[Martin]

hi there!
i've typed the following post actually as a respond to the EMI Live 8 DVD discussion on the main board. i felt like it would raise some many different oppinions so i decided to open an own discussio thread down here...
have fun....

[someone told me that s/he is sick of hearing ppl bitching about geldof and bono....]

i'm bitching about a guy who calls himself "brother teresa" while making a concert for the good of (financially) sick record companys (emi), sick internet providers (aol), and (many) failed musicians. and for the good of africa he extends the whole circus for the sake of other bands who couldn't participate in the original (and yet too big) version. and after some ppl. rais their voices to say "so if this thing's about africa where the heck are the african artists?" and build up their own festival- he just annects it and says like "good idea- wanted to do that either way".

what we're going to get are a shitload of concerts where famous musicians can polish up there image as "greedy rich arrogant b*stards" to "saints" and where the dead bodies of the music business celebrate their resurrection for 20mins.
and the best: this time there's no need to donate money- not for the record companies, not for the bands, not for the fans- this time it's about bringing things into ppl's minds- meaning: ppl should remind that bj got a new single, the dave matthews band got a new record, bryan adams is still alive and robbie williams hasn't comitted suicide (yet...) moreover the ppl should remind that AOL is a ****ing good provider who came up with lots of good content recently and it's also important to buy the dvd because record sales have gone low these days- so you could say live 8 saves musicians who have fallen in oblivion, CEO's at AOL and EMI from starvation.
but the most important thing: our latter-day jesusses really deserve the nobel piece prize.....


to put it all together: this megamaniac act of self-indulgance doesn't help the african ppl in any way! and it isn't supposed to help. all it does is to play the ball to the politicians who will give in a bit but actually: they can't do a lot themselves, too. the best way of helping is move your ass down there and help yourself.

[Keeper]

I don't know. To me it's all worth it if it brings money and help and attention to the people who are badly in need of that. Maybe the means are not the best but in this instance I think it's justified by the end.

[Sambo-Chris]

With thoughts like yours, nobody could do something. Sure, behind every charity and stuff like this also is some kind of promotion. Everything has a good and a negative side. Of course companys use this for promotion but it also gets attention for the main reason this is created. Nobody would broadcast or talk about it when only unknown bands were there and someone unknown would create this. And IF someone unknown would do it you probably would say he/she just wants to get into the public.

Everything has two sides.

I'm not a fan of Bob Geldof either though but I will drive to Berlin to see the bands playing there.

[Becky]

Just going to pour some fuel on this one. This is causing some discussion on another site I visit. So what do JT'ers think?

LIVE 8-PHILLY WILL HAVE GOURMET CATERING BACKSTAGE
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- The celebrities who will be pushing for an
end to poverty in Africa at Live 8 in Philadelphia will be noshing
on sushi and ribs backstage. Philadelphia restaurateur Stephen
Starr is providing the backstage catering for the event. The
gourmet menu includes crispy calamari salad, char-grilled dry aged
beef, chicken and ginger dumplings, salmon sushi and tea-smoked
spare ribs. Starr says he doesn't see a contradiction that his
staff is giving high-end food to celebrities who will contribute to
awareness of world leaders. Starr himself is making no money off
this. He's donating his services and estimates he'll lose about
20-thousand dollars.



The cynic in me sees some irony in celebs eating like this while trying to benefit people who are starving in Africa.

The fair-minded part of me says, "Okay, it's a donation, so it's not like the celebs really have any say in the matter. And perhaps publicizing it is just a way to ward off any fodder for scandal later."

But how many of them wouldn't rather just pick up some food on the way to or from the gig and see that $20,000 go to relief funds?

Yes, they need to have plenty of water and liquids for people who are performing outdoors and it's probably a good idea to have some food. But this kind of food seems extreme.

[spunkywho]

Originally Posted by Becky

But how many of them wouldn't rather just pick up some food on the way to or from the gig and see that $20,000 go to relief funds?

Ugh, I don't understand why people just don't seem to get it.

Rich people spend lots of money on food, catering, and all sorts of extravaganza. The money they spend is income to other people. Income to the caterers feeds children, pays taxes, keeps the economy going. It's that simple. It's a good thing.

