Oz for Africa
Encyclopedia
Oz for Africa was an Australia
n concert held on 13 July 1985 at the Sydney
Sports and Entertainment Centre. It was broadcast locally and internationally as part of the worldwide Live Aid
performances to raise money for famine relief
in Africa. The concert featured 17 bands performing some of their best-known songs. All groups donated their services and the concert helped raise $10 million throughout Australia.
in Ethiopia
, called East Africa Tragedy (EAT) Appeal Concert, was held at the Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne
on 27 January 1985. The concert was organised by Bill Gordon with major assistance from Zev Eizics of Australian Concert Entertainment. Band Aid
co-founder Midge Ure
was brought to Australia to head the day long televised performances. Live satellite crosses to fellow co-founder Bob Geldof
and other Band Aid performers were included. The concert raised $1 million which was paid to the Red Cross.
Bill Gordon floated the idea of a UK concert with Midge Ure utilising all of the performers of Band Aid's charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?
". Gordon visited Geldof and the Band Aid Committee in London in April 1985 to secure a place for Australia in the planned event. The idea grew to become the Live Aid concept, which was to have concerts in UK, USA and elsewhere (including Australia).
, London
leg and was thus the first Live Aid concert.
Oz for Africa was organized by furniture dealer Bill Gordon and music producer Brian de Courcy, in co-operation with Geldof and the Band Aid trust
. Gordon sold his furniture business to use the cash to support the concert. It was compered by Ian Meldrum
, musical director of Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s
TV pop show Countdown.
The four-hour concert / telethon was broadcast on two Australian television networks Channel 7
and Channel 9
. Sections of it were seen internationally during the world-wide live broadcast of Live Aid
, some songs by INXS
were shown on BBC
in UK and other songs by Men at Work
and Little River Band
in United States on ABC
. An edited version of Oz for Africa was broadcast on MTV
from late at night on 12 July. Two INXS songs from the BBC broadcast are contained on Live Aid's four DVD boxed set released in 2004.
About 11,000 spectators paid $18.50 each, in order to see Oz for Africa. The concert / telethon and the associated Sport Aid Oz raised ten million Australian dollars for the International Disaster Emergency Committee in Australia.
, a new project similar to Live Aid but for world poverty. Meldrum was approached for his opinion on a Live 8 concert in Australia: "I'm hoping, he’ll [Geldof] do it, we will have the acts."
After his efforts remained fruitless to develop an Australian version of Live 8, Meldrum with ex-Savage Garden
frontman Darren Hayes
compered, on Australian television, a Preview of Live 8
.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n concert held on 13 July 1985 at the Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
Sports and Entertainment Centre. It was broadcast locally and internationally as part of the worldwide Live Aid
Live Aid
Live Aid was a dual-venue concert that was held on 13 July 1985. The event was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for relief of the ongoing Ethiopian famine. Billed as the "global jukebox", the event was held simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in London, England, United Kingdom ...
performances to raise money for famine relief
Famine relief
Famine relief is an organized effort to reduce starvation in a region in which there is famine. A famine is a phenomenon in which a large proportion of the population of a region or country are so undernourished that death by starvation becomes increasingly common...
in Africa. The concert featured 17 bands performing some of their best-known songs. All groups donated their services and the concert helped raise $10 million throughout Australia.
Background
The original concert for famine reliefFamine relief
Famine relief is an organized effort to reduce starvation in a region in which there is famine. A famine is a phenomenon in which a large proportion of the population of a region or country are so undernourished that death by starvation becomes increasingly common...
in Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
, called East Africa Tragedy (EAT) Appeal Concert, was held at the Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
on 27 January 1985. The concert was organised by Bill Gordon with major assistance from Zev Eizics of Australian Concert Entertainment. Band Aid
Band Aid (band)
Band Aid was a charity supergroup featuring British and Irish musicians and recording artists. It was founded in 1984 by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia by releasing the song "Do They Know It's Christmas?" for the Christmas market that year. The single...
co-founder Midge Ure
Midge Ure
James "Midge" Ure, OBE is a Scottish guitarist, singer, keyboard player, and songwriter...
was brought to Australia to head the day long televised performances. Live satellite crosses to fellow co-founder Bob Geldof
Bob Geldof
Robert Frederick Zenon "Bob" Geldof, KBE is an Irish singer, songwriter, author, occasional actor and political activist. He rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Irish rock band The Boomtown Rats in the late 1970s and early 1980s alongside the punk rock movement. The band had hits with his...
and other Band Aid performers were included. The concert raised $1 million which was paid to the Red Cross.
