We Are Publicity Hungry Men…
The advert above from the current issue (February 2011) of MOJO magazine pretty well says it all. But here’s the relevant Bowie bit from Bob’s interview in case you’re disinclined to read
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What lessons did you learn from Live Aid that you applied to Live 8?
There was no correlation. Put it in purely financial terms. Live Aid: 150 million. Live 8: 50 billion, per annum. But Live Aid had the ‘give me your fuckin’ money’ moment. And Bowie introducing the famine film. I showed that film to David at Harvey Goldsmith’s about 7.30 at night. Let’s remember for a minute that Bowie is an absolute God. I got to know him when I was a kid. I hitch-hiked to see him in Belgium on the Station To Station tour, told him I was in a band and showed him pictures of the Rats. I blagged backstage and he was so nice. Don’t forget he launched Band Aid pre-Top Of The Pops, he wore this lame T-shirt, Feed The World, looked like a doofus. But he’s the sweetest man. You just never think about David Bowie like that.
We showed him the film, famine footage cut to the Cars’ song Drive. He sat there in tears and said, ‘Right, I’m giving up a song.’ I said, ‘Hang on…’ I didn’t want David Bowie giving up a fucking song. I mean, hello? But of course he was right. That was the moment that people said, Fuck everything, take whatever you want from me.
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