[ponrauil]

If such events were so profitable to companies rather than the third world, they'd happen every month.
Famous people and company have influence on people, if not to orientate their judgement, at least to make the people aware of some issues. This power is what guys like Geldof and Bono are using.
They wouldn't have the same press coverage, the amount of people attending, buying, the amount of money raised if the sponsor was the hairdresser from next door rather than AOL (as much as I hate this company).

Celebrities can manage to get things move faster. Just look at the 3rd world debt that will be reset for some 50 countries in the next years. Look at the progress on fare trade. We might still be waiting for these decisions if people like Bono or Geldof sat on their asses.
Bono, for one, has opened several institutions for the homeless right here in Montreal, and I can tell you the money raised and the one coming from is own pocket is very well used.

No one is asking to be the saviour here. It's just a call for some solidarity.

Ponrauil

[Iceman]

The problem is that _there is no money going to the 3rd world_. The concerts won't make a buck. They're not held to gather money, nada. No money. None. The idea is to spread awareness of the problem and maybe convince the leaders of the G8 countries to do something.

So, no, no money is being sent anywhere. It doesn't directly help anyone.

Ice

[rainsong]

But it does help in that politicians are motivated by publicity and numbers. Therefore if the number of people attending is high enough and the publicity big enough politicians won't be able to just ignore the situation which is what they have often done. I don't think Bono or Geldolf expect to change the situation immediately, I think instead this time they are looking to shift long term policies toward Africa so there can be an increase in allowing these nations to return to self sufficiency. All the aid in the world won't help if it just becomes a lifestyle, these people need the tools and skills to be self suffficient, that takes time, but it can't be done if the whole contry spends most of it's income paying back loans from the G8. Relieving this debt may be the one thing that helps some of these countries turn the corner. As long as that is even a possibility it needs to happen.
If these famous musicians are willing to entertain you for free and all they are getting is a little free publicity for new projects I don't see a problem. they are spending their time, using their voice the best way they know how. It may not be a perfect way but it beats doing nothing in my book.

[Iceman]

Originally Posted by rainsong

But it does help in that politicians are motivated by publicity and numbers. Therefore if the number of people attending is high enough and the publicity big enough politicians won't be able to just ignore the situation which is what they have often done.

Why couldn't they? There's nothing to force them to do anything.

If these famous musicians are willing to entertain you for free and all they are getting is a little free publicity for new projects I don't see a problem. they are spending their time, using their voice the best way they know how. It may not be a perfect way but it beats doing nothing in my book.

I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but I wouldn't expect any real results.

Ice

[Martin]

If such events were so profitable to companies rather than the third world, they'd happen every month.

nope- soon everyone would see what a farce this all is and there'd be equally big campains against it....

Famous people and company have influence on people, if not to orientate their judgement, at least to make the people aware of some issues. This power is what guys like Geldof and Bono are using.

and what do they expect? i think we all knew before that africa is damn poor- but after live8 many will think that the G8 are responsible for that

Celebrities can manage to get things move faster. Just look at the 3rd world debt that will be reset for some 50 countries in the next years. Look at the progress on fare trade. We might still be waiting for these decisions if people like Bono or Geldof sat on their asses.

the reset of their debts can not really be linked to geldof/bono- they said it's their primary target- they're gonna march at edinbourgh (i guess...) and say that they want the debts reset. now the debts were reset in previous without putting up a pseudo-historical march.

But it does help in that politicians are motivated by publicity and numbers. Therefore if the number of people attending is high enough and the publicity big enough politicians won't be able to just ignore the situation which is what they have often done.

one more time: AWARENESS that the ppl in africa are poor is nothing new- we all now it and we all know it since we were 4 years old. and AWARENESS doesn't save their lifes- it doesn't even make their situation any better. the politicians also know that africa is poor- and guess what: they don't know it cause there is a geldof or a bono!
so in the end of that thing the politicians will give in a bit, bono and geldof are gonna say "this is not enough" in the first sentence and "look, the politicians have made some decisions cause we're so good" while they sit on their pot of gold they made out of selling tv-rights, dvd-rights and so on... and they can just hope that the chaos they cause in 9 cities around the globe doesn't take lives... and the situation in africa? stays the same... (but at least everyone knows now that african ppl are poor)