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Home , Bob Geldof, Harvey Goldsmith, Live 8, Live Aid

News – Leeds alumni Photo: Phil Dent Good in a crisis

While countries around the world face uncertain financial markets and disasters, both natural and man-made, expertise in crisis management is proving valuable. Kim Yang Lim (Chinese with Linguistics & Phonetics 1977) In brief is owner and consultant director with Fulignati Asia, where she The new Head of External Relations at the National Landlords specialises in risk and business Association is Simon Gordon continuity management. (Political Studies 1977).

Having worked for 20 Guy Parsons (History 1984) has years in crisis management been appointed Chief Executive and communication with Officer of Travelodge. multinationals in the Middle East and Asia Pacific, Kim says: T“ he Lucy (Hamilton-Turner) Kerr (MA connection between my field of Applied Translation Studies 2005) work and my studies at Leeds has successfully completed the National Federation of Property may not be obvious. But it was Professionals Diploma in Residential my fascination for the art and Estate Agency, making her a qualified science of communication that estate agent in the British Isles. took me to Leeds in the first place, and then into public relations and Mick Yates (Mathematics & eventually to crisis management. Philosophy 1972) has been Another passion that I have kept appointed as a visiting professor at since my Leeds days is Leeds Leeds University Business School. United. There are quite a few of Zahida Manzoor CBE (HVCert 1983) us with United stickers on our is the Legal Services Ombudsman cars in Singapore!” for and Wales.

Video direction by Mark Olsen (MA Theatre Studies 1993) was recognised with a 2010 Telly Award. Jakarta Based in Los Angeles, Mark writes transport and directs short films, video and viral videos for corporate clients.

Photo: Richard Hanson Daryati Asrining Rini (MSc Jonathan Hammond (Geography the day 2002) became ’s most Transport Studies 1993) has successful athlete in Commonwealth been using knowledge gained Games history at this year’s at Leeds since she became head competition in Delhi. Jonathan won Unusual Suspect of Transjakarta in 2008. The two gold medals, silver and a bronze organisation runs rapid transit in four different shooting events. music Kettle crime at Charles Morris Hall buses in Indonesia’s bustling capital city, Jakarta. Transjakarta Simon Barret (Colour Chemistry transports around 275,000 1994) has won the UK Chilli Award passengers each day on 426 for his chilli jam. Simon trades as Trisch (Whiteley) Thornton choice. “I don’t think that I was buses. Daryati oversees six bus the ‘Chilli Jam Man’, supplying to changed (Medicine 1970) has fond abnormally sociable though,” around 30 specialist retailers. operators and works closely with memories of a sociable life says Trisch. security and ticketing companies around staircase two in Charles Anna Jacobs (General Studies 1962) to keep the city moving. Morris Hall, but she also In those days authority was not has just published her fiftieth novel, remembers losing her deposit easily questioned. “I don’t think Farewell to Lancashire. A resident of since 1973, she is now the world? for bad behaviour. it entered my head to complain the seventh most borrowed author of about it,” says Trisch. “In fact I popular fiction from UK libraries. Having not broken anything was rather proud that I had been through her stay in 1965-66, seen to have so many friends.” ITV has recommissioned the DCI Trisch blithely went to collect Banks TV series, based on the 13 July 1985: galvanises the developed world to her refund, only to be told that A few years ago, Trisch, now bestselling novels by Peter Robinson respond to the Ethiopian . Twenty-five years later, she was being penalised for married to Peter Thornton (English 1974, Honorary DLitt Leeds alumni recall their involvement, in and “excess use of the kettle.” Today (Medicine 1970), got together 2009) after its ratings success in , and assess the legacy she admits to socialising with with a few staircase two friends the UK. Filming is due to begin her medic friends in the staircase in Harrogate. But, she recalls, in spring 2011. two kitchen and, in those days, “We drank more wine than Words: Phil Sutcliffe coffee was usually the tipple of coffee on that occasion.”

04 –– Autumn/Winter 2010 Autumn/Winter 2010 –– 05 Feature – Live Aid Legacy Live Aid Legacy – Feature

