Live 8: Bob Geldof über die Pink Floyd Reunion

Das neue Mojo Magazin enthält neben der Syd Barrett Girlfriend Story, auch ein Interview mit Bob Geldof. Er spricht  auch kurz über Pink Floyd und deren Teilnahme am Live 8 Konzert. Geldof bezeichnete Pink Floyd, als die “angeblich” griesgrämigsten Personen, die es im Rockgeschäft gibt! Zu dieser Einschätzung kommt er bestimmt wegen der sehr mühsamen Überzeugungsarbeit, die geleistet werden musste, um David Gilmour zu diesem Auftritt zu bewegen. Mehrmals hat Geldof Gilmour zu Hause besucht, um ihn davon zu überzeugen, aber erst, nachdem er Roger Waters ins Spiel gebracht hatte, und dieser Gilmour anrief, stimmte er nach einer 24stündigen Bedenkzeit! Geldof erwähnt außerdem, dass Pink Floyd ihre “Live-8-Proben” bereitwillig filmen haben lassen, als Bonusmaterial für die “Live-8-DVD-Box”. Und damit mit Sicherheit einen zusätzlichen Kaufanreiz für viele Pink-Floyd-Fans und andere setzten.

So why did Live 8 get so much stick?

Bob Geldof: I don’t think punters got it even though there were millions of them. That romantic resonance wasn’t there, although I imagine Floyd freaks will remember it as the last time the band could be together on stage. The critics were saying, where were the blacks? Hello?! Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Fuckin Snoop, Will Smith!? And – who are those fuckers? – oh yeah, Black Eyed Peas.

‘They’re all old guys,’ the press said. Oh yeah? Fuckin’ Pete Doherty, Ashcroft, fuckin’ The Killers, Razorhead – er, …lite – who the fuck else? [Heated] It was bollocks! It was so huge, they might as well dis it. But actually, If you look at the tapes, arguably it’s a better concert. [Calms down, pauses, thinks] OK, Live Aid is a phenomenal concert. Outside of the obvious U2s and Queens, who deliver their defining moments in my view, there was Elvis Costello doing All You Need Is Love looking at the lyric on his cuff. Bowie giving it mega… McCartney, not having played solo for years, nervous as fuck and his mike breaks and Townshend comes out to help him. It was rock’n’roll being amazing. Turns out all you do need is love after all.

At both events, you had co-operation from some notably unco-operative people…

Bob Geldof: For Live 8, Pink Floyd let us have total access to the rehearsals, let us film it and let us use it for whatever purpose we liked. These are supposedly the most curmudgeonly people in rock. Zeppelin and Sabbath got back together for Live Aid. And when we found the tapes at the Beeb to do the Live Aid DVD, I showed them to Jimmy. Planty said yes, we could use it, but Jimmy said he couldn’t: ‘I can’t Bob, it’s so shit.’ I said, ‘It’s not shit Jim, it’s really not shit. It’s a pity people can’t see it. But you’re the only fucker who’s refusing.’ ‘I can’t… I can’t.’ A week or so later, I get a letter from Jimmy. ‘Tell you what, we have a new Zeppelin Live DVD out. Take all the money. Take all the money.’ Amazing generosity. I hate it when people diss rock’n’roll. Hate it! Twats, you know?

Mehr von Bob Geldofs Interview könnt ihr hier nachlesen: Mojo: Bob Geldof über Live Aid und Live 8