Bill Gordon floated the idea of a UK concert with Midge Ure utilising all of the performers of Band Aid's charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?
Do They Know It's Christmas?
"Do They Know It's Christmas?" is a song written by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure in 1984 to raise money for relief of the 1984–1985 famine in Ethiopia. The original version was produced by Midge Ure and released by Band Aid on 29 November 1984....
". Gordon visited Geldof and the Band Aid Committee in London in April 1985 to secure a place for Australia in the planned event. The idea grew to become the Live Aid concept, which was to have concerts in UK, USA and elsewhere (including Australia).
Concert details
Due to time zone differences the Oz for Africa concert began twelve hours before the Wembley StadiumWembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
leg and was thus the first Live Aid concert.
Oz for Africa was organized by furniture dealer Bill Gordon and music producer Brian de Courcy, in co-operation with Geldof and the Band Aid trust
Band Aid (band)
Band Aid was a charity supergroup featuring British and Irish musicians and recording artists. It was founded in 1984 by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia by releasing the song "Do They Know It's Christmas?" for the Christmas market that year. The single...
. Gordon sold his furniture business to use the cash to support the concert. It was compered by Ian Meldrum
Ian Meldrum
Ian Alexander "Molly" Meldrum AM is an Australian popular music critic, journalist, record producer , and musical entrepreneur...
, musical director of Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
TV pop show Countdown.
The four-hour concert / telethon was broadcast on two Australian television networks Channel 7
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
and Channel 9
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
. Sections of it were seen internationally during the world-wide live broadcast of Live Aid
Live Aid
Live Aid was a dual-venue concert that was held on 13 July 1985. The event was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for relief of the ongoing Ethiopian famine. Billed as the "global jukebox", the event was held simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in London, England, United Kingdom ...
, some songs by INXS
INXS
INXS are an Australian rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. Mainstays are Garry Gary Beers on bass guitar, Andrew Farriss on guitar/keyboards, Jon Farriss on drums, Tim Farriss on lead guitar and Kirk Pengilly on guitar/sax...
were shown on BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
in UK and other songs by Men at Work
Men at Work
Men at Work are an Australian rock band who achieved international success in the 1980s. They are the only Australian artists to have a simultaneous #1 album and #1 single in the United States . They achieved the same distinction of a simultaneous #1 album and #1 single in the United Kingdom...
and Little River Band
Little River Band
Little River Band is an Australian rock band, formed in Melbourne in early 1975.The group chose the name after passing a road sign leading to the Victorian township of Little River, near Geelong, on the way to a performance. Little River Band enjoyed sustained commercial success in not only...
in United States on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
. An edited version of Oz for Africa was broadcast on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
from late at night on 12 July. Two INXS songs from the BBC broadcast are contained on Live Aid's four DVD boxed set released in 2004.
About 11,000 spectators paid $18.50 each, in order to see Oz for Africa. The concert / telethon and the associated Sport Aid Oz raised ten million Australian dollars for the International Disaster Emergency Committee in Australia.
Performance sequence
Song sequence with total set time for each band in brackets.- Ian MeldrumIan MeldrumIan Alexander "Molly" Meldrum AM is an Australian popular music critic, journalist, record producer , and musical entrepreneur...
: compere - Mental As AnythingMental As AnythingMental As Anything are an Australian New Wave–rock music band formed at an art school in Sydney in 1976. Their most popular line-up was Martin Plaza on vocals and guitar; Reg Mombassa on lead guitar and vocals; his brother Peter "Yoga Dog" O'Doherty on bass guitar and vocals; Wayne "Bird"...
: "Live It Up", "If You Leave Me, Can I Come Too? ", "You're So Strong" - (11:30) - MachinationsMachinations (band)Machinations was a popular Sydney-based outfit working the mid-1980s independent Australian music scene. Notable national hits included "Pressure Sway", "My Heart's On Fire" and "No Say In It". They also achieved indie prominence with the two versions of their first single, "Average Inadequacy"...