Clockwise from top: The Mark Knopfler (English 1973, expert view Honorary DMus 1985) of Simon Warner, (Photo: Getty Images) — , fresh lecturer on from dropping in to a wedding reception to popular music apologise for the noise (Photo: Phil Dent) — studies, reflects on : “pleased to do my the Live Aid concert bit”(Photo: Phil Dent) —

n October 23, 1984, manager that 4pm () was of the event, Elvis Costello, hit the Wembley , BBC TV News broadcast perfection globally because it gave her spot with and 13 July: “not one artist was late or ’s first report prime-time television in Europe and responded to Pete’s apology – he’d went missing” from the Korem refugee breakfast in Australasia. been cut from “three songs with (Photo: Phil Dent) camp, Ethiopia, where tens Apart from management placation, band” to “one song solo” – with an — of thousands of starving Pete took care of logistics too. He unassuming, “Pleased to do my bit”. people gathered and a organised the backstage catering, Cock-up of the day? The awkward hundred died every day. helicopters from to Wembley culture clash around Yusuf Islam, watched, decided the only and back, buses for artist transport formerly , says Pete. He thing he couldn’t do was nothing and and to sleep the crew backstage turned up backstage for a solo spot launched Band Aid. and… a piano tuner. Everyone did it which would have been his first public Less famously, Pete Smith for expenses, but most chose not to performance since 1978. Pete, who’d (Sociology 1974) watched the same send them in – and invited him, introduced him to Geldof bulletin: “Babies dying in front of the covered the cost of leaving his stage up and Goldsmith. Yusuf said he would “I watched it on TV. The stuff of dreams: cameras… Everybody was too shocked from the previous week. sing an Islamic children’s song. Fixed an iconic stadium, 70,000 crowd, great to cry.” It never crossed his mind that As Pete proudly recollects, on the notion that the most popular But ABC didn’t get it. Hence the artists, a quarter of the Earth tuning he was about to play a central role in “We lived in a world of trust and songs would result in more donations absence of the Jacksons, , in – an audacious attempt to transform the greatest global music show ever. professionalism.” from grateful viewers, Geldof said, no, and others. rock’s popularity into a force for good Post-Leeds, the former Ents Sec But on 13 July, 1985, Andy he should do one of his hits. Although Twenty years later at , had worked successfully as a manager Kershaw still felt like an amateur. Pete argued that Yusuf’s song would be with the black Americans’ battle and for change. In the end, the fantastic (The Kinks, The Chieftains) and tour Not long out of Leeds (Ents Sec and different but appropriate, neither would won, Andy found himself embroiled amount of money raised was still a drop manager so, in mid-March, 1985, it political studies non-graduate 1981, compromise and Yusuf didn’t play. because he highlighted the lack of in the ocean of Africa’s hunger crisis. It was no surprise when top promoter African artists on the UK bill when the drew the world’s attention to the problem summoned him to whole enterprise was aimed at raising though, and I don’t think politicians a meeting. But the subject floored him: Africa-consciousness immediately could have done that. Live Aid. before the Gleneagles G8 conference “Geldof was astonishing; a minor Goldsmith needed an event ­—The presenters made of rich-world leaders. When some and fading figure, but through force of co-ordinator, independently employed African bands were belatedly invited, will and energy and determination a by the Band Aid charity (£250 a week, he says, they featured at the “fringe” gobby Irishman with a fabulous turn of their only paid worker) to guard event at Cornwall’s , not phrase created something magnificent, against vested interests – namely, it up as we went along in London or . At which took on the world, and won. Pop had the BBC which would broadcast he piled into the debate with a fiery been a fly-by-night wild child. With Live the concert, and Band Aid board editorial