Live Aid turns 35 today

There has been a lot of talk today about the 35th anniversary of Live Aid on July 13, 1985.   If you were around 35 years ago, you will know that Live Aid was a pretty big deal.     Just about anyone who was anyone in music at the time (except for Michael Jackson) was involved in this charity concert.   It was broadcast live around the world and I think why people remember it so much is because it was on MTV with SO many major superstars.   (That is just my opinion)

It was also a big day for Beatle fans.  The 1980s had been a pretty quiet time for fans.   After John's murder, things were just sad.   But Paul McCartney came out and performed for Live Aid.  It was the first time Paul had performed live since 1979.   For the first time in so long, Paul's fans had something to be excited about. 

And then the unthinkable happens.   Paul is at the piano and his microphone is not working.  For two full minutes, Paul is on live television and those watching at home cannot hear him.    It is obvious he is singing "Let it Be" because the concert-goers are singing it.   Paul looks good with a little gray hair starting to show.  Finally, at two minutes into the performance, Paul's microphone suddenly starts to work and he can be heard singing the chorus of "Let it Be."   He sounds good, maybe a little nervous, but he sounds good.   Linda was there too --- taking photographs on the stage.

Paul is seen soon after for the finale of  "Do They Know It's Christmas."    Paul can be spotted jumping up and down and dancing around during the verses with Linda next to him.   Eventually, he gets up closer and shares a microphone with Bono. 

Paul didn't want the historical moment of him singing "Let it Be" to be shown again with the microphone issues.  Being Paul the perfectionist that he is,  he went into a studio on July 14 and re-recorded his vocals to be overdubbed for the future.   And that is what has been released to this day --  the first two minutes of Paul's re-recording of "Let it Be."

Goodbye to George Michael

I am a 1980's kid.   I was born in the late 1970's and was a kid in the 1980's and a teenager in the 1990's.    I don't think I had a whole lot of amazing music growing up, at not like the music of the 1960's.   But I had Wham! and George Michael.     I loved George Michael!  I thought he was gorgeous.   I thought his voice was awesome.   Faith was the first album I ever had on CD (and the only one I had on CD for a very long time because CDs were very expensive back then) and I had the entire Wham! collection on cassette tape.  

I was shocked and so sad to hear that George Michael had passed away today.   Of all of the deaths this past year, George Michael is the one that has touched me the most (well---next to George Martin) because I truly listened to his music all the time growing up.   It was always playing in the background.  


George Michael was a Beatles fan.   In 2000 he famously bought John Lennon's "Imagine" piano and then had it go on tour.    The piano is the upright piano that John used to write the song "Imagine" and it has a cigarette burn on one of the keys from John.    I thought the piano tour was something right out of John and Yoko's peace campaign handbook.    The piano was sent to places were there had been violence such as school shootings, murders, etc.   And the piano brought a little bit of peace to everywhere it went.  People came together and sang "Imagine" or other John Lennon songs around the piano.   Photos were taken.   Friends laughed.    What an amazing way to spread John's message of peace!

It was said that George Michael also bought the famous white Imagine piano and has it on loan to the Beatles Story museum in Liverpool.    And it is also suspect that he owns various other Beatles items  and could  have been one of the mysterious British bidders at the high end auctions.

The first time I was aware of George Michael meeting a Beatle was in 1985, when George was on the same stage as Paul McCartney during Live Aid.

In October 1988, George Harrison attending a party in George Michael's honor for the success of his album, "Faith."

In 2005, George Michael and Paul got together again for Live Aid and they performed a great version of "Drive my Car"

They also recorded a amazing duet of Michael's song "Heal the Pain" a year later.  If you haven't ever heard this song, I HIGHLY recommend looking it up on youtube.  

I am sorry that such a talent man died at such a young age.   He will be remembered for his great musi