: "Pressure Sway", "My Heart's on Fire", "No Say in it" – (15:30) - I'm TalkingI'm TalkingI'm Talking was a 1980s Australian funk-pop rock band, which featured vocalists Kate Ceberano and Zan Abeyratne. They formed in 1983 in Melbourne and provided top ten hit singles "Trust Me", "Do You Wanna Be?" and "Holy Word" and a top fifteen album, Bear Witness, before disbanding in...
: "Lead the Way" – (5:15) - ModelsModels (band)Models were an alternative rock group formed in Melbourne, Australia, in August 1978 and went into hiatus in 1988. They are often incorrectly referred to as The Models. They re-formed in 2000, 2006 and 2008 to perform reunion concerts. "Out of Mind, Out of Sight", their only No. 1 hit,...
: "Big on Love", "I Hear Motion", "Stormy Tonight", "Out of Mind, Out of Sight" – (17:30) - Do-Ré-MiDo-Re-Mi (band)Do-Re-Mi aka Do-Ré-Mi were an Australian Rock/Pop band formed in Sydney in 1981 when Deborah Conway and Dorland Bray joined Helen Carter and later recruited Stephen Philip...
: "Man OverboardMan Overboard (Do-Re-Mi song)"Man Overboard" is a single by Australian rock/pop group Do-Ré-Mi which was released by Virgin Records in June 1985. The 7" vinyl version has three tracks, which were written by lead vocalist Deborah Conway, drummer Dorland Bray, bass guitarist Helen Carter and guitarist Stephen Philip...
", "Warnings Moving ClockwiseWarnings Moving Clockwise"Warnings Moving Clockwise" is the third single by Australian rock/pop group Do-Re-Mi released by Virgin Records in December 1985 from their Domestic Harmony album. All three tracks were written by lead vocalist Deborah Conway, drummerDorland Bray, bass guitarist Helen Carter and guitarist Stephen...
", "1000 Mouths" – (13:00) - Electric PandasElectric PandasElectric Pandas were an Australian pop-rock band, fronted by vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Lin Buckfield, which formed in Sydney in 1983. Fellow founders were Warren Slater on bass guitar, Mark Stinson on drums and Tim Walter on guitar. Their first release was the single "Big Girls" in 1984 on...
: "Missing Me", "Let's Gamble" – (7:00) - DragonDragon (band)Dragon is a popular New Zealand rock band, they were formed in Auckland, New Zealand in January 1972 and relocated to Sydney, Australia in May 1975. They were previously led by singer Marc Hunter and are currently led by his brother bass player Todd Hunter...
: "Speak No Evil", "Rain", "Are You Old Enough?" – (16:00) - Men at WorkMen at WorkMen at Work are an Australian rock band who achieved international success in the 1980s. They are the only Australian artists to have a simultaneous #1 album and #1 single in the United States . They achieved the same distinction of a simultaneous #1 album and #1 single in the United Kingdom...
: "Maria", "OverkillOverkill (Men at Work song)"Overkill" is a song by Australian band Men at Work and featured on their 1983 album Cargo. It was written by lead singer Colin Hay. The song debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at #28 in April 1983 and peaked at #3 in early June. When it was first released, it was a departure from the typical...
", "The Longest Night" – (13:30) - Australian CrawlAustralian CrawlAustralian Crawl were an Australian rock band founded by James Reyne , Brad Robinson , Paul Williams , Simon Binks and David Reyne in 1978. David Reyne soon left and was replaced by Bill McDonough...
: "Reckless (Don't Be So)Reckless (Australian Crawl song)"Reckless" was a 1983 song from the EP Semantics by iconic Australian surf rock band Australian Crawl. The song showed a change in the line up of the band as drummer Bill McDonough was temporarily replaced by Graham Bidstrup...
", "Two Can Play", "The Boys Light UpThe Boys Light Up (song)"The Boys Light Up" is the second single and title track released by Australian rock band Australian Crawl from their debut album The Boys Light Up . The song was written by lead singer James Reyne, but sung by Simon Binks!!...
" – (16:30) - Party Girls: "Isolation" – (4:00)
- Uncanny X-MenUncanny X-Men (band)Uncanny X-Men are a pop/rock band which formed in Melbourne in 1981, and temporarily disbanded in 1987. They are fronted by lead singer Brian Mannix and originally included Chuck Hargreaves on guitar, Steve Harrison on bass guitar, Nick Manthandos on drums and Ron Thiessen on guitar...
