Live Aid to be released on DVD – Finally!

Twenty years ago, there was a multi continental benefit concert staged in London in Wembley Arena, and in Philadelphia at JFK Stadium. It was organized by Bob Geldof, and had hours and hours of live performances by several bands. Huge names, too. Names such as U2, Sting, David Bowie, Elton John, George Michael, The Who, Madonna, Queen, Paul McCartney, Phil Collins, Mick Jagger, Tina Turner, Eric Clapton, Duran Duran, Dire Straits, The Cars, Bryan Adams, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Crosby Stills & Nash, The Beach Boys, Judas Priest, Hall & Oates, and a little ol’ band called Black Sabbath.
Yeah, they’re finally releasing Live Aid on DVD after twenty years of the footage being locked away (although I still have my VHS tapes I recorded 20 years ago). The rights issues have been worked out, and everyone who played (including some odd choices like Spinal Tap) will be included. Now, the press release I read about this says that it will have “over 10 hours of performances”. As the show ran over 10 hours in each continent, obviously not everything will be included. Black Sabbath played three songs. If I remember right, it was Paranoid, Children of the Grave, and something else – but I can’t recall for sure which tracks. Once I get further info on exactly how Sabbath will be shown here, I’ll report back.
It will be a 4 DVD set, and will be released on November 2nd. For those of us of age back when this happened (July 13, 1985), it was a seminal event in music. Not only was this the first time that Ozzy played with Black Sabbath after the rough separation in early 1979, it also featured a Led Zeppelin reunion, as well as numerous other wonderful performances.
One minor problem with the press release, they refer to Black Sabbath as “Ozzy Osbourne & Black Sabbath”. Uh, NO. Black Sabbath is not a backing band for Ozzy Osbourne, dammit!