Live Aid promoter hits out at “busybodies and woke people and do-gooders” who have an issue with Band Aid single

nme.com:

Bob Geldof and Midge Ure in 1984 and sought to raise money for the Ethiopian famine. Since then, two other versions of the track have been released in 2004 and 2014.A new, 40th anniversary mix of the original song was unveiled today, bringing together all of the voices from all three versions, including Sting, Boy George, Sam Smith, Harry Styles, Chris Martin, Elbow‘s Guy Garvey, Sugababes, Bananarama, Seal, Sinéad O’Connor, Rita Ora, Robbie Williams, Kool and the Gang, Underworld and more.However, the leadup to the release of the ‘Ultimate Mix’ of the charity single has been mired with controversy, after Ed Sheeran – who featured in the 2014 version – said that he had not been asked for his permission for the 2024 edition, and if he had been, he would have respectfully declined.In a statement shared on Instagram, Sheeran referenced Ghanaian-English artist Fuse ODG’s refusal to be part of the track’s 2014 edition.

In his reasoning, Fuse explained how the efforts to raise money for Africa also led to “perpetuat[ing] damaging stereotypes” on the continent.Sheeran added: “A decade on and my understanding of the narrative associated with this has changed,” he wrote. “This is just my personal stance, I’m hoping it’s a forward-looking one.”Now, Harvey Goldsmith, the track’s promoter, has responded to Sheeran and Fuse’s comments in an interview with Times Radio today (November 25).Goldsmith told the station: “We wanted to do something to help.

It’s as simple as that. And all these busybodies and woke people and do-gooders who know everything, let them get out and do something.” He also criticised the media for “trying to big it up into something that it isn’t.”Referencing Sheeran specifically, Goldsmith said the singer is.