piece in , Aid it became an adult, assuming social member Goldsmith who routinely DMus 2005) and a stint roadie-ing Meanwhile, Live Aid day’s most arguing that the crux of the issue responsibility. Since then it’s been used promoted tours for many of the for Billy Bragg, he found himself brilliant bit of coping, Pete later wasn’t skin colour but culture: “My in countless ways to support people in possible performers. Pete accepted and addressing untold millions around the learned, came from helicopter pilot point wasn’t about black artists, it was terrible disasters. Goldsmith cordially told him “Don’t world because he’d recently joined the Jed Hughes and his late-afternoon about African artists.” “Live 8, in 2005, tried to capture bother me, get on with it!” team of presenters on Whistle Test, passenger David Bowie. A Wembley But, naturally, bestriding the globe Overall, while Pete accentuates the the spirit of Live Aid, but indulgently He got stuck into firming up were given the Live Aid job. cricket club had allowed their pitch on the telly while trying to tackle positive about the whole experience and sentimentally, which made it feel bill with a one-page, no-fee, From a sweltering Wembley to become a temporary helipad. geopolitical catastrophes with pop (on Live 8 he helped organise in second-rate. The issues were too no-nonsense contract. As bankable Stadium commentary box, the However, they also had a wedding songs threw up conflicts. Philadelphia), he adds: “Organising names like , Dire Straits and presenters “made it up as we went reception in the pavilion and the Pete followed, though he had no Live Aid, our morale held up because complicated – economic, environmental Queen committed, widespread along”. Andy had no trouble with the families were demanding that Hughes responsibility for, the unfolding story ‘something was being done’, but I – compared to the inspired appeal to hesitancy was replaced by queues of Africa/politics interviews. What nearly stop flying. He told Bowie who said, of why so many major black artists didn’t go with any cant that it was feed the hungry. There was a sense suddenly altruistic managers asking undid him, not being a cinemagoer, “Leave this to me”, walked into the didn’t appear in Philadelphia. The nub changing the world. I know ultimately that politicians were riding on a cultural Pete, “Why can’t my artist play?” was . “Who is he?” he reception, hollered “Sorry to interrupt, of it, he says, was that ABC TV, which governments create and event too. – followed by haggles aplenty about muttered to the director, who mouthed but we just wanted to say we’re carried a two-hour highlights show on governments have to solve them.” “Live Aid was a force for good, where in the line-up said star might “Actor!” just as the distinguished sorry about the noise…” and had his the Saturday night, wouldn’t feature the certainly. A force for change, I’m not appear. thespian took his seat. Andy photograph with the bride and black artists because their advertisers sure. But back in 1985 there was an Among several triumphs of improvised, “Well, John, I wonder groom. Problem solved! wanted , Dylan and such. To find more about Leeds’ links to immaculate trade-off for everyone who hard-nosed diplomacy, Pete recalls what the acting profession might be Pete and Andy both took some “The black artists said they weren’t Live Aid visit www.leeds.ac.uk played – be altruistic saviours of Africa levering out of a promised able to do for Ethiopia?” satisfaction from their parts in raising coming unless their status was properly and sell truckloads of records!” opening spot because Geldof insisted Meanwhile, backstage, given £100 million which Band Aid then acknowledged on television,” says that Status Quo had to start with that “not one artist was late or went distributed as diligently as possible to Pete. “After ’s Thriller, Rockin’ All Over The World, and, missing”, co-ordinator Pete largely feed people and contribute to easing power and market share in the industry on a US visit, persuading ’s enjoyed the day. His performer hero impoverishment long-term. was changing hands.”

