CBC Arts: Geldof defends Bush's Africa policy
CBC Arts: Geldof defends Bush's Africa policy
George W. Bush has done more to help Africa than other U.S. presidents, says Live 8 organizer Bob Geldof.
Geldof made the comment in an interview in the current issue of Time magazine. The Irish rocker was relating how he had to defend Bush while he was in France.
Bob Geldof (AP photo)
"[The French] refuse to accept, because of their political ideology, that he has actually done more than any American president for Africa. But it's empirically so," Geldof said.
The interview, which also included U2 lead singer Bono and Four Weddings and a Funeral screenwriter Richard Curtis, appears as organizers rush to finalize the details of Live 8, a series of concerts being held around the world on July 2.
The goal of the event is to put pressure on the leaders of the G8 nations, who are meeting in Scotland from July 6 to 8, to help poor African nations.
The lineup and venue for the Canadian edition of Live 8 will be unveiled at a press conference on Tuesday.
RELATED STORY: Venue for Canada's Live 8 concert still unconfirmed
Geldof reveals in the interview that he was initially reluctant to help spearhead Live 8 because he thinks 1985's Live Aid can't be topped.
"Not to be immodest, but the first one was perfect in almost every sense," he said.
"Artistically, people seemed to up the ante, and the performances were pretty great across the board. Huge amounts of money were raised, not a penny lost, and politically it elevated the issue onto the global table. The whole thing just worked, unbelievably."
FROM THE ARCHIVES: Banding Together: Singing Out for Disaster Relief
However, the former leader of the Boomtown Rats says he finally gave in and agreed to stage the concerts after being pressured by Bono and Curtis, two close friends.
Geldof was also asked how he is paying for the concerts, to which admittance is free.
"The funding? It's a massive risk. In the U.K. we raised a lot of it from a text-message ticket lottery. I raised $5 million through an underwriting loan. We did an auction of the DVD rights. You find a way," he explained.
Time asked Geldof about the criticism from some corners about the predominantly white lineup for the concerts. Geldof defended his decision to recruit the likes of Pink Floyd, Coldplay, Paul McCartney, Joss Stone and Madonna, saying he picks performers based on how many fans they have.
Geldof said he is also campaigning to have Pope Benedict involved in some way in Live 8, and Bono added that he thinks Bush can make a huge contribution.
"He feels he's already doubled and tripled aid to Africa, which he has. But he started from far too low a place," the U2 frontman said.
"He can stand there and say he paid at the office already. He shouldn't, because he'll be left out of the history books. But it's hard for him because of the expense of the war and the debts. But I have a hunch that he will step forward with something."
George W. Bush has done more to help Africa than other U.S. presidents, says Live 8 organizer Bob Geldof.
Geldof made the comment in an interview in the current issue of Time magazine. The Irish rocker was relating how he had to defend Bush while he was in France.
Bob Geldof (AP photo)
"[The French] refuse to accept, because of their political ideology, that he has actually done more than any American president for Africa. But it's empirically so," Geldof said.
The interview, which also included U2 lead singer Bono and Four Weddings and a Funeral screenwriter Richard Curtis, appears as organizers rush to finalize the details of Live 8, a series of concerts being held around the world on July 2.
The goal of the event is to put pressure on the leaders of the G8 nations, who are meeting in Scotland from July 6 to 8, to help poor African nations.
The lineup and venue for the Canadian edition of Live 8 will be unveiled at a press conference on Tuesday.
RELATED STORY: Venue for Canada's Live 8 concert still unconfirmed
Geldof reveals in the interview that he was initially reluctant to help spearhead Live 8 because he thinks 1985's Live Aid can't be topped.
"Not to be immodest, but the first one was perfect in almost every sense," he said.
"Artistically, people seemed to up the ante, and the performances were pretty great across the board. Huge amounts of money were raised, not a penny lost, and politically it elevated the issue onto the global table. The whole thing just worked, unbelievably."
FROM THE ARCHIVES: Banding Together: Singing Out for Disaster Relief
However, the former leader of the Boomtown Rats says he finally gave in and agreed to stage the concerts after being pressured by Bono and Curtis, two close friends.
Geldof was also asked how he is paying for the concerts, to which admittance is free.
"The funding? It's a massive risk. In the U.K. we raised a lot of it from a text-message ticket lottery. I raised $5 million through an underwriting loan. We did an auction of the DVD rights. You find a way," he explained.
Time asked Geldof about the criticism from some corners about the predominantly white lineup for the concerts. Geldof defended his decision to recruit the likes of Pink Floyd, Coldplay, Paul McCartney, Joss Stone and Madonna, saying he picks performers based on how many fans they have.
Geldof said he is also campaigning to have Pope Benedict involved in some way in Live 8, and Bono added that he thinks Bush can make a huge contribution.
"He feels he's already doubled and tripled aid to Africa, which he has. But he started from far too low a place," the U2 frontman said.
"He can stand there and say he paid at the office already. He shouldn't, because he'll be left out of the history books. But it's hard for him because of the expense of the war and the debts. But I have a hunch that he will step forward with something."
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