiss him as a bit of a twat, but I was genuinley quite impressed with his little speech at the conference thing there. It's not like we don't agree with him, and it's easy to slag him off, and all the bands playing are shit, but if it made someone do something it'd be great. And he swears a lot on live TV, which can only be a good thing.
Jesus_Quintana | 31 May '05, 19:26 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Geldof/live eight

Something that was interesting was the planned march through Edinburgh. A figure of 1 million people was being bandied about. This was being reported up here as extremely foolish as there'd be nowhere for people to stay as all the rooms in the inn are taken by the G8 reps and their hangers on. On the other hand the fact that we're going to have 2000 heavily armed US marines on the streets of Scotland was being reported as eyecandy for the ladies.
cadd | 31 May '05, 19:51 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Geldof/live eight

i dont see a million people turning out i hope im wrong though
sharp_yet_blunt | 31 May '05, 19:59 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Geldof/live eight

Yeah, there has been a bit of scepticism. It's understandable, I don't think it'll be anywhere near a million but would love to be proved wrong. It's connected to Make Poverty History's march so you with the joined parties you never know.
mostly_panic | 31 May '05, 21:08 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Geldof/live eight

Although I agree with the point of it (how can anyone argue against debt relief)? The whole process is basically one big ego trip for both the performers and the nation. Its all based along the idea of fighting against the negative aspects of capitalism by engaging in capitalism even more. Having just found out that those make poverty history wristbands were made in third world sweatshops, I have to ask how much of the resources needed for live8 are indirectly the result of third world expolitation. Its unlikely there any difference will be made anyway, does anybody honestly think George W Bush and his fellow neo-cons can be swayed by the words of Snow Patrol? Its also annoying to see that the music industry seems to be using live8 to springboard certain acts to promienence. for example, at the Philadelphia concert two of the USA biggest selling genres Country and Metal are totally unrepresented, whilst the Kaiser Chiefs get on the bill thanks to their smash hit number 34 single and number 86 album. I suppose the theory is that watching Americans will gain exposure to weasel face and his make up based charms. makes a mockery of Geldofs claims of getting the biggest acts possible in. don't get me started on Annie Lennox being on the hyde park bill..............
deathmike | 31 May '05, 21:57 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Geldof/live eight

like it.
i support the idea that something needs to be done to cause a shift in policy and a CHANGE. but geldof's theory that it is the people with guitars who will better the world just..um..seems not right.
lins-a-sylum | 31 May '05, 22:00 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Geldof/live eight

If you need any more proof, they did this 20 years ago. And has much changed?
mostly_panic | 31 May '05, 22:02 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Geldof/live eight

Wasn't there a bit of a cock up with quite a lot of the money that was made 20 years ago?
Azzy | 1 Jun '05, 00:34 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Geldof/live eight

I don't understand the Geldof-bashing.

"Third World" countries are financially raped of millions of pounds yearly through "debt" repayment and the workers toil for low pay to line the pockets of American, British and European busnesses.

Geldof is just trying to bring these facts to a wide audience. How much money the likes of McCartney have is not particularly relevent.
JDTraynor | 1 Jun '05, 00:42 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Geldof/live eight

Geldof is clearly passionate about what he is doing, and I really admire that. He held his own with John Snow as well.

It is hard to argue against debt relief, but I would say that nothing will really change unless the whole nature of African society is altered (which is happening very slowly) Wiping debt will solve some of the issues, but with not stop small oligarchies fritttering away the wests money whilst the majority of the people starve.

Originally we fucked up that continent and should take some responsibilty in helping make it better.
Pad1 | 1 Jun '05, 03:56 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Geldof/live eight

"but with not stop small oligarchies fritttering " Most of these governments were either set-up by the European powers or else aided in some way. The European businesses prefer a dictatorship in an African country that keeps the people in line because that helps these businesses to keep making their profits at the expense of the African people. That is obvious.

"fritttering away the wests money " What money is that?????
JDTraynor | 1 Jun '05, 13:40 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Geldof/live eight

"What money is that?????" - The millions of pounds given in aid, obviously.

If you'd have read my post you'd have seen I argued that it was originally the europeans who carved up the african continent, and thus should take a large proportion of the blame. You always seem so eager to criticise! tsk tsk
Pad1 | 1 Jun '05, 20:19 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Geldof/live eight

I'd go to the London show if the line up wasn't that bad.
Lilo | 1 Jun '05, 07:59 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Geldof/live eight

I think he would be better off focusing his efforts on ending CAP and other subsidies which prevent Africa from developing properly if the playing field is drastically levelled then debt relief won't really matter that much as Africa would be able to compete its way out of widespread poverty.
DevNull | 1 Jun '05, 10:30 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Geldof/live eight

to be fair geldof knows his stuff and does a lot better than the likes bono does to do some good in this world, its all about getting mr bush to listen aswell though in which case i think an american voice would make more of a difference, as long as its not michael moore.
sharp_yet_blunt | 1 Jun '05, 13:47 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Geldof/live eight

"Africa would be able to compete its way out of widespread poverty." Why should the people of Africa have to "compete"? They've been shat on for over a hundred years.
JDTraynor | 1 Jun '05, 13:49 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Geldof/live eight

i think bob gandalf should crucify himself on stage at the end of live 8. im sure thats the way he'd want to go.
bigmanwithagun | 2 Jun '05, 03:34 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Geldof/live eight

You miss understand the point at the moment their exports which seem on the whole agricultural are out priced by the European subsidies and tariffs. This makes the african food seem expensive when compared to the European food as the Europeans are paid to produce the food not to sell the food (it was better with the less round of changes but not by much). If the Africans had a level playing field they wouldn't only compete their way out of poverty they would easily get ahead of the European farmers in similar ways to the Asians getting ahead in clothing, hopefully we'll have learnt from the problems experienced in Asia with regarding conditions of work.

That said from what I've read about the Commission for Africa Geldof wants both debt relief and fair/free trade. It's easier to talk about debt relief though, free trade is going to wrangle with the interests of trade unions in europe and is a hell of a lot harder to explain to everyone.
smiggs | 2 Jun '05, 11:28 | Send note | Report this | Reply


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