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Sir Peter Blake’s Live In Ethiopia Aid programme cover, a partner to his artwork feature on cover of expert view the Band Aid Do They Know it’s Christmas? Lionel Cliffe, Single. Rare prints of both, signed by Blake and Sir Bob Geldof, emeritus professor hang in the University’s Sir Peter Blake music of politics, reflects art gallery. — on food insecurity in Ethiopia

he journalist watching that television, dancing in Top two images: “Live Aid’s 25th anniversary brings back memories, not so much of the concert (English and Philosophy that crowd, playing on that stage, Air dropping food 1974) recalls “On July 13, the obverse of our cruelty was made relief operation in but of seeing events on the ground for 1985, I was at the Acropole manifest… Remember on the day you the Wollo region myself,” says Dr Lionel Cliffe, then a senior of Ethiopia Hotel, Khartoum. In the die, there is someone alive in Africa cos during the 1985 lecturer at Leeds, now emeritus professor lounge, all the aid workers one day you watched a pop concert.” famine. (Photo: of politics. In 1986, he spent months in gathered round the telly Conversely, Jane Plastow, now Claudio Viezzoli) Eritrea, then part of Ethiopia and badly ­— watching Live Aid. I just felt director of Leeds University Centre Bottom image: famine-affected. He was one of a Leeds scornful of bloody pop stars thinking for African Studies, then a teacher in University research team commissioned they could solve Africa’s problems.” , experienced Live Aid as Tented refugee camp, Ethiopia by aid agencies to assess continuing need, But fate – and Bob Geldof – were an affront to Ethiopians’ culture and (Photo: Getty trying to clarify the tangled causes of the waiting to change his view. history: “Although they were grateful Images) famine – drought or civil war? He feels Live — A junior reporter on , for the outpouring of support, there Aid’s mass humanitarian emotions tended dispatched to Ethiopia in January, was great crassness from the West and to oversimplify and ignore the political. 1985, he found he couldn’t stomach On this “quite adventurous trip”, they the standard press-pack approach: a distressing need for a feel-good factor visited some of the 400 villages surveyed, “Most reporters stayed at the Addis among charity givers.” Ababa Hilton, flew out to a refugee Ethiopian Bekele Geleta (MA driving at night over rough terrain to avoid camp for the day, and filed a famine ­—Live Aid reshaped the Transport Studies 1974, LLD 2010), Government spotter planes (bombers report before sitting down to steak and now Geneva-based secretary-general could follow). They witnessed the Eritrean a bottle of claret.” of the International Federation of Red and Tigrayan liberation fronts’ impressive Deciding to look beyond the humanitarian industry with Cross and Red Crescent Societies, relief organisations in the areas they had clichés, he travelled overland with aid has mixed feelings. Working for the liberated, getting food through that had workers for a week at a time, building Ethiopian Red Cross in 1985, he found been delivered by Inter-Church Aid, Save his knowledge of what caused the better purpose and vision the concert pained him: “I watched The Children, and Band Aid. famine: drought itself, but also the on TV. The audience’s emotion But small personal experiences Government’s oppressive regime, its strengthened my belief in humanity. sometimes overshadowed the systematic wars with independence movements But, deep in me, I felt very bad about fact gathering, about losses of access in Eritrea and Tigray, and the West’s “£100 million in his back pocket”. shouldn’t be written by an academic, Ethiopians being pitied.” to land and markets, of animals rapacious attitude to trade with Africa. Close up, he noted his companion’s Paul got the job (he’d long since moved Yet, in retrospect, he recognises and livelihoods. For instance, while But he recalls how, after a lot trenchant “lack of deference”, from The Times to The Independent). substantial long-term benefit: “Live researching herders’ livestock depletion, of interviews with impoverished especially back in Ethiopia. When The main target for the report’s Aid contributed in influencing world they came to a village and the head man and starving people, one experience immigration refused “enemy of recommendations on debt cancellation, public opinion to mobilise a big said he’d gladly talk, but first he must feed opened his eyes: “This woman, Fatima the revolution” Paul entry, Geldof removing trade barriers to developing- amount of money, to build global them. “They slaughtered a goat,” Lionel Muhammed, who’d just told me the threatened to get straight back on the world products, and increasing aid was commitment never again to allow loss recalls. “The tradition of hospitality meant child she held in her arms was dying, plane unless they let him in. Then, face- the G8 conference of the world’s leading of human life of that magnitude due we ate one of their last animals.” started asking me questions: Did I have to-face with , economies, set for July 6-8, 2005, at to the lack of basic necessities, and Today, he points out, even without children? How were they? That brought chairman of the military junta, Gleneagles, Scotland. Geldof and ’s to reshape the humanitarian industry a drought, 10 per cent of Ethiopia’s 85 it home: this was not A Victim Of The Geldof called him “a bloodthirsty launched a deliberate Live Aid with better purpose, vision, discipline, Famine, she was a real person with her ****”. follow-up, Live 8 – in each of systems, operational preparedness, million people need food relief. Figures own life and her own… etiquette.” A beautiful 25-year friendship the G8 countries plus . accountability and transparency.” released in October 2010 by the World He’s not sure whether such between Paul and Geldof ensued. Once Paul being not just an expert For his part, Paul has constantly Bank say 40 percent are under the insights affected his writing, though the Band Aid Trust had disbursed the journalist but, by then, a leading light campaigned for “structural change poverty line. “The World Food Programme “perhaps some of that naiveté and bulk of the money, Geldof decided he in development organisations such as to usher in a more just system”. But calls it ‘structural food insecurity’. This directness did come through”. But had to earn a living again and Paul Traidcraft, Geldof and Bono took him following yet another Ethiopian foray permanent impoverishment has never when he got home, briefly, a few weeks ghosted his autobiography, Is That It? along as adviser while they lobbied with Geldof in December, 2009, he been adequately addressed. Even now, later – thrown out by the Ethiopian “But Geldof carried on campaigning,” George Bush, Jacques Chirac, Gerhard argues that debt relief and aid have the Ethiopian Government is making over Government – he was astounded to says Paul. “I was an intermittent Schroeder, and others. improved “2000 times” on 1985 huge tracts of land to companies from the find that Geldof had read his reports consultant. In 2004 we went back to Opinions on the efficacy and levels and affirms: “Live Aid raised the Middle East, India and China to produce and been so impressed that he asked Ethiopia. It seemed as bad as ever. outcomes of Band Aid/Live Aid/Live consciousness of people in the UK about bio-fuels; this might help the economy but him to come on a journey across Africa Geldof was shocked, so he rang Tony 8 still vary enormously. Introducing Africa – that was the main achievement, won’t help the poor.” to determine how Live Aid’s money Blair about it and the result was the the Live Aid book in 1985, their rather than the money.” could best be spent. (16 assorted progenitor and champion Geldof So Paul observed Geldof’s politicos, plus Geldof, headed by Blair wrote: “If there is a meanness, an encounters with presidents starstruck and Ethiopian PM ).” empty cynicism, a terrifying selfishness by his dishevelled prestige – plus the With Geldof insisting their report and greed in us, then that day, © Phil Sutcliffe 2010

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