Judas Priest, Rick Springfield, John Oates, and Bob Geldof Reflect on 40 Years of Live Aid
Four decades have passed since the historic Live Aid concerts shook the world on July 13, 1985, and the impact still resonates with those who were involved or inspired by the event. As the 40th anniversary approaches, iconic artists like Judas Priest, Rick Springfield, John Oates, and Bob Geldof share their memories and reflections on one of the most ambitious charity concerts in music history.
Bob Geldof, the driving force behind Live Aid, remains proud and candid. “We didn’t know what we were doing, but we knew why we were doing it,” he recalls. Geldof’s tireless efforts alongside Midge Ure led to an unprecedented global broadcast, raising over $100 million for famine relief in Ethiopia. “It wasn’t perfect, but it worked. People around the world came together and made a difference.”
Judas Priest, although not on the original lineup, were very much a part of the heavy metal wave dominating the mid-’80s. Looking back, frontman Rob Halford reflects on the concert’s broader meaning. “Live Aid proved that rock and metal weren’t just about rebellion. They could be a force for unity and compassion,” he says. The band would go on to perform for numerous causes in the years that followed, often citing Live Aid as a turning point in artists recognizing their global influence.
Rick Springfield, whose pop-rock hits defined much of the early ’80s, wasn’t onstage at Live Aid but felt its ripple effect across the industry. “It changed how we thought about fame,” Springfield says. “Suddenly, the idea that you could use your popularity to help others became real, tangible. That day inspired me and so many of us to look beyond just the music.”
John Oates, one half of Hall & Oates, performed at the Philadelphia stage. He remembers the surreal nature of the day. “There was a raw energy backstage,” Oates says. “No egos, just people wanting to do good. It was the one time when the music world truly felt like a community.”
Now, forty years later, the legacy of Live Aid remains. It wasn’t just a concert — it was a global awakening. These artists, in their own ways, continue to carry the spirit of that day forward: that music has the power not just to entertain, but to heal, to rally, and to unite.
