Original Band Aid stars have slammed Ed Sheeran and Fuse ODG for their criticism of Band Aid 40, which was released on Monday.
To mark the song’s milestone, a remix has been created which blends the voices of artists who have featured on previous editions including Harry Styles, George Michael and Bono.
Sheeran said last week that they did not ask for permission to re-use his vocals from when he sang on Band Aid 30 in 2014, and that he would have “respectfully” declined the request.
The singer-songwriter said in a social media post that “a decade on and my understanding of the narrative associated with this has changed”, citing a post by British-Ghanaian rapper Fuse ODG that criticised foreign aid in Africa.
The artist, 35, said in an Instagram Story post that he had turned down the chance to take part in Band Aid 30 alongside Sheeran a decade prior.
In another post, he said they welcomed anyone “genuinely trying to support the continent” but it needs to be “a spirit of collaboration not patronisation, solidarity not charity”.
Speaking on Radio 2’s The Jeremy Vine Show on Monday, Spandau Ballet’s Tony Hadley, who appeared on the original track, said the critics “should shut up”.
The producer of the latest reimagining, Trevor Horn, added that, knowing Sheeran’s stance, he would have “gladly not used him” while Harvey Goldsmith, the promoter behind Live Aid 1985, bluntly remarked: “Stuff him.”
Defending the latest charity single in light of the musicians’ criticism, Hadley said: “I think they should shut up, to be honest.
“We were there. I mean, if you take that route, then nobody does anything to help anybody. It's just nonsense. I mean, you know, do we get rid of children in need? Because you say, well, the government should supply all the funds for everything.
“You know, everybody's trying to do their bit to support various charities, and we were doing our bit innocently to support what was happening in Ethiopia and in Africa, and it's still going on. That's the other thing. It's still going on, so do we sit back and we do nothing? So, I'm sorry, but I don't think so.”
Horn, who also produced the original song, then said: “I think it was done with the best intentions, and so I think it's not a good idea to misinterpret it as some, some kind of patronising thing.
“It was done to help. And really it was extraordinary that the music business could achieve that much. I don't think anyone ever anticipated that it would bring get that kind of money together.
Commenting on Sheeran’s criticism, he added: “I'm sorry Ed Sheeran is not happy. If I'd have known, I would have gladly not used him.”
Not holding back, gig promoter Goldsmith added: “Yeah, exactly. Stuff him.”
The 78-year-old went on to explain that he has signed £3million-worth of cheques in the last seven months from the money the Band Aid Trust has generated from the charity singles which support school and medical projects.
“The charities don't have a problem whatsoever coming to us to ask for grants every single day of the week, so they don't have a problem,” he added. “I don't know what Ed Sheeran's problem is, nor this other chap who I've never actually heard of personally, but anyway, I don't know what his problem is, but nevertheless, there is famine raging, and this is partly because of the climate change issues, because there's been there's either no rain whatsoever and it's baking dry, or there's so much rain that the earth can't soak it up.
“And that's what's going on, and we need to be mindful of that. And yeah, if we can help, we'll help. And if they don't like it, we're very happy to look elsewhere.”
Earlier in the show, Midge Ure, who co-created the single with Bob Geldof, admitted Sheeran should have been asked for permission to re-use his vocals.
“It's rather unfortunate we didn't run it past Ed [Sheeran] he's a lovely guy - and it should have been permission asked him, requested for but when all the artists commit to recording any of the Band Aid tracks, versions, that have been out there. They are actually giving their permission for it,” he shared.
The 71-year-old also addressed backlash against the song.
He continued: “So I understand the whole thing about the 'White Saviour' complex - and it's not new for us. We've had this thrown at us for 40 years.”
Ure added: “We deal with the result of feminine, of war, of conflict. We are dealing with children who have nothing to eat, nowhere to live, no education, nothing. So, the imagery that's associated with Band Aid is exactly the people we're dealing with. We're not dealing with governmental things, we're not dealing with the logistics of war and conflict and all the stuff that goes there.
“We're dealing with the result of that and the result is children who need food, need medication, need education and that's what we deal with. So, while we understand the 'White Saviour complex' and we are seen as part of that, the bottom line is, you cannot cut one hand off to let the other hand do its job, they have to work hand-in-hand.”
Defending the charity single, he said: “There is investment going into Africa. We said 'there won't be snow in Africa this Christmas' it's a pop song, it's not literal.
“It's a pop song that was used as a vehicle to point people towards a particular problem and that's what we've been doing for 40 years and that's what we intend to carry on doing with the help of the great record buying public.”
The commentary comes after listeners said the charity single doesn’t have “a patch on the original” after it aired on BBC Radio 2 Monday morning.
Band Aid’s latest track blends voices from Band Aid (1984), Band Aid 20 (2004) and Band Aid 30 (2014), and has been produced by Horn, who has worked with the likes of Grace Jones and Sir Rod Stewart.
The compilation is backed by the Band Aid house band of Sir Paul McCartney, Sting, John Taylor (bass), Phil Collins, Roger Taylor, Danny Goffey (drums), Thom Yorke (piano), Paul Weller, Damon Albarn, Midge Ure, Johnny Greenwood, Gary Kemp and Justin Hawkins (guitar).
The original Band Aid single saw artists join forces in 1984, led by Boomtown Rats frontman Geldof and Ultravox’s Midge Ure to help charities working with starving children in Ethiopia.
Do They Know It’s Christmas? went straight to number one that year and became the fastest-selling single of all time in the UK, selling a million copies in the first week alone.
It remained at number one for five weeks, going on to sell more than three million copies.
Do They Know It’s Christmas? – 2024 Ultimate Mix is available to stream now and will be released physically on CD and vinyl on November 29.
