692 The Do They Know It's Christmas Video

First  viewed  :  29  November  1984

This  had  been  well  trailed  on  the  news  programmes  but  the  official  unveiling  of  the  Band  Aid  video  was  just  before  Top  of  the  Pops  on  a  Thursday  evening. It's  still  a  remarkable  story, how  a  washed-up  rock  star  saw  a  harrowing  news  report  about  Ethiopian  famine  and  used  the  only  asset  he  had  left, the  names  in  his  address  book, to  create  the  most  famous  charity  single  of  all  time.

The  video  is  nothing  more  than  footage  from  the  hastily-convened  recording  session  that  produced  the  single  with  the  insertion  of  Boy  George  who  had  to  fly  over  from  the States  to  do  his  bit. It's  now  a  time  capsule  of  who  was  big  at  the  time  with  one  or  two  exceptions  ; if  there's  someone  you  don't  recognise  it'll  be  one  of  the  Boomtown  Rats. You  also  have  to  put  up  with  the  annoying  mugging  of  Culture  Club  drummer  Jon  Moss who  seemed  to  think  his  vicarious  fame  gave  him  the  right  to  hog  the  camera.

For  all  its  significance  the  song  is  a  bit  of  a  dog, little  better than  an  Ultravox  B-side, but  you  can't  knock  the  intention.