Queen’s guitarist Brian May spoke earlier today (11/11/2020) about the band’s Live Aid concert and how the band ever truly believed just how much of an impact it would have. Speaking to TalkRADIO, the rock legend “at the time, we weren’t aware of what an epoch-making thing it was, really.” even coming off stage and the bandmates all thinking that the show was just OK and nothing more and not thinking more of it.
Live Aid was a massive fundraising initiative that took place around the world to help send aid during a famine in Ethiopia. Queen took part in the London Wembley Stadium playing hits like Bohemian Rhapsody (first half), Radio Ga Ga, We Are The Champions, and We Will Rock You. Alongside queen where acts such as Elton John, The Who, David Bowie, Paul McCartney, and many more. The two main events were London and the John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia.
Speaking to TalkRADIO May remembers they “got off stage they just thought “that went kind of OK” and never envisaged the dual-venue benefit show at London’s Wembley Arena in July 1985, which also featured performances from the likes of David Bowie and Madonna, would become a significant part of their legacy.” It was only after the Queen biopic featuring Rami Malek as front Freddie Mercury that he realised that this show meant a lot for them.
Neither May nor any of his former bandmates ever thought Live Aid would be so important or influential a show as it would later become. As the NME puts it “failing to realise that they had delivered one of the most iconic performances of all time.”. It was Live Aid’s show which created Mercury’s more remembered look, it left fans remembering the amazing stage presence and sheer power the band controlled whilst on stage.
Brain May touched on Freddie Mercury’s on-stage presence saying “He had a great spatial awareness, and that’s something very important. If you’re working with people on a stage, you need to have musical contact, but you also need the kind of physical chemistry going on — the awareness of where you are and where you’re aiming your energy.”.
Queen was an important band in the history of music, known for such inspiring hits that are heard and loved by many generations over time. To say they were influential is a massive understatement, The on-stage performance, and massive anthems have inspired artists and genres. What’s amazing to think is that there are young artists growing up now, they are being influenced by the songs written by one of the most famous bands of our time. On that note, I think it is fitting to end on something May said: “we didn’t realise that it had made such a lasting impression on the ether. … It sort of lives on, doesn’t it?”.
