Re: Live Aid

[msecero@attmail.com (Martin J Secero)]

My Live Aid 1985 memories center around long lines to the bathroom, the
hairy armpits of a French woman next to me, and the WHO performing one of the
worst performances I have ever seen from ANY group.

Live Aid was my first experience travelling abroad to participate in a
WHO-related activity. I flew to London with my first WHO friend, Melissa K.
from Brooklyn (now she's Melissa H., happily married and living in England).
We met up with some other WHO friends/fans, some of which are subscribers to
this list: Jared Houser (hi Jared!!!), Gooch (the Utica, N.Y.-based
gravedigger--you can see him in the audience on the Pete Townshend LIVE video-
-the PsychoDerelict PPV), Marc Cohen (ex-editor of WHO's News, the
long-defunct fanzine), and a few others whose names I can't remember. We
shared two hotel rooms at the Hotel Tara in Kensington, I think (not too too
far from the Sticky Fingers, the Bill Wyman/Rolling Stones eatery). We were
all psyched that the WHO were reuniting for this huge global event.

On the day of the show (Sat. 7/13/85), we prepared for the show by getting
food, soda (a 3-liter Coke bottle!!!), and supplies. At Wembley Stadium, we
waited on a huge line to get into the stadium. For those who don't know,
Wembley Stadium is a general admission stadium, except for the upper level and
the boxes, which are reserved seating. For an English music fan to see a show
there, you have to basically pre-empt your entire day & get there HOURS before
the gates begin in order to insure a good seat. There are no seats on the
field at all (they call it "the pitch"). When we got in, we immediately went
to the pitch and got within 50 feet of the stage, at approximately the center
of the stage. We were in the same general area for the whole show, and the
sun was beating down like a motherf....

The standouts for me (other than the WHO) were:
1) Queen - Without doubt, the best band of the day, at least at the UK show.

2) U2 - Tied for best band of the day. Contrary to how Bono felt afterwards, I
   thought that his jump into the front of the crowd was touching. Besides 
   being a WHO fanatic, I 'm also a rabid U2 fan, so of course this was a 
   highlight.

3) The sight of Paul McCartney and Pete T. raising up a tired, shattered Bob 
   Geldof during "Let It Be". A triumphant moment.             

4) Elvis Costello performing 'All You Need Is Love" after he introduces it as 
   a "Northern English Folk Song". FYI to all Elvis Costello fans--his new 
   album of covers, entitled Kojak Variety, is out in stores today.          

Now, about the WHO that day......

To be honest, they were sloppy, snotty, thunderous, out of sync with each 
other, obviously non-plussed about being in one another's company. Yet, there
was an exciting edge, as if no one knew what to expect next. FYI---At the 
infamous moment of the blackout ("why don't ya all ffff---*****"), I was 50 
feet from the stage, dead center. I know that the power at Wembley did NOT go 
down on stage. However, I did notice that the side screens weren't working, 
and there may have been a shut down of the main P.A. speakers. But I remember 
thinking, "I hope their performance is getting out to the rest of the world". 
I was watching their interactions intently. After Love Reign O'er Me, the 
best-performed song of the set, Pete said to the crowd, "We were just 
about....getting there.....wherever it is we're supposed to end up..." Pete 
then looks to the left sidestage, presumably at Bob Pridden the sound man, and
shouts "Yes, Yes, YES!!!" Whatever sound problem Pete was having was corrected
at that point, and WGFA began incredibly, with Pete whacking the HELL out of 
his Gold Schecter Tele. The gaff in the middle of the song was made up for by 
the raucous finale, when Pete falls on his back after an attempted kick at the
mike stand. Roger saw Pete's fall and took a tumble himself, a true moment of
solidarity. At the end, Pete did 16 windmills in a row! As the band walked
off, I remember Pete stopping to give the crowd a two-handed kiss. Sloppy,
savage, impromptu, sarcastic----that's my memory of the WHO at Live Aid.

Marty Secero

"Your love's just like heroin, this addict is mellowing..."