: "Everybody Wants to Work", "50 Years" – (8:00) - GoannaGoanna (band)Goanna is an Australian folk rock group which formed in 1977 in Geelong as The Goanna Band with mainstay Shane Howard as singer-songwriter and guitarist...
: "Common Ground", "Song for Africa", "Solid Rock" – (17:00) - Little River BandLittle River BandLittle River Band is an Australian rock band, formed in Melbourne in early 1975.The group chose the name after passing a road sign leading to the Victorian township of Little River, near Geelong, on the way to a performance. Little River Band enjoyed sustained commercial success in not only...
: "Don't Blame Me", "Full Circle", "Night Owls", "Playing to Win" – (13:30) - Mondo RockMondo RockMondo Rock is a rock band from Melbourne, Australia, most prominent in the early 1980s. The band was formed in late 1976 by singer-songwriter-guitarist Ross Wilson.-Early years: 1976–1979:...
: "Cool World", "The Moment", "Modern Bop", "Come Said the Boy" – (14:20) - The AngelsThe Angels (Australian band)The Angels are a hard rock band that formed in Adelaide, Australia in 1970. The band later relocated from Adelaide to Sydney and enjoyed huge local success until well into the 1990s. For the purposes of international release, their records were released under the names Angel City and later The...
: "Small Price", "Eat City", "Underground", "Take a Long Line" – (22:30) - Renée GeyerRenée GeyerRenée Rebecca Geyer is an Australian singer who has long been regarded as one of the finest exponents of jazz, soul and R&B idioms. She had commercial success as a solo artist in Australia, with "It's a Man's Man's World", "Heading in the Right Direction" and "Stares and Whispers" in the 1970s and...
: "Put a Little Love in Your Heart", "All My Love", "Telling it like it Is" – (12:30) - INXSINXSINXS are an Australian rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. Mainstays are Garry Gary Beers on bass guitar, Andrew Farriss on guitar/keyboards, Jon Farriss on drums, Tim Farriss on lead guitar and Kirk Pengilly on guitar/sax...
: "Original SinOriginal Sin (INXS song)"Original Sin" is a hit single by Australian rock group INXS released in 1984 on their fourth album The Swing. It was written by Michael Hutchence and Andrew Farriss, and produced by Nile Rodgers....
", "Listen Like Thieves", "Kiss the DirtKiss the Dirt (Falling Down the Mountain)"Kiss the Dirt " is a song by the Australian alternative rock band INXS. It was written by Andrew Farriss and Michael Hutchence and included as the third track on the 1985 album Listen Like Thieves....
", "What You NeedWhat You Need (song)"What You Need" is a song recorded by the Australian band INXS. It is the leadoff track from their 1985 album, Listen Like Thieves. "What You Need" was the first single off the album in Australia and New Zealand, while it was in USA and Europe the second single after "This Time" and was the band's...
", "Don't Change" – (22:00)
Australia and Live 8
It was announced by Geldof, in 2005, that he was preparing Live 8Live 8
Live 8 was a string of benefit concerts that took place on 2 July 2005, in the G8 states and in South Africa. They were timed to precede the G8 Conference and summit held at the Gleneagles Hotel in Auchterarder, Scotland from 6–8 July 2005; they also coincided with the 20th anniversary of Live Aid...
, a new project similar to Live Aid but for world poverty. Meldrum was approached for his opinion on a Live 8 concert in Australia: "I'm hoping, he’ll [Geldof] do it, we will have the acts."
After his efforts remained fruitless to develop an Australian version of Live 8, Meldrum with ex-Savage Garden
Savage Garden
Savage Garden were an Australian pop rock performance and songwriting duo. Darren Hayes and Daniel Jones formed the group in Brisbane, Queensland in 1994...
frontman Darren Hayes
Darren Hayes
Darren Stanley Hayes is a UK-based Australian singer-songwriter. Hayes was the front man and singer of the pop duo Savage Garden, whose 1997 album Savage Garden peaked at No. 1 in Australia, No. 2 in United Kingdom and No. 3 in United States...
compered, on Australian television, a Preview of Live 8
Live 8
Live 8 was a string of benefit concerts that took place on 2 July 2005, in the G8 states and in South Africa. They were timed to precede the G8 Conference and summit held at the Gleneagles Hotel in Auchterarder, Scotland from 6–8 July 2005; they also coincided with the 20th anniversary of Live